Takeoff

With a title like 'In Seoul', we knew this blog would have to come to an end when we returned to Canada. And with less than an hour left in the city, this final post will have to be quick, rather than comprehensive.

We returned from Beijing last night at about 10:30pm. Although some of our friends had mixed feelings about China's capital city when they visited in March, we really enjoyed our 4-day stay. Yes, even despite 35-degree weather and 88% humidity for half of our visit.

We saw all the big sights: Tiannamen Square, the Forbidden City, Olympic Park, the Hutong (think narrow residential alleys) and others. We ate Peking duck, which is called Beijing duck nowadays, and, of course, we climbed the Great Wall. It was the reason we went to Beijing in the first place. (photos to follow when we've got a faster connection - I'm currently using free wireless in the airport - did you know that Seoul has the world's best airport? I found out in the Economist ...)

Before we reached the Great Wall, we were concerned that our experience would be marred by too many tourists. Not so. We hired a taxi to take us to a slightly less touristy section of the wall, in Mutianyu, and were able to walk some sections nearly alone. Another day might have meant another story - the sky was overcast and the air was heavy (this was that 88% humidity day) throughout the day. While our photos were a little hampered by the difficult lighting, we saw members of the French press filming a documentary and a Chinese couple having wedding photos taken. We walked for about 8 hilly kilometres - 4 to the edge of the section and 4 back - and then hopped back in our cab, straight for our hotel shower!

Each day was similar - hit one major site, a small one or two and then back to the hotel to get out of the heat and humidity. Although we didn't scour the city for little-known spots or sample much of China's pop culture, we got a good taste of its history. Little did I know that leaving China wasn't leaving the adventure behind.

To get home from the airport, Jon and I usually take the hotel limousine bus. Because we live right behind the Ritz-Carleton, it's absolutely the most convenient choice. We get dropped off at the door, tell the busboy that no, we're not actually guests here, but thank you, and then walk down the hilly driveway to home.

Yesterday was different.  When we got to the hotel, Jon said, "Let's go inside."  "What? Jon, no, we really shouldn't ..."  "It's OK, we're staying here tonight ..." "Really?! No, you're not serious ... Jon, we can't stay here."  I felt like an interloper until the reception staff handed us a key and we were inside.  Living behind this massive hotel, we had toyed with the idea of renting a room with our friends to celebrate our last night - the collective last, when 6 of us were about to leave Korea.  But the idea died a long time ago, and some left Korea early (taking their last month as holiday to start a work contract at home).  This was the last thing that I expected after 4 days in Beijing.

Room service and a hot bath later (their baths aren't ceramic - more like a soft, moulded gel) I had relaxed about our final day in Korea (A big one, to say the least).  This morning, after a big, delicious room-service breakfast in my white Ritz bathrobe, we set out to do everything we had left to do - clean out the house, visit the School one last time to say goodbyes, have a burrito with our friend Rob and then chill a little (and start this post) while we waited for our 5:30pm van pickup.  The departure isn't just something we're talking about anymore.  We're leaving Korea for real.

During lunch, Rob asked me how I felt about leaving - the job, the city, the friends.  I told him I was sad about it all.  And it's true.  We've really settled in here and we've had a really amazing experience.  Although it goes without saying that we miss family back home and that we miss having a little more space, after the first few crazy weeks of weddings and visiting are over, we're going to miss our life in Korea, too.

Time to board - see you in 13 hours.

Love,

Arla

The Roundup

With only 9 days until we return to Canada, we've been busy - especially because we booked a final trip to Beijing from this Thursday morning until next Monday, which means that we've only got 5 days or so left in Korea.  Needless to say, we started trying to pawn off our furniture and pack early, and have nearly gutted our apartment of unnecessaries.

This final month of classes started off with a bang, slowed to a crawl mid-month (I might have gotten a little over-eager and made a to-do list too early in the game), and then whizzed to the final few days of work.  I find it hard to believe that Tuesday will be my last day of full-time work in over a year.  The way we've been going out for dinner lately would have you believe that I'm getting a promotion instead of entering a year of graduate school in September.

Jon ran a half-marathon on June 14 - in great time, of course - with Patrick.  I opted out of the race because the previous weeks had replaced workouts with eating out.  I also received a clear sign that I shouldn't run: Keedo ate my race chip.

The past few weekends have been spent with our friends, browsing knick-knack shops in Insa-dong, drinking beer on patios, and cruising around Hongdae, a hotspot for art students and club-goers.  We've finally tried noori-bang (i.e. karaoke rooms); bought lots of little Korean souvenirs; drunk cocktails from a bag on the street; tried out an ice bar; gone drinking with our managers (a must in Korean corporate culture - I kid not); planned the trip to Beijing; and generally just started preparing ourselves for life in Canada.  I welcome any advice on reverse culture shock from those who have also lived abroad for long periods of time.  Gangnam could not be more different from Georgetown or Gads Hill.

We've also started reminiscing a little early about Korea.  We'll miss cheap transportation, having nearly everything we needed close by, inexpensive meals out, being able to drink alcohol on the street, sharing food with everyone at the table, and Korean food, most definitely.  Our job has been enjoyable and the students we teach are, on the whole, pretty interesting.  Most of all, we've met some amazing friends that we'll really miss when we return.

There are, of course, some things we won't miss.  I won't miss having to throw used toilet paper into a smelly, open-top garbage can; the smell of rotting garbage on the street in summer time; air pollution, of course; and the inability to run in my own neighbourhood without dodging cars or hitting a red light.  I hope to never again have to wake up at 5:30am to get ready for work; or stay up really late to make a run-of-the-mill phone call home.

About some other things, I have mixed feelings.  The speed of life here is breakneck, making for an excitingly fast lifestyle that is sometimes impossible to keep up with.  The rabid consumer culture, while repulsively thoughtless at first, is recklessly fun.  About other things, it's just too early to tell.  I guess we'll know 9 days from now.

Why I can't join the <6 sleeping hours club.

Thank goodness it's Saturday.  The end has come to one of those long weeks - the kind that just make you want to crawl into bed and pull the blankets over your head ... even just for an hour.

It started out well enough.  I finished my long run on Monday fully pumped for the half marathon we've got coming up shortly (!) and walked home all happy.  Jon had made pasta for dinner, so I sat down to eat.  Then it started.

My appetite was sapped.  I, a person who really really likes a high-carb dinner, couldn't stomach more than a bite.  Nausea set in.  I curled up on the couch with Keedo, who knew something was wrong, and fell asleep for a few hours.  When I woke up I still wasn't hungry, but the nausea had subsided.  I ate a bland dinner of cereal and granola bars (which I'll eat any time of day), and passed out early - 9:30 or so.

Now, this meant that I got a good night's rest, but also meant that I'd not prepared for class the next day.  I woke up early, showered, and scrambled to work by 6am to google, print, photocopy and grade essays before my 6:40am class started.  The day went on as per usual, and Jon and I met up with some of his former students for a bite to eat after work.  A little bit of dongdongju (ice-cold Korean rice wine) on a weeknight never really hurt anyone, right?  We went home happy and satisfied after hearing some rollicking good stories from Fiona, a robust Korean woman with far too much personality to fit in here.

Out again for a drink (is this really Monday?) to meet Chi-ho, a friend we didn't expect to see after that night because we're leaving in just over a month.  We waited over an hour before we gave up on him and called it a night, jogged across the main street, ignoring a taxi driver motioning for us to stay on the median instead, and back to our flat.

Minus my wallet.

I went back to look for it no more than 20 minutes later, but the whole scene had already changed and the wallet was nowhere to be found.  That's when I realized that the taxi driver was trying to point it out to me, tell me that I'd dropped it.  So much for being able to tune out Seoul's millions ... serves me right.  From then on, for one reason or another, I got only 5 hours of sleep - this, for a girl who obviously needs closer to 7 or 8 to function properly.

On Thursday, I misplaced my glasses.  Friday morning, I thought I lost the gift certificate to Adidas I'd won after the race.  I forgot my cell at home one morning, and Keedo got at it.  Now, when I press 9, or text using 'prs', I get a question mark.  My feet have been soaking wet all week because of a few days of rain (morning until night) and I really just needed a recovery day.

The good news is that nobody used my cards before I cancelled them, but getting replacements will be a royal pain.  I'm bummed that I lost my wallet, a funky purple snakeskin single-fold (i.e. men's wallet) that I don't expect Club Monaco to carry again.  But mostly, I'm just a bit angry at myself for letting a few small things get to me so much.  I guess that's why I need to be babied a little - a full night's sleep for this one or all hell breaks loose.

Note: Since I initially wrote this post about 3 weeks ago, I have lost my cell phone, forgotten my glasses on my bedside table and had them chewed up by Keedo, temporarily misplaced my temporary wallet in the staff room at work, and become a bit of a laughing stock for it all.  I took the cell of a former coworker who left Korea in early June, locked the phone while trying to put it on vibrate and had to lie about ownership to get the cell unlocked.  The list goes on. This has been more than a wake-up call reminding me that I shouldn't go drinking twice on a weeknight and that I have a one of those rare patient and supportive boyfriends.  It has also helped me realize that this culture is just way too damn fast for me to keep up with.  I'm definitely looking forward to slowing down a little back in Canada when I return on July 7.