Sorry for the contradictory title of this post, but this is the honest truth in this one.
The fact was, that I didn't have a class to teach yesterday. So I didn't do a lot but loiter around Durihana and walk around Isu. Lunch was really good. We had rice, squid, potatoes, and this strange spicy stew with hot dogs, spam, and some kind of beef in it. Or I think it was beef, and if it wasn't, it's probably for the best if I think it was. Regardless, it was really good.
Joseph had to go to the DMV (or whatever the equivalent of the DMV is in Korea) to take a written test for his driver's license. He was doing a cram session in studying for it, and came back to the office later, gloating that he passed.
I had massive problems getting a solid connection on my Droid via wifi. Of course, 3G isn't working, since I didn't sign up for roaming (Dear God, I would have to sell body parts to pay that bill), and had my service cut off for the month anyway, so it was a moot point. However, I had kept it in airplane mode. I turned that off, and got better connections. Still have a couple of drops, (and I can't find a good open network hardly anywhere, doubly so in the subway, where I would want to use it) but it's certainly an improvement.
Mostly I just loitered around Durihana and Isu yesterday. It wasn't that much of a bum deal. I got to interact a lot with people in the office. One girl is the same age as me, and is a teacher at the school. I was sitting at my desk, looking at Facebook, when all of a sudden, I thought I heard a bird chriping. Moreover, I thought I heard it IN the office. Where I come from this was cause for concern. However, it hadn't jumped on me, so I dismissed it as me just having no depth perception. (and the fact that the windows were open, it could've been outside) Then I heard it again, and saw something flying up and down behind my cubicle. This got my attention. It happened again. I look up to find said girl tossing a baby Korean magpie up in the air, letting it land on the ground, picking it up, lather, rinse, repeat. She saw my piqued curiosity and explained that she was doing "wing exercise" which to me says she's trying to help it learn to fly.
When Joseph left to take his written test, he left me with another member of the faculty. She was practicing for an English test at her university. She was very nervous about it, and wanted help. Joseph was helping, but had to leave, and he set me up with her to work. Which I REALLY appreciated, I am here to teach English. And I will help anyone who asks, faculty, students, anyone. She was studying present progressive and future tenses, and was needing to come up with questions and answers for a verbal test. I was able to help, and when she left, she was nervous. When she came back, she had passed!
Went downstairs. Durihana also runs a second-hand clothing store next door, which the refugees work at. They were sitting around playing an acoustic guitar. One of the women grabbed the guitar, and played an amazing rendition of Arirang. I was very impressed.
Later, I was able to play bass with the drummer I was talking about. They told me they have no bassist in their worship team, and would like me to play worship during church services while I'm here.
After that was dinner. We had Chinese food, which was explained to me, but I already knew because they were serving egg drop soup. Once again, really good. Then shortly after, Joseph invited me to go with him to Dongdaemun, the largest clothing marketplace in Korea.
It was at this time I vowed I would never shop at Myeongdong again. The prices were drastically lower in Dongdaemun. I felt fleeced. Let me just interject, that if you go shopping with a Korean, they will want you to update your wardrobe. I set out mainly to buy a good pair of jeans, which I did for only 25,000 won. Joseph approved, but then insisted I also purchase a new pair of shoes to compliment them. This wasn't what I was planning on, but we went shoe shopping anyway, where I found decent pair of shoes for 20,000 won. I was looking at other shoes, but Joseph picked out ones that he felt complimented my new pair of pants. I agreed they looked go, so how could I object. Plink down the money, and there we go. He wanted me to go with a new shirt as well, but he wanted to buy scarves for his friend in New Zealand. By the time we finished there, we were both tired, and headed back.
We got to talk a lot. About our lives, and our goals, and our desire for missions and our hearts for North Korea. We talked about my fiance, and everything under the sun and got to really get to know each other. I can say without question I'm blessed to be here, and to have good people surrounding me.
While we were talking on the subway, an older man came up to us, tapped on my shoulder and just said, "Christian?" We had been talking in English, so I don't know if he understood hardly anything we were saying. But apparently, our conduct and our lives were reflective enough of our faith that we caught someone's eye that we were, in fact Christians. It was quite amazing.
I'm about ready to go to class, so I will probably write more, or at least try to post up some pictures soonafter.
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