Bars and Bedays

Hello again.  I took a little break from writing this week.  It was definitely a trying week that tested my ability to survive away from the people I love.  It was touch and go for a minute but I passed that test.

I've come to learn while living so far away who the people are that will stick with you.  Will keep in touch.  Will take time out of what I know is a busy life to see how i'm doing.  Every so often leave a little note on my facebook wall or pop something in the mail just because they are thinking about me.  It's not that I want or need people to check on me every single minute of every day but once in a while would sure be nice.  I came here knowing full well that some people who promised to keep in touch wouldn't...and some who did would.  It's part of life and part of growing up to just accept what is and not look back.

Ok. Enough of the sad Jenn.  Back to the quirky-living in Korea-can't speak the language-gets lost everywhere-Jenn.

#38.  Koreans go out of their way to make foreigners feel comfortable.  Let me give a few examples. 

Example #1.  I went with a group of friends to a bar around our apartments one night after work.  One friend ordered Jack and Coke.  It was THAT kind of a day.  A few minutes later our drinks arrive and they apologize for the wait.  We find out that they had run out of Coke earlier in the night and one of the employees ran (literally ran) to a corner store to buy some.  Pretty sure that shit would never fly in the States.

Exmaple #2.  We went to a different bar later that night for a few drinks and to just relax.  We walked in and the big screen was on a Korean soap opera.  As soon as we sat down it was turned to a Guns and Roses concert in English.  The music that was playing was also changed to Norah Jones.  All for the English speaking foreigners.  The Korean culture caters to the customer. Pretty sure if a group of Koreans walked into a bar in Indiana the music and television would NOT change.

#39.  Koreans have Bedays (aka fancy toilets) in the majority of restaurants and bars.  There are knobs, buttons, levers...on the toilet.  It's a toilet.  There should be a lever to flush. That's it.  Nope.  In Korea  you sit down never quite knowing what to expect.  The person before you could have left the heat on.  Or the water spray.  Or both.  Surprise!

This week was interesting to say the least.  It dragged on and on and was probably the hardest since i've been here.  It was also the one where I learned the most about myself. 

Today is Saturday and in about an hour I will be going to the second Pohang Softball game of the year.  The names of our teams are still being worked out but today should prove to be quite interesting if it is ANYTHING like our last game.  I finally got my glove from my parents so hopefully that will give me a bit of luck on the field. 

After softball who knows.  It's Korea.  Anything goes. Well pretty much anything goes.  Stay tuned!