Korea 2006

I arrived in Seoul yesterday morning. Getting off the subway I was slightly worried about finding the place I was staying because I had seen it’s location differently on two maps. So, I figured the map in my guidebook was the one to follow. I start walking up what I think is the right street. I’m wandering, wandering. not seeing the place I want. This little old man yells to me ‘hey, where are you going’ I look at him and ask if he was talking to me (who else would he be speaking english to though) he says yes, what are you looking for? I tell him Seoul Backpackers (the name of the place I am staying) Ah, he says over there. See those two tall buildings? in between them. I look at him and am unsure if he really knows what he is talking about, but since my guidebook didn’t, shouldn’t I trust a local? I say “gamsa hamnida” (thank you in korean)

he says now you buy me ice cream. I start to laugh. I say, you want me to buy you ice cream? He says yes and starts walking to the little store nearby that has a freezer out front with ice cream cones. I’m laughing harder now. He picks one out, asks the guy how much, the guy tells him, and he says to me - give him 1,000 won (about $1) so I do and I am laughing all the way to the place, which he was right about. I’m laughing about it now as I remember and write about it…

Then there was the old man on the subway yesterday. He was talking on his cell phone when I first sat down next to him. And as soon as he got off he was concerned about me knowing when to get off at the right stop. So, in very broken english I finally got that he wanted to know what stop I was going to. Then he told me how many stops until that stop (i was thankful for his help, but was aware where i needed to go) I thanked him. then he asks how old I am. 22? he asks? No, i say 32. He doesn’t understand. I take out my pen and write it down for him. He is truly shocked. I can tell by the look on his face. You have a husband? yes, I lie Children? No, not yet. 32? he asks. Yes. I say. He says something in Korean to the the woman sitting next to him and she looks at me and smiles. It is gettin close to my stop and so I get up to put my bag on my back. And he says something to the lady again. I look at her and in a mix of sign language and korean she tells me that although I am 32 the man thinks I look 22. I chuckle gratefully and say to him “gamsa hamnida” and I am on my way.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 19th, 2006 at 5:57 am and is filed under week 2. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.