The first challenge? Navigating the subway system! I was smart this time (compared to yesterday when my directions would not load) and took screenshots of which lines to take before leaving the hotel. Thank goodness for color coding and English translations on signs!
On the way to the subway station, we ran across an aquarium full of eel. It was outside a restaurant. I am assuming that it is kind of like Red Lobster where you can choose your food while it is still alive.
Fresh eel anyone?
I have discovered that Koreans have no qualms about packing into busses, subways, and elevators like sardines. It is a good thing I am not claustrophobic! I have been squished up against walls several times.
Mom and I went in search of a local E-Mart, which is basically Korea's version of a Walmart. We needed to buy a flat iron as ours does not get hot enough when using our plug converters. Our journey took us to a giant shopping mall called Times Square. It had eight floors including E-Mart, designer brand stores, casual restaurants, upscale restaurants, a movie theater, a walk-up pharmacy counter, a vet clinic, and more!
We ate lunch at the food court there and just had a regular cheeseburger. However, we did try kimchi beef French fries. They were actually pretty good, and that says a lot since I hate kimchi!
I have definitely started running into more language barriers today. At lunch, the cashier thought that I ordered a fish burger instead of a beef burger, so I had to fix that. Then, it took us awhile to find someone that understood what "ice" was. I have decided that communicating in Korea resembles playing a huge game of charades. So far, Mom has acted out "sack," "curling iron," and "ice," and I have acted out "flat iron." Mom is a pretty good actress and can usually get her point across better than I can!
I continue to be astounded by how much I resemble everyone else. I know that is shallow, but after being in the minority for so long, it is strange to "blend in." Conversely, Mom is the only Caucasian person I have seen today, but she does not notice that she stands out (of course).
New things I have seen:
- Snail Solution and Bee Venom beauty products
- McDelivery carts
- A slanted moving walkway which allows you to take shopping carts upstairs/downstairs
I have also seen some familiar places sprinkled in here and there:
- Outback Steakhouse
- On The Border
- Baskin-Robbins
- 7-11 Convenience Stores
I actually found a Korean Dr. Pepper, but it tasted slightly different than those at home.
Apparently, Diet Coke is called Coke Light over here, and it is reportedly very difficult to find. Everyone drinks Coke or Coke Zero for the most part. I am tolerating Coke Zero okay, but I do miss Diet Coke!
There is surprisingly a lot more English around (as far as signs and printed materials go) than I was expecting. Still, it is minimal. For instance, you can read the names of dishes on a menu, but the descriptions of the dishes are printed in Korean.
I have only had one person speak to me in Korean so far. I smiled and said, "Sorry, English." Thankfully, she was understanding and gracious about it. At least I know that I "look the part!"
Tonight, we are meeting up with my friend Kayla. We went to graduate school together, and she is currently teaching English in Korea. We are having dinner and then going to Seoul's annual lantern festival. It is set along the Cheonggyecheon Stream. I look forward to sharing several photos from that event in my next post!
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