Everywhere I go I take my notebook. Jotted throughout are essential pieces of information, everything from how to say hello in Korean to emergency numbers. Scattered amongst these vital tidbits is an eclectic and at times erratic collection of memories, musings and impressions.
So, in attempt to decipher not only my own handwriting but the reality of the first two weeks of my Daegu dream here are a few of those first experiences and impressions.
Flying:
As expected my flight over was arduous. The highlight was discovering that the in-flight entertainment included the documentary about Christian the Lion (youtube it, will melt any heart). The lowlight was losing the plot while watching the Topp Twins doco. Had a bit of a cry into my to-much-manky-rockmelon fruit salad while the man in the seat next to me looked uncomfortable and fiddled with this tomato sauce sachet.
Arrival:
As we landed at Incheon airport there was a rainbow in the sky. I took this as a good sign.
Self sufficiency:
From Incheon I had a four hour bus ride to Daegu. I arrived around 1am. Having been awake for near on 24 hours I was tired, confused and memorised by the numerous neon lights. I was also alone. Mr Seong (my boss) was supposed to be at the bus stop but, even in Korea, the best laid plans fall through. Unsure where I was - had I got off at the right bus stop? - I checked in a nearby Hotel. Emails sent, received and I was found.
The best thing about any scary/stressful situation is being able to look back and laugh. The bizzare interaction I had with a helpful but utterly useless taxi driver, the image of me trying to carry all my bags at once in the rain (did I mention that I arrived during a typhoon?) cause me to have a private giggle. But, what really makes me laugh (out loud) is discovering that the hotel I blindly checked myself into was a Love Hotel. The complimentary condoms probably should have been a dead give away but it wasn't till I tried to turn the lights off that the penny dropped. I couldn't turn them off, I could only make them dim and go red. Brings a whole new level to the term 'red light district'.
Impressions:
Korean TV makes me laugh, I watch it for the ads. My favourite is a Korean Dorothy and the rest of her Wizard of Oz pals dancing/singing to a jingle written to the same tune as the 'YMCA'...I think they are advertising cell phones.
I've seen some pretty sweet bikes. Mostly ridden by old men and women. Clearly the Wellington scene hasn't reached Korea yet.
While I still have a lot of Daegu left to explore I think I've found my favourite street. None of the streets really have names, rather they are identified by what they sell, i.e. cell phone street. I recently discovered Culture Street. This little gem is home of an array of galleries, han bok (traditional Korean dress) shops, musical instruments and a couple of really nice independent (somewhat of a rarity) cafes . My fav is called 'the kitchen' the décor is kind of kitsch/pop art. Needless to say it would go down well in Wellington.
People are kind. The other day as I was walking home with my groceries an elderly lady tapped me on the shoulder grabbed one of the bags from my hand carried it part way home for me.
Its hard to explain, but so many things in Korea are just....so cheesy? kitsch? I'm not sure what it is.
And of course there is school. School is manic/ full on/ great/ overwhelming - so much so that I think it deserves its very own post.
