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How big is Seoul?

Some of my readers have recently been enquiring as to just how big Seoul is. My standard answer is '10 million,' but numbers that big have a tendency to loose all meaning. For all intents and purposes 10,000,000 = infinity.

In all actuality, my answer of 10 million is a bit outdated and only for Seoul itself and not the entire metropolitan area. The current population of the Seoul metro area is 22,300,000 people. This is the third largest city in the world after Tokyo and Mexico City. Wow! New York is close behind Seoul as the fourth largest city in the world.

You can view my data source here.

Korean Driving

Driving in Korea is just sane enough that it is possible to be lulled into complacency. Once out of Seoul the freeways are pretty similar to home but with a bit more traffic. Sure, we get passed on the right by cars going twice as fast in the break-down-virtual-lane and Koreans are horrible at merging, but that's not so bad. Most Americans suck at merging too and I wish it was cool to pass on the shoulder at home sometimes. General rule of thumb for driving in Korea, 'Expect every other car around you to do something crazy.'

The things that quickly snap me out of any sort of dream that Korean roads are normal:

1) The pedestrian that died outside of school shortly after we arrived here.

2) The delivery guy laying in a pool of blood with oddly contorted leg that I tried to help.

3) The accident I saw two weeks ago that is possibly the worst accident I have ever seen in my life. Two cars collided on the freeway and exploded. Both were nearly unrecognizable as cars and there was a steaming crater melted into the asphalt. I am certain that no person survived.

4) The hundred or so other accidents I have seen since my arrival.

5) The number of deaths from motor vehicle accidents annually in Korea is 28 per 100,000 people. This compares to 11 per 100,000 in the states. Notoriously dangerous driving countries like Thailand and Colombia are in the low 20's. I could not find a statistically more dangerous country than Korea.

6) Two of our teachers are hospitalized for two weeks because they were in a bus accident over the weekend.

More Visitors!!!

Now Graham and Greta are also coming to visit us in Korea! This is so exciting. My mom will be here in 26 days followed by Graham and Greta just three days after she leaves and their trip overlaps with Josh and Ashley's visit! We are sooooo looking forward to having all this company. Some are worried that we have too many visitors, but I say "hell no!" It will be so nice to see people that we care about. You can all come visit and stay the rest of the year and I would be happy. I miss my friends and family.

Other stuff,
A big hooray to Lane for not getting mugged in Guatemala. (Good April Fools though!)

I am also pleased to report that I have completed my taxes (+ Mel's) and have successfully reclaimed all of our money from George Bush and his dumb war. We still proudly support the State of Oregon.

My dad cracks me up. He returned from three months in Fiji and NZ only to announce one week later via Email, "All's well because 2 jobs cancelled, I have my taxes done so I am off to Hawaii 'til the end of April. I miss the beach and Spring hasn't kicked in yet. So its a good excuse to take off."