every day I am lost

Except today. Because I didn't go out (had to tend to my laundry in case it rained and also coz I was a bit lazy).

But on the other days that I did go out ... man I got so lost it wasn't even funny!

So I had to head to Yonsei University on the 19th for my placement test at 9.30 a.m. I left my home at 7.30 a.m. and reached my school panting and perspiring at 9.30 a.m. (the journey is supposed to only take 30 min). How did this happen?

In a nutshell, I took the wrong bus in the wrong direction. Clearly, 2 wrongs don't make a right. Thankfully I realised my mistake in time and took a cab to school. =.=

 SO RELIEVED TO SEE THIS.

Going home wasn't any better; in fact I got super lost trying to find my bus stop. Using whatever limited Korean skills I could muster, I half-asked-half-read my way to the correct bus stop. Then I got down a stop earlier, got lost again, and finally found my way back home.

Total time taken to reach home from Yonsei: 3 hours. (It should only be 30min max!)

And on the 20th I was supposed to meet my Korean friend at Gangbyeon subway station at 3 p.m. because he wanted to take me shopping for all the tech stuff that I need to get connected to the internet. Again, to play safe I left my home at 1.30 p.m. I reached Gangbyeon subway station at 3.20 p.m.

HOW!?

Hehehe. The day before when I had been lost I had spotted Sinchon station and actually had gone in looking for a map. The place had been eerily deserted and completely uncharacteristic of the Korean subway stations that I know. Anyway, I went to this station, tapped in, went down the escalator and this was what greeted me:

O.O

How is this a subway station?! And why was I the only one?!

I sat there waiting for the train to come for about 20 min. In that 20 min I seriously considered the possibility that this wasn't the station I was looking for.

But ... this is obviously Sinchon station!

Finally, I left the place and went out to take a better look. Nearly strangled myself when I saw the words 신촌 기차역 - Sinchon station yes, but Sinchon RAILWAY station. Kill me just kill me.

By then it was 2.30 p.m., so I quickly ran into the nearest convenience store and asked "신촌 지하철역 어떻게 가야 돼요?" (How do I get to Sinchon subway station?) Got the directions, reached my station in one piece, and managed to reach Gangbyeon eventually.

Later I learnt that from this station one could reach North Korea in the past. LOL.

And on the 21st, again I had to go to school for orientation. By then my confidence was on a high, having already lost my way 2 days in a row and actually finding out various ways (and buses) to go home. But I thought I should play safe, and in the end I took the bus that my landlord had told me about: bus 7611. I still remember thinking very smugly to myself: "There's no way I'm going to lose my way today."

I WAS SO WRONG.

Instead of getting down at Sinchon subway station, I naively thought the bus would take me to Yonsei directly and happily sat on the bus till I reached Ahyeon station which is 2 stops away from Sinchon. By then I knew I had overshot and grumbling, I alighted, took the train from Ahyeon to Sinchon, and then RAN to school through the front gate of Yonsei.

Yonsei is a really pretty school but sorry, I was too busy running in the afternoon sun to stop and stare and actually take pictures. Next time ... I promise.

Going home was much better coz my sharp eyes caught the bus 7017 at the bus stop outside Ewha Womans University and I remembered that bus goes to my home, so I took that bus and voila! For the first time in 3 days I actually reached my destination as intended!

***

Tomorrow I'm going to attend a Korean/Engligh service in Yonsei, which is a mission school. Decided to go there because I figure the dual-language service could help me in my Korean listening skills, and at the same time I could still understand what's going on. Service's at 11 a.m., so guess what time I'll be leaving my place?

9.30 a.m. :)

Maybe I can also take pictures ... IF I don't lose my way again ...