The Sky Is Clearing Up...Metaphorically

It's only metaphorically clearing up. It's still really really gray and dismal here, and unbearably hot. But something about the weather and constantly walking everywhere makes it okay for me to be sweaty all the time. It's more like a glistening than sweating anyway.

Today started off terribly as I went to take a shower and realized I had absolutely no idea how to operate my hot water heater.

Does this make sense to you?

So what started off as a simple shower and shave turned into a two hour long process of trying to translate the knobs, and even then it only made partial sense. What does one do in such situations? Cry like a baby and call in an army of helpful Korean-speaking friends! I don't think I've tapped my resource of friends so heavily as I am now in Korea. It's kind of nice knowing I have all these people here to help and support me when I need it. I never really got that feeling in America the same way.

Friends are phenomenal things to have. Elaine sending me this picture was the best gift ever.

Once I got hot water going I KNEW it was going to be my day. A nice hot shower cleared my head right up and I decided to try and find my way to the campus I have to work at tomorrow. But I didn't really have a map or anything. Luckily Min had put the addresses into my phone and I took them and put them in Google Maps, found the route, screen shotted it and ported it back to my phone to use as a static map. Great idea, huh? I thought so. This should be a piece of cake. Off we go!

A little too easy? Yeah, probably, because (As i mentioned) it's like London overcast right now and I can't tell which was is North. I figure I have a 50/50 shot, so I strategize it all out in my head and start walking.

You could never get me to drive here...

Of course, with my luck, I end up walking SW instead of NE and end up totally on the wrong side of town, so far off my printed map that when I stop at a convenience store to ask for directions, the man has difficulty helping me since he can't show me our location. He finally communicates that I need to head back down the road, so I do that and stumble upon a bus stop with a map. I compare that map against mine to figure out where I am and where i need to go, and I realize it's laid out on a grid system. After that it was pretty easy. I thought I was close at one point and couldn't find it so I cheated and found a free WiFi spot to use google maps. I had gotten within a few blocks so...good for me.

A cool looking church I pass on the way.

I show up at the school and obviously no-one is there, but I'm proud I made it anyway. I walk back home, snagging more free WiFi and using Viber to call my parents while I have the chance.

I make it home and jump online to see if Pat was done with Church and had emailed me back.

This is where I live. It looks a lot nicer on the outside than it does on the inside. lol

Indeed he was, but while I was checking his email my voltage converter literally burst into flames and released a huge could of smoke in protest. Cheap little thing. Damn Wal-Mart. Luckily, Pat's email asked if I wanted to go shopping with him at E-Mart which I now COULDN'T turn down or I would be tech-less forever T_T. So he asked me to meet him at the GnB campus I just came from in 10 minutes, so I hustle back out of the the apartment and down to the campus.

Of course I took a moment to stop and enjoy the mosaic that was set into the side of a long wall on the way...

Sushi/Sashimi a la carte

I jump in the car with him and two Korean acquaintances of his that he introduces me to, and we head off to E-Mart. We actually end up going to LotteMart, which is right next door, but both are like 7 stories tall. RAther unnecessary, but awesome. They have ramp escalator/people mover type things so you can take your cart from level to level. This place had EVERYTHING including the new adapters I needed (sadly, no voltage converter, so no 3DS for awhile). We found out that beef is rather expensive...about 10-14 dollars for 100g (not a whole lot) and so is shampoo and deodorant (astronomical prices). Sushi/sashimi, however, you can get pre-packaged or a la carte for fifty cents a piece. We grabbed a bunch of crazy looking ones like something from the squid family, something that looked like a fish made out of sour candy, and a bunch of stuff we couldn't recognize (except shrimp, salmon, and tuna). My whole meal cost me about 3 dollars.

I have no idea what the bright green one is, but I liked it.

Oh, and did I mention they have a mascot too?

Only in Korea....and probably Japan

It was quite the trip. I need to get Kakao working so I can easily contact my Korean acquaintances. They dont use Viber. For whatever reason Kakao banned me as soon as I signed up? I emailed them and still haven't heard back. It's strange and super inconvenient. Oh well, on an ending note: Some food for thought.

Rather reasonably priced too, if you can stomach it.