Joel: I suppose now the working week is becoming something of a routine already. I'm really enjoying myself - there can't be many jobs as much fun as designing and playing games with kids all day - but already monday mornings are feeling just like monday mornings. Saying that, I have been a bit ill this week. What started as a mild hangover on Sunday turned into a full blown sore throat and yesterday I could hardly eat - certainly not anything spicy - which kind of limits things in my school canteen. I'm feeling much better now though, despite the incredible humidity - which I'm assured is only gathering pace.

So yes, last week we went out for dinner with my principle. The first I was told of it was about week before when Debbie mentioned that a group of students' parents wanted to take me out beacause their kids had told them that they were really enjoying my lessons. I think also that they want me to have a good impression of Korea and Korean people. Still, as with many arrangments in Korea, the information was vague. A number, perhaps four, perhaps six or more, of Korean mothers were to take me to an unspecifid location for dinner straight after work on Wednesday. The principle would be coming and probably the vice-principle but Debbie didn't know if she would be permitted and when I asked if Rakhi was invited Debbie returned from speaking with the principle to tell me he thought her presence might make the mothers uncomfortable. Things weren't looking good at that stage. No-one there would be able to speak English - but, of course, I was obliged to go.

When the day arrived, I was made to feel more possitive with the news that Debbie was coming (so at least I had someone to speak to) and there would be only two mothers and a father. I still didn't know where we would be going. When we met with the principle outside his office after school, he shot Debbie a confused look and grunted some Korean which she, looking quite confused herself, translated for me. The principle wanted to know if Rakhi was coming. I tactfully said I thought she wasn't invited. He waved his arms a bit and suggested I give her a call if she wanted to come. What? Only that morning he had said she wasn't able to come. What a strange way to go about trying to create a good impression of your country and people.

So anyway, we picked Rakhi up (she had to sort herself out pretty quickly - clearly she was more shocked and confused than me) and eventually arived at a Japanese restaurant. On the way in Debbie popped the question, "Do you like raw fish?" It's a bloody good job I can eat raw fish. I wouldn't say I was it's greatest fan of raw fish and I've never eaten a whole meal of raw fish before but it was Rakhi I was worried about. She might be more comfortable than me riding the Big Shot on the top of the Stratosphere Tower but she gets a bit squaemish at the idea of eating things with tenticles - which there were plenty of. On the whole though, as bizarre as the experience was, there were enough things we were prepared to eat to fill us up and the Koreans were very hospitable. Through translation they said some very nice things. On the way home in the taxi, Debbie told us she had asked the principle why he had changed his mind about Rakhi coming and apparently he said he had wanted it to be a surprise. Er....right.

Also last week, we went to a DVD bang. These are everywhere so we decided to check one out. I was well impressed. I expected just a small dark room with a couch and a large TV but what we got was akin to a personal cinema. The film was projected onto a huge screen exclusively for me and Rakhi (we watched The Incredibles) and we had a volume control, and huge leather bed-like sofa to sit on. It's a great facility. I can't believe no-one's tried to launch the idea in Britain. Actually, perhaps they'd all get trashed.

We saw plenty of footage of our English representatives behavior in Germany. I'm sure no-one's that surprised - it's the same every time. Of course, it may be propaganda of a sort, but we also saw footage of Korean fans watching a game on a huge outdoor screen in Germany. They were perfectly well behaved. Loads of fans from other countries joined them to soak up the atmosphere. And - get this - when the match was over and fans began to disperse, groups of Korean fans beagan the clean-up operation filling bags with empty cans and bottles. Could you ever imagine this from England fans abroad?

And now England are through to the last eight. Another encounter with Portugal, hey? We owe'm one! Come on Wayne!