This is my last week here in Korea (for this trip). I think I can safely say that I am satisfied with all that I've experienced. There is no regret for what I've done, but thoughts and wishes that I had done MORE.
On that note, this is the last post, as I will no longer be on an adventure IN Korea... until I return! (muahahaha)
Ivana's mom's friends were gracious enough to take us in, house us, and feed us for the past week. They are so nice and very generous and hospitable. They were truly a blessing this week.
On Monday, Ivana, Michael, and I went to a dog cafe. Basically, it's a cafe and there are lots of dogs, big and small, that you can play with as you enjoy your somewhat overpriced drinks. (I suppose this makes sense, since the cafe needs to fund for the care of the dogs.) There were sooo many dogs!! There were dogs in all sizes, from new born puppies to dogs that could pass as horses and lions!
On Tuesday, I ventured off to 남대문 and 명동. It was actually really easy to get around, since basically all the shopping districts in that area are connected underground.
Compared to 동대문, 남대문 has fewer things people my age would want to buy. For one, while 동대문 is full of stores selling clothes and shoes and accessories, 남대문 has stores selling antiques, like old records, old stereo equipment, and pottery. This was window shopping at its best.
In the area, I saw the store FUBU. I had heard of FUBU in the States, thanks to the tv show "Shark Tank" and Daymond John, the founder and CEO of FUBU. I knew what it was (a clothing line geared towards the African American community) but I had never seen a store, let alone a piece of clothing with its label on it. Well, on Tuesday, I found a whole store just for FUBU! I had to check on the spot that this was a legit Daymond John FUBU store (turns out it was). I was almost tempted to ask the workers if they knew who Daymond John was, just to see what they would say ^^ (I guess, depending on the remarks of the employees, this could have been an epic troll moment). It was even funnier to know that, in Korea, FUBU is endorsed by TOP from Big Bang.
On my way out of the shopping district, I saw this nasty crowd of people blocking off an entire street. My curiosity caused me to join the mosh pit. Noticing that the crowd stood in front of the Missha Makeup store, I knew it could only be one thing: a signing by 동방신기. (They are the models for the store). I wanted to get a signature, but I heard from the guards that only the first 100 or so would be able to get signatures. I knew it would be impossible, as I was towards the back of a mosh pit that consisted of nearly 400 people. .. soo no signature T.T but honestly, I don't know if I would have had the patience to wait...
Afterwards, I headed to 63 빌딩, a tower once known for its great height. While it has been surpassed as the tallest tower, it is still beautiful. At the top of the tower is an art gallery. Wanting to go to the top, I purchased a ticket and rode the elevator to the 60th floor. (You'd think that since it's called 63 빌딩 it has 63 floors, but according to the pamphlet, the art gallery IS on the highest floor... Is it possible that, when naming the building, the people included the basement levels to the number of stories the building had? (If you are curious, yes, there are 3 levels of the basement, so technically the math would add up.)
The artwork was quite interesting. There were 3 artists whose works were on display. All three used an ancient Korean form of artwork with very contemporary themes to create their works.
The view from the top of the building wasn't bad at all...
On Wednesay, Ivana and I went out to watch "Chicago" the musical. I think this cast was somewhat better than the cast of "La Cage" which we saw last week.
Then, on Thursday, Ivana, Grace, and I went to watch "Jack the Ripper" the musical. Of the three musicals I watched in Korea, this cast was by far the strongest.
Friday was an all-day reunion for me and 박찬규, one of the many students I have had the pleasure of tutoring. When we first saw each other, I could hardly recognize him. I seriously thought he was someone else. He's soo tall now. (I think I've said this about every student I met up with in Korea. Maybe it's just that I'm short, but all these kids seem so tall!) We went to Lotte World and made sure to ride all the scary rides that were listed.
On Saturday, I met up with Liam one last time. Honestly, every time I interact with these students, I'm just so blown away by the things he knows. He is so ambitious and so well-informed about what is going on in the world. I know he will be very successful someday ^^ It's truly a blessing to say that I know and have in some small way affected their lives (hopefully for the better).
For dinner, Liam and I went to TGIF's. In America, this would be an average, no-particular-reason dinner, but in Korea, it's a very fancy place that people do not go to often. It's so funny how something I take for granted in the States is seen as a luxury in other countries.
On Sunday, I ventured down to 대전 (Daejeon) all by myself! I took the train, which was very convenient. In Daejeon I went to 새로남교회 (Saeronam Church) where Pastor Tim serves at. The church is so big and there are so many foreigners that there are 3 different international services: one in english, chinese, and japanese. The people there are so warm and welcoming. I honestly didn't feel very out-of-place.
Yesterday, my last full day in Korea, I kept a busy schedule. First, I met up with 경호 (Kingsley) one more time. Let's just say that this time around, he seemed much more friendly heehee. It was nice having him be nice to me for once! Just kidding! He's a great kid. He showed me his test results from a few weeks prior, and I was just so proud! He received high marks in basically every subject, including 100% in english! While he might act like a trouble-maker at times, he is truly a bright kid.
We went to Black'Smith for lunch. It's a very Americanized restaurant with pizza and pasta, and the food actually tasted like something I would eat in the States!
After lunch, I met up with Jackie 언니. I love talking with her because we are so similar that there seems to be an endless list of things to talk about. We met up at 고속터미널 (Express Bus Terminal). I basically got lost at the subway station because it was so big. Just for a short while ^^ We went to "Dean & Deluca" a cafe which apparently originated in New York. I tried a very experimental "Blueberry & Mint Ade." It was actually really good! I can't recall if America has fusion drinks like this. I might need to search for a place...
Then I headed to 장승배기, which is where my 숙모 and baby cousin Jacob are staying. I had a great home-cooked meal and got to play lots with the baby! He's walking now!!! He was just all smiles.
Now, it is Tuesday morning, and while I am excited to go home and see my family, I will miss Korea so much. I will miss the people I leave behind and the fun I had learning about the culture on a daily basis.
There are serious thoughts on coming back.
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