Cheese/Whine

Well, I somehow made it to Korea. It's Saturday, and it is about 80 degrees with 90% humidity. In a third floor apartment with no air conditioner, I wake up around 7AM every morning to the lovely sound of jackhammers outside my window. A crew of several men are working on restoring a building, and they don't quit until 6PM, seven days a week. I wake up sweating, and go to sleep sweating. My only relief comes from being inside (shops, school, etc) where there is air conditioning, or the rare breeze while walking. Otherwise, it's sunny and damp in this city. I think in Buffalo I would celebrate this weather by taking a dip in the nearest water source. I asked my co-teacher if there were any pools nearby, and she told me that people don't really swim much around here.

I must admit, I am feeling pretty down these past few days, questioning whether I made the right decision to come here. Don't get me wrong, I know it will get better, and I know I am supposed to be here right now, etc- but it has been very difficult, and I am having a terrible withdrawal from cheese, haha. During these past few months, I grew so accustomed to having a laundry list of friends and family to see or call and talk to within an arm's length, it's hard to give that up in one day. I keep thinking that maybe I am just dreaming and will wake up in my bed with my cats at my feet, but it's just... meh.

Today, I decided to explore my neighborhood a little, get out of my apartment for the first time. There is a beautiful river about a mile north, called Nam Gan, that my co-teacher suggested I walk by. She also said that there was a university nearby and a lot of young people, and possibly English speaking folk, hang around the river area. I headed up that way and saw some stairs leading down to what I thought was a subway. Instead it was a grand underground mall, a maze of sorts with everything you could ever imagine for sale. Every store has variations of the same thing- clothes, jewelry, makeup, food, snacks, cell phones, etc. I nearly got lost in the maze, it is definitely a place I would like to spend more time exploring.

It was here, however, that I caught my first glimpse of white people*, at least people who might speak my language. Anyway, you can imagine my excitement. It was an older man walking with what seemed to be his mother. We were walking in opposite directions, and I was so caught off guard by it, certainly must have been staring, he said hello to me, and I think my jaw dropped. I froze, they kept on walking. I guess it gives me a shred of hope that I might meet some other people here, or even make a friend. I walked for almost four hours today, probably for miles, and saw a total of two white people. Maybe tomorrow I will get luckier, or some brave Korean will try and befriend me. I cannot lose hope three days in. I still have 362 to go.

(*I don't mean to offend anyone by saying this, I am not being racist, it's simply true: I stick out like a sore thumb here. I am far bigger than 99% of the women here; my skin, hair and eyes are lighter, and I dress differently. Everyone seems to think that me not speaking Korean is no problem- but, it really has been thus far! NO ONE speaks English here! It is a huge barrier between these people and myself, and I feel at this point that there's a slim chance of me making a friend. People are too afraid to approach me, except for the occasional brave souls on the street who yell "hello" at me, then run away laughing. I get stared at crossing the street and followed around in stores.)

Trying to keep my chin up,

M