Coffee counter in Dongdaemun.
I can't really believe that I haven't posted anything concrete since classes ended for me. Time is moving at light speed. I suppose I owe you all a bit of a rundown on how things are going.
Well, not so bad. I've just about hit the "one week to go" mark. The packing's been slow but I suppose that's my fault. I started putting some books into boxes for mailing but honestly, I don't think I have that much to pack. Half of my clothes are going into the garbage. Many of them are worn out or hopelessly ancient. There are a number of CDs, videos, and books, but for the most part, I've spent the last three years downloading my entertainment. The computer will be packed up at the last minute since I need it to get artwork finished (and stay in touch with folks). The guitar was also in question but I truly believe that I can get by with only one stowaway bag once other items are mailed. It's quite possible that the guitar could be my other stowaway luggage. Whether it would remain safe is another matter. So much of the apartment will either go to Yeji's brother or father while other areas, like the bathroom, will be emptied into the trash full force. I'm not wasting space or time by taking half emptied bottles of shampoo with me.
Yeji has a lot more stuff, on the other hand. But she has luckily found a place for the next month. She'll be staying in Seoul while she finishes at work, then spending time with her family in Busan. She plans on coming to Canada in April or May. Right now, she doesn't actually need all that much though. She should be able to just pack a few clothes and personal items to last her through the next couple of weeks. The rest, I am hoping, can be boxed up completely and sent to Busan where much of it will remain. While it's a lot more stuff, it doesn't have to be made flight ready so that should make it more possible to take care of.
I have my plane tickets. I had to make another call in to the school about payment, but eventually they came through and I now have my tickets in hand.
Molly is getting ready for his new life also. My cousin's wife's brother's parents in law are currently slated to be his new keepers. They have a farm outside the city and lots of space for him to hop, jump, and burrow. Yeji and I are the only people he's really seen since I brought him home two years ago. I hope he can adjust. Thinking about being separated from him makes me feel absolutely rotten... I'll leave it at that.
The new Seoul Station: By night as we left, and day as we returned.
As I said before, Yeji and I took a final trip down to see her folks in Busan. The new Seoul Station, shown above, is a vast improvement over the old. It's just like an airport in its size and design.
We had a great time. As usual, there were lots of laughs and good food. We played a few rounds of
Unari also, which is a traditional game involving the throwing of four sticks to move a token around a board. Yeji won about 20 games in a row on Saturday afternoon. I only won once, and it was the last game we played so I guess that makes me champion.
We also took a walk down to the shoreline and I got a chance to see some of the damage caused by Typhoon Maemi. Much of the stone work that had been built along the shoreline was crumbling. Some areas were ruined. Even some of the carved wooden statues has been snapped off and left in splinters. That day the weather was fine though. The sun was shining again and the harbour was still filled with dozens of cargo vessels awaiting their journeys. The waves were high and the wind was heavy but overall it was warmer than Seoul and much nicer than the metre deep snow that has been falling back home.
On Sunday afternoon, we caught the train back home, exhausted but still busy. I ended up staying up all the next night doing a cartoon for the paper. Partly because of the fatigue, we skipped the trip to the police station on Monday. There was no time to finalize a case for the credit card problems and I had long resented spending time on such a losing battle while I should be concentrating on my move home or finishing my other, more pressing responsibilities. Yeji relented. Yes, I lost a tonne of money. Yes it burns me inside like little else. But there is no way to solve it. I pray I never allow myself to get into a situation like that again.
A few folks turned out to see me off?
Tuesday I was tasked with a more important mission. This time for sure, it's my last trip to the Mokdong Immigration office. I even have an "Exit Order" now which I got after a member of the school and I filed my separation letter. I guess that means I am being deported. The guy with me (I don't even know his name actually) didn't speak any English and seemed a bit standoffish at first but warmed up over the four hours we were at the office together. He didn't know the word "fired" though, so it was really embarassing when he was checking the form over with me and pointing to my final date of work saying roughly, "Day you
fired, Okayee?" With only a few days to go, I wasn't about to give him a vocabulary lesson on the differences between "laid off" and "fired". It wouldn't make a difference to him and it wasn't about to make much of a difference to me once I left the office. Nothing overshadows the freedom I'll have as I completely switch lives. My readjustment to home is going to be huge.
After we passed in the forms, we had to wait for my passport to get stamped. As we did, we ended up next to the window. First we saw the riot police lining up. Then I could here the typical
bongjak music start up as a demonstration approached. It was mildly ironic that there'd be a demonstration on the day we chose to go, but nevertheless, we felt a bit hurried now to get my passport back and get out of there. You never know what can happen at these things. I don't have any idea what they were demonstrating over. I got the impression it had something to do with Chinese factory workers being deported these days.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, today... all passed by quickly as I am sure this week will too. In no time at all I will be on that plane, gods willing. I spent the end of this week organizing some things back home. I'm trying to decide how much I want to invest in my business. Lately I have also been considering a job opportunity that doesn't pay much but is in the field that I enjoy most: writing. If I take it, then my other business venture would have to be scaled down. I haven't set anything in stone. I'll just have to weigh the options and pick the one that will make me happiest- though I fear looking at my phone bill this month. I sort of hope to do both, actually-- but I have a habit of spreading myself thin.
Once my path is decided, I promise to let you all know.
