Two trips to the Island

Friday is a holiday here; Constitution Day or Founding Day... I can't quite remember. One of my co-teachers, Ms. Park tried to explain it to me. It's supposedly the day "the son of God" broke open the sky and created the landmass that we call Korea. In short, it's a day off from school.

Thursday, after a painful afternoon with students anxious to get to their computers and soccer balls, I met Danny and Brandon for dinner near their homes on Yeongdo island. Normally on a night before a long weekend we might try going out to find more adventurous activities, but Danny had been invited by several of his co-teachers to visit a Buddhist temple on Friday and didn't want to make a long evening of it. Which was fine with me since I wanted to wake up and watch the VP debate.

We met at the Tuna Sushi place Danny raved about for so long. In fact, it was my third visit their with the boy-os; but the first two times we'd failed to order what we really wanted, raw tuna. Instead, through missed communication we managed to order everything else on the menu, twice.

This time we were able to get the tuna, and while good perhaps not enough to want relocate to 'boring island' as my main co-teacher Hee Jin named Yeongdo.

Keeping in the spirit of a quite, early evening we headed to a nearby PC bong to play Starcraft and Warcraft. After setting up a Battle.net game of Starcraft and failing to get any other players to join, we gave up and decided to try my particular favorite, Warcraft 3. Although only playing against the computer, I'm embarrassed to report we lost miserably.

After only one game, we left. I walked with Danny and Brandon up the hill towards Danny's apartment and left their company to board bus 71 to get back to the mainland. 20 minutes later I was in Nampo Dong where I walked down to the subway terminal and hopped on the line back to Dongdasindong.

It was only about 10p.m. at this point, so I figured I would go out for a little while more. I had forgotten my french press coffee maker at school and thought I'd at least look around for a coffee maker. I was also itching for a cup of Baskin Robins Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream.

I stopped at the HomePlus express near the Guedok stadium, but alas no coffee pots. I headed across the street and picked up that Baskin Robins ice cream, finding only Twinberry Cheese cake as opposed to Blueberry.

I crossed the street by heading back down through the subway terminal, came up at exit number seven and walked up to my apartment. I reached into my pocket and found nothing. "Must be in my backpack," I thought. But after some digging, no key turned up. "Oh I'll bet their in my jacket pocket," I correctly concluded and simultaneously realized my jacket was not on my person. In a state of more annoyance and frustration than panic, I mentally retraced my steps and realized the jacket must either be in the restaurant or the PC bong; at that point I wasn't entertaining the idea I'd left it on the bus.

I ran back down the stairs to see if my maintenance man was around to unlock my door. I'd need my keys back eventually, but right then I found the idea of heading to bed and searching for them in the morning far more appealing. He was no where to be found. There was a number posted on his office door that I gave a call on my new cell phone. Of course a machine picked up and of course its message was in Korean.

With no other choice I decided to wave down a taxi and go back to the island. Luckily, one stopped just on my corner and let out a woman with a huge bouquet of flowers. I hopped into the front seat and said "Yeongdo Island," which the driver easily understood. But then when I tried to explain to head back towards Danny and Brandon's area using the landmark the KT Apt. Building, he seemed less sure. Luckily for me, he was a friendly guy, and although he knew very little English he motioned a question I'd translate as "Is it near the bridge or do you have to traverse the island roads to get there." I told him we needed to go to the other side of the island, along the winding sea-side roads.

About 15 minutes later and a taxi-fare approaching 8,000W we arrived. The taxi driver took a moment to point out a bank nearby I could use in the future as a landmark for directions. Very kind.

I ran from the cab, up the stairs of the PC Bong and to the first employee I could find. "I think I left my jacket here," I explained. "Oh jacket," he replied, reaching under the desk and pulling out a black and white stripped jacket. Not mine. Panic did start to set in at this point. If my jacket was at the restaurant which was undoubtedly closed at this point, I'd have no way to get it until some time the next day. My only options at this point then would be to call Danny, surely waking him up, and asking to stay at his place. An inconvenience I didn't want to impose the night before his big Buddhist adventure.

"Oh other jacket," the employee said, marvelously holding up my green "Detroit Lakes" hooded jacket. But sweet relief didn't come just yet. There was still the chance that my keys weren't inside. I thanked the shopkeeper, ran out the door and reached in both pockets. Wonder of wonders the keys were there.

So I began my trip home. I was down to 6,000W in cash and couldn't find a functioning ATM. It was just enough cash to get a taxi from the island back to Nampo Dong. There I hopped on what I believe was the last subway train of the evening (it was after midnight at this point).

I sat on down on the train, pulled out my iPod and reached for my headphones. My ear-encompassing stereo muffs were their, but the cord to connect them to my iPod was gone. I dug around through my backpack all the while realizing that the cord had probably been dangling around my neck during my frantic return to the PC Bong. Sure enough, it turned out to be gone.

I climbed the stairs of the subway and the stairs of my apartment building one more time and opened the door. More than an hour later and about 10,000W poorer, I was home again with a tension headache and a self annoyance I wasn't sure how to subdue.