|
|
mom---thanks so much for your e-mails. i can feel your love and prayers. and i need them. and i miss you, too. i have been thinking about bonnie--a lot. and trying to be brave and such. we just finished cleaning and arranging our place--3 days. ugh. it is finally liveable, we decided. we bought at these big outdoor dirty markets plants and rugs and stuff to cover the walls (bamboo rolls--like at Pier 1--for 2 dollars) and such. we actually had a great time shopping. that was the real korea--and was it a sight to see! women in the streets with mounds of kimchi and big disgusting meaty things and fish and dried this and that. wow. it was interesting. the city is really ugly. these people are just starting up--this country is. and in terms of sanitation and such, they are still in the 3rd world. it smells everywhere, and nothing is clean. the sewage is present and all the stores are dirty and trashed. there's a couple nice department stores downtown, but they're just facades for the real lifestyle. i tried to do yoga in the school last night--there's this beautiful room on the 3rd floor with wood floors and such. no heating didn't help. but it was the smell that finally stopped my practice and sent me to tears. ugh. it's kind of a gut-reaction disgusting, ya know? my little nose needs to either shut off or take a holiday. i told scott that i'd last as long as i could, but i wasn't making any promises. i'm going to do my best and do what i can, but i'll go spend a month in Thailand and then come home when i feel i need to. dad would die here, mom. and there's nothing to eat but this awful korean food. i just thought, "hey, i like asian food-=this will be great." but korean food is its own delight. very different and very gross. ah. everything smells/tastes like raw fish. even the mixed nuts or the soy milk. it's everywhere. blah blah blah. sorry to complain, but these are facts. other good facts: there's a little mound behind us where we can go hike. it's not hiking like we have at home. there are just tiny little dirt trails that lead straight up and wind around for a while. but at least it's clean air, and there are trees. the air is very polluted here. other good facts: our place is now quite clean and cute. scott and i should hire ourselves out. also, we found some california roll-type japanese dish that we might be able to order at some places that tastes ok. and the couple here drove us around shopping yesterday, and though the grocery store was scary, we also had a lot of fun. this is all quite remarkable. went on a crazy bus ride. there's no way we'd do bikes here--we'd die for sure. you wouldn't believe the way they drive here and the AMOUNT of drivers on the street, ignoring everything but their gas pedal and their horn. but we're learning some korean and kind of talking to shopkeepers and such. having fun with that. no one knows english here. and they're not friendly like i thought they'd be. i smile at them all, and they just stare and walk on. they don't seem to like us here, which surprises me. people gave me other impressions. there's some resentment and wonder when they look at you. still trying to get over jet lag. we get to bed around 7/8 pm and wake up at 5:30 am. it's pretty cold here--mostly wet and overcast. haven't seen the sun yet, and don't expect to. apparently, it's like this all winter. in september and october is when the sun comes out for awhile. so, i told scott that i'm being very brave and living out this experience, but when i start to turn ashen and lifeless, he is to take me home. :) so, as long as i know that's in place, i'm okay. we're being quite the troopers, and i've resisted many attempts of my mind to buck and be afraid and quit. we're being creative and finding solutions to problems. we start teaching tomorrow. all little rowdy korean kids. looks a little hard. we had to watch other teachers on friday. we'll see how that goes. anyway, i'm so glad you're well. thanks again for your emails and for putting us in the temple. of course i cried. that means so much. i'm glad you and dad are enjoying each other and having fun. my heart is with you. enjoy your fresh air and sunshine. there are many many people in the world who don't even know what they're missing and how lucky some people are. scott and i got a caramel apple in San Francisco on the wharf. and i'm so glad. they don't have anything here for halloween, so i miss all the pumpkins and all the spooky stuff and that smell in the air and the fallen leaves. there's nothing but pavement here. no grass even. next weekend the couple is taking us to the mountains, and i will be so glad. love, phersty Letter to Gungi--A Clean, Well-Lighted Place [2002-10-20]
Navigation newest letter | older letters
Last five letters Gathering [2009-09-04] ?2002, Scott & Celeste. |