Last Day of November!

Wow-hard to believe it is the end of November already. This year is flying by!

After class I hurried to the student building so I could use a computer and printer to print my train tickets. After printing, I came back here, gathered my bags and got kimbap for the road. Then off to the train station. I made it with plenty of time. I sat next to a 할머니 (halmoni=grandma) who tried speaking some Korean with me. She slept most of the way and I studied and journal-ed.

Finally I arrived at Gupo Station! Outside the station they were decorating the trees and courtyard with Christmas lights. It was pretty. I hopped on the subway and then transferred to the light-rail system. I got off the light-rail and got on the infamous 128-1 bus. This was the bus ride I remember--slamming on the brakes at the last second, swinging wildly left to right and forwards and backwards; even the most avid and experienced bus rider would have trouble keeping balance. Literally if you do not hang on, you will fly around and fall down--no exceptions. It's really a love-hate relationship with the 128-1. One of my friends later remarked, "it's like an amusement park ride, right?" Ha, ha, how true! Well, I safely arrived to the front gate of Inje University and went to the main building to meet Jihye as earlier directed. Earlier in the week she had been asked to move her office into the main building. I arrived and met her new co-worker, Yoon Jung (kind of funny because it is my roommate from last year's name, backwards!) Jihye apologized for not checking the hours of the hair salon and suggested we check there in the evening-then she said, "oh! Let's go and get our hair done tonight!" We convinced Yoon Jung to also get her hair done too! First though, dinner. Jihye asked me where or what I wanted to eat-she said "think carefully, this is very important". Ha, ha. I hesitated only a second before answering "mongshili" which is the bibimbap and handcut noodle soup restaurant (I went there when Amanda was in Gimhae with me). The other ladies agreed and off we went. Jihye was sweet and paid for dinner. It was as good as always. After dinner, we went to the hair salon. When we arrived, I recognized the lady as the one who did my hair last year. I showed her the pictures I had and what Jenny had told me to say to her. She first trimmed and layered my hair-she did it really quickly, but it looked so good I was the tiniest bit tempted to say-actually, I'm good with just this! Ha! The perm turned out really nice! She had an assistant working with her and he washed our hair and gave a really (hard!!) head massage--Jihye said that he asked her if it hurt and that she wanted to say yes, but didn't. The cost of the perm went up a little bit from last year, but I think it is worth it!

After we were ready with our new hair styles we went to a coffee shop together. One of my radiology students, Daeguk, from last year came and met us. He and I chatted for awhile. He brought me 2 oranges as a gift. Daeguk was probably my lowest level student, but he tried the hardest. He said that he and the other students miss me and he even brought up the activities we had done together. After he left, another one of my friends, Bumsik, came and met us too. He only stayed a short time before heading back, but he made plans to meet me for lunch the following day.

When we finished our drinks, we said goodbye to Yoon Jung and Jihye and I went back to her home. She made kimchi cheon (which is kind of like a pancake) and we watched some dramas on TV. When her husband arrived home, we went to bed.

I'm ready for my trip! I have kimbap, my ticket and my textbook!

Jihye and my new friend Yoon Jung

My student Daekuk and me

Jihye cooking kimchi cheon!