I've been in the Daejeon, S.Korea for about a week now. I arrived last Saturday night and hit the ground running starting work on Monday. Although I haven't gotten my own internet set up yet my neighbor YeJung has been kind enough to let me use hers. Thanks YeJung!
I may have mentioned to some of you before that I would post about my blunders in a new country. Well, it didn't take more than 5 hours of being in a new country before I performed my first blunder. It all started out well with me getting through immigration, buying a bus ticket for Daejeon, and getting on the right bus. It all ended with me getting off at the wrong station. My rep was waiting at the third stop, while I was waiting for my rep at the fourth and final stop. I though maybe they were running late, but after over an hour the "uh oh" thought started running through my mind. There was a coffee shop at the station, so gathering up my courage I went to the waiter there and asked to use his phone. Sounds easy right? I think this was the moment that I realized that I'm truly in a foreign country where I don't speak their language and they don't speak mine and I have no phone. Through broken Korean and lots of gestures, I was able to use his phone and then we played the "let's pass the phone around" game a few time until my rep could figure out where in the world I was. Which she did figure out, otherwise I might still be there. :P All this to say, I don't think I'll ever forget the word "cheon-hwa" (telephone/phone call).
Yea, Amy! Thanks for the first post! We are praying for you! We already miss you.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Will and Ruth
Hi, Amy! I left a comment last night but now I see it isn't here! (Guess I don't know how to do it! But I'm going to try again) I just want you to know we missed you yesterday (at Oasis), but on the other hand we're so glad you are where you're supposed to be. It was great to hear from you (and chuckle about your blunder! I'm not laughing AT you, just laughing WITH you. I've made so many blunders in Indonesia, much worse than that!) Hey, it's great that you're already learned the word "cheon-hwa" so quickly! HUGS to you from me!
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to say that this is Cherri W writing to you (in that previous post)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you handled the situation pretty well, I think. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe were sure glad to hear that you weren't out roaming the streets with your three suitcases, purse, laptop, etc.! That would have had us shaking! I'm glad the waiter was nice enough to let you use his cell phone. If it was me, I might have thought the foreigner wanted to call back to her country! We enjoy seeing your stories here!
ReplyDeleteActually, the waiter did think I wanted to call to the states at first. It wasn't until I showed him the phone number that he understood that I wanted to make a local call.
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