i'm sure i've previously alluded to the challenge of getting to town.
the teachers live 10 minutes from town by car and, though there is a bus, the bus is consistently unreliable.
this morning, i jumped a ride with some teachers going on town errands.
my purpose? none. i looped the same streets over and over, waiting for the store doors to open and, specifically waiting for my favorite cafe to open.
Feel Espresso is run by a girl who is probably about my age. she speaks little english, but i think she's pretty cool. she even knows my name.
the cafe is supposed to open at 11am, it was 11:18 when she got there. i tried not to make it obvious that i had been waiting, looping the town for over an hour. because, in this country, when anyone thinks you like something or you're offended, they give you things.
(case in point: last month i complimented earrings and left the restaurant wearing them)
when i entered the cafe, she greeted me enthusiastically and then explained in hand motions and smiles that, for some reason, coffee couldn't be made for 20 more minutes. i assured her, in hand motions and smiles, that it was fine, i would wait, it was no problem.
i grabbed a chair, whipped out a book and waited. She brought me mango juice on the house. and then, just as she said, 20 minutes later, she made my americano.
my point? these times when i get into town, or get to seoul are the times when i actually feel like my old self again. that is, i actually feel grown up and human. it is as i walk into a cafe and am greeted by a familiar smile that i am most content. and, though living in asia has certainly made my life feel far away, it has not changed how i survive it.
there are things i need. perhaps because i am spoiled or greedy or needy.
or, perhaps just because i am wired this way.
it has been hard to find those things often here in korea. this place is not conducive to the lifestyle i love, meeting friends at coffee shops and admittedly viewing coffee consumption as my biggest vice. but, when i get it, when i get to have a cup of coffee in a cafe whose owner knows my name, i am prone to think that i'll be okay.
and today, at Feel, i felt okay.
2 comments:
I've been in Thailand for a year and a half and I still find coffee houses comforting. Although I don't like people knowing my name here since EVERYONE recognizes me anyway. I like going to places where no one knows me so I can hide for a little while and relax. Wanna come visit sometime? I think Bangkok is the Starbucks capital of Asia hahaha.
That would be great :D. Could you come for a weekend because I'll still be teaching. However, if you want to come for longer, you could always come on a Thurs. and Fri. and have time to explore yourself a little bit with a free place to stay and then we could hang out on Saturday and Sunday. Sadly, I teach everyday of the week, but you could come visit my classes too :D. It wouldn't be boring ;). Let me know what you think.
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