Korea Korea Korea
It is raining, again, but Korea hsa been filled with many bright moments. I have been here for several day snow and am finally becoming used to the climate, the people and especially the food.
The first day I arrived I decided to get lost; this is seemingly a tradition for any city I enter. So, with subway map in hand (but no map of the city) I jumped on the subway, went for 45 minutes, got off, and wandered around. One thing I didn’t realize is that in Korea, if you want to get lost, heck, even if you don’t, you get lost. I stayed maily near main streets since I did need to meet Amara at some point, and couldn’t spend three hours looking for a subway. Some bread entered my tummy, a moped almost ran over my leg, and eventually a nice Vietnamese resteraunt supplied ample grub to maintain me for the rest of the day.
Soon I met up with Amara at the pre-school she teaches at (one of the most prestigious in the city, $1400 a month per child) and I was introduced to each person who worked there. We eventually left, got some food, watched a movie, and fell asleep. I don’t know if jet lag was still in effect, yet I was somehow quite tired.
In the morning I slowly got ready and headed out, to get lost again. A little more wandering I went and visited the Sogang University — Hope is studying Korean here and, although I wasn’t going to be able to see her, I was able to have a directoin for where to go in the city. One comment that is routinely rytheming in the back of my mind is that this city has to much to see but nothing to see. Possibly I have this belief because I am not doing “tourist” things, but from what I have seen and heard the city doesn’t have “sights” that must be “done.” After Sogang I had some food from a traditional style Korean bbq place — a nice lady helped me who spoke no English, so my lunch was somehow ordered with international sign language; puffs, finger counting and pointing. I didn’t really know what I ordered, but decided to play it safe and order what hte group next to me was having (plus I watched how they prepared and ate it, always a good thing so I don’t seem too foreign). I had some type of beef with kimchi wrapped around it, all heated up and eaten inbetween lettuce. Certainly good.
Upon leaving I took a photo and decided to go on a “walking tour.” Of course I got distracted by some stop that said “ditgital complex” which sucked, there wasn’t anything digital about it.
No walking tour.
Finally I met up with my friend Hope and had lunch. We chatted for quite a while but more wandering was needed. Each time I ride the subway I have an interesting encounter. Maybe it is because I’m white, maybe nice, maybe something else. I had to be on the subway for one stop and sat down, apparently in the “elderly” sectoin as was depicted by those universal blue signs. There was plenty of room though, I was going one stop, so I didn’t think too much about moving. An older Korean gentleman came on the train so I got up to give him room. I was only going one stop and always get up for people who deserve a seat. He got my attention and basically forced me to sit next to him — so here is Kelvin smooshed between two 70-something Korean guys. After I sat down he slapped my leg, freaking hard, and we both sort of laughed. I elbowed him joking around and he elbowed me back. The exchange went on for a little while, he gave me a mint, and I got off the train shaking hands.
Luckily I was able to go out to dinner with a group of people from Amara’s pre-school — Jeff, Sandra and their two kids all went to a rather formal, and rather expensive, resteraunt. Many little plates were brought out and after eating all we good, we decided that “the table won.”
Finishing up my stories in Korea last night I met a few of Hope’s friends at a bar. We started eating at maybe 11:00 or so, some hot spicy stew which was pretty darn good. Soon the soju started flowing. Partially because of my previous weekend encounter with Hennesey (that won too) and my semi-irritated stomach I made sure not to drink too much. Plus, with only a week in a country I can’t afford to be hungover. Most of the other people on the other hand got thoroughly happy. I was lucky to exchange email addresses with a few of Hope’s friends who’s paths will be crossing mine in the near future. Two of them are going to Malaysia the same time I am, and another will be heading to Taiwan right around when I would go, if I decide to go that route. The taxi ride home was entertaining, and after arriving back at Hope’s place she poured herself into bed and quickly began snoring softly. Maybe the soju gave me energy, and possibly I had a few things on my mind, but I just couldn’t sleep for the life of me. I called my step-mom (4am here, like 12ish there I think) and chatted for a while. Continuing not being able to sleep I had breakfast and even read a short 100 page book, in the typhoon style rain, that my mom gave to me for my 21st birthday.
Somehow my energy is keeping up and I need to go release it. I don’t think a run through the city would be such a good idea; while it is Choschu (Thanksgiving, and the city is empty) I might get lost and you’all would never hear from me again.
I now have just a few more days in this city. Admittingly I am somewhat done exploring, I have seen some amazing parts of the culture and, while I would like to meet more of the “natives,”still feel somewhat emersed. Work back in the States calls.
Maybe one or two more stories to come, but for the most part another experience and another stamp in the passport is in the wind.