Getting Adjusted (August 2002)
Well, I’ve finally adjusted to living in this crazy town. Everywhere you go its insanity here. There are so many stores, bars and restaurants here that it’s almost as if the entire city is a downtown core. The crazy thing about this place is that there isn’t any kind of zoning. Light industrial, commercial, and residential zones are one on top of the other. The city is geographically small compared to cities back home. For example, you could fit 1/2 dozen Busans in Toronto, yet the population is the same. Everything here is crammed very tight. The streets are very narrow, with a few exceptions, and traffic is madness. Anyone who drives around this place, which seems to be everyone, is a few sandwiches short of a picnic! The public transit system is amazing and very cheap, so I really don’t see the point of owning a vehicle here except to leave the city limits.
One thing I don’t know if I’ll get used to is the brutal air quality. When the humidity is bad then it’s hard to breathe. I’ve almost completely stopped smoking cigarettes, not only because it’s the smart thing to do all around, but also because I don’t need to smoke. I just need to breathe and I’ve achieved the same effect! Even though it sounds harsh, you do get used to it and some days aren’t as bad. Today is a relatively cool day with low humidity and sunshine. It’s really nice out and there’s no haze in the air. I can see the mountains ringing the city and everything is nice and crisp. Apparently in the fall, winter, and spring it’s like this all the time. I guess coming in the summer, during the rainy season here, has its own price to pay!
When I first arrived I had to sleep on the floor at my employers. It was a little much, but I accepted it as par for the course. Anyways, eventually I was able to move in with the only other foreign teacher at the school: Greg from Saskatoon. The teacher I was replacing hadn’t quite left when I arrived, hence the floor! Well, I moved in with Greg, but we weren’t going to be staying at that apartment for long. I’m not complaining. Cockroaches the size of mice were practically falling out of the ceiling. I envisioned myself as an island in a sea of roach madness, with a can of pesticide as the only thing between me and them! The mosquitoes are a vicious breed here as well! The little bloodsuckers don’t buzz gently around so you can terminate them quickly. No, they home in for quick attacks, taking little sips here and there! The other crazy thing about this apartment was the neighbourhood. Apparently it’s the Bronx of Busan. I’m not surprised. I was woken up by everything from screaming, barking dogs, cat fights in the garbage strewn streets, and trucks blaring Korean as they wind through the streets selling vegetables off the back. I was just waiting for the gunfire to come flying through the windows and walls. Well, the place I’m in now is amazing in comparison. We’ve got three bedrooms, two balconies, a huge living room, adequate kitchen, washing machine, and a shower in the bathroom. In the last place you had to use a bucket to shower with. We have a T.V. and V.C.R as well, although T.V. here is limited to HBO and a couple of English channels. The rest are Korean channels broadcasting very strange shows!
I’ve got some time left on this computer so I’ll keep on rambling. Right now I’m sitting in what’s known here as a PC Room. There is one on every block. Basically, it’s like an internet cafe back home except much cooler. Every computer is state of the art with huge flat screen monitors. The rooms are always climate controlled and dark. The internet connection is extremely fast and every computer is loaded with the latest PC gaming software. Normally they give you a complimentary drink when you start. The chairs here are sweet! I’m sitting in this huge leather chair, sipping a cola and banging out this letter. It’s a computer enthusiast’s dream. This country is very high-tech. Everywhere you go there’s huge digital screens displaying ads, music videos, and more ads. Even on the subway! Everyone owns a cellular phone and seems to be plugged in. It’s kind of cool and creepy at the same time.