Yes, it's me again! I know you are hearing a lot from me....but ask yourself this: would you rather I were quiet for weeks and months on end? Hmmmm....
Anyway, because it is technically school vacation now, I had Friday off after our field trip, so I decided to make hay while the sun shines - not that there's been too much sun after our field trip! I hopped a bus from Gunwi to Seoul (3 1/2 hrs). I reckoned that since I have already spent 2 consecutive days on long-distance bus trips this week, I might as well go the whole nine yards and add 2 more consecutive days! So, off to Seoul I went on Friday. Now I have not only conquered the Daegu subway system, but Seoul's as well - which is pretty impressive, even if I say so myself! LOL! (Actually, it's pretty easy to figure out. I love travelling public transport here. Everything's clean, no grafitti, everything runs on time, and regularly!) How on earth will I cope with a Cape taxi once I'm back? (If I turn into one of those expats who complain about everything once I'm back home, please SMACK me! - HARD!) It's so easy to compare SA's poorer points to other countries. People forget too easily all of SA's FINER points!
Anyway, so I decided to head to the dreaded Itaewon for shopping - they cater for Western sizes here. There's a part of Itaewon which is known as Hooker Hill - I wrote about it a few months back, the place where American soldiers pick up Korean girls. Well, I got picked up by an American soldier just back from Iraq. Now don't panic, everyone...Here's how it happened.....
I arrived at Itaewon subway station and went to the loo. As I exited, there was an American rapper wanna-be (full gear: white head-cloth, red baseball cap, red trainers, red outfit, bling in the ears, chain, etc etc etc). Well, he was looking at me, so to be polite (unlike most Westerners here in Korea), I greeted him. He asked me something that sounded like, "Are you married?" I repeated, "Am I married?" He emphasized, "Are you AMERICAN?" Me: "Oh! Sorry! Thought you asked if I'm MARRIED!" (embarrassing moment or what?). Anyway, we continued chatting. I found out that he was with the Military Police in Iraq, saw lots of 'action' since they were often flown into hectic situations in Apache helicopters. Turns out he used to be a Hip-hop dance instructor before he got drafted to the military, cos he attended a military school, so had to do his duty. He's African-American/Puerto Rican. Nice enough guy, considering my revulsion for American soldiers who caught on who-knows-what atrocities in Iraq. I wanted to get a first-hand impression from the horse's mouth. I was hungry, so we went to grab a bite (KFC was the closest). Like a gentleman, (even though he was dressed like an American gangster rapper and happens to be an American soldier), he insisted on treating me. A friend of his eventually joined us - a Puerto Rican, also with the US military. ???? (Seems this must be my Puerto Rican season! Remember I met a Puerto Rican girl a few weeks back? Turns out she and I will be working together at a camp in 2 weeks' time.)
Anyway, I told them not to let me hold them up, since I was on a shopping mission. We parted ways....Of course, he wanted to "get to know me better". Me thinks NOT! Can you imagine me walking around with someone who dresses like that!!! And yes, I know, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but honestly!
Anyway, I have finally come to understand the true meaning of MONSOON! The rain we get in Gunwi, cannot be called monsoon, after what I experienced in Seoul. The rain comes down so heavy that the raindrops bounce up from the ground to wet you underneath your umbrella! And here was me shopping in this weather! Nice thing, though, is that in Korea, all shops, buildings etc usually have umbrella stands at the door. Even the buses have a bucket at the door for your brolly. So you don't have to wet merchandise, people, seats etc with your dripping brolly.
I spent the night in Seoul, holed up in a hotel while thunder and lightning viciously attacked the city. More shopping this morning, and then I was approached by some Middle School students in a subway station. They interviewed me for their school's English newspaper and then finally I was on my way back home on the bus.
On Monday, I begin my summer vacation classes....teaching Science, of all things. But at least, I managed to squeeze some English literature and reading into the equation as well. And afterwards, we get to go the movies! 3 days of movies after classes! Not a bad deal at all. I even get paid extra for going to the movies with the kids! Is that hilarious or what? Which reminds me, I have lesson plans to prepare! So, it's farewell from me for now...
Cheerio!
Love,
Andrea
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