I feel like I really live here now. I guess I was subconsciously waiting for evidence that I'm actually here. Actually living in South Korea. I got it while I was rocking out with my headphones transferring between subway lines, and this morning when I was on my way to work.
First, a woman about my age starts walking up to me as I'm walking the other direction and stops me. She starts speaking to me in Korean, but after I say English with a sad expression she says, "Jonggak". I turn around and point her in the direction she needed to go, without even looking at my subway map! (If you didn't know, there are like 14 subway lines. I tried to make a bet on how many there were once and I lost. I said 9.)
Then this morning, as I'm hailing a cab to take me to work. Because of course I'm cutting it close again. I start to hand the cab driver a piece of paper that has directions to my workplace written in Hangul and he waves his hands. He already knows where to take me. Apparently, I've hailed this same cabbie before and he remembers me! A real example of how often I test my limits when it comes to time.
I thought of two more things to add to my "Be prepared in Seoul" list. (It started out as three, but now I can't think of the last one. Of course.)
- When you go to an FC Seoul game, which you will because there is no way you can't, buy seats in the North Arena. These tickets are the cheapest, but the hardcore, cheering, chanting, dancing, flag waving fans sit on that side.
- Do not ride the Disco Jump in Dongdaemun unless you have a death wish. I think the operator might get off on the possiblity of really killing someone.
....and the food?
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