Week 12, Wednesday

I had dinner with other foreign teachers in the area and it was such a relief to discuss our mutual challenges. Our original plan to eat at a local burger place was thwarted by its closing so we ate at a nearby pasta place where the owner revealed his English only after I stumbled through Korean.

While waiting for them, I wandered around the complex. A woman with a limp told me that I looked like a supermodel (I was wearing a face mask and green trench coat). We chatted briefly and then a few minutes later as I wandered outside I heard a voice say “where are you going?”

She had reappeared, probably crossing paths in the labyrinth by the station. She was concerned my hands were cold and tried to rub warmth back into them. She insisted on traditional Korean medicine and said something about my insides and not eating enough. To be honest, I am very intrigued by this Korean traditional medicine and have half a mind to give it a go. She offered me her phone number and I’m pretty sure she also invited me to her birthday party.

Later I realized she might be the owner of the closed burger restaurant we had originally planned on visiting.