Night in a Korean Love Hotel–Almost!
After teaching my usual four hours with my co-teacher on Thursday, I settled in at my desk for the rest of the afternoon. I was happy when my friend Lucy came to rescue me. I had asked my co-teacher about the whereabouts for the new SHOW cell phone payment center, and she had to go off to a meeting, telling me that she would show me (pun intended) on Friday. I wanted my cell phone bill paid. When I mentioned this, Lucy said, “Oh, let’s go now!” So, off we went at the end of the school day.
It was raining, and it was cold. Great! I ran downstairs, forgetting my umbrella on my desk, but Lucy urged me to get it. Her umbrella was too small, and I’d need my own when we parted ways. I had already put the classroom key away in the office, but I didn’t have to go back and retrieve it, one of the teachers in the adjoining room was still there. I grabbed my umbrella, and off we went.
Even with Lucy, who is Korean, we had to go to about three places until we found the actual location to pay the bill. Then we decided to have dinner in Nampo-dong. I tried to sway Lucy to get pasta. She loves pasta, and I was in the mood for naughty carbs. She wanted to get Korean or Japanese food, because she felt bad that she always takes me to get American or Italian dishes. I doubted that Lucy would steer me wrong, so we went to this awesome little diner that served Japanese curry that was delicious. I thought that Thai curry was the best! I was glad that the server saw how I devoured the curry and gave me more for my rice.
Lucy and I love to talk! We talk about everything, with me only stopping to spell words for her to type into her Korean/English dictionary every once in a while. She wants to understand and learn every word. We were talking about discrimination when we decided to move to another spot for coffee.
I had a fruit juice and yummy cheese waffles. Lucy had a latte. We were talking about the differences in living in Australia, Korea, America, and the Philippines when all of a sudden this old drunk man comes to our table saying something to me in Korean. He smelled so bad, and looked liked he slept on the streets. He didn’t want to leave from the table and what he was saying was directed to me. The servers tried to get him out, and Lucy was about to call the cops. He was really old, and missing several teeth!
He actually, took the last bite of waffle from my plate and ate it. I was stunned, but figured that he probably needed it! I managed to go to another table, telling Lucy that this is the life of a foreigner. I’ve never had a drunk crazy person in my face who would not go away, though. Lucy said that she was angry, and I was just annoyed, and wanted him to go away with his stinky self! She told me later, that he was saying, South African World Cup, South African World Cup over and over again in Korean. All black people are from Africa, of course! The servers managed to get him out of the shop.
Anyway, we left shortly after that. After I got off the train, I stopped near a convenience store to search for my house key. All I could find was the school’s key. What? I took almost everything out of my purse, and then I retraced my steps. I may have put my house key away in the school’s office! I didn’t know for sure, but I figured that’s what had happened. It was 9 p.m., and I didn’t know if the school was open or not.
There are a lot of Love Hotels, hotels where young couples go to be alone, in the neighborhood, so I figured that if I didn’t find my house key, I’d stay at a hotel and go to school the next day, Friday, as usual and get the key. I wasn’t too happy about going all the way back to the school, but I wanted to see if there was a chance that I could sleep in my own bed that night.
The gate was not locked, and there was an administrator still in the office, so I was able to make the switch. No problem! So, I didn’t have to stay in a Love Hotel, and I didn’t have to worry about wearing the exact same outfit to work the next day. YEAH! So, all was good.
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Awesomeness! I wish I was you because I’m from South Africa. Just the thought that people there know where the World Cup is going to be would make me happy(eventhough the guy was drunk and smelly).
Thanks for all your regular posts. I read them everytime I get the opportunity!
That’s so sweet! I didn’t know what he was saying at the time. My friend told me after he was gone and we were on the way home
Sounds all very interesting. It sounds like you had a fantastic time over in Korea, I’m extremely jealous, although maybe not for the luv hotel! Cheers. Do you have any plans to visit other exciting countries?