Waking Up in Asia 10/25/09

There's definitely some funk in the air. Can't quite put my finger on what the smell is, but it's rank. Seoul smelled horrible like feet, gnarly rotten food and the way Missoula smells after it rains.
I woke up from my first night in Dangjin raring to go. Those magic pills kick ass! Thanks, Chris!
Agnes was going to take me around Dangjin today, but that wasn't until 1 p.m., so I decided to go for a walk to see what I could see. The previous teachers (Alex & Emily, a couple from Canada) had left me their cellphone and Agnes had pre-programmed her cell number into the phone. I figured if I got too lost I could just call her.
I headed out and ended up walking in the downtown area of Dangjin and considering it was Sunday, not too much was open but there were a lot of people out and about. Everyone I passed stared at me, but I didn't feel like they were being rude, just curious. I smiled at everyone I saw. The women would usually smile back, except for the older women, but men would almost never smile back.
I was looking for an internet cafe so I could e-mail everyone letting them know I'd made it safely. I went into a little convenience store and asked about an "internet cafe". The man didn't speak any English and he had no idea what I was talking about. Found out later, they are called "PC Rooms" here.
I eventually made it back to my temporary apartment in the library. I didn't get lost!
The previous teachers left some things behind when they went back home. They even made me pancakes and left them in the fridge for me! They left a bunch of cooking utensils and baking supplies, some bathroom stuff, food and a couple Canadian magazines. I don't have to go shopping right away :) ! They even left their pet fish. Or maybe that was just lunch...
I suddenly feel very isolated. Nobody knows if I've made it to Korea safely and I can just imagine what my mother is doing right now. I told everyone it would probably be about 2 days until they would hear from me. It's definitely been over 48 hours since I left the states.
Agnes drives me to the local department store where I can buy food and household items. I'm admittedly shocked at the grocery store. There is so much there -- a lot more than I expected to be able to find. I can easily walk to the store, too. It's called Lotte (Loh-tay) Mart, but I just call it "Lottee" because I'm an ignorant American. Apparently "Loh-tay" is a rich fella because there is a hotel called Lotte too, but you have to be somewhat of a high roller to stay there. Going to have to find myself a sugar daddy...
Agnes also took me to the outdoor market in Dangjin. I couldn't find it again if my life depended on it, but that is nothing new with my ridiculous lack of a sense of direction. The market gave me sensory overload. So many people, colors and objects. Toothbrushes, live eels and octopus in big tubs of water, food vendors, fruit (the fruit is HUGE), vegetables, pots & pans, toys, clothes, everything. One lady stopped us and asked us to try her food. (I assume that's what she said.) It was a sort of rolled up rice paste with spices and green onions and then deep fried. It was very good.
My toothbrush was in my carry-on so I bought a new one at the market. We stopped for a drink at "Family Mart", like a 7-11, and they're on every corner. Agnes and I watched the people at the market, she knew several people there, most of them were parents of Talking Club students. We also watch the insane drivers nearly hit pedestrians, market stalls and several cars. Drivers in Korea are nuts. I thought Vegas drivers were bad.
Eventually it's time to move into my apartment and it's only a half block from the school, awfully convenient. It's quite possibly the dinkiest apartment I've ever seen, even smaller than Lindsey's studio in Waikiki (which I didn't think was possible). But it's clean, has a washing machine and I don't need that much anyway. And it's free! Can't really beat that.
The landlord, the old tenants and Agnes all helped me move into my apartment. We had to move a bed, a table & chairs and a few smaller items into the apartment from the library. It was incredibly nice of everyone to help me. Although moving is a royal pain in the ass when you have to take off your shoes each time you enter a house.
I was so hungry and for some reason I just needed something comforting and familiar. I went on the lookout for some American cuisine. I rationalized that I had an entire year to eat the local Korean food, but at that moment I needed something familiar.
It's very odd to order American food in an American food chain from someone who doesn't understand a single word you're saying and you haven't the slightest inkling what they're saying. A whole lot of pointing and sign language occurs.
I had ordered a sandwich and the girl kept crossing her arms at her wrists and saying something over and over again. This is no time to practice your "Wonder Woman" act, girly!! I'm hungry! I honestly (idiotically) thought she was asking to cut the sandwich in half or something. Yes, I'm a moron. Something finally clicked and I realized she was trying to tell me they didn't have what I wanted. I had learned the sign language for not having something! I placed another order and went on my merry little way.