New Beginnings

It’s been 2 weeks now since I’ve moved into my new house. I've explored around my neighborhood and decorated my house a little more. I brought pillows for my sofa; a few picture frames to put around the house and a lovely wooden chair for the outside table. I also visited the school that I will be attending to pick up my school uniform and to receive a tour.

The school was massive! It looked more like a museum to me. What was really surprising was seeing how clean it was and that before every lesson the student's had to clean up before the teacher came. I was told that there would be a class rep that keeps everything in order and if I have any problems I must go to him. The class rep is someone who has high grades and is hard working; he’s also someone respectable and a role model for the rest of us. Personally the class rep sounded more like what we’d call a ‘geek’ back in England (a very clever person who gets picked on as they are the teachers favorite student). The food was nothing but Korean; no foreign dish insight, this didn’t really bother me as such however, there was no forks or knifes and I still find it hard to use chopsticks. After my tour I got on the bus and went back home, luckily I only have to catch one bus so I’ll hopefully remember the way. It was now 4:00pm and the kids at school were still learning, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to do it’ I murmur to myself.

I held the uniform in my hand and put it against myself while looking into the mirror. The uniform was actually really nice. It reminded me of the Korean dramas that I’ve been watching lately. Just from the uniform you are able to see that this was a prestigious school. I tell myself that I will work hard to not let the school or anyone down. I won’t let people have the opportunity to say that because I’m foreign I didn’t care about anything, because I do care.

My stomach growled as I watched TV catching up on a new drama called ‘Healer’. The actor is very handsome and the drama itself is interesting and different to what we watch in the UK. Without hesitation I grab my purse and keys and head to the door. It’s been a few times now that I’ve gone around my neighborhood greeting my neighbors. I thought they’d find me odd and awkward but they were actually really pleasant and interested on what life is like back home. There's not really any young people in my neighborhood so I don’t have any friends but the elders I've met are really friendly and love to teach me things about Korean culture which I really enjoy learning about.
The mini supermarket door opens and Ahjumma comes running over. ‘Anneyeonghaseyo’ I say while bowing 90 degrees.

‘Ah ye anneyeonghaseyo’ Ahjumma replied patting me on the back. Ahjumma is the owner of this mini supermarket. She’s been running it for several years with the help of her grandson. I take my phone out and speak into it.
‘Has it been really busy for you today Ahjumma?’ As I say this she takes out her phone and the app on my phone translates everything into Korean for Ahjumma to hear. This has been our way to communicate with each other. Although I can now speak a little Korean from the help of the CD the school gave to me, I still use my phone to communicate with Ahjumma. Respect is very big here and I’m scared I may say something to offend her. Ahjumma’s phone talks back to me. ‘Yes today has been very busy for me, aigoo I’m so tired but my grandson is in school and no one can take over for me’. This was the perfect opportunity, in the rush I forget to use my phone and blurt out in Korean.

‘Ahjumma I can help!’ I say this too enthusiastically but I couldn’t help myself. I really needed a job; it’s been so hard looking for places that’ll accept a foreigner who can’t even speak the language properly. Even when I mention the school I will be attending they’d just brush me off and would say something nice to cheer me up like ‘wow you have really nice hair’ or ‘yeah pwa-you’re pretty’.

‘Ye?’ Ahjumma says with such a confused face that I’m convinced I’ve said something wrong and have offended her. ‘You want to work here?’ she says. ‘Yeogie?-Here?’ she repeats.

‘Ye’ I reply. Again I speak into my phone while locking eyes with Ahjumma. ‘Jebal I really need a job. No one employs me because my Korean is weak and I need money to live’ I say exaggerating hoping to get through to her. ‘Ahjumma’ I continue ‘I have no family here, Ahjumma is all I have’ I then pout to make myself look cute (something I picked up from the Korean dramas).
‘YAH!’ She shouts. ‘Why are you doing this to me? How can I say no now huh?’ A smile then comes across my face. ‘Araso, araso-Alright, alright’ she says while moving away from the cashpoint. ‘Today is a trail then’ she says showing me how to work the till. ‘And here’s my number, if there’s any problems you must call me straight away’ Ahjumma didn’t have to use her phone for that, I understood every word and was feeling very proud of myself.

‘Gamsahabnida, gamsahabnida-Thank you, thank you’ I repeated while moving behind the till. ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine soon as most the customers are our neighbors so they’ll feel comfortable around me’.

‘Ne-e’ Ahjumma responds while walking out. Her house is a few blocks down from mine. I wish she lived closer to me but at least now I have a job therefore a chance to prove myself not only to Ahjumma but also to myself. Seoul has begun to grow on me and I decide its time I really learn how to be Korean.

Notes