I finally did it! I cannot explain how happy this makes me. But I'll try anyway!
We've had orientation the last couple days and before that we were all just spending time with each other - the other international students. We went out to eat, we wandered around campus, and we traded stories about home and here. But we always stuck together in big groups, and made sure we always had at least one or two students who could speak some Korean. Last night I started realizing how much of an annoyance that is to the employees and owners whose restaurants we invaded. We were loud, we were clueless (which means we were rude), and we were messy. Because...chopsticks... Yea, you get it. So today when we had a break for lunch, my British friend, Peter, sitting next to me turned to me and said, "Where would you like to go?" "Oh, I don't care." So we turned to Mr. Taciturn Aapo from Finland. (I'm not making fun of him. Actually, it is a cultural trait. The Finns have no concept for either small talk or awkward silences. Aapo extremely polite, clever, thoughtful, and humorous. He is also very unlike most Americans.) "I don't really care." So we decided to go into town, without the big group. We walked around, found a random place that had reasonable prices and walked in....
"So, Peter, Aapo, do either of you speak any Korean?" "No." "None at all." "...me neither."
We all looked at each other, smiled. And kept standing there looking at the menu. it seriously looked like chicken scratch with some prices next to it. We found the "rice" section, and then some other words we could pick out, but nothing like a full order.
So Peter pulled out his handy pocket dictionary of common words and phrases and we started trying to match what was on the menu board to what was in the book.
Peter's comment: "We're such tourists."
Aapo's comment: "Are we really doing this...?"
We looked at each other, started grinning, nodded, and walked up to the counter to order.
The girl was polite and patient - we'd only been staring at the menu board for ten minutes...
Peter and Aapo ordered: "An nyeong he seyo." "An nyeong he seyo." "Uh.....*sheepish grin*..... bibimbap?" *emphatic nod and big smile* "Kom sam nida!" (Mumbled, of course, as none of us were quite sure how to *really* say "Thank you!")
And then I ordered, repeating the greeting and asking in my own very timid voice, "Mm, ah...neangmeon?" Again the big smile and emphatic nod and the exchanged thank-you's.
Then it was over. We sat down, looked at each other and smiled because, yes, Aapo, we are really doing it! Hardcore tourist style.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Pictures of Places
>> There was glitter in the wall paper that also happened to be ceiling paper.
>> The room contained slippers, an ash tray, an amazing calendar, toothbrushes, razors, and even drinks in the fridge.
>> There was a window into the hallway that was on the opposite side of the room from my door.
>> The entryway was fitted with a motion-sensitive light. (I have since learned that most newer buildings have this feature.)
>> In order to have lights in the room I inserted my key into a sensor next to the door.
Supposedly, because I walked through this archway, I will never grow old. (Does that mean I'll die young?)
One of the palaces which the last emperor of Korea inhabited. He was actually killed in this one.
This is the main gate area. The emperors' throne was in this building.
The throne:
The general populous was not admitted to see the emperor, however, lawyers were allowed to bring their cases before him.
They stood here in class order. When I took this picture, I was standing where the most prestigious of the lawyers would have waited.
If you like enormous roses...
Dining in style
TIMES SQUARE (That's all I have to say about that.)
This is my room.
And my orange luggage.
And far more cabinet, drawer, and closet space than I will need.
And no where to put my suitcase once unpacked.
And my very comfortable bed.
And my window.
And the view from my window!! I love it.
This is the living room part of the suite that I share with 11 other girls...New York hotdog company. And the convenience store. And believe me - it is definitely convenient!
Finally, a billboard for SCH University as seen from the platform of the train station in Cheonam.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Now you see me
Imagine sitting in a the second row of a large theater with hundreds of other people. Munching on sweet and crisp caramel popcorn while watching the one and only time Morgan Freeman doesn't come out on top in the end. Every once-in-a-while you look ever at your friend and share a laugh or a startled expression. The movie is thoroughly enjoyable. I mean, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo? Seriously, it has to be good. Even the subtitles at the bottom of the screen can't tarnish the look of this one. Now You See Me was worth every won we paid. Now it's over and we all stand up. Only...what's this? The seat stays down. I pushed on it with my calves, the way I always do when I get up from a theater seat that wants to stick a little. Then I look up and it hits me like the sound wave of what still sounds like gibberish that hits my ears. These seats don't fold up. Those subtitles were Korean. My friend had beautiful brown skin and straight black hair with laughing black eyes; her name is Jinah. I am listening to Korean, surrounded by Korean people, and eating Korean caramel popcorn in the Lotte Cinema in Seoul. Now You See Me, America. Now you don't.
Friday, August 23, 2013
The most amazing thing in the whole world
It's 2000. Or is it 6am? Either way, I have been up for a very long time, and I am ready for bed.
Twenty-six-and-a-half hours ago I woke up in Chicago, too excited to sleep. It's not every day that one wakes up thinking, "I am flying to Korea today!" We finally made it to the terminal at the O'Hare airport at 4:40 - over an hour after I woke up. Somehow, we were in the right place, so after a somewhat hurried and thoroughly bittersweet goodbye to three of my best friends I hurried off to check in my giant orange backpack full of clothes and enough shampoo, lotion, and shaving cream for four months. Shockingly, everything went smoothly, and by 5 o'clock I was sitting in United Airlines' terminal 3B waiting to board my flight to San Francisco.
American cities are interesting places if one is interested in observing different kinds of people. The man sleeping in old jeans and a faded, unbuttoned button-up shirt thrown over an even more faded t-shirt. The two business men wearing grey suits and pink ties, holding their airport Starbucks and laughing like they didn't notice that it was too early to be up. The old couples, placid and comfortable - used to life. The 20-something man sitting a few rows over reading and pretending to ignore the world around him. The family behind me: Caucasian dad, Asian mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother and grandfather-in-law, the young Asian girl, daughter or sister? and finally the baby boy named Joseph. They'd forgotten his shoes, but he didn't seem to mind. I think he didn't realize it was too early to be up either...
We all boarded successfully. The seat next to me was empty - always a plus, and in the third seat sat my friend the Asian grandfather-in-law. I wanted more than anything else to open my window and watch the clouds - imagining all the states below them: all the states I'd never seen. But they wanted to sleep, (imagine that!) so I pulled down the window shade and slept.
From 6am, Thursday morning until 1440, Friday afternoon I was either sitting in an airport, waiting - isn't that what people do in airports? Or sitting on a plane trying to pretend I was more excited than miserable. Now, I know that sounds like a long time, but it was only 18 hours.
When I finally arrived at the Incheon Airport in Seoul, I was too tired to notice how excited I was. I was not, however, too excited to notice how nervous I was. My flight history is this: Dallas Texas and back with Jo five years ago, Berlin, Germany and back with a group from Tech five months ago. That's all. But I made it through customs and baggage claim alright by following the crowd - this time they (mostly) right. I'd kept my shoulder bag full of book with me, also the matching bright orange suitcase that held shoes, toiletries, a towel, and everything else. My backpack was not hard to spot.
Then I was done and all I had to do was find my friend Jinju who had come to meet me. Naturally she found me first. Jinju was an exchange student at TTU during my freshman year there. We became good friends then and have kept up since, so seeing her was like seeing a long-lost-sister. Nothing could have been more perfect!
We took the train to my hotel, deposited my colorful luggage and then went in search of something to eat. It was good. It had chicken in it. The word for "chicken" in Korean transliterates to "ka." I am afraid though, that I was a very poor conversationalist... Now I'm back at the hotel. That shower felt nice, this bed feels even nicer. And sleep sounds like the most amazing thing in the whole world.
By the way, I don't like the color orange.
Twenty-six-and-a-half hours ago I woke up in Chicago, too excited to sleep. It's not every day that one wakes up thinking, "I am flying to Korea today!" We finally made it to the terminal at the O'Hare airport at 4:40 - over an hour after I woke up. Somehow, we were in the right place, so after a somewhat hurried and thoroughly bittersweet goodbye to three of my best friends I hurried off to check in my giant orange backpack full of clothes and enough shampoo, lotion, and shaving cream for four months. Shockingly, everything went smoothly, and by 5 o'clock I was sitting in United Airlines' terminal 3B waiting to board my flight to San Francisco.
American cities are interesting places if one is interested in observing different kinds of people. The man sleeping in old jeans and a faded, unbuttoned button-up shirt thrown over an even more faded t-shirt. The two business men wearing grey suits and pink ties, holding their airport Starbucks and laughing like they didn't notice that it was too early to be up. The old couples, placid and comfortable - used to life. The 20-something man sitting a few rows over reading and pretending to ignore the world around him. The family behind me: Caucasian dad, Asian mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother and grandfather-in-law, the young Asian girl, daughter or sister? and finally the baby boy named Joseph. They'd forgotten his shoes, but he didn't seem to mind. I think he didn't realize it was too early to be up either...
We all boarded successfully. The seat next to me was empty - always a plus, and in the third seat sat my friend the Asian grandfather-in-law. I wanted more than anything else to open my window and watch the clouds - imagining all the states below them: all the states I'd never seen. But they wanted to sleep, (imagine that!) so I pulled down the window shade and slept.
From 6am, Thursday morning until 1440, Friday afternoon I was either sitting in an airport, waiting - isn't that what people do in airports? Or sitting on a plane trying to pretend I was more excited than miserable. Now, I know that sounds like a long time, but it was only 18 hours.
When I finally arrived at the Incheon Airport in Seoul, I was too tired to notice how excited I was. I was not, however, too excited to notice how nervous I was. My flight history is this: Dallas Texas and back with Jo five years ago, Berlin, Germany and back with a group from Tech five months ago. That's all. But I made it through customs and baggage claim alright by following the crowd - this time they (mostly) right. I'd kept my shoulder bag full of book with me, also the matching bright orange suitcase that held shoes, toiletries, a towel, and everything else. My backpack was not hard to spot.
Then I was done and all I had to do was find my friend Jinju who had come to meet me. Naturally she found me first. Jinju was an exchange student at TTU during my freshman year there. We became good friends then and have kept up since, so seeing her was like seeing a long-lost-sister. Nothing could have been more perfect!
We took the train to my hotel, deposited my colorful luggage and then went in search of something to eat. It was good. It had chicken in it. The word for "chicken" in Korean transliterates to "ka." I am afraid though, that I was a very poor conversationalist... Now I'm back at the hotel. That shower felt nice, this bed feels even nicer. And sleep sounds like the most amazing thing in the whole world.
By the way, I don't like the color orange.
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