Hilary Meets the Land of the Morning Calm

This morning, I awoke successfully to my alarm, so progress has been made. Two hours later my boss dropped off the 100+ page booklet I need to read through for tomorrow when she, Melissa and I meet at school (yes, on a Saturday!) to review it. This is going to be our "orientation" since we weren't allowed to attend our company's official training program. (They kept us in quarantine, away from the other foreigners who have already proved lack of swine flu through the test of time.)



Finding it impossible to stay in my depressing, tiny, and moldy love motel room, so I decided to go to Hongdae where the Fringe Festival is on its last legs (the final events take place tomorrow night). I liked Hongdae instantly, it is a lively place! As I neared the subway stop, the train became more and more crowded, with people packed tightly by the time we arrived at the stop.

Above ground, the small streets crawled with young people. Shops had their doors open, with employees shouting out promotions, and booths outside displaying sale items. Music blared from speakers, and some bigger companies had essentially mascots out parading the streets promoting their store. Even the most unlikely shops, like this fish shop slightly further from the bustle, had speakers up pumping out big KPop music. It would seem that no matter what your business, the fail-safe sales tactic is to have speakers blaring loud pop music!


There were hundreds of different places to eat and drink. I contented myself with a café on the second floor of a building with a good view of an intersection, and stayed there several hours while I went through the booklet my boss gave me.