Dear Korea, please explain, volume one.

Anywhere in the world, you're bound to see things that just baffle you. I'm talking about the small, mundane things that are just a little off or unexpected. I could easily rattle off a list of things like this from the U.S., and I'm from there -- these things should be somewhat normal to me, and yet they still catch my eye. Being on the other side of the world though? Completely different assortment of perplexing and, as my students say, "strange-ee."

To show you what I mean, here's (the first installment of) a photographic journey through some of the more... unique things from Korea that I just really, really need someone to explain.

This is ice cream. You peel it like a banana. It's kind of like mochi on the outside, with ice cream on the inside, and it's entirely banana flavored. A+ for creativity.

Chew this lady gum while you write with your BIC "For Her" pens.

Because who doesn't want a box of chocolates with Korean men printed on them? For the record: these were "service," or free, from a chocolate vendor when I purchased a ton of the cactus chocolate and stuff to send back to family and friends. Also, let the record show that I was highly disappointed to find that the faces were not edible.

Kakao is the most popular free messaging app in this country, and they have some of the strangest emoticons... Most of the time, the peach looks more like a butt. Also, I spy something racist? 

Stay classy, Korea. 

Underwear bomb? On display at the airport? 

"Blood Diamonds." Nice jacket, bro.

In the winter, walking to work is kind of like ice skating, but the super dangerous kind where you don't have any ice skates and it's awful. The sidewalks aren't cleared here, so all the heavy snowfall just gets packed down until it starts to melt and then freezes again overnight into solid ice! Fun times for all.

This was one of those moments where I felt like the kind ajummas at our local gimbap house were trolling us. The banchan, or free side dishes, are often a little different when we go in there, so I always get excited when there's something I've never had before. When this was placed in front of us, I didn't think twice before trying it, not knowing what it was exactly. Can you guess from the picture? Because it was definitely sliced hotdogs in ketchup. Well played, gimbap house ajummas. Well played.

One of the strangest things in Korea for me is this: the soap on a stick that's in most public bathrooms. It both grosses me out and amuses me. It's so logical, and yet so absurd. 

I love this country, but sometimes... what?

The story of a tank top.

As many of you know or have seen on this blog, you can find some really, really strange, random t-shirts in Korea. To give you a taste, here are my favorites that I found while wandering around shops in Osan last week.

"Erpretatiou, and theint the words of the wivi"

"In every other state that the wolf lives in they are endangered

She was disappointed his face that ugly enough to tree a wolf."

And then here's the one I actually bought, because it was the cheapest (and strangest) at only $5:

The front, with a big "Save Ferrets," instead of the popular "Save Ferris."

And then the back: "Get it dyed red" and "Naute not to asy for anything from but simply tc say thank you." 

It absolutely baffles me as to how some of these things end up printed on shirts -- we've found logos for various stores back in the U.S., different organizations (Red Cross, Girl Scouts), a wealth of strange Engrish, and the occasional logo for something that appears to be from a personal event (family reunion, wedding, etc.).

Normally, when I've seen the latter, I've assumed someone is just making up names and stuff for the sake of slapping it on a shirt. However, while in Osan, there was one that really caught my eye:

I did a double-take as soon as I saw "Tulsa" on this shirt, surprised to see something with my hometown printed on it. After getting a good laugh, showing everyone I was with, and taking a picture, I put it back -- $20 was too much to spend on a tank top while on my current budget (called "it's two days before payday and my three month vacation took all of my money..."). And, yellow just isn't really my color, you know?

In hindsight, I've made a huge mistake. I should've bought that shirt.

Why? (Besides the obvious reasons of it being so damn random and also about my hometown?)

Well, because I found Jason and Kasia. 

Once I got home that night, it dawned on me that I should Google the info on the shirt. Was this a real wedding? Are these real people? Could I somehow find them and send the picture of the shirt?

A quick Google search led me to the website for their wedding photographer, where I found a password-protected album of their wedding photos. Unable to access it and find any more info about this couple (like their last names so I could try to find them on Facebook or something), I emailed the photographer, explaining this strange situation and my mission to show them the photo of the shirt.

Their wedding photographer quickly emailed me back, also sharing my confusion and amusement. He then forwarded my message to the contact email he still had on file for Jason and Kasia, and I had a message in my inbox from Kasia when I woke up last Sunday morning! Apparently the logo is from their wedding invitation -- the girl who designed it must've had it up on her website, and somehow, someone found it and decided to make a shirt.

And this is where I started kicking myself for not buying the shirt -- Kasia, of course, would like to have the shirt and has offered to pay for me to send it to her. But, it was in Osan, which is two hours away from where I live in Incheon. I was able to enlist the help of my friend, Amy, who lives in Osan, but by the time she made it back to the store, the shirt was gone. Sigh.

I hope that I might be able to find the shirt elsewhere... next weekend's plans involve a shopping trip to my dear Bupyeong Underground Shopping Center, which is home to all of the wonderfully bizarre shirts I buy (and give to family and friends). Bupyeong has a remarkable mess of completely random things, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that fate will reunite me with this shirt.

Kasia has been understanding about not being able to get the shirt to her, and I can only hope that somehow, I'll come across another one. If nothing else, she's got a great story and a photo to prove it! And hey, I do too.

ps. Anyone in Korea that is reading this, whether I know you or not: if you find this shirt, buy it and contact me. I will pay you back! And then you can feel awesome about yourself for helping me complete this unusual quest to send a very special shirt to some complete strangers. :)