The Norm

I was walking home after class last night around 7:45pm.  The fact that it was 7:45pm and I was walking home is already abnormal.  I am normally walking home around 10:45pm.  Middle school testing (think FCAT x 1000) has taken precedence over English hagwon class and thus, my middle school class has been canceled.  Anyways, I was passing the sportswear store (called “Indian”),  next to my building when another abnormal thing occurred.  The norm for walking the streets is usually a constant cacophony of various KPop tunes being blasted from the stores out to the sidewalks, but tonight, something was not normal.  As I was nearing the store I realized that what was being emitted from the speakers was not the latest Big Bang single or a classic hit from Super Junior nor a 2AM smash or even Girls Generation, but it was the unmistakable strains of Ke$ha.  To be specific, "Your Love is My Drug".  I used to hear this song at least 3-4 times a week back in the States between spin classes and the radio. It was at this moment that I realized I have reached the point where the abnormal was now normal and the normal was now abnormal.  It was so out of the ordinary that I had to stop for a moment outside the store to listen.  I even danced a little a bit, I'm pretty sure the Korean businessmen with their pitcher of beer outside the Chicken & Beer restaurant next door just dismissed me as another crazy 외국인 (waegukin-foreigner) as they gave me the sideways stare. (I've gotten used to the stares as well-that is also the norm.....as well as the random "hellos" from schoolkids on the street--any attempts to continue the conversation with the kid will be answered by shy, confused smiles) As I rode the elevator up to my floor I reflected on this small milestone I have reached during my sojourn.  Other things that are now the norm:

  

1. My daily schedule:  I wake up between the hours of 10:30am and 11:30am most weekedays.  I leave for work between 2:30pm and 3:00pm.  I teach my first class (elementary students) from 4:30pm to 7:30pm.  Then, I teach my second class (middle school) from 7:35pm to 10:30pm.  I am then usually leaving work around 10:40pm.  Sometimes, I will stop at the Lotte Mart for groceries on the way home.  Yes, there are usually quite a few people grocery shopping at this time of night.  The only downside is, all the fresh bread is gone from the bakery and the sushi counter is closed.  I will then arrive home at 11:30pm which is when I will proceed to make and eat my dinner.  Then, if I am working tomorrow, I will crawl up to my loft around 12:30pm and proceed to work on my homework (catching up on my dramas-this is important homework!  if you know the dramas, you are automatically cool with most of the kids).  I usually fall asleep around 2:30am.  If I am not working the next day, then sometimes I may go out with some of the other teachers.  If this happens I usually don't get home until 3:00 or 3:30am and will fall asleep around 4.

2. Not buying a lot of groceries at once.  As I am walking to the Mart around the corner,  I do not have the luxury of a car trunk to load a lot of groceries into.  Therefore, I must only buy what I can carry in 1 or 2 bags.  Sometimes, that turns into a box.  Next to the registers at the Mart is a counter for people to load up boxes with items so that they can be carried easier.  The boxes are provided free by the store as they are the boxes the products are delivered in to the store.  There are scissors and tape at this counter as well as many spools of paper twine so that once your box is packed, you may tie a carrying strap onto the box.  Exhibit A: This past Sunday's groceries

The twine carrying strap is quite prevalent.  I've seen tied onto many things.  People on subways carrying newly purchased appliances, like rice cookers, electric fans (선풍기-seonpungki), and electric kettles.  They will also put twine on pizza boxes for carryout pizza.  It makes carrying a box a little more convenient, actually.

3.  1.5 L sized bottles of beer.  These are quite common in convenience stores.  It will almost always be Cass brand or Hite brand.  These are the two big domestic brands here. Hite is brewed from barley malt and rice while Cass is brewed only from rice.  When you go to a restaurant, you just ask for "maekju chuseyo", and they will always bring you one of the two (in a liter bottle which will be shared among the diners in small glasses, soju is a frequent accompaniment in even tinier glasses)

4.  Drinkable yogurt.  I don't know why this was so fascinating to me as I'm pretty sure we have something similar in the States (Gogurt?).  This seems to be the most common form of consumption for yogurt here.  But anyways, I now buy my yogurt in a 500mL bottle which I can pour over cut fruit in a bowl or use instead of milk in my cereal.  (my favorite combo so far: freshly cut chamae melon with strawberry yogurt poured over...soooo refreshing) 

My coworkers are planning a trip to Hongdae for another birthday celebration.  Hongdae is a popular nightlife district in Seoul.  I went to Hongdae a couple weeks ago to visit the Coffee Prince coffee shop.  A night in Hongdae means taking the train out in the evening and then having to catch the train back the next morning after they start running at 5am which means getting back home to Yeonsu-gu around 7am.  That's fine.  We're going on the weekend.

The System

On Saturday night, I was riding the train back from Seoul.  It usually takes about an hour and a half to get from central Seoul back to my station, Woninjae, back in Incheon.  I was sitting between a business man on my left and a young woman watching TV on her smartphone on my right.  The rhythmic clacking of the rails and the smooth movement started to become quite pleasant and, as anyone would do after walking all over the city, I began to nod off.  I had spent the day with a co-worker, TV, and I could see her shoes across the aisle from me.  I still had several stops before I reached the transfer station.
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"What kind of vegetables do you like to eat?"  I prompted my elementary-aged class.  "Ohhh, teacha,"  one of the said, "I only like potatoes and broccoli." 
"Me, too."  another chimed in.
"You kids need more variety," I quipped.  Another student raised their hand.
"Yes?  What vegetables do you like?"
"I like to eat potatoes and cu-...cukoo.."
"Cucmbers?" I suggested
"Yes.  Oh, and kimchi."
"Oh!  I like kimchi too!" many of the students agreed.  
"And me!"
"Ohhh, Teacher likes kimchi, too," I added, "Very good."
"Ehhhhhh?" they looked at me with confused faces.  "But, Teacha from U.S.A."
"So.  That doesn't mean I can't like kimchi."
"Ehhhhhhh...."
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I have been here for 3 weeks, now. This is where most people would insert "I can't believe it".  The thing is, though, I don't feel shocked or surprised that I've been so comfortable here.  Many people would say, "you're so far from home, isn't hard adjusting?"  "aren't you homesick?"  For me, it doesn't really feel that far away.  I suppose I have modern technology to thank.  With planes flying all over the world as well as the ability to talk to people face-to-face no matter where they are in the world, I really don't feel that far.  The only difference now, is that I can't read the labels on a lot of the items on the shelves at Lotte Mart.  But even that doesn't bother me.  I can usually figure out what it is by looking at it (still working on the brown rice tea, green tea differentiation).  Now, this doesn't mean I have not noticed the staggering difference in culture and daily life here, I have just acknowledged it, made adjustments accordingly, and continued on with my life.  My fridge now contains: 2 packets of kimchi, eggs (some already boiled), orange juice, a bottle of yogurt, some freshly cut pineapple, 2 chicken breasts, milk (Seoul milk-->do not know what that means), sliced ham, mayo, a bag of lettuce and perilla leaves, ketchup, long green onions, tea, a jar of "fruits jam", bottled water (do not drink the tap water), and Chilsung Cider (Korean 7-up).  My pantry is stocked with: 2 bags of rice, cranberry granola, a box of kiwis, a large bottle of soy sauce, cooking oil, olive oil, garlic, spaghetti, curry mix, several packs of spicy ramyeon, half a loaf of bread, instant coffee, tea bags, and small snack packets of crackers.  As I finish the list of these items, my washing machine is singing to me.  That means my clothes are clean.  When I turn my air conditioner on, it also sings to me.
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Back on the train, the transfer station jingle is playing.  I see TV's shoes move.  As I stand up, I see her pointing towards the door.  We shuffle through all the people and make our way over to the doors.  The automated system announces the next station on 3 languages (Korean, Japanese, and English).  The train slows, the doors open and every files out.  The people waiting to get on patiently stand in two lines on either sides until everyone is off.  Then, they file on.*  We walk down several stairs, through the station, and up several more stairs.  We then get on the next train and ride several stops and get off at Woninjae.  We walk through the local park back to our building.  It is 10:30pm and it is packed with kids.  Many are playing basketball on the courts, there are some riding bikes around, some adults are running or walking on the circular path around the park, and other kids are playing on the playground equipment.  As we cross the street, I think about the chicken cart I see on some weeknights when I am coming back from work.  One of these days I should buy some chickens from him.  Two roasted birds for 10,000.  That's a pretty good deal.


*For those who were in Rome with me: people stand in line at bus stops.  They stand in single file and they will extend the line down the sidewalk.  When the bus or train arrives, everyone waits for people to get off, then they get on one-by-one.  That is the system and everyone follows it, neat and orderly.