It's the Final Countdown (Do do dooo do, do do DO DO DOOOO)

This Is Just a Tribute.

In my last week in Korea, I accomplished a major life goal.  I made it to the local watering hole (J J's) for 8 days straight.  (Quick shout out to Alex-I couldn't have done it without you, brah!)  I went out in true T-Money style.  Let me paint a picture of JJ's for my readers (yes, you three!)  In the bustling, people-packed, jet-black-haired, electronic-media-engulfed Korean culture, this place was like a little Harry Potter portkey escape to my American culture of drinking, fried-food-eating, juke-boxing and darts.  Now, I don't want to mislead you to thinking this place was filled with whiteys, or people speaking "English-y" (as the crazy kids say), but the feeling was there.  We were comfortable, cozy and always content.  We could order jumbo beers (that's the only size they had...heaven!) WITHOUT ordering food.  (Places with this opportunity are few and far-between in Korea.  Bars solely for drinking, as we know them, don't really exist in Korea.)  JJ's had without a doubt become my second home in Korea.  By the end of the year, the staff had become my good friends (except those, flirty, skanky waitresses who barely spoke English, although Alex seemed to think they were great!)  I kid, of course.  Even the waitresses were unbearably beautiful  kind, and ended up being the last people in Korea crying about my departure (How sweet is that???).  JJ's had 2, count 'em 2, high-class electronic dartboards (approximate retail value upwards of 13,000 won) and I obviously played about 100,000 games throughout my year.  There was even a camera, so that you could play a game with someone who was at a completely different bar in Korea, seeing them throw and everything! WHAT WILL THEY COME UP WITH NEXT?  We'll probably have life-sized holograms of worthy competitors from Kazakstan, beamed into the bar.  Soon enough, people!

My "Seoul mate", J, is the owner of the bar.  He is adorable, insanely considerate, and wears classic, black-framed Korean glasses.  For our going away party, everyone in our group got free draft beer until the keg was gone, and he showered us with free shots and drinks all night.  (Granted, I probably put half of each paycheck into this place.  I guess he still owes me, huh?)  Once be brought me complimentary nachos with just nacho cheese and salsa.  The guy loves  knows me.  Although the bar was always filled with Koreans, they were somehow always the friendliest Koreans in the world, who absolutely loved meeting and talking to foreigners (as do I...weird!)  I made new friends there every single night I visited, and there was never a dull moment.  The jukebox ROCKED and always had the latest American and Korean music for our listening pleasure.  It was...the best.  And I really miss it.  I wonder if they miss me, too, or if they've moved on to some other overzealous, extroverted, big-drinking blond girl.  *sigh*