Category Archives: Travels
Back in the USSaar
I wrote this post nine years ago. The original title was “Being Marge in Germany,” and it was a serious hit among my friend circle. It was cynical and bitter, as most of my writings tend to be, but it was a perfect description of what it was like to live as a foreign exchange student in Germany, as far as day-to-day bull went. The original draft has been lost to a hard drive failure and the obsolescence of floppy disks. Remember floppy disks? Yeah, me neither. Anyway, I’m recreating this strictly from memory. It likely won’t be as good as the first, but I’m going to try my damnedest.
My life is a struggle from the moment I get up in the morning. As soon as I open my eyes, I have to answer a set of questions.
Who am I? A slightly overweight, possibly alcoholic, chain-smoking American who is fighting off yet another mild hangover.
Where am I? In a small box with concrete floors, in a bigger box with concrete floors that is a cross between prison and public housing, conveniently positioned near some woods on the ugliest university campus in Europe, in the armpit of Germany.
What time is it? Late enough that if you don’t get moving now, you’re going to be late for Herr Schmidt’s grammar class.
It’s a miracle I don’t wake up screaming.
I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The room is a bit cold because it’s too expensive to turn the heat on for any appreciable length of time. The first thing I have to do is decide whether or not to take a shower first or eat breakfast. I invariably choose eating breakfast first because I brush my teeth in the shower, and if I shower first, there’s really no point in brushing my teeth, since I’ll eat muesli like I do every morning, and that shit gets stuck in your teeth. I stumble into the “kitchen,” which is really just a sink, two cabinets, a glorified hot plate, and a refrigerator. I pour myself a bowl of breakfast, only to discover that I forgot to buy my UHT milk yesterday. I buy UHT milk because it doesn’t spoil as fast as regular milk, and my fridge isn’t exactly great at keeping things cold. I sigh and stare at the bowl of dry cereal and realize that if I want to eat before noon, I’m going to have to just eat it dry.
Once I’ve horked down my dry cereal, I make my way into the bathroom. I strip naked and immediately freeze because the room is cold and the bathroom most particularly so. Invariably, the basin will flood because the shower stall is really nothing more than a slight indentation in the floor, and I haven’t figured out how to clean the drain trap yet. I’ve been here for almost four months. The water swings between scalding and freezing, resulting in me doing a kind of mad shower dance, punctuated by loud cursing.
After I step out of the shower, I have to dry my hair. There’s no point in doing this, since it rains 75% of the time in the Saar, and today will likely prove no exception. Unfortunately, it’s cold, and I’ll freeze my tits off if I don’t make some superficial effort to dry off. There is no electrical outlet in the bathroom because of the openness of the bathroom plan, so I have to plug my hairdryer in at the stove. I have a bottle of olive oil there, along with my salt and pepper shakers and various other things that I don’t have room for in my cabinets. Without fail, the cord for the hairdryer will knock over at least one of these items, and more often than not, that will send everything else tumbling over. I sigh in irritation and will myself to not give a shit. I smear some black eyeliner on and head back into the bedroom, once my hair is kind of maybe dry.
Half of my clothes don’t fit because I’ve spent the last three months or so subsisting on a steady diet of German beer, cheese, Nutella, nougat bits (those last two together sometimes), pasta, and cigarettes. The cigarettes were supposed to keep me thin. Apparently, you’re only allowed one, maybe two vices, max. You can’t be a chain-smoker, an alcoholic, an overeater, and kind of a slut. I go to pull on my brown slacks, but then I remember that they got caught on a nail on one of the Studienkolleg chairs and ripped. I toss them aside, since I don’t know how to sew, and choose my trusty black pants. They’re as stiff as if they’d been starched from being hung out on the drying racks. It costs too much to use the dryers, and as much as I hate the feeling of stiff pants, I can’t bring myself to part with my beer money. I decide to continue the theme and throw on a black sweater, my black jacket, and black Puma trainers. Black like my soul.
I gather my wares for class and head out the door. When I get down to the first floor, I realize that I’ve forgotten my umbrella, and it’s raining again. It’s always raining. I debate hiking back up to the sixth floor, but then I think that my hair isn’t that dry, and I’m already in a bad mood. The only thing the lack of an umbrella will prevent me from doing is smoking on the way to class. I step outside, leaving Heim D behind me, wishing not for the first time that it would burn down or that I had the balls to just cancel my lease and move to the city. Still, if I moved to the city, I’d have to get up earlier and take the bus more often. Also, I’d have roommates, and those are hit-or-miss. I know I won’t leave Heim D until I leave at the end of the year.
Studentenwohnheim D: a cross between prison and public housing. I think it’s actually under renovation now. ‘Bout time.
I arrive at my first class with Herr Schmidt. My Lebanese friend, Mohammad, is already there. “Mo” is only eighteen, rich, and handsome. He’s got sandy hair and beautiful eyes; he looks nothing like the stereotypical Middle Eastern man. He routinely tells me that I’m the strangest woman he’s ever met in his life. He can’t decide if I’m a genius or insane, to which I usually just tell him that I’m neither, only a little eccentric. I wish I were a genius. Then I wouldn’t need Studienkolleg.
Mo and I are friends with two other guys, one from Togo and the other from China. The Chinese guy is bright and a hard worker, but his German sounds like something spoken on Mars. Nobody understands him, but nobody has the heart to tell him. The guy from Togo is always happy and smiling. Today, Mo decides to taunt the Chinese guy about America backing Taiwan against China. This complicates international relations, and the Chinese guy proceeds to stomp around the classroom, cursing in Chinese while the three of us look on laugh. I smile and defend myself by saying that I didn’t start it. Doesn’t matter. Nearly everyone hates Americans. I don’t care.
Herr Schmidt, a great, fat man who is in his last semester of teaching, rolls into class right on time, as Germans almost always do. Never late, never early – always right on time. It’s obvious that he doesn’t have two fucks to give. He spends more time today talking about his former fiancée, an American lady from Ohio, the one who got away. When they didn’t get married, he had to come back to Germany. He’s one of the German teachers who likes Americans.
When he starts talking about grammar, I zone out and start doodling in my notebook. The funny thing is, I like German grammar, but I’m never in the mood to study anymore. Instead, I spend the bulk of our 90 minutes writing a ditty about the deliciousness of meat (because I’m too poor to buy it) before falling asleep for about 20 minutes. When I wake up, Mo comments for the 67th time about how weird I am and then shakes his head in disbelief as Herr Schmidt hands back our most recent grammar quizzes. I got a 100. Mo can’t believe I can drink myself into a stupor every night and sleep through 80% of my classes and still eke out good grades. It’s not that I’m smart. I was just lucky. This became more evident later. Anyway, my native language is a lot closer to the German language than say, Arabic.
Herr Schmidt releases us for the morning, and I troop back to Heim D in the rain. The dorm is quiet; everyone is either in class or in town. I hike up to the sixth floor, drop my bag, and wonder what to have for lunch. I finally decide on red pepper Brunch spread and the remnants of a baguette. I sit in front of the computer for about an hour and listen to music, wishing I had the balls to go see the Netzwart about getting Internet in my room. I’m scared of interacting with actual Germans, and this makes daily life a serious struggle for me. It took me two months to buy Waschmärke so that I could do my laundry. Yeah, I did laundry in the sink.
Around 12:45, I pack up my afternoon books and head out again, this time reminding myself to take my umbrella. I walk, smoking, over to the Studienkolleg building for reading class with Frau Schmidt. No, she and Herr Schmidt aren’t married. He’s an old bachelor who visits his mother every morning before work, and she’s an ardent feminist who, while probably not a lesbian, probably doesn’t have sex with men, either. I can’t imagine her interacting with any men who aren’t gay. She looks like Miss Frizzle and sounds like she’s perpetually huffing helium. She has frizzy red hair, and she only wears clothes that are brown, orange, or green, further emphasizing the orangeness of her hair. It’s nearly Christmas, but she still looks like Halloween.
Frau Schmidt detests the Eastern Europeans, although she’s far too nice to say so. The Georgian guys constantly make woman jokes, and Frau Schmidt just stands there, staring blankly at them. I know she wants to kill them. All of her reading material is about feminism or the environment. Today, it’s about Lichtverschmutzung and how there are no bats in Germany anymore. The bug population is out of control. I consider that this might be true, given the number of bugs that come swarming into Heim D in warmer weather.
When class is finally over, I head to the bus stop. It’ll be the number 11, 19, or 44 for me. I prefer the 19 since it’s a bit faster and doesn’t have nearly the number of crazies on board. I don’t know what it is about the number 11, but that bus always has at least one nutter aboard. Sometimes it’s the old lady with the purple walker who hits the bus when the driver doesn’t open the back door to let her on. She’s had a stroke, and between that and her awful Saarläänisch accent, she’s completely incomprehensible, except for the expletives. There’s another guy who sits up near the front with a notebook and pencil. He draws incredibly elaborate pictures and then, when he’s done, he scribbles them out, sometimes ripping the paper. He then flips the page and starts over. It reminds me of those Tibetan monks who make the beautiful sand mandalas and then destroy them.
I get off at the Rathaus, like always and, depending on what day of the week it is, I’ll either go to Karstadt or Plus to do my shopping. I can only carry two bags, so if I want to buy booze or Coke or something, I can almost never carry enough food for more than a day or two. You can’t get anything fresh at Plus. My friends and I decided a long time ago that Plus vegetables are grown in the lot out back and watered with bum piss. The local bums hang outside the Plus and drink Schloss beer, which you can buy for something like 15 cents. It tastes like bottled bum piss. Even I won’t drink it.
I decide to do my shopping at Karstadt, even though it’s overpriced. They have good produce and an excellent selection of cheese. I’ll probably just buy feta to put on my dinner, like usual, but I like the option to be there. I decide to buy myself a bottle of Southern Comfort, even though it’s a Monday and we’ll surely be going to Wally’s Irish Pub for quiz night. We always do. Nothing else happening on a Monday.
I finish my shopping and go through Frau Blue Hair’s line. Well, today her hair is blue. Actually, it’s just one piece of hair, and it changes color on a weekly if not daily basis. Sometimes it’s blue, sometimes pink, sometimes red or green, but it’s always there. Frau Blue Hair is the nicest checkout clerk at Karstadt grocery store. She’s fat and jolly, and I like the way she sings “Tschüßi!” when you leave. There’s another clerk who’s as skinny as Blue Hair is fat, and you can just tell she hates everything. She doesn’t sing goodbye like a good Saarlander, and it makes me feel more alienated than usual. I like Frau Blue Hair.
I shove my groceries into my bag at break-neck speed. Germans don’t play around in the checkout line. When I first arrived, several Germans decided I was going too slowly and started bagging my groceries for me. It was one of the biggest “fuck you’s” I’ve ever gotten in Germany, besides the day that that guy hissed at Holly and me near the bus stop when we were speaking English. Like I said, most everyone hates Americans, and this was back when Bush had just been re-elected in 2004.
I step outside and realize that I’ve left my umbrella on the bus, and it’s raining again. For the third time today, I’m going to get soaked. I contemplate going back into Karstadt to buy yet another umbrella, but my arms already ache from carrying my satchel and the grocery bags, and I hate shopping anyway, so I trudge through the rain to the Rathaus bus stop. I stand under the Rathaus arches to keep dry until the bus comes. It’s the number 11, dammit, and the 19 won’t be here for another 20 minutes. Even the 11 will be back to campus by then, so I grudgingly get on the bus, hoping the driver won’t notice that I forgot to get my bus pass stamp on my student ID. He waves me on.
The bus is mostly empty, since it’s still too early for the rush. I put my groceries near the window and take the aisle seat so that nobody can sit next to me. Invariably, even if the bus is empty, if I take the window seat, somebody will sit next to me. Who does that? Europeans. It was the same in Paris on the metro. Still, I don’t want some fat-arsed bag crushing my sweet buns with hers, so I rudely take the aisle seat and hope that the bus doesn’t fill up. I get lucky and it doesn’t. The man with the notebook is sitting two seats in front of me. I switch between watching the scenery and watching him.
“Unserer nächste Halt ist: Waldhaus. Waldhaus.” I watch as the “bad Irish” get on the bus. There are two sets of Irish, the good and the bad, but I only realize later that they’re all bad, as are most girls from Dublin Trinity College. They say hi in the way that snotty, popular girls always do – fake and put-on – and they move towards the back of the bus. One of them hates me because I tried to get on this guy she was trying to date. It’s a long story, but I don’t care. Neither of us got him, in the end, so I guess it didn’t matter much. Nothing is permanent here, anyway.
The rain has slowed to a stop when I get off the bus and traipse back to Heim D. I hike back up the six flights of stairs with my groceries and proceed to make dinner. I debate taking some of my bottles down for recycling, but then I think I’ll do it later. I always think I’ll do it later. Sometimes I even do.
I make dinner and sit back down in front of my laptop, thinking maybe I should write. My eyes are tired and bleary. I read a lot or stare at computer screens when I’m alone, and my eyesight seems to be suffering for it. About an hour later, Beth comes knocking at the door, and we sit there chatting. It’s Wally’s night. We almost never miss quiz night at Wally’s.
We get back on the bus and head back to town. Around 9pm, we meet Holly, Erika, and Jonathan at the bar. As usual, Jens is warming his seat at the bar. Jens is a big, hulking fat guy who works at one of the Saar’s last coal pits. Near as I can tell, he lives at Wally’s. He only pays his tab once a year, when he gets a tax refund or some such. Over in the corner are the “money guys,” who work for some American software company up on campus. I slept with one of them, the hot one, Florian.
He was beautiful. Not beautiful in the way that only you can see, but actually beautiful – tall, blond, and handsome enough that you’d notice him in the street. My friends took bets on whether or not I’d pull it off. I’m not beautiful. Hell, I’m not even that cute. But we did, and I really liked him. He was smart and kind of rich, and yes, beautiful. It probably would’ve only been a one night thing regardless of my actions, but when he asked me what we were doing together, I couldn’t help but think I shouldn’t have given him a truthful answer. “I thought we were just sleeping together.” I should’ve said something that normal girls would say, something romantic, some sweet lie. Maybe that would’ve been enough. Maybe that would’ve been all he needed to hear to at least call me again. Or maybe I was kidding myself. What did I know? I was just a dumb, 20-year-old college girl chasing after a 31-year-old German guy who probably just wanted to bang an American. Maybe his friends had a bet going, too.
We all sit down at the table in the front corner to do the pub quiz. We don’t do very well this week. It’s all trivia that only Germans would know. Jonathan and Erika tell us about the drama swirling amongst the Irish. There’s always drama at Waldhaus. I’m glad I don’t live there. As much as I hate Heim D and as much as I feel alone sometimes, I know that I’m not really very good at playing games, and it would be a never-ending cycle of drama games up there. Anyway, our Heim Bar is better. I tell them I saw the Bad Irish girls, and Jonathan launches into a story about how one of them was cheating on her boyfriend while he was there visiting from Dublin.
I end up drinking five pints of Guinness and two shots of something someone bought for me. I smoke nearly half a pack of cigarettes, and by the time we stumble to the bus, I’m feeling no pain. Jonathan and Erika bid us farewell at Waldhaus, and Holly, Beth, and I get off at the university, the last stop for the night. Holly has to walk home in the dark, scary forest. This is no joke. She brings a flashlight every time we go out. It’s like something from a Brothers Grimm story. I get spooked walking back from Waldhaus by myself. Something about German woods at night will make you believe every ghost story and every eerie tale that you ever heard as a child. Once or twice, I broke into a run. I knew something was behind me.
I drag myself up the stairs, and Beth and I say goodnight at the third floor. I’m glad I don’t live on the lower floors. I at least have an apartment. Beth has a box and a shared kitchen and bathroom. In the kitchen, people steal your good cheese, and in the bathrooms, sometimes people smear shit on the walls. The cleaning ladies went on strike once, and I don’t blame them. The guy down the hall routinely has loud, ape-like sex with his girlfriend. The joys of living in a country that isn’t sexually repressed!
I stagger into my own box, locking the door behind me. I hang my keys on the weird little mushroom-shaped hook by the stove and kick my shoes off. My vision is blurrier now than it was before, and my mood is dark. I had hoped to see Florian. I don’t know why – I wouldn’t have said anything, and neither would he. The next time I saw him, it was in Karstadt, and I was with my friend Maurice. We’d been ice skating, as we always did on Thursdays. He was with a girl. He had his arms around her. She was beautiful.
I open up the bottle of Southern Comfort to comfort myself. I take a few swigs and sit down to write something, but nothing comes except a knock on the door. At this hour of night, it could only be my Hungarian ex, and he could only want one thing. I debate opening the door, but I get up and answer, finally. I knew his presence wouldn’t really alleviate my loneliness, but it would alleviate other things, and that was enough. Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.
The Hun wasn’t beautiful. He wasn’t even all that attractive. Except his eyes. He had green eyes, and they were by miles his most successful feature. He was very smart, though, getting his Ph.D. in physics. His English was terrible, and his German was worse. He’d explain the project he was working on as best he could, and it was interesting. I wished I were smarter, so I could contribute more to the conversation, but my knowledge of academic things was limited to language, politics, and other “soft” subjects. I never had a head for numbers.
We sit and talk, then we fuck, and then he leaves. I’m still buzzed, still lonely, and still wondering if coming to Germany was the right thing. It was hard – so hard. But then, as I sat in front of my computer, listening to the Kill Bill soundtrack, I remembered that it could be fun, too.
Sitting out on the wall by McDonald’s on Holly’s 21st birthday, drunkenly singing “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and eating peanut butter out of a jar with our fingers. Singing “Left Outside Alone” on the aisles of a Trier-bound train with Jonathan and Erika. Laughing maniacally when Erika told me how she lost her virginity to the Mexican-Italian guy, Roberto Fantini, “the first of many,” in his own words. Getting hit on by a vampire at metal night. (That’s a post for another time!) Watching the bulls (die Polizei) break up bum fights on Bahnhofstrasse. Realizing Herr Wuttke, the listening teacher, was wearing pink socks with frogs on them. Holly drinking $4 Plus wine out of the bottle with candy straws before Heim Bar.
The crew of the USSaar (L to R): Beth, Holly’s Florian, Holly, Maurice, and me.
Germany was a lot of things, some of it good, some of it bad. I had a lot of memorable nights and just as many that should be well and truly forgotten. Some of them even are. It was just one more step on the road to becoming Adult Marge. I left the US a kid, but I came back something else. Maybe not a full-fledged adult, but at least I was getting closer.
Going abroad changes you. You realize quickly that you can never go home, and wherever you go, well, there you are. I think it took Korea to finally hammer that one home for me. But as miserable as I was sometimes, I don’t regret going to Germany at all. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I might do a few things differently, now that I have the lens of experience to examine myself and my actions with, but I like to think it happened the way it needed to happen. That’s probably a sweet, romantic lie I have to tell myself to make the bad times seem rosier.
Time has moved us all on. Maurice is married with two kids. Erika got married this year. I’ve lost touch with Jonathan, but I think he’s still in Germany. Holly is still traveling the world, and Beth is back home. In my head, sometimes I think maybe Florian married the beautiful girl and they made beautiful, German babies. The Hun is a Ph.D. of physics now, and he lives in Italy, I think. I hope his Italian is better than his German was.
I’m here, for as long as I’m here, and I won’t be here much longer. I’m ready to go home, quit the rambling ways, at least for a while. I think I’m ready to confine going abroad to vacations. I did find myself somewhere overseas, but it took a long time, and it wasn’t an easy process. I probably would’ve eventually found myself anyway, but I wouldn’t have gotten to sample the most excellent German beer, snarf mille feuille pastries in Paris, or watch B-Boyz dance on top of a drunk Canadian guy in Korea.
It was worth it. It was worth every rain-soaked walk, every acidic hangover, every gut-wrenching meltdown, and every European belittling me for being an American while Bush was in office. I’d do it again. If I had a thousand chances to go back and relive it just the same way, I would. I’d give just about anything to be back in the USSaar.
Korean Maternity Leave
I know that I mentioned maternity leave and payment during that time in previous posts, but I’ve had enough problems with this lately that I feel like it warrants a post all its own. If you are a teacher in Korean, I’m not going to sugarcoat it: you’ll be damn lucky if you get maternity leave, and you’ll be even luckier if it’s paid. Academy directors are loathe to pay mat leave, as I have so recently discovered. If/When you get pregnant in Korea, you need to know what you’re entitled to and whether or not you want to wrangle for it. Believe me, you will have to wrangle for it.
You need to know your rights under Korean Labor Law. Maternity leave and pay doesn’t have to be outlined in your contract; it’s outlined in national law, and it applies to you the same as it applies to every Korean working woman. First of all, you are entitled to 90 days of leave, period. No questions. Now, the part concerning pay can get a little bit tricky.
Any business with more than five employees is legally obligated to offer government employee insurance. This covers unemployment, mat leave, etc. You can decide whether to pay into it or not. You must pay in at least 180 days prior to the last day of maternity leave. If your employer has this insurance and you have been paying in, the government will cover partial salary for the third month of your leave. Your employer is obligated to pay your full salary for the first two months, regardless of whether or not they have this insurance.
Let me repeat that: Your employer is obligated to pay your full salary for the first two months, regardless of whether or not they have this insurance.
My boss did not know this. The labor board, when I called, did not tell me this. I suspect it had to do with the language barrier, and I didn’t pursue it like I should have because I’m dumb. Don’t be dumb. My boss is now livid about all of this and made it very clear that he would never have resigned with me if he’d known that I expected mat leave pay. He considered it a betrayal, frankly. Although I feel bad for my mistake of not having it sorted sooner, I also feel it is his responsibility to know the ins and outs of the labor law. It certainly was in his best interest to know this beforehand, and he failed to find out. I can’t be held responsible for his failings.
You will be very lucky if your boss offers to renew the contract, once he/she finds out you are pregnant. Very lucky. If they know they have to pay mat leave, you’re likely to find yourself out of a job and on a plane home. It gives one some incentive not to get pregnant in Korea. If I had it to do over, at this point, I would have gone home during my second trimester. I’m not sure that I would have held off on getting pregnant while here, but I would have thought a bit harder about it.
The honest truth is that someone needs to look after our baby because she has a couple of health complications that make putting her into daycare unwise. If she were to catch a cold or something worse – and let’s face it, in daycare, she would – it could have potentially long-lasting and very detrimental effects on her health. Unfortunately, having one half of a couple working and maintaining a two bedroom apartment is an uphill battle here, especially when the apartment comes with one job (mine). We’re trying to negotiate a settlement with my boss now, and it hasn’t been going that well. We’ve tried to work out something where nobody gets burned, but it’s tough to do, and negotiating with Koreans isn’t quite as straightforward as negotiating with Westerners, in some cases.
I feel badly for springing this on my boss. We have had an excellent relationship, and I know that things will never be the same, if I have to go back. For that, I feel a lot of sorrow. I also know that I’m doing the right thing for my family, and family well-being supersedes work relationships that will cease to exist once I get on the plane. I know that sounds harsh, but ultimately, it’s the truth. Korea is not my forever home, and I will never be grateful enough to my boss for helping me find a car or buying a new air conditioner that I put my child in harm’s way. Life doesn’t work like that. It makes me sad though, because I understand where he’s coming from and why he feels the way he does.
Ultimately, my final advice on pregnancy in Korea is this: DON’T DO IT. Unless you are a permanent resident married to a Korean and are in control of your own apartment lease, DON’T DO IT. You will most likely find yourself out of a job, and you’ll be fighting an uphill battle for maternity leave and pay that will probably still end in you being out of a job and possibly flying home on your own dime.
That said, if you insist on giving birth here, please read the attachment I’m providing and speak with your local labor board about all of your options. You need to know the facts, and the facts are that your boss owes you paid maternity leave, regardless of whether or not they want to pay. They will not want to pay. Weigh all of your options very carefully before making your final decision. If you decide to have your baby here, best of luck to you, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
This item also covers the three days of maternity leave for fathers, effective as of 2008.
A Diamond Day for Geoje
My husband and I really got the short end of the stick with summer vacation this year, as I think I mentioned in a previous post or two. He got Monday to Wednesday, and I got Wednesday to Friday. We had been planning to take a big excursion to Geoje with our time off, but when our academies’ vacations didn’t jibe, we were understandably a bit bummed. We’ve been wanting to do a big Geoje tour for a while. Unfortunately, now that I’m in the third trimester of my pregnancy and about as ready, willing, and able to walk around in the heat as a sunburned walrus, our adventure options are limited. We went to Busan a couple of weeks ago so that I could get my hair done with lovely Soo, and I almost died, between walking around Haeundae and sitting on the overcrowded, barely air conditioned bus. We mostly just stay home under the A/C now so that I can pant and sweat in peace.
One of the many small islands dotting the coast of the bay, complete with cute, tiny lighthouse.
The call of nearby Geoje Island has been beckoning us like a Korean siren song, though. (In case you’re curious, a Korean siren song sounds like a combination of an ajoshi yodeling a pansori speckled with Hite beer burps and lip smacking.) We discovered that there is a ferry, perhaps the last of its kind, running from Jinhae to Geoje several times a day. It’s actually a vehicle ferry, so you can take the family tuna boat along for the ride.
We’ve spent the last week trying to iron out a trip across Masan Bay over to Geoje. If you look on Google Maps, it can be somewhat misleading. Or at least, it’s misleading for me, but then again, I don’t pay much attention to the legend, and kilometers are still a foreign language to me after years abroad, so I just look at the map and think, “Woooo, that’s FAR.” It’s not. You can actually see the Masan shipyard from the ferry terminal servicing Geoje and Jinhae. That’s how close we are.
We went to the ferry terminal last weekend, contemplating a ride over, but it was rainy and late in the day, so we decided against it. We went back on Wednesday as, again, we had a day off in the middle of the week, but it started raining again, so we thought better of it and just took a drive up Anmin Gogae (Anmin Mountain Road) instead, and I would highly recommend doing that, as a time killer. It’s just gorgeous, has lots of hiking areas and rest stops, and you get a great view of the bay and Jinhae. We’re going back in the fall to take pictures of the leaves on the mountains. (Are we Korean enough yet?) The point is, we had made two failed attempts to go to Geoje, and we were getting frustrated with Mother Nature.
Today was, finally, a gorgeous day. Clearwater Camp refers to these meteorological gems as “diamond days,” and indeed today was. The sun sparkled on the water all the way there and back, the breeze was blowing, there were lovely, puffy clouds dotting the sky, and the water was smooth and calm. Frankly, it couldn’t have been better. We elected to leave Moose at Jinhae, since we don’t have a GPS or a map, and we really didn’t know what to expect at the ferry terminal on the other side. There is more than one terminal on Geoje, and we weren’t actually sure where we’d be landing. We thought we’d do a trial run and, should everything turn out well, we’d pack the Moose on board and bring him, too.
The very definition of a “diamond day.” Isn’t the sky beautiful against the mountains and ocean?
If I’m being totally honest, we should have just bitten the bullet and chucked him on board with the other cars, as I think our day would have been even more enjoyable, although I suspect we would have ended up staying the night. The Jinhae ferry terminal is, all things considered, somewhat centrally located and easy to find. Also, Jinhae is itty bitty, so to be fair, it’s a bit hard to get lost. The Jinhae ferry takes you to a Geoje ferry terminal called Sil-Jeon, which is located in what is possibly the smallest fishing village ever. There is nothing in this village. Nothing. There were some old seafood restaurants, but they all looked to be out of business or turned into a private residence of sorts. The terminal itself has a wood-burning stove and an old man running a “convenience store” that sells the bare necessities and little else. If you think there will be lines of taxis waiting to pick up intrepid beach-goers such as you’ll find in Busan, you’d be sorely mistaken. There seems to be some type of shipyard off to the left of the ferry terminal, and that’s about all there is to see.
You need to bring your own transportation if you’re planning to ferry it out to Geoje. I’ve read reports before that bus and taxi transit on Geoje is somewhat spotty, at best. The buses are inconvenient, badly marked, and the stops are never located on the main roads in the fishing villages. That was my experience when I went to Geoje last, so with that in mind, I would say that it is definitely more “friendly” towards those with their own vehicle. I would not go back without our car, which won’t be for another week or two, as Moose needs some work done to him, and we don’t want to drive him too far if he hasn’t checked out fully.
As far as the actual review of Geoje goes, today would hardly provide an accurate picture for all of the island, but I can tell you one thing for certain: Geoje is beautiful. If you live anywhere along the southern coast and especially if you live anywhere in Gyeonsangnam-do, you need to visit Geoje. It’s chock-a-block full of beaches and little fishing villas. Much of the island is quiet and undisturbed. When I was there and stayed, I found the Koreans there to be more sedate than their mainland counterparts, always victims and perpetuators of the “bbali-bbali!” culture, where everything moves a breakneck speed, and nobody cares about slamming into you or bumping you out of the way. Geoje, like so many island communities, provides a welcome break from that hectic pace.
Besides that, much of it is unspoiled. Korea is undeniably a lovely country – even more so when viewed from the sea, as I discovered today. The mountains rising almost out of the water is brilliant. There are towering pines, pebbly beaches, and small islands with rocky outcroppings just begging to be explored. However, on the mainland, much of this is marred by the presence of apartment buildings so high that they’ll give you a nosebleed if you live on the top floor and concrete jungles that feature miles and miles of sameness. Geoje doesn’t have that quality at all, outside of the city. My husband likened it to some of the English beachside areas – pristine, quiet, and ripe for swimming, fishing, and boating. We drew the conclusion after one afternoon puttering around it on the ferry that Geoje would be the place to go, if we were going to put down roots in Korea.
For one thing, there is a large foreigner community there. That seems unlikely, given the fact that it’s an island (though Korea’s second largest, after Jeju), but because of the huge amounts of shipbuilding industry stationed there, flocks of foreigners associated with those companies have descended upon Geoje. There are also a fair few who commute in from Busan every day. Geoje has its own foreigner association, along with schools and restaurants catering specifically to that community. Not bad. Besides that, as I mentioned, there are scads of beaches, places to go hiking, and places where you can go fishing or rent boats. All in all, it’s not a terrible place to be. Believe me, Korea has far worse places that you could land! My husband liked it simply for its beautiful coastline and pine-covered hills. Anything that reminds him of the English coast! If it has a pebbly beach, he’s in hog heaven.
I quite enjoyed taking the ferry, although I have to admit that it would get tiresome, if one had to do it every day. Geoje used to have lots of different ferry services with the big one coming from Busan several times a day. However, a new expressway has been built between Busan and Geoje, and most folks are using that to get back and forth these days. As a result, many of the ferry services have been canceled, as the expressway is oftentimes faster. I haven’t taken the expressway, obviously, so I can’t vouch for its efficiency for those living in ChangMaJin.
In the background, you can see the bridge of the Busan-Geoje Expressway. I’m thinking it’s a helluva view.
We’re at a bit of a tight spot, not ocean-wise, but mountain-wise. Changwon is surrounded on all sides by mountains. The only way out is by tunnel or through Masan and around the bay. From Masan, you could take the highway down to Goseong and Tongyeong and cross over to Geoje from there. Conversely, you could go through the Changwon Tunnel over to Gimhae and pick up the Busan expressway. Truth be told, I’m not sure which, if either route, would be faster. It’s very possible that the Jinhae ferry is faster, although you get dropped off in the middle of nowhere. The Tongyeong bridge will take you almost directly to Geoje City. We’re considering taking the expressway next time, so I’ll update it if we decide to do that and tell you all our results. I’ve heard it can get busy during the week, with so many commuters going out there to work.
Update: I did a careful comb-through of Google Maps, and you don’t actually have to take the Changwon Tunnel to get out to the area of Gimhae where you pick up the Busan-Geoje Expressway (alias Highway 58). Go to Jinhae and hop on Highway 2 going east. It will take you out around the southeast side of the Jinhae coast to the southernmost section of Gimhae – I suspect where those Gimhae shipyards are. From there, there’s a very clear pick-up of Hwy. 58. I think this is probably the route we will use from Masan, as you can hop on Hwy. 2 behind Wolyeong Dong. I think I’d recommend that route for folks living in Jinhae or Shin-Masan. Always avoid the tunnel at all costs! Weekend traffic there sucks.
The bottom line is that we had a good day. It felt lovely to be out on the ocean. My husband spent his summer vacations in his youth near the seaside in Cornwall and Devon, and he loves being in and around the water. I spent most of my summers as a kid boating the waterways of the Northwoods so, although I was never around the ocean, I have a strong affinity for boating. The ferry is a nice way to get a handle on the local geography and, honestly, it was a nice, relaxing ride. I’m the sort of person who thinks watching the jellyfish float in the water is a good time, though. I like watching the coastline and wondering why more Koreans don’t learn to sail or sea kayak. If we stayed in Korea, I think we’d probably get a motorboat or a sailboat. There is nothing like a party barge to make summer time a good time!
Anyway, if you are in Korea and have a car, I highly recommend loading it onto a ferry and getting off the mainland for the weekend. Heck, rent a car and take the expressway. But do see Geoje. Really, you won’t regret it, and it does provide a nice respite from the constantly swirling noise, dirt, heat, and frustration of city life, which Korea has in spades. Think of Geoje as the Hamptons, but without the multi-million dollar houses and crab cakes served with a side of snobbery. Just go. Are you really still reading? Go get on one of the English tourist sites and plan a trip. I promise, you’ll enjoy yourself!
Most of Geoje’s coastline looks similar to this, with the exception of the areas that have awesome, sandy beaches. Not too shabby, huh?
Note: If you’re planning on taking the Jinhae ferry to Geoje, the timetable for trips is pretty simple: first service is at 0700, and final service is at 1900. The ferry departs every 90 minutes throughout the duration of the day. One-way tickets (the only ones available, I think) are 6,000W per person. Car fares depend entirely on the weight of the car, but the prices range approximately from 24,000W to 35,000W for larger vehicles. If you want the exact timetable, here it is. The ferries depart Jinhae and Geoje Sil-Jeon Ferry Terminal at the same times, seven days a week. Service terminates at 1700 on holidays. These times are accurate as of August 18th, 2012. If I learn of any changes, I will make sure to amend this post.
Times are as follows: 0700, 0830, 1000, 1130, 1300, 1530, 1730, 1900.
Update: Unfortunately, ferry service from Jinhae to Geoje has been discontinued. I guess this isn’t all that surprising, given the slow speed of the ferry, the price of taking a car aboard, and the relative ease of getting there by the Geoje Expressway. For those of you who were hoping to take a nice ferry ride this summer, I guess you’ll have to look elsewhere. I know, I’m bummed, too. It was a nice, relaxing ride – one that we were planning to do again.
Kickin’ It in Changwon
I thought, since I’ve been writing a fair few baby-related posts, that I’d change it up and write a beginner’s guide to Changwon. Part of my original blog mission, at least while I’m in Korea, was to write helpful things about Korea. One of the big suggestions for bloggers is to write what you know, and I do know my long-time Korean home of Changwon, capital of Gyeongsangnam-do, very well. So my next post today is all about everyone’s favorite little big city, Changers.
Changwon is the first and only planned city in Korea, so unlike pretty much everywhere else here, the roads actually make sense, and the neighborhoods are laid out with some degree of sanity. Changwon is the reserve capital, in case North Korea decides to blow Seoul off the map. For that reason, the Changwon Daero (Great Road) is the longest stretch of straight road in all of Korea, and it is suitable for use as a runway to land military-grade planes. It is completely surrounded by mountains on all sides, except for the little part on the Masan Man (Bay) where you can get the road from, you guessed it, Masan.
The surrounding cities of Masan and Jinhae were recently joined to Changwon city proper, which means that if you live in “the suburbs,” as I like to call them, you are living in Changwon now. My students here in Masan think this makes them more posh, since Changwon seems to be considered the classiest place of the three (and it is). I laugh and tell them that this will always be Masan. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and Masan by any other name still smells like fish and welding near the harbor. In any case, Changwon now houses most of the city government, except for the regional gu-cheongs, and it is now officially home to 1.1 million Chang-Bangers.
My husband calls Changwon “the Seoul of the South,” not because it’s so big, like Busan, but because it’s a rich city. Changwon has the highest per capita income, after Seoul. This is not surprising, given the number of CEOs, plant owners, and high-up workers and engineers who work in one of the many factories here. Changwon is home to some of Korea’s biggest industrial giants, like Samsung, LG, Hyundai, GM-Daewoo, KIA, WIA, Doosan Heavy Industries and Engines, STX, and others. We have everything from car manufacturing to ship-building to engine production to technology. Basically, Changwon is like Detroit, back when Detroit was still manufacturing things and not considered a rust-belt hellhole.
If you’ve just moved to Changwon and you’re wondering what there is to do, where you can find Western food, or where the best shopping is located, hopefully I can be of some service to you. I don’t know Jinhae well, so there will not be much info here, but I do know Changwon proper and Masan pretty darn well, since I’ve now lived here for about four years. Coming back to Changwon after hiatus was like coming home, and even if you aren’t that fond of Korea, I’m here to tell you that there are plenty of worse places to which you could be coming home.
Restaurants
Eating out is an important staple of waeguk life in Korea. Most of us have a fairly large disposable income, and there’s no better way to celebrate financial freedom that chowing down and getting bombed with your friends. Here are some of the more well-known eateries in Changwon and Masan and where to find them.
Outback – Of course, this is an American import, but if you’re looking for an American restaurant experience that pretends to be Aussie, look no further. This is pretty standard American steakhouse fare, and if you have money to burn and a hankering for a big plate of steak, this place is it. Honestly, I never eat at Outback in the US, but I don’t remember it being so expensive. The average meal at Outback will probably cost about $20-$30 per plate, so I will say that you can eat at a nice Korean restaurant for half the price, easily. Outback Changwon is located in Jungang-dong. From the big circle where city hall, Lotte Department Store and Mart, and E-Mart are located, take the road that runs alongside Lotte Mart and Lotte Department store. Walk down for about 1/4 mile, and it’s on the right ride of the road. You can’t really miss it. Outback Masan is located on the main drag in Hoewongu, near the Masan Shi-Wae Bus Terminal. Have a taxi dump you at the bus terminal. Turn to the left, and it’s on the second floor of the next building. Again, you really can’t miss it.
Bennigan’s – Again, if you like American chain restaurants, this place is another safe bet. Bennigan’s is, I think, a bit less pricy than Outback. They also have quesadillas, which is usually my main motivation for eating there. I go at lunch to save a few bucks. Bennigan’s is near Outback in Jungangdong. Follow the “foreigner road,” which includes the International Hotel, Changwon Hotel, O’Brien’s, IP, and FF bar (see my previous blog on Changwon bars for more info). It’s next door to Newcastle Night Club on the second floor. If you don’t know the road of which I speak, have a taxi driver deliver you to International Hotel (Guk-je Hotel, if that helps). Walk down the road, and you’ll find it, no problem.
IP’s – IP is known for its burritos, which are spicy and pretty much awesome. IP also has some other great dishes and sandwiches, although I will say that if you’re starving and need to eat like, ten minutes ago, you might want to try somewhere with faster service. The kitchen staff is small, and they aren’t renowned for their record-breaking speed. Still, a big IP Club Sandwich and a plate of fries fills me to the eyeballs. If you like pub food, I would highly suggest hitting up IPs. I find I really enjoy going early and getting a meal and some dinner drinks. Does that make me akin to one of the old engineers who haunt the place?
O’Brien’s – OB’s also has standard pub fare, and I’m in love with their big old chicken sandwich. They used to have wedge fries, too, and those were bad-ass, but I don’t know if they always carry them anymore, as I haven’t eaten at OB’s in ages, partly because I never go and partly because I’m now pregnant and can’t go anywhere that has lots of smoke. Unfortunately, OB’s fits that category, even in the best of times. IP, too, so if you’re pregnant… Anyway, OB’s usually has a daily food special. Friday used to be burger and a beer night, which meant you got a great big burger, fries, and a draft beer for about $8. Frankly, you can’t beat that with a stick.
Bombay – An Indian restaurant owned by the guy who owns OB’s plus partners. I really like Bombay. They have real Indian chefs, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the service has been good every time I’ve been there. I will say that it’s pricy, so go prepared to spend some dough. I think it’s quite popular among the waeguk crowd, and I’ve seen big groups of company types eating there. Bombay is the original, but there are some other Indian joints that have sprung up in the same building. I have not been to any of them and cannot attest to their goodness or badness, but Bombay is the original, and I always had a good meal there. It’s next door to O’Brien’s, so again, you can’t miss it. Take a taxi to International Hotel. Walk across the street. Boom. You’re there.
Dino Meat Buffet – This is my husband’s favorite Changwon restaurant. Meat buffets are like a gift from God. Seriously, you would NEVER see something like this back home for the price. There’s no comparing this place to Golden Corral or Ponderosa (Pondo/Grossa-Rossa, as my cousin’s kids used to say). It’s a nice, sit-down restaurant where, for a mere 16,000W per person, you can scarf as much meat as your stomach can handle. You are seated, provided with a Korean-style grill and side dishes, and then you are given a plate, which you can take to the meat buffet in the back and pile enough meat on to satisfy Napoleon’s starving army. I am confident that they have never made money off of a waeguk. The Koreans never seem to eat that much, but my husband and I have gone with friends and have made five trips to the buffet to heap on meat. And they have steak pieces. Oh yes, steak. The service at this place is stellar, too – when you hit the button, those guys jump. They earn their meager wages. If you crave animal flesh but don’t crave the hole in your wallet that traditional steakhouses will leave, hit this place up. Have a taxi deliver you to Yong-ji Lake. It’s right across the street from the fountain-side of the lake.
*Update: I haven’t been in ages because we’re poor now, but I just learned that Dino Meat Buffet has closed up shop. Honestly, if they had too many customers like us, they were bound to be losing money. Fortunately, I’ve also learned that a new meat buffet has opened in Sangnam called the Mammoth Meat Buffet and Salad Bar. It is above Beer Zone, which is where my husband I met, interestingly enough. They have a lunch special for 10,900W, and that’s pretty damn hard to beat! I haven’t tried it yet so can’t vouch for how good it is, but I think we might have to check it out for our anniversary next week! I’ll update again with a short review! So long, old Dino pal!
Miyabi – I haven’t been to this lovely Japanese eatery in ages, but it’s one of my favorite places to start off a hard night of drunken f*ckery. It’s overpriced, but it has a great atmosphere and decent Japanese food. The atmosphere and the booze is half the reason to go. You can get sake or traditional Korean alcohols served in bamboo containers. The seating is traditional Japanese, which means that you have your own little alcove where you take off your shoes and sit down on the floor. There’s space under the table for you to actually put your feet down and sit, and you’re surrounded by privacy screens and lovely plants and low lighting. It creates a very urban, Zen-like atmosphere. Again, this place is overpriced, but I would recommend the tuna steak or one of the set meals. If you split it with a bunch of friends, it’s not so bad. Miyabi is in Sangnam-dong. Find the street where the stationary shop Alpha is located. Miyabi is in the building next door to Alpha. It’s up on the top floor of the building, so it’s easy to miss it from the street. Keep your eyes up. There’s a ramp that leads up to the building, and you’ll more often than not see yuppie types and students going up there, as it’s popular with the young crowd.
Mexico – Masan, believe it or not, has a Mexican restaurant, creatively named Mexico. I’ve eaten there twice and, although other foreigners love it, I have to say that I’ve been less than impressed both times I’ve been there. I honestly think that it depends entirely on what you order. I’d have to recommend that you stay FAR AWAY from the margaritas, as the last time I had one nearly made me gag. It is “Mexican” food, but it has a decidedly Korean twist to it. The owner is a Korean chap married to a Mexican lady, so I would almost consider the style to be fusion food. The prices were fairly reasonable, and the place is generally busy on weekends. The downside to visiting Mexico is that it’s a bit hard to find. It’s in Odong-dong in Masan, in the street market zone. I wish I could give you great instructions on how to get there, but it’s been so long and the road so winding that I’m fuzzy on the deets. You get off of the main drag and go down the back alleys. It is quite near Joyce’s Bar, assuming that bar still exists. The alley is really tiny, you will have to do some searching around for it. I will say that there is a Lotteria near the area, so that can serve as a landmark for how to get there. I’ll have to go there soon and update these instructions so that they actually make sense. I have to be honest, though – for the hassle of getting there, I would generally recommend you just go to IPs and get a burrito, as it will be easier to find, cheaper, and just as good.
Jino’s – Jino’s is probably my favorite restaurant in Changwon. They specialize in Italian fare and, although it’s not quite like home, it’s pretty good, especially if you like cheese! They recently remodeled the interior so that it’s more urban chic and less kitschy. My husband took me here on our first date, so it has sentimental value, too. I recommend the Carbonara pizza, as it’s rather unique and quite tasty. They have a decent wine list (for Korea), and they have lots of different pasta and meat dishes, too. I also recommend, if you like sweet things, that you try that Honey Jumbo Bread. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s amazing. Also, they have Mountain Dew on tap here, so if you’ve been jonesin’ for Dew, look no further. Free refills, too! It’s really nice on a warm, breezy afternoon, as they can open the window-doors to the patio, and it’s just very pleasant. Jino’s is on the road from E-Mart to Yong-Ji Lake, across from the Changwon Concert Hall.
Kraze Burger – Kraze Burger is a chain, but I don’t care. I love it. They have a rockin’ chicken Caesar salad, and their sandwiches are actually American-sized. I highly recommend the chicken club. I find most sandwiches in Korea disappointing, but this place does it for my fast food cravings. It’s located in Sangnam on the same road as Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s near the fountain, and there’s an Angel-in-Us coffee house next door.
VIPS –VIPS is a Korean steakhouse/buffet chain. It’s pricey, but it’s nice for special occasions. If you order a steak, you get the buffet along with it, although I usually just get the buffet when we go, which is maybe once a year, if that. It’s located in the Kyobo Building, which is right behind Lotte Department Store.
Seven Springs – Seven Springs is located over at City 7, in the Changwon convention center. I personally have never been there, but I’ve heard that it’s excellent. I has just about everything, Korean and Western food. I think it’s pretty pricey, too. My husband has told me that it’s quite good, as he went there for a work-related outing once. I know many Westerner’s quite enjoy it. You can take a taxi to the City 7/Pullman Hotel/Convention Center area or, if you roll cheap, take the 212 bus from E-Mart. Most of the 100 numbered buses (103, 107, etc.) and the red buses that head towards Masan go past City 7, too.
Breakfast at the Changwon Hotel – This is pricey but SO WORTH IT. The Changwon Hotel has a frankly kick-ass breakfast that I feel like more people should know about. I think it’s about $20-$25 per person, but they have eggs, pancakes, French toast, and other assorted deliciousness that, if you are desperate for a proper Western breakfast, pretty much can’t be beaten with a stick. The hotel itself feels hoity-toity, but there are a lot of laid-back Westerners there. I think most of them are engineers or visiting company workers, but whatever the case, I highly recommend trying the breakfast buffet at least once, whether it entails dragging your butt out of bed or staying out until dawn. You won’t regret it.
Things to Do
Bored in Changwon, you say? Well, you really shouldn’t be. There are lots of things to do around town at any given point. And if you get sick of Changwon – everyone eventually gets sick of staying home – there are lots of places that are easily accessible from Changwon.
Sports– Changwon has a really nice sports complex located on the Changi-Daero which includes a bike track, swimming pool, basketball arena, and soccer stadium. Changwon has its own basketball team, the LG Sakers, and a soccer team, FC Gyeongsangnam-do, I think. Sports games are lots of fun, and tickets can be had much cheaper than in the US or other Western countries. Basically, you can get first-rate sports entertainment for a fraction of the cost of home.
Changwon LG Sakers.
There is another recreation center in Sangnam, in front of Han-Ma-Eum Hospital. They have a big swimming pool, and this is the one my husband prefers, if we go to town for swimming. Also as a side note, if you want a cheap place in Sangnam to park your car, assuming you have one, the lot behind the rec center is awesome, because it rarely fills up, and it’s cheaper than some of the slightly more convenient lots. Also, it’s free on Sunday, when the rec center is closed.
If organized sports aren’t really your thing, consider taking a walk around Yongji Lake. It has a nice, partially rubberized walking area that, while crowded on weekends, is less so on weekday mornings and a good place for walks and such. Also, there are some tennis courts and nice grassy areas where a good game of Frisbee or touch football could be started. There is another set of tennis courts behind Han-Ma-Eum Hospital in Sangnam, if you like tennis.
Changwon also has an ice rink, which is open daily and located in Dogye Dong, which is near Palyong. I’ve heard rumors about a foreigners’ hockey club, but it could just a rumor and I’ve misunderstood something. I love hockey and skating, but I’ve never been there. I think there might be skating lessons available for children, for those who have kids.
I know there are soccer (football for you UK/Aussie/NZ/SA lot) lessons for kids that are available at the Changwon soccer club, which is located in Sapa. One of my friends is a coach there. I don’t know what age they start, but some of those kids are really little, so I think probably around 4-5 years old you can start your kids on soccer lessons. I don’t know what the situation is for adults, but I would assume that they probably have clubs for the big folks, too.
Lastly, there is a baseball stadium in Masan that occasionally hosts the Lotte Giants from Busan. I have a student who has been and loves baseball, but I can’t give much more information on it, since I hate baseball and don’t ever care to go. Masan Stadium is located near Shinsaegae, and there is also a recreation center nearby that has a swimming pool, for those Masan folks who aren’t of a mind to trek into Changers all the time. If you want to see the Lotte Giants play regularly, you’ll need to head to Busan.
There is also at least one cycling club in Changwon. I think my friend was buddies with some of the hardcore bikers while he was here. You’ll see them cruising around on weekends in their tight bicycle shorts, huge leg muscles on display for the world to admire. I have no idea where one goes to meet these elusive, speedy creatures. Perhaps Dave Munson will pop up and post a comment with more info on the human speed bullets. I suppose the bike arena might be a logical starting point.
Music/Concerts – Changwon has a big concert hall that hosts plays and orchestral events on a regular basis. I went once and tried to get tickets for a play that I wanted to see there, but I never did find the box office. I think you have to call their box office number, which means that you’ll need to have a Korean friend help you, most likely. Typically, whenever you see orchestra or play posters up around the city, it’s advertising an event at the concert hall. There have also been some concerts at the convention center and arena, as well as at Gyeongnam University in Masan.
There are also periodic festivals in Changwon. I think in late summer, there is an annual city festival, and there is always a concert or two in the circle during that time. I’ve been once or twice, but I didn’t find it that exciting. I suppose my interest would depend a lot on the musical guests.
Parks – Changwon has nothing if not scads of parks. In fact, I think it has more parks per square kilometer than anywhere else in Korea. Yongji Lake is the biggest park and features my favorite rock walk. If you haven’t tried the rock walk, you really should. You take off your shoes, and there are rocks of various sizes, textures, and degrees of pointedness. You walk on them to stimulate different areas of your body – for healing, of course. Most men I know hate them, and pretty much every girl I know loves the rock walks. Go figure. Whatever the case, Yongji has a nice music, light, and water show at night, and there are plenty of places to have a picnic, play with the kids, walk the dog, and people-watch.
There are parks along just about every section of the Daero, it seems like. There’s a park with a large, fake rock fountain in it that always makes me want to go swimming. There’s a tulip garden that is beautiful in the spring. There’s another park near Masan Technik University that has cherry blossoms to rival Jinhae. (I think it’s better, actually.) There’s another flower park between Gaeumjeong and Namsan Bus Terminal. There are also plenty of mountain hiking trails to be had all over all three major parts of the city. Muhak Mountain seems to be the most popular out here in Masan.
Shopping
Koreans love shopping. Seriously, I think it’s the national pastime. Saturday and Sunday will see Changwon come to life with intrepid buyers. Sunday at the big marts is downright obnoxious. Nothing brings the feeling of old-meets-ultra-modern quite like the shopping in Korea, I think. You’ll see everything in Changwon from traditional markets to huge department stores with high-end brands, jewelry, and makeup counters.
Lotte Department Store – This is my personal favorite high-end store, even though Shinsaegae is closer in Masan. Lotte is conveniently located right on the traffic circle in Changwon, so it’s pretty tough to miss it. Lotte has Chanel, MAC, Lancome, and Dior makeup counters, among others. It sells MCM, Coach, and other mid-grade (I’m snooty about fashion, so let it be) bags and leather goods. Unfortunately, they don’t have any truly oggle-worthy brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc. in anything but accessories. I’m hoping that will change so that I can press my nose against the glass and drool.
The basement has a huge food court, Lotteria, GNC, furniture, and a grocery store which has a really good albeit pricy organic foods and products. If you want hard-to-find organic soaps and things from the US, such as Doc Bronner’s, Jason, etc., you can find them here. They also have a good selection of eco-friendly detergents and things from the US and Germany particularly. They have expensive, imported European candy (yum!), and a good selection of imported canned foods, although if you want guacamole, you still need to hit Fatbag online. Sigh.
The upper floors have clothes and nothing but clothes, although I’m sorry to say that if you aren’t a Korean size, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find anything to fit you. If you are made of sticks like the Koreans, you’ll be in hog heaven.
There is also a cinema in Lotte that remains quite busy on weekends. They have lots of showings, so you can show up pretty much anytime and reasonably expect to get tickets with the seats of your choice.
If you go up to the very top, there are also restaurants, a travel agency, and a “culture center” that employs foreigners to give weekend English lessons to kids. How do I know that last bit? I’ve known people who worked it, and I did a few turns there myself. Don’t recommend, as a weekend gig!
City 7 – Overpriced, hard to navigate, but definitely the place where all the cool kids go, City 7 was finished about the time I got here five years ago (!). City 7 has lots of semi-high-end stores like Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, and others. This is where the wealthy of Changwon go to blow their money. There are also lots of restaurants, coffee shops, and a Lotte Mart located in its walls. It’s partly open, so on rainy days you do need to take an umbrella, as you can still get wet. The different cones make it interesting, but overall, I feel like City 7 is overpriced and overrated. Still, it’s a decent place to go window-shopping and people-watching. If you need help finding it, just look up and locate the large towers in the sky. That would be City 7. If you want a taxi to take you there, tell them “Shitty 7,” since that’s how Koreans pronounce it.
Daedong Department Store – Does anyone shop here? Nobody I know. I’ve only been inside once, and Lotte had the pants beat off of it. I suppose there are still folks who go there on weekends, though. Daedong creates the far-end border of Sangnam, out towards Sapa and Gaeumjeong. There’s a food court on the bottom floor, and there always seem to be ungodly numbers of children hanging around outside. Maybe that’s why I hate walking around there.
Shinsaegae – I live in Masan, and I’m sort of ashamed to say that I have never been to Shinsaegae. I’ve stood on the stairs to meet people, but I’ve never been in. I get the impression that it’s quite similar to Lotte in Changwon – grocery store in the basement, clothes and makeup upstairs. If you really want to see a spectacle, hit Shinsaegae in Busan. It’s the biggest department store in the world, and it has the big name brands like Louis, Chanel, Burberry, Dior, etc. Good times!
Sangnam Market (상남시장) – Sangnam has market day on the days of the month with numbers ending in 9, I think. Anyway, Saturdays are usually the optimal time to hit the market. It has a good selection of fruit, vegetables, and fresh seafood, if that’s your thing. I’ve heard rumors that you can find waeguk-sized shoes at a store in the basement, but I’ve never confirmed this. I don’t shop there much at all, really, but you should check it out at least once, just so you can see a Korean market. To get there, just tell the taxi, “Sangnam shi-jang,” and you’ll get doorstop service.
Masan Fish Market (마산어시장) – It doesn’t get any realer than the Masan Fish Market. You will see old women guarding bowls of live octopus, squirming eels, and a wide assortment of fish. There are also places to buy Korean vegetables. It smells like, well, a dirty fish market, and that’s exactly what it is. There are lots of restaurants in the area that specialize in, you guessed it, seafood. Masan is supposedly famous for its anglerfish soup. Anglerfish, in case you’re unaware, is what Homestarrunner so aptly called “deep sea fangly fish,” the fish that guides other fish to it with its light and then snatches them in its giant jaws. It’s awesome. And apparently delicious. If you want to visit the Masan Fish Market, tell the taxi driver, “Uh/Eo shi-jang.” You can also take the 103 bus (my favorite and fastest Masan bus) to the fish market. A word to the wise, though: If you tell a taxi driver, “Mul-go-gi shi-jang,” which is the literal translation of “fish market,” they will act like they have no idea what you’re talking about.
Masan Fish Market
E-Mart – I feel like E-Mart is the Mecca of foreigners in Changwon. We have an E-mart in Masan which is right behind the fish market, but it’s not nearly as good as the one in Changwon. The Changwon E-Mart has a shockingly great selection of organic and Western food now. There is a whole section that is devoted to organic stuff, which is great. I think there are better places to buy fruit, but overall, Changwon E-Mart is my favorite mart in the Changwon area. I will say that the place is a madhouse on weekends, so you’re better served to do your shopping during the week.
Lotte Mart – We have a Lotte Mart in Shin-Masan, where I live, but I just don’t love it like I love Changwon’s E-Mart. It doesn’t have quite the product selection, and I just find it less… I don’t know. I just don’t like it as much. Maybe I’m partial to E-Mart because it was my first mart in Korea. Lotte Mart Changwon didn’t exist when I came here; there was only E-Mart or HomePlus. One nice thing about the Lotte Mart on the circle in Changwon is that it’s connected via underground tunnel to Lotte Department Store, so if you have shopping to do at both, you can do it seemingly without leaving the building. Pretty nice, especially in rain or hot summer weather.
HomePlus/Tesco – HomePlus is the Korean version of Tesco. I’ve been there a few times, as they’re open really late at night. There’s one on the Changwon Daero near the bus terminal. We also have one in Masan near Shinsaegae, but it’s far out of my way, so I’ve never been there. With Lotte Mart a two-minute drive or fifteen-minute walk, I just can’t be arsed. Basically, if you’ve been to Tesco, you’ve been to HomePlus. I hear their diapers are better than Korean Pampers.
New Core Outlet – It’s right next door to HomePlus, but I don’t think anyone shops here. No foreigners, anyway. I’ve only been there once, and I wasn’t that impressed. You also have to bear in mind that I don’t wear Korean sizes, so I don’t shop that much anyway. There’s a grocery store in the basement (always the basement), and there’s a cinema up top, I think.
Health Care
Changwon has lots of hospitals, so you’ll never be wanting for quality healthcare. The language barrier can sometimes be an issue, but taking a dictionary or a Korean friend can ease the pain.
Fatima – Fatima is the biggest and most popular hospital in Changwon. It’s Catholic, and because it’s considered to be the best, be prepared to go early or wait. Fatima gets busy early. You’ll want to be there when they open the doors. I tried to get in to see a dermatologist once, and they told me that there was a two-month waiting list. Bugger that. Frankly, a lot of it depends on your individual doctor, anyway. Still, the Koreans all seem to think this is the place to be. Fatima is right behind HomePlus.
Hanmaeum Hospital – This is the major hospital serving Sangnam. I’ve had good experiences with Hanmaeum. It’s another newish hospital and considered to be one of the better ones in Changwon.
Changwon General – This hospital is out on the Daero, and it looks sort of old and rundown, but I’ve had good experiences there. It is a public hospital, so I think it’s a bit cheaper than the private hospitals. My friend went there with a kidney stone and received good treatment.
Samsung Hospital Changwon/Masan – This hospital is actually in Changwon, but it almost seems like it’s in Masan Haewongu. I went there to have my mammograms done, and I really liked them. The facilities are clean and modern, and the wait times aren’t as terrible as at Fatima.
Yonsei Hospital Masan – Yonsei is the major hospital in Shin-Masan. Everyone prefers it to its rival, Centum, although frankly my husband and I had excellent experiences with Centum, in terms of care and customer service. Unfortunately, it seems that Yonsei has beat out Centum and Centum has closed. I went to Yonsei for my yearly exam and got right in. It’s your usual hospital. One of my former student’s father is a neurosurgeon there. In any case, I’ve heard good things.
Heo & Lee Hospital – If you have bad back pain, this place is where it’s at. They have a special clinic on the second floor that specializes in back treatments. My husband used to go there for his back pain, and they were able to give him relief. I would definitely recommend it, if you’re having back trouble.
Random chiropractic clinic, Daebang-Dong – I blew my back out the second month I lived here, and there is an excellent chiropractor in the Daedong Family Company A-Building in Daebang Dong. It’s an oriental clinic on the third floor of the building. It’s always busy, and you’ll have to wait to get in. The guy does not practice gentle, Western-style chiropractic. When he cracks your back, you will feel it, and it will probably hurt like hell. But you will feel better when it’s over. When the Heo & Lee treatments weren’t enough to relieve my husband’s horrible back pain, I brought him to my chiropractor. He cracked my husband’s back so hard we heard it in the waiting room. He left the clinic in pain, thinking I’d filled him full of rot, but by the time we were down the street, he felt like a million bucks. The man is a miracle worker. For real. He set me right, and I haven’t had any major problems with my problematic back since. Ask the taxi to take you to Daebang Elementary School (Daebang Cho-Deung Hakyo). It’s in the building directly next door to the elementary school. Third floor. It’s the only Han-Wee-Won. Can’t miss it. It smells like bags of dirty Chinese herbs and is full of old people.
Moran Women’s Hospital – This is where I’m going for my health care while I’m pregnant. Moran is a women-only hospital. Most of the doctors are women (!), they all speak good English, and the staff is friendly and helpful. My doctor has been patient and knowledgable, the facilities are clean and modern, and they have after-hours service in case something goes wrong with your pregnancy. I’ve gotten a sonogram every single time I’ve been there, from the first time I was pronounced pregnant. They gave me a CD of our baby’s sonograms and heartbeat, too. I would also like to applaud their blood work staff. I have tiny veins that are a b**ch for even old time nurses at home to hit the first time, but these girls get it right the first time, every time. Believe me, for someone who usually has to endure them “looking around” for my vein, it’s a relief to have it done right and done quickly.
When you give birth here, you will be able to stay two nights, assuming no C-section is needed or complications arise. The cost is about $250 for two nights, and you have a private room. I know, the private room sounds standard, but most hospital rooms in Korea involve sharing a space with eight to ten other people. Although I haven’t delivered yet, I’ve heard you have to wrestle with the Koreans a bit about certain things, like the father being present for the delivery. Just reiterate that you’re a foreigner and that sometimes we do things a bit differently. They’ll understand.
Traveling around the Changwon/Gyeongsangnam-do area
As nice as Changwon is, everyone gets bored sometimes. Fortunately, there are plenty of places that are easily accessible from Changwon for weekend jaunts.
Busan – Busan is the obvious choice, since it’s only about 35-45 minutes (traffic serving) to Sasang Bus Terminal, which is in West Busan. Busan is a whole other post by itself, which I may do at some point in the future. In the meantime, I would look to Busan Haps magazine and/or Busan ex-pat blogs for advice about what to do in Busan. For my part, I recommend making at least one trip to Haeundae Beach. Gwangali and Seongjeong Beaches are nice too, and I definitely prefer Gwangali the most at night. Shinsaegae is great, if you enjoy going to big department stores where you won’t be able to afford anything. Nampo Market is a great place to go, because there are lots of normally-priced shops, as well as cheap market stalls. You can get larger shoes and waeguk-sized clothing there, although I will say that you’ll have better luck as a man; Koreans don’t seem to believe large women (should) exist. The Busan ferry terminal is also there, and you can hop the ferry to Japan from there, if you’re interested.
Getting to Busan is super-easy. You can take a bus from the main Changwon Bus Terminal. Buses to Sasang leave about every 20-30 minutes, I think. Buses to Haeundae are less frequent – perhaps ever 45-60 minutes. These buses all go past Namsan Bus Terminal on the Daero, so if you live Namsan, Gaeumjeong, Anmin, or Sapa, you’ll definitely be better served to just get on at Namsan.
From Masan, you have two main options: Nambu Terminal in Shin-Masan or the main terminal in Haewongu, which is near Masan Train Station. I always use Nambu because I literally live 10 minutes away. I can see the bus terminal from my apartment hill, so I never mess with the big terminal. Buses to Sasang leave about every 40 minutes from Nambu, and they don’t go past Namsan, so they’re never full. You can get the bus to Haeundae about every 90 minutes or so, but they do go past Namsan and have the tendency to fill up. I would imagine the main terminal runs a similar schedule to the Changwon terminal.
If you’re taking the bus on a weekend, I would advise Saturday morning, unless you’re planning on spending Friday night there, too. Friday night and Saturday afternoon/evening are CRAZY on the motorway to Busan. On Friday and Saturday evenings, I have sat on the Haeundae bus for as long as 3.5 hours, where it normally takes 1.5 hours to get there. Even getting to Sasang, a normally 35-minute ride, can take over an hour. Be advised, especially if you’re on a schedule.
People sometimes take the train to Busan, but I really don’t know why. The train to Busan has to pass through Daegu first, and it takes longer than the average bus ride. That seems silly to me. You can get the train from Changwon Station in Palyong or Masan Station in Haewongu.
Geoje Island
I highly recommend visiting Geoje, especially in the summer months. You can get the bus there from Changwon or Masan. If you have a car, you can also drive or, more conveniently, get the ferry from the Jinhae ferry terminal. You can load your car on for 20,000W and then drive off at the main terminal. If you have your own vehicle, I would take it, since the bus system in Geoje is kind of screwy, and there’s an ocean view road that goes all the way around the island that I hear tell is awesome.
There are ferries that go out to Oedo Island, which is a botanical paradise, and Haegeumgang, which is supposed to have some great sea caves. There is also a POW camp, Windy Point, and several really good beaches with nearby pensions for holiday makers. I’ve spent a bit of time on Geoje beaches and loved it there. If you’re looking for a summer beach getaway that doesn’t include being swamped by the Haeundae crowds, I would seriously consider taking a trip to Geoje Island.
Namhae
Namhae is another island that isn’t too far from Tongyeong. If I’m being honest, I didn’t like it as well. The beaches were good, but there were jellyfish in the water (boo), and I just didn’t care for the atmosphere as much. It’s not as easy to get to Namhae, but there are buses that go there. I’m not as knowledgable about it, so I would recommend checking out the Korean tourist website in English, if you’re interested. I would recommend Geoje over Namhae any day, though.
I’m sure there are lots of other things that I could add about Changwon, but I feel like this ought to be enough to give anyone a decent start at life in Changers. Honestly, provided that you can find your way to E-Mart, O’Brien’s, and your house, you should be in good standing. Changwon is a nice place to live. The only real downsides are the air quality, which is spectacular crap in the spring, and the distance away from Seoul. Sometimes Changwon can feel a little bit small, but it really isn’t, and if you feel cramped, you can always spend the weekend in Busan.
The Spruce Moose
This has been a long time coming: today we bought a car. Specifically, we bought a 2002 Ssangyong Musso. It’s white, it’s big, it’s got a lot of miles (kilometers, if you’re anywhere outside of the US), and compared to most of the cars on the road here, it looks pretty bulletproof. What can I say? I’m American – I need some elbow room. Plus, I have a husband who’s incredibly worried about safety and who can’t squeeze into small spaces. (He’s tall – to the point where most Koreans look like dwarves next to him.)
We’ve talked about getting a car for a long time. Korean public transportation, while being readily available and quite reasonably priced, can be insane and dangerous. Taking the bus from Changwon to Seoul is not a bad idea. Taking the KTX to Seoul is also a good idea. Taking the bus or a taxi from Masan to Changwon? You’re putting your life into the hands of a crazed lunatic who feels the need for speed, especially going around corners and when taking off from the bus stop.
The minute I found out I was pregnant, I stopped riding the buses. The drivers generally don’t wait for everyone to sit down – assuming there are open seats – before he floors it, jerks the gearshift into second, and throws half of the standees into the windshield. I’ve seen more than one elderly person take a tumble on the bus, and I think it’s just rude that the drivers can’t be more considerate of old folks who take the bus because of reduced circumstances. Seriously, have a heart.
Taxis can be better or worse, depending on the driver. The problem is that you never know if you have a lunatic until you’re pressed against the backside of the front seat, clinging to overhead handlebar thing for dear life. This as he careens away from a cement mixer at the last minute. You think I’m exaggerating, but honestly, I’m not. This sort of thing happens most every time I get into a taxi here.
When I got pregnant, Graeme put his foot down and said, “We need a car. It’s not safe for you to take public transport anymore.” So we decided to buy a car. Luckily, our friends bought a car about two weeks before we did, and they assured us that it’s nothing scary – and it isn’t. I was quite fortunate in that my boss’s brother knew a guy at the biggest car lot in Changwon, and he was able to get us quite a good deal on our Musso – he knocked off about 25% of the original asking price.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking to buy a car in Korea as a foreigner, you really need to take a Korean with you, unless you speak excellent Korean. You CAN haggle with them, just like at home. If you think you’re getting the screw, don’t take the deal. You can also elect to buy privately from someone you know, but the advantage to using a dealership is that they will take care of the transfer of ownership for you and assist you in getting your car insured.
Unfortunately, insurance is a bit of a bitch, depending on how old you are and what size car you get. Since I’m getting insurance for the first time, I’m under 30, and I’m driving a tank, it cost me a whopping 1,050,000W. Ah-yah! Getting a smaller car and being older will pretty much guarantee a lower premium. However, I found the same issue in the US when I was an uninsured driver, even though I’d been driving since I was sixteen. Once you let go of your insurance… Whew! Next year, it will go down some, but how much remains to be seen.
Of course, the obvious upshot here is that we actually have a car, which most foreigners in Korea don’t. We can drive places, haul groceries and such, and generally do things that can be something of a pain for other folks. Also, let’s be honest, it’s hard to travel with kids without a car. Kids require such a ton of things. We’re planning on just stowing the stroller in the back of the car – it’s not like we don’t have enough room back there!
My Moose is white, but this is more or less what it will look like.
For Korea, the Musso is kind of a bruiser. It wouldn’t look like so much back home in the US, land of Hummers, Suburbans, and monster trucks. (I’ve heard SUVs are less popular now though, because of rising gas prices and a crap economy.) However, for a country roughly the size of my home state, it’s somewhat large. Not that the Koreans don’t enjoy a good SUV, because they do. The main issue here though is parking. Korean parking spaces are tiny. Like, you need to be a size 6 or smaller to be able to exit your car after parking. Backing into the parking garage spaces practically requires GPS. I have seen Koreans squeeze their cars into truly teeny car spaces. (Funnily, though, I’ve seen more crap parallel parking jobs here than just about anywhere else.) The bottom line is that the bigger the car is here, the harder it is to find space to put it when you aren’t using it.
That said, the Musso is a safe car. Korea has the highest auto accident rate of any industrialized country. Fender benders are so common at one Changwon intersection that there is a wrecker parked in the big median there at all times during the day. And I’ve seen no less than a dozen or so accidents at that intersection, meaning that the presence of the wrecker is not without cause. Koreans drive like maniacs. I’m sorry if you’re offended by stereotypes, but based solely on Korea, the whole stereotype about Asians being poor drivers is true. It’s not universally true, but taken as a country, Korea is full of crummy drivers who don’t signal, drive alternately too fast or too slow, jerk the wheel, speed off of lights only to slam on the breaks at the next (visibly) red light, and who will cut you off without even thinking about it. This is without factoring in the speed-demon bus drivers who are basically piloting Hummers on steroids, the taxi drivers from Hell, and scooter boys, those elusive creatures who appear out of nowhere carrying chicken, pizza, and noodles, zoom past at break-neck speeds, and surprise the hell out of you. They’re like junior taxi drivers.
All of this combines to make a person mildly wary of driving in Korea. Or at least, it makes me mildly wary of driving a smaller car in Korea. Although the gas, insurance, and purchase cost are more expensive, Graeme and I decided early on that we’d rather pay a higher premium and be safe, especially with our new baby. You can’t really put a price on safety. Well, okay, you can, but we want to be sure we have something safe, since we can afford it. It’s really that simple. Besides, a growing family needs room to cart all their stuff around, right? Okay, I know that almost nobody really needs an SUV, but peace of mind is worth a lot to me. I fear being plowed by a wayward taxi.
Frankly, there aren’t just gobs of choices when you’re looking for a reasonably cheap (under $4,000), used SUV that is both reliable and safe. I was shown some Korandos first, which are quite similar to a rough-and-tumble Jeep Wrangler: two seats, stiff ride, probably has a manual transmission and, while being higher off the ground than your average car, really isn’t all that much bigger, size-wise. I dismissed the Korandos, since we need space for a baby. I was then shown a black Musso, which had a lot of miles on it and didn’t look to be in great shape. I was willing to settle, but then we found another one in white.
This one was newer, had lower miles, and actually cost less because it was a diesel model. My boss expressed some distaste at the idea of a diesel, but I can’t figure why. Diesel is cheaper here than regular gas, and diesel engines tend to run longer. They also tend to be slightly slower on the pickup, but I can deal with that. It’s not like I’m here to drag-race.
Also, a great fact that I just discovered about the Musso was that it’s engine and automatic transmission were designed by Mercedes-Benz. Daimler-Benz had a technology deal with Ssangyong to produce an SUV, and the Musso was it. In a nutshell, it’s a poor man’s Mercedes. The important things, the engine and the drive train, were made by the Germans. I had a poor man’s Mercedes once, a 1985 190E. I loved that car with all my heart. Boris. He was a good man. Boris will never be replaced in my heart, but I do enjoy the prospect of having a new “fake” Benz to drive around.
And he shall be called the Spruce Moose.
Why the Spruce Moose? Well, it’s partly to do with the Spruce Goose, a somewhat absurdly large wooden float plane designed by the eccentric Howard Hughes. It was spoofed in a Simpsons episode called “$pringfield,” wherein Mr. Burns takes on many of the characteristics of Howard Hughes. Hughes was known to go through periods where he didn’t cut his hair or nails and his hygiene was terrible. Anyway, Mr. Burns builds a model airplane that looks strikingly similar to the Spruce Goose. Burns names it the Spruce Moose and, at one point, tells Mr. Smithers to “hop in” at gunpoint. So that’s part of it: it’s a boat of a car that’s slower than cold molasses. The second reason? Musso. It sounds like “Moose-oh.” It’s the Spruce Moose. It simply has to be.
"Quick, Smithers! Hop in the Spruce Moose!"
You might think this is strange, but I’ve named all but one of my vehicles. This is only the fourth one I’ve owned. The Benz was Boris. I had a Jeep Liberty in the woody wagon style that was appropriately monikered “Woody.” I never named the Pontiac because, although it was a good car, I never “clicked” with it. This car? The Spruce Moose. I knew almost instantly. What can I say? I’m strange. I name things like cars. Of course, in high school my uncle had a big old Chrysler that was alternately nicknamed “The Queen Mary” and “The Purple Penis.” I guess when you compare it to that last one, the Spruce Moose starts sounding pretty good.
In any event, we have a car. Or we will have on Monday. Farewell, public transportation. Farewell money-saving rides. Hello, transportation independence and increased cost of living! Yay!
Marge and Graeme’s Day Out
My husband and I don’t get out all that much. In the past, that was mostly because I always worked on Saturday, and that consumed the better part of my weekend – Friday night and all day Saturday. If I wasn’t too beat on Saturday night, sometimes I would go out, but not very often. Now I’m not working on Saturday, and I have fully embraced laziness. My excuse is that I’m pregnant and don’t have my usual energy, but that excuse only holds so much water. The fact of the matter is that I’ve never been the most energetic person anyway. I have to light a fire under myself. I finally got the fire lit this Sunday so we could go to Jinhae and see the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Jinhae festival was one of the very first things I did as a foreigner in Korea. Some friends dragged me out there after I’d been in the country for less than a week. It was dark out, so you couldn’t really see anything, and it started raining about halfway through the evening, causing us to be soaked and the cherry blossom petals to rain down in droves. Some old Korean man pinched my arm and grinned at me, which infuriated me. Although the trees were pretty, it wasn’t my best memory of Korea. Also, the food in the food tents terrified me.
Why would food scare me? Well, bear in mind, I’d been in Korea for one week. During that time, I’d been called fat or a pig about 1,248 times. I was scared to go grocery shopping for fear of being picked on. I was subsisting on peanut butter and ramen. I still had really bad jet lag, so Korean food was foul-smelling and totally alien to me. I was never that fond of Asian food before I came here, so the odors and visuals of East Asian food took some getting used to. All in all, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of eating spicy squid legs or kimchi soup. The smell turned my stomach. I managed to make it through dinner, and then we drank soju on the cab rides back to town before hitting the bars. On a Sunday night. Classy.
Delish! Fried baby chickens! Now you see why the food tent terrified me my first week.
The following year, I went with some friends. We actually went during the day, so the visuals were drastically improved. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of taking the bus at 12:00 noon. Bad idea. By the time we reached the Anmin Tunnel, which leads from Changwon to Jinhae, the bus was packed tighter than a sardine can. The bus driver had fights with people wanting to get on, but there was literally no more standing room. We were completely and totally squished. On top of that, the traffic was insane, so it took about 2.5 hours to get from downtown Changwon to the edge of Jinhae, a drive that normally takes about 30 minutes, maximum. The worst part? We couldn’t open the bus windows in the tunnel because the air quality inside is so bad, and the driver didn’t turn on the A/C. We spent about 25 minutes sitting in the tunnel, sweating and wishing we were all dead.
From there, we had to get a taxi to take us to the downtown area of Jinhae, which proved an almost impossible task. It took 45 minutes to hail a taxi, and then we spent the rest of the day walking around and eating. Our friend Kevin resorted to putting soju in his soda just to make it through the whole thing. He ended up going home early, he hated it so much.
As far as the traffic and crowds go, this year was no exception to our previous years’ experiences. We hailed a cab in Masan, and once we got on the road through Sinchon and up to the Changbok – Jinhae Tunnel, traffic stopped. Our cab driver wanted to dump us into another cab, he hated the traffic so much. It took an hour and 15 minutes to make what is normally a 20 minute trip. Once in Jinhae, the crowds were extreme – like every person in Gyeongsangnam-do province was in Jinhae.
This probably wouldn’t have been so bad, but I’m pregnant and have an overprotective husband. If the taxi goes over a bump or stops suddenly, he automatically assumes that I’ve miscarried. I mean, instantly. I can understand fearing Korean taxi drivers, but you can go a little bit far with it. We actually had a really great driver today, and he didn’t jerk us around at all, really. Of course, then we had to fight the crowds and look around. Fighting the crowds was approximately as obnoxious as I remembered it being, with the Koreans rushing around and pushing you out of the way to look at trinkets and things. I was careful to avoid being pushed and shoved, but it’s hard to do.
When we’d finally had our fill of fun, the Koreans all simultaneously decided the exact same thing. Three hours is apparently the magic time limit for the Cherry Blossom Festival. At approximately 6:30pm, the Koreans all bolted for their cars and started for home. The roads looked like a Manhattan traffic jam after a 10-car pile up. There were no taxis in sight – literally – and the buses were crammed with no place to sit. That is, assuming you could even find a bus that was coming. Traffic was moving so slowly that people were waiting 30-40 minutes for a bus or more.
After becoming frustrated with the lack of taxi cabs, we decided that the best course of action would be to just wait it out and get some dinner. Luckily, there are lots of restaurants near the main drag, so we picked a galbi restaurant that looked good and sat down to some Korean BBQ. You can’t really go wrong with Korean BBQ. The place was small and family-owned. The meat was yummy, and the sides were extremely plentiful. After refueling, we both felt more rested and decidedly less tired and cranky. Plus, sitting down for a longish dinner gave the traffic some time to thin out. By the time we finished, we had no trouble getting a taxi back to Masan, and we were home in 20 minutes or possibly less.
I have to say that, although Jinhae is a really cute town with great cherry blossoms and excellent Korean-style homes (we like checking out real estate), I was disappointed by this year’s festival. In the past, Jinhae had a beautiful bridge and walking area around a small little river. The trees leaned over the little river, and you could take pictures. It was very serene and lovely. Well, those days are gone. Good thing I got some pictures years ago, because the bridge has been bricked over. The river runs underground now, and the whole area is covered with stones. The trees are still there, but the “romantic bridge,” as it was once called, is nowhere to be seen. That was a serious bummer, since 90% of the reason to go includes taking pretty pictures on those little bridge walks. This was the 50th year of the festival, and they celebrated by bricking up the best part of the show. Boo hiss, Jinhae. Boo hiss.
The best picture I took: cherry blossoms and pine needles.
So I guess my feeling on the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival is something like this: if you live in Jinhae, go. Jinhae is hardly a big town, so it won’t be much effort to get out and walk down there. If you live in Changwon or Masan and have never seen a Korean festival, go. Just to say that you’ve been. Take some pictures, eat some roast pig from the spit, buy some trinket bracelets… If you’re from further away than the tri-city area, give it a miss. There are cherry blossoms all over Korea, and frankly, Changwon has some areas with these trees that easily rival the beauty of Jinhae. I have no doubt that other cities have similar promenades. If you really need to take pictures of these great little flowers, do it close to home. Don’t mess with the traffic and crowds that Jinhae presents. You’ll be better off closer to home, and most areas have little food and trinket stands near the cherry blossom promenades for a week or two anyway.
Don’t misunderstand and think I don’t like cherry blossoms, because I adore them. They make Korea look like it’s a tangerine anime dreamworld. Like there are white snow puffs adorning the trees, with bees floating lazily from flower to flower and every breeze creating a gentle rain of white and pink petals. It’s very surreal and dream-like. However, you don’t have to go far in any part of Korea to experience this feeling. For those who aren’t close by, Jinhae is simply not worth the trouble. And I’m still really angry about the bridge. Grr. I really wanted another picture there. Oh well. C’est la guerre, as my grandfather is so fond of telling me.
Stuff I’d Like to Do in Korea This Year
Well, I quit my Saturday job. I know – mildly shocking. Details will follow. Suffice it to say that, although this first weekend has been boring and yet delightfully lazy, I can tell that hanging out every weekend is not going to be an option for long. I’m too used to having tons of things to do six days a week. You know what I love doing way more than I love working myself stupid? Traveling.
Of course, with slightly reduced circumstances comes reduced ability to travel. This all comes back to that post I wrote a while ago about the economics of living life. It comes down to a choice of which you value more, time or money. And money is, in fact, time. Specifically, it is time that you put towards work, which is time that, at least theoretically, you spend doing things that you might not necessarily choose to do. Work is something that most people do because they have to. I’m sure that 98% of people would prefer to be with family and friends, traveling and having fun.
But I digress. The point behind this rant is that I need something else to take up my time. My husband and I can’t just sit around the house every weekend and wait for the second coming. With warm weather on the way, I’ve been thinking about things that we could be doing with our (my) newfound free time.
No, Korea is not America. There isn’t as much geographic, cultural, or biodiversity. That said, Korea is still a foreign country, and there are plenty of things to do that you could not do back home. Isn’t it time I started enjoying my time overseas and seeing more of the country that is my current home away from home?
The Andong Mask Dance Festival (September 28th, 2012 – October 10th, 2012)
The Andong Mask Dance Festival has intrigued me for some time. Basically, people dress up in traditional Korean clothing and costumes, don some seriously strange masks, and dance traditional Korean dances. There is also a traditional folk village located in the area where many of the dances are held. Many of dances are designated as Korean cultural treasures and have been performed since the dynasties of old.
Example of a traditional Korean mask dance.
The festival lasts for about a bit more than a week, and there are ten major mask dance performances, although there are other minor performances, as well. There are also lots of different exhibitions, including one of masks from countries all over the world, though the exhibition chiefly compares Chinese masks to the Korean masks. There are also crafts exhibitions and other fun things to do and see.
Andong is located in the middle of Gyeongsangbuk-do, which is just north of where I am. In fact, distance-wise, Andong would be about halfway up to Seoul. (Gyeongsangbuk-do is a big province, and Gyeongsangnam-do isn’t small!)
Is it really bad that I’m confident that part of the reason I want to go to this is directly linked to the Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time? Did anyone else love that game? Remember the mask salesman? I want a mask like the ones that guy was selling!
For more information, check out the Mask Dance homepage in English.
Haeundae Sand Festival (June 3rd, 2012 – June 6th, 2012)
Haeundae is the only place in Korea that is home to a sand festival. That’s not especially shocking, since Haeundae is indisputably the most popular beach in Korea. Literally millions will visit this beach during the summer, as evidenced by my pictures of wall-to-wall umbrellas in the months of July and August.
June is an ideal time to visit Haeundae, as it is warm enough to comfortably catch some rays, but it is also before the dreaded rainy season. (Last year was terrible – rain all the time.) The Koreans are really funny about when you can swim. Bathing season is limited to July and August. This might because the sea temperature is never that high. This might just be because of tradition. Koreans don’t deviate much from the norm. For those reasons, I say that if you’re looking to do something fun at Haeundae before the mid-to-late summer craziness takes over, head there in June. I think we will be checking out the Sand Festival this year!
Jinju Namdang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival (October 1st, 2012 – October 14th, 2012)
Lots of my friends have been to the Jinju Lantern Festival. Red lanterns are lit, wishes are often attached, and the lanterns are floated down the Namdang River. The scene is said to be quite beautiful.
The Jinju floating lanterns - really gorgeous.
This festival is held to commemorate a tactic used against the war with Japan in 1592 (Imjinwaeran War). Citizens make their own lanterns both to commemorate the event and also to honor the veterans of the war. Visitors may make their own lanterns to float in the river.
I want to go because, honestly, it looks super-pretty. The water and the lanterns at night combine to make a really gorgeous scene. Also, the weather at this time of year is brilliant in Korea, so the nights should be really pleasant for walking around and taking pictures.
For more information, check out the Lantern Festival site.
Bijindo Island, Gyeongsangnam-do
Bijindo Island is located near Tongyeong, which is not too far from where I am in Masan. It’s a little bit further south. From there, you can take a ferry out to the lovely little Bijindo Island. Bijindo is hardly as famous as Geoje, Namhae, or the infamous Jeju-do, destination for most Korean honeymooners.
Why do I want to go to this out-of-the-way, mostly unknown island? Easy. It has a double-sided beach – a beach that has water on both sides. It’s like a little causeway that connects with with another island. No, it’s not the most beautiful beach, but honestly, what’s better than having the option of ocean on either side? I’ll tell you what: nothing. Nothing is better than sun and ocean. Nothing.
Come summer, we are there!
Unfortunately, the island is not exactly over-inhabited. Now, that doesn’t bother me. I’d be happy to get somewhere where there are no Koreans bumping into me. However, my husband isn’t exactly a fan of camping out or too much wilderness adventure. It seems like there might be a pension on the beach, but other bloggers didn’t seem to indicate that it was open for business. Of course, it might only be open in the summer months. Also to be noted is that others have indicated there are only three ferries a day: 9am, 11am, and 2pm. It pays to plan ahead, since these islands are popular during the summer months, and tickets can sell out quickly for things like this.
Whatever. Bijindo ho!
Jeju-do
Oh, Jeju. I’ve resisted you. All of my students have been to Jeju. Jeju has always struck me as “Korea’s Hawaii.” In my world, that means the water is colder, the scenery isn’t as good, and it’s full of campy Korean crap that doesn’t interest me. (Ahem – the teddy bear museum.) Still, I find myself wanting to give in this summer.
Everyone in Korea goes to Jeju at least once (honeymoon), and probably multiple times. Jeju has some nice beaches, swanky hotels with casinos inside, museums, hiking trails, boat and submarine tours, and diving women. No, its beaches are not like Southeast Asian beaches, but they are nice. No, the water isn’t warm like in the Andaman Sea, but you can swim in it.
Part of me still thinks that Jeju will be a waste just because it’s so dang popular. My boss explained Jeju to me like this: “I went to Thailand for my honeymoon. I hate foreign food. I lost weight because I think Thai food is disgusting. If I go to Jeju, it’s close, it’s cheap, and they have food I like. Why would I want to leave Korea?” And he has a point. The thing is, he’s Korean, and I’m not. I have lots of reasons to want to leave Korea. And I like Thai food.
One of Jeju's lovely waterfalls.
Still, I’m going home to visit this summer, so I don’t think that taking another big trip to Thailand is in the cards this year. It would be nice, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Perhaps Jeju would be a nice compromise? Honestly, all I really want is to swim and lie around on the beach, getting sand in my unmentionables. That is heaven for me. Hot weather, sandals, and sand. Brilliant.
Mostly Margaret (Maybe) 