settling in nicely

I'm now rather happily settled into living here. The bus system is no longer such a great mystery to me anymore and buying stuff has also become much simpler once I started to be more courageous in speaking Korean, even bad Korean. The people here (or those that I've met so far) are generally very nice and patient towards me when I fumble, so that really helps in settling in.

Today I left my home at 7.50 a.m. to catch the 7.58 a.m. bus but it came a few minutes earlier so I reached school at ... 8.30 a.m.! Granted, I alighted at the bus stop near the main gate, but that meant I had 30 minutes to enjoy a slow leisurely walk to my department. And enjoy I did. As I walked I ate my breakfast (a banana) and my favourite part of the school campus is this mini forest that I have to cut through to get to my destination. So I was a happy kid.

Class today was okay. After yesterday's intense homework assignments, my brain needed some time to get the engine revving and guess what? I was asked to recite the dialogue learnt from the day before. My mind just went COMPLETELY blank and the teacher made me put my arms above my head. Hahaha. I put them down the moment her head was turned. And since our topic for this week is about phone conversations, she actually made us call the information hotline for Seoul to ask for certain phone numbers, such as that of Lotte department store. Nerve-wrecking, I tell you.

No homework today, but we have to write a daily diary. I wish there were more homework ...

Anyway, after school I'd wanted to walk to Hyundai department store to get some moisturising cream but I was too lazy to lug my books and walk that 5 min. Haha. So I just caught a bus headed for home and I made a mental list of the stuff I had to get, such as:

1. salt
2. pepper
3. potatoes
4. enoki mushrooms
5. moisturiser
6. garlic

I thought I remembered an Aritaum store somewhere near my home, but I figured if I didn't see one I'd just get it another day. It might be the lower humidity that's causing my skin to get a bit too dry these days.

So I was merrily minding my own business on the bus when I saw a wet market and an Aritaum store some 5 bus stops away from my home! Quickly got down, and had probably one of the most enjoyable half hour of my time in Seoul so far. First, I got my moisturiser (yay) and in South Korea, you get heaps of samples when you buy cosmetics / skincare stuff. I didn't get heaps like I had the last time I shopped at Etude House, but the girl probably noticed my very dehydrated skin and she gave me some 6 packets of day moisturiser, taking pains to try to explain what it was used for (she didn't speak English). That's a nice gesture. :)

After that it was market day! I bought potatoes from a halmeoni (grandmother) and enoki mushrooms from an uncle whose assistant (also an uncle) shouted "I love you!" just when I was leaving. Hahaha. The enoki mushrooms were going for 6 at 1000 won, but I didn't want that much, so I asked in Korean,

"세 개 괜찮아요?"

세 is the Korean word for 3, and 개 is the counting unit for general items. I wasn't sure if I could apply the counting unit to food like this, but to my pleasant surprise it was used correctly (later I saw the same word written on the sign for the mushrooms). So I bought 3 packets for 500 won!

I must say it's such a great feeling to be able to communicate my intentions properly and to be able to understand the other party correctly. My time spent at the market was enjoyable because I could actually communicate with people, and in a tongue I've been trying to use well since last year. Am so encouraged by the grandmothers and grandfathers! I shall continue to go to this market for my groceries hahaha.

Caught the same bus back home and at the supermarket I got some salt, pepper and garlic. All set to go! Went home, tried to make the same enoki-egg pancake thing that Omma once taught me, didn't quite succeed but the result wasn't half bad. In fact, if I might say so myself, it was pretty palatable! Quite a sense of achievement, actually, and I can understand how some people can enjoy cooking so much (I personally prefer eating more).

But I still hate the washing up. D:

Had a serious case of food coma after lunch, so I napped and after I woke up I decided to make dinner for tomorrow since I would be coming home late after church service in school. I made mashed potatoes while watching the new season of Galileo hahaha. Maybe I can shape it into patties and fry them ...

In all, it was a good day. :) And now I have to translate all these into Korean for my diary.