It is the time of night that I ought to be sleeping and soon, but instead am thinking of my time so far in a foreign place, not the first time of course, but the first time I've lived in a foreign country, the first time I've referred to myself and my fellow colleagues as "expats," all teachers in kind, all relating to the same woes and joys, transient friends, acquaintances, but always the promise of the new, fond memories of the old, which is how I hope to end this journey, well, this part of the journey, before I return to the glitter and excitement of...New York? Most likely. I still fall in love with D.C. every single time I indulge in an episode of The West Wing. Which most certainly is an indulgence, as it is such a far cry from the, from my lowly perspective as a mere English teacher, the laidback atmosphere of Korea. Everything moves in slow motion here, which may be relaxing to some, but only makes me more impatient. If I spoke the language, perhaps things would move quicker, and I am doing my best to overcome this barrier. Somehow, I still get the impression that it isn't simply a matter of language, communication goes beyond words as I can certaintly attest to as a teacher. I can't help but think those of us living in Korea are somehow seperated from the bustle of real life, paid apartments, guaranteed employment, no worries of businesses shutting down, can always pick up a new position somewhere else with little to no trouble.
It's funny how the slow moving aspects are the most convenient, and cheapest, as well. The spas, luxuriate all day if one likes, in hot or cold soothing mineral water, overlook the mountains or the sea....take a moment to, or a half hour, for a deep massage and cooling facial, after which one proceeds to plunge into the cold pool for a sharp dip that wakes one up once again, then lets oneself fall back into a half-sleep in one of the hot pools. And while you will pay dearly for Western food, inferior in quality but just as expensive if not more so, the Korean places are delicious (mashita!) and flavorful and spicy, although not as spicy as the Koreans would have you believe, it won't scorch your insides but you may drink a bit more water than with a more mildly spiced concoction. And the inevitable dish of kim chee to spicen things up, if the food should prove too mild for your taste. Or at any rate, some sort of pickles, which Koreans do feel a very strong need to serve with dishes which both dovetail nicely into the overall meal (some meat dish) or not...such as my spaghetti carbonara from the other night.
Sometimes its nice to just chill with an icy glass of beer on a nice terrace, or drink strawberry juice and eat jam and bread at a book & care, being sure to sit near the windows, in order to people-watch, which really, is the best and maybe only thing to do in a foreign country, or any foreign location that isn't "home." Here the women all wear heels and very short skirts or shorts and long shirts that cover their shoulders.
And now, my very Korean cat, although she speaks English, I'm quite sure, is missing me, so I will take a break from writing for now and get some much needed rest.
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