LEARNING TO MOVE AROUND
It was raining hard and the cold was biting like hungry piranha. With but a hood over my head, I trekked out in it to meet a client. You see, too long have I been relying on my friends here to help me get around. I rarely go anywhere without Jerry. Lately, though, I realize I need to put more effort into learning the language and being able to get around. This is an adventure of my first attempt.
Sally and Jerry were sleeping and Victor didn't show up for training that morning. Normally, we would go by car to the gym and then, since my client is close by, I could just walk to his business from there. In this case, I was still sitting at home with but 90 minutes to spare before I had to meet him. Sally woke up and asked me how I would be going there and I said that I would likely take a bus. She tried to wake Jerry to go with me, but she was pretty much out for the count. Sally suggested I take a taxi since it was my first meeting and important I get there.
Sally wrote me a note to show to any taxi driver I might find so that he would know where I am going, and off I went. The first problem I had was that I didn't have any money on me for a taxi. I went to the corner store to try their ATM machine, but it didn't seem to like foreign cards. It looked like the bus was the only option.
I walked to the bus stop in the cold rain and just as I arrived, the bus I was looking for sped by. I had to wait in the rain for about fifteen minutes for the next one. I got on and thought all would be well but problem number two showed up. Because of the weather, the bus windows were all fogged and I couldn't at all see where I was or where we were going. Somewhere along the line, the bus passed right by where I was going, but I couldn't see it and wasn't sure so I didn't get off.
Eventually the time of the meeting rolled around and I thought I have to call the client. To make matters worse, I was now seeing totally unfamiliar streets and appeared to be in sold old traditional looking part of town. Even the street signs no longer had English writing on them. I got off the bus and went to the nearest phone booth to call the client. I explained I was lost and that I would try to find a taxi to take me there.
I walked in the cold rain looking for a convenience store that might have an ATM I could use. Similar to the one near home, the first three stores all had machines with no English and no acceptance of foreign cards. Things were starting to look bad. These were little mom and pop convenience stores after all. Finally I stumbled across a major name convenience store called Buy The Way, and there found the type of ATM I am used to using and always see in Yong Tong. I got some cash and was now ready to find a taxi.
Finding a taxi wasn't a problem. They were driving by every few seconds. Finding a taxi that would take me was another matter. I showed the note Sally wrote me to the first driver and he started a seemingly angry spiel in Korean which pretty much meant he wasn't going all the way out there. I replied somewhat comically, "Anga?" meaning, "So you won't go?" Of course I already knew that.
I got out of that cab and went across the street where there was a taxi stand. I thought for sure it would be easy here. Keep in mind it is still raining and cold all this time. The next two taxi drivers I tried ended with similar results. Finally the fourth guy spoke a little English and knew the location of the place written in the note. Even though I can read the Korean alphabet, I don't understand the words so I never bothered to read it. It said "New Core", which is a huge and well known department store in Suwon and also happens to house the gym where I train on the tenth floor.
This guy understood the note and took me there. His English was simple but he tried to make conversation on the way, first asking me if I am a singer and then after talking about sports. Finally he took me to where I was supposed to meet the client, at his Karaoke joint, and I went in. The taxi ride was 5700 won which in today's currency is about $4.00 USD. A bit more expensive than taxi rides in the Philippines, but a far cry from doing the same in the U.S.
I went into the Karaoke joint and met the client who informed me that Victor's mother was worried about me and waiting for me at her restaurant. It's pretty much across the street so I walked over there and had lunch. She doesn't speak English and I was having trouble explaining what had happened and then one of her employees, passing by, said something familiar. I looked at him puzzled and then he said, in Japanese, "You speak Japanese, right?" I replied, yes, and then we started talking in Japanese and I could tell my little adventure story, which he translated to Victor's mother and her staff, most of whom laughed.
I finished eating and went back to the Karaoke joint to meet the client. It was now nearly 4:00 PM and two hours after our original meeting time. He informed me that another person he had to meet was coming, even though he called and tried to cancel with that guy, and so we would have to meet later. We rescheduled for the next day at the same time. I went back to Victor's mother's restaurant and waited for Victor who showed up shortly thereafter. Sally and Jerry were waiting in the car.
We got back in the car to head home. Jerry explained that she woke up just minutes after I left so that she could go with me. She thought I just went outside to smoke and so she looked for me before realizing I was gone. They were really worried. Sally and Jerry said that had they been through what I went through, they would be crying by now. They couldn't believe that I was totally happy. Why wouldn't I be? If everything happened as planned, it could exactly be called an adventure!
Sally and Jerry were sleeping and Victor didn't show up for training that morning. Normally, we would go by car to the gym and then, since my client is close by, I could just walk to his business from there. In this case, I was still sitting at home with but 90 minutes to spare before I had to meet him. Sally woke up and asked me how I would be going there and I said that I would likely take a bus. She tried to wake Jerry to go with me, but she was pretty much out for the count. Sally suggested I take a taxi since it was my first meeting and important I get there.
Sally wrote me a note to show to any taxi driver I might find so that he would know where I am going, and off I went. The first problem I had was that I didn't have any money on me for a taxi. I went to the corner store to try their ATM machine, but it didn't seem to like foreign cards. It looked like the bus was the only option.
I walked to the bus stop in the cold rain and just as I arrived, the bus I was looking for sped by. I had to wait in the rain for about fifteen minutes for the next one. I got on and thought all would be well but problem number two showed up. Because of the weather, the bus windows were all fogged and I couldn't at all see where I was or where we were going. Somewhere along the line, the bus passed right by where I was going, but I couldn't see it and wasn't sure so I didn't get off.
Eventually the time of the meeting rolled around and I thought I have to call the client. To make matters worse, I was now seeing totally unfamiliar streets and appeared to be in sold old traditional looking part of town. Even the street signs no longer had English writing on them. I got off the bus and went to the nearest phone booth to call the client. I explained I was lost and that I would try to find a taxi to take me there.
I walked in the cold rain looking for a convenience store that might have an ATM I could use. Similar to the one near home, the first three stores all had machines with no English and no acceptance of foreign cards. Things were starting to look bad. These were little mom and pop convenience stores after all. Finally I stumbled across a major name convenience store called Buy The Way, and there found the type of ATM I am used to using and always see in Yong Tong. I got some cash and was now ready to find a taxi.
Finding a taxi wasn't a problem. They were driving by every few seconds. Finding a taxi that would take me was another matter. I showed the note Sally wrote me to the first driver and he started a seemingly angry spiel in Korean which pretty much meant he wasn't going all the way out there. I replied somewhat comically, "Anga?" meaning, "So you won't go?" Of course I already knew that.
I got out of that cab and went across the street where there was a taxi stand. I thought for sure it would be easy here. Keep in mind it is still raining and cold all this time. The next two taxi drivers I tried ended with similar results. Finally the fourth guy spoke a little English and knew the location of the place written in the note. Even though I can read the Korean alphabet, I don't understand the words so I never bothered to read it. It said "New Core", which is a huge and well known department store in Suwon and also happens to house the gym where I train on the tenth floor.
This guy understood the note and took me there. His English was simple but he tried to make conversation on the way, first asking me if I am a singer and then after talking about sports. Finally he took me to where I was supposed to meet the client, at his Karaoke joint, and I went in. The taxi ride was 5700 won which in today's currency is about $4.00 USD. A bit more expensive than taxi rides in the Philippines, but a far cry from doing the same in the U.S.
I went into the Karaoke joint and met the client who informed me that Victor's mother was worried about me and waiting for me at her restaurant. It's pretty much across the street so I walked over there and had lunch. She doesn't speak English and I was having trouble explaining what had happened and then one of her employees, passing by, said something familiar. I looked at him puzzled and then he said, in Japanese, "You speak Japanese, right?" I replied, yes, and then we started talking in Japanese and I could tell my little adventure story, which he translated to Victor's mother and her staff, most of whom laughed.
I finished eating and went back to the Karaoke joint to meet the client. It was now nearly 4:00 PM and two hours after our original meeting time. He informed me that another person he had to meet was coming, even though he called and tried to cancel with that guy, and so we would have to meet later. We rescheduled for the next day at the same time. I went back to Victor's mother's restaurant and waited for Victor who showed up shortly thereafter. Sally and Jerry were waiting in the car.
We got back in the car to head home. Jerry explained that she woke up just minutes after I left so that she could go with me. She thought I just went outside to smoke and so she looked for me before realizing I was gone. They were really worried. Sally and Jerry said that had they been through what I went through, they would be crying by now. They couldn't believe that I was totally happy. Why wouldn't I be? If everything happened as planned, it could exactly be called an adventure!
posted by - Terrence at
9:32 AM
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