Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Arrival


Ok, so even blogger is all in Korean so dunno how this will go. No spellcheck. But that's my 'view', such as it is.
Not only was there the stopover in BKK, but also HK. Yikes. My new 'boyfriend', as the stewardesses called Luke, and I thought the flight *must* be punishment for some misdeeds, as it just became hellish. No inflight entertainment, just the same propaganda about the Thai royal family over and over. So we drank.
Arriving in Seoul, relieved that the Immigration didn't pull me up for having a misspelt visa, then horrified at the heat, then fascinated by the army boys parading the airport. I waved adieu or whatever it is in Korean to Luke and turned to my next babysitter, Seoung-Yeon, who spoke only a small amount of English but had mini-massages and smiles for me. She told me to get on a huge bus called a 'limosine', sit for an hour, listen for 'Cheolsan', then get off, meet my school's director and tell them I was hungry.
I tried not to cry, tried to get a sense of the place, strange knowing the airport is on reclaimed sea, entered urbanity and noticed lots of neon red crucifixes fixed high on buildings. Got off the bus and was met by a Mum and her daughter who were unable to help me carry my 35 kilos of shit to my stinking little pen of an 'apartment', and certainly weren't going to feed me.
Anyways.......................... Try not to get bogged down. I cried hysterically for a while, then had a satisfying shower, turned the aircon up and called Charlie for a cheer-up chat. It worked.
Olivia from upstairs has pointed me in the direction of the nearest PC Bang, spitting distance from my window, and here I am making the post. In 10 minutes I'll be back in my room trying not to die.
Hopefully I'll get mobile and landline hooked up in the next few daze so then I'll be back 'connected', but in the meantime I think email/blog is best for communication. Sigh.

4 comments:

mskp said...

god, i miss you already. but i feel sure that when surroundings become more familiar, you'll find the things to delight you and make you think. like you always do. wish i was in your stinkin' little pen though...

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to be all stoic for the kids, but its hard. I thought my visor misted up on ride home from the airport the other night but was my eyes that were misty ...

But you'll be learning those kids the English and it will be wicked!

Bonnie Conquest said...

Just saw a building with 'Gynaecology and Aesthetics' emblazoned down its side. Crazee.
Sigh, Toby, thanks for being the tough guy at a tough time.

Anonymous said...

It's the jacket.