There is someone very special to me. Why is she special?…
She’s different. She stands out, She steps up. She is a doer. She is a thinker. She doesn’t let others tell her what is right for her life. She is curious and ambitious. She believes she can do better. I see how she pays attention and learns quicker than anyone. That is what makes her special in my eyes.
The last time I saw her…
I had set out for Korea to meet Leon.
He’s a close friend, and we’re the type of friends who challenge each other. Leon wasn’t going to meet me the first day - so the adventure began.
I had challenges arriving in Seoul, here they were: How do I get from Incheon Airport to Seoul?How do I get cell service? Where can I stay the night?
I stepped through the gate into Korea, having scanned my fingerprint and passport. I Walked through the airport with its gates and venders, and finally out onto the road of Incheon, Korea. I called Leon using airport wifi to get an idea of my next step - “download some apps, get an e-sim, take the bus or train”. I went back in to find the bus ticket sales. It’s 14000won for the bus ticket; now to wait in line… an exhaustingly long line to get on the next bus for Seoul.
My time in Seoul was short lived.
My phone died, the hotels all booked out or closed. I ended the night along a long path. I saw the city and temples, as I made my long walk to the outskirts of Seoul. After searching this was the only place I could find somewhere to stay.
I got up, I had slept in. I needed a new phone charger and some food. I wondered throuigh the town; I saw small shops, and many traditional buildings. I bought a 220v compatible charger, then some pancakes at a tiny restaurant. Next, I made my way to the cafe where I would meet Leon.
We visited Seoul for a short time. It started to get late; we needed to get going. Leon lived south of Seoul, in a city called Choenan.
Leon’s place was small. A main room, washroom, kitchen; a little bigger than a hotel room. Choenan looked like low rise and high rise buildings with shops at the ground floors. The areas between the skylines were surprisingly open, with roads and parks.
The first stage: learning Korean.
I started with a Starbucks, an online course, and some dedication. The course online; it was a complete interactive website on the Korean alphabet. I completed the whole course in two days. Now I could read… still slower than a preschooler. I wasn’t going to get good anytime soon.
I need to get back into sales. Next issue; where am I going to work?
I searched on maps, I asked Gemini, I asked Leon. My first bet; twenty-four-hour cafes. The closest one, a few kilometers away, is “Tom & Tom’s”. How could I get there?
I asked Leon how to pay for the bus. He gave me a transit card, saying, “Refill it at a convenience store” . There was one issue: I’m working nights. Here’s my schedule: