Korean Technology Update #2: You win some, you lose some

With the help of the ever-intrepid Esther, we have mastered the stove! Evidently there is a master gas pipe at the back of the stove, and if you don't turn the little green knob, no gas will flow out of the pipe and into your burners. Upon turning this knob, we were able to light the stove, and now can look forward to many pan-fried dumplings. Also, our school-issued microwave should be arriving soon. A culinary bonanza!

We did, however, have to admit defeat on the dryer, which is even now chuckling smugly and indolently to itself as the washer beavers away. More accurately, I suppose, if I did not explain this already, the dryer SETTING is laughing while the washer SETTING works - the laundry machine is a combination washer-dryer. We cannot revenge ourselves on the dryer setting without taking out the innocent (and actually rather hard-working) washer as well, which explains the failure of our plan to intimidate the dryer by showing it the scene from Office Space where they take the recalcitrant fax machine out into the woods and beat it with baseball bats. So we bought a drying rack, which is now stationed under the air conditioner, and plan to move on to bigger battles, like figuring out what the weird drawer under the sink is.

Two further updates: intrepid reader Erin ("intrepid" seems to be my word of the day) writes to ask what the "ROK" in "School of ROK" stands for. The answer is Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea. This makes it really fun to look for South Korea in computer drop-down menus and the like: sometimes it's under "S", for "South Korea," sometimes under "R," for "Republic of Korea," and sometimes just "Korea," on the grounds that nobody needs an international calling card extension in North Korea because they don't have any phones.

And update #2, after a very firm poke by Justin, the freight forwarder reports that our worldly belongings are on a ship and en route for South/Republic of/ Korea. This is awesome, and entirely due, I believe, to the staunch support of our readers. So thank you for your good vibes. Now we need to pull for a safe, timely arrival and good delivery. I have faith in you.