I finally have gotten published! The article I wrote about skydiving appears in the March issue of Groove Korea, an English language magazine for expats in Korea. The article is reproduced in my blog post on skydiving in February. And, to top it off, I have my first official assignment from the magazine- ziplining! I will be writing about Korea's largest ziplining facility for the May issue of Groove Magazine. One can download a pdf of the magazine or simply read the articles online HERE.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Published!
I finally have gotten published! The article I wrote about skydiving appears in the March issue of Groove Korea, an English language magazine for expats in Korea. The article is reproduced in my blog post on skydiving in February. And, to top it off, I have my first official assignment from the magazine- ziplining! I will be writing about Korea's largest ziplining facility for the May issue of Groove Magazine. One can download a pdf of the magazine or simply read the articles online HERE.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Catching a Bus in Seoul
Before you read this, take a look at this VIDEO. Granted my experience was not this bad and this is Tokyo, not Seoul. But it was darn close...
At 7:23 this morning I scurried out the door in a disorganized rush. My bag over one shoulder and my smelly gym shoes in a paper bag in my left hand, and my coffee in a thermos in my right hand, I trotted down the hill outside my apartment. It's really steep. There's really no choice but to trot. Even if I wasn't late, it takes more energy to fight gravity and walk down this hill than it does to simply give in to physics. As I jog I try to slip on my gloves. Yes, it's still glove weather in Korea. This is the time of year that I become most homesick for my hometown in Virginia, where the daffodils have already bloomed and coat weather has turned to sunny warm jacket weather. In Korea we still have another good 6 weeks of winter. Last year we had a snow flurry in May; the first time I've ever seen snow in May.
7:27 I'm almost at the bus stop, but my legs can't slow down. I can't quit until I get there. Actually I'm not late; I'm early. I usually don't leave my house until 7:30 so I can catch the 7:42 bus. In recent days that commute has proven to be quite unpleasant, however. Yesterday I caught the 7:42 bus. Or, at least I tried. The bus was so jammed with people I couldn't get on. Nor could most of the other people at the 7:42 Bus Stop Club. I got to work 20 minutes late. Today is different, I'm going to be early. You know how when you commute to work, leaving just 10 minutes late can increase your commute time by 20 minutes? Similar concept here.
7:28 Perfect timing! I'm at the bus stop and the 401 & the 406 arrive just seconds after me. Mine is the 143. All the people waiting will get onto those buses leaving the 143 nice and empty. I look around and to my surprise the 7:30 Bus Stop Club looks exactly like the 7:42 Club.
The thing about Bus Stop Clubs is that the characters rarely change between buses. People have their schedules and they stick to them for the most part. The 7:30 Club should be different. But it's not. Apparently after yesterday's fiasco, everyone has had the bright idea to come early.
Yup, there's Velma. With her black thick-rimmed glasses and short fuzzy haircut she could have come straight out of the Scooby Doo cartoon except she's dyed her hair platinum blond. There's Velma's mother. And here come Talk-a-lot and her co-worker Quieter. There's Tough Guy. Red Beard. Handsome is also part of the gang, as is Tony. Tony is his real name, by the way; I actually know him. If I didn't though, he'd be Tall Guy. He's 6'3". Sometimes I wonder what nickname they've given me. Maybe it's Hot Stuff or Cute Guy. I don't' think so though. It's probably something like Marathon, or Long Commute. Since my stop is two away from the end of the line, I'm always last to get off the bus. Perhaps it's Sucks For Him.
7:33 The 143 arrives at last. It's three minutes late and the passengers look pretty distressingly squished. If I were still in America I would have resigned myself to tardiness. Having spent four years in country, however, I consider myself a semi-Korean, and my instincts have changed. But mainly I've also expended too much energy to get here early only to be late. Against all common sense the bus doors open and I make a break for it, jumping in front of the rest of the 7:30 Club members. Elbows out I charge the back door and squeeze into the crowd, pushing into people in my determination. Despite being twice my size Tony too, has joined the sardines. I suck it in, face outwards, and reach up to the door frame, standing on my tippy toes and pushing myself backwards inside the bus, allowing just enough room for the door to slide shut. "Nice move!" Tony croons with an approving smile, impressed with my moves.
With the bus at full capacity the driver still feels that it's necessary to blast the heat at full force. It's sweltering. I can't breath. I can't maneuver my arms to take off my coat or scarf. Fighting claustrophobia I take measured breaths and watch the city go by through the door window my cheek is smashed against. The bus comes to the next stop and the door slides open. Balancing on my toes I again push with all my might against the top of the door frame, fighting against the pressure that wants to pop me out of the bus like a champagne cork. No one gets off at this stop, I don't know why the driver insists on opening the door. Must be protocol. I suck in again and allow the door to slide past me, trying hard to avoid getting caught in it. I watched that happen to an old lady once. She screamed bloody murder. I have desire to make that kind of a scene.
The bus continues on its route, entering Namsan Tunnel 3- the third of three tunnels under Namsan Mountain, that sits smack in the middle of the city. Breathe, breathe. Just two more minutes until the Pressure Valve Bus Stop. Crap, there's traffic in the tunnel. I close my eyes and picture the beaches in Thailand. The heat certainly feels like I could be in Thailand. It doesn't work; I'll have to endure. Five minutes of hell later, the we reach the next stop, Myeong-dong- a shopping district with lots of upscale stores and more importantly for me, a lot of upscale store clerks who happen to be on my bus.
The door slides open and and the bus vomits humanity onto the sidewalk. Lest we get trampled Tony and I too plop out and step aside. Disheveled workers splatter out onto the sidewalk and briskly head off to work, straightening their ties and smoothing their skirts as they go. When the heaving has subsided we quickly jump back into the bowels of the groaning steel contraption before we get left behind.
The bus is still way too crowded, but at least I don't feel like I'm going to asphyxiate anymore. Just two stops later Tony and I acquire a seat and settle into our commute, none worse for the wear. Just another day in the world's second most crowded metro area- just behind Tokyo that is.
At 7:23 this morning I scurried out the door in a disorganized rush. My bag over one shoulder and my smelly gym shoes in a paper bag in my left hand, and my coffee in a thermos in my right hand, I trotted down the hill outside my apartment. It's really steep. There's really no choice but to trot. Even if I wasn't late, it takes more energy to fight gravity and walk down this hill than it does to simply give in to physics. As I jog I try to slip on my gloves. Yes, it's still glove weather in Korea. This is the time of year that I become most homesick for my hometown in Virginia, where the daffodils have already bloomed and coat weather has turned to sunny warm jacket weather. In Korea we still have another good 6 weeks of winter. Last year we had a snow flurry in May; the first time I've ever seen snow in May.
7:27 I'm almost at the bus stop, but my legs can't slow down. I can't quit until I get there. Actually I'm not late; I'm early. I usually don't leave my house until 7:30 so I can catch the 7:42 bus. In recent days that commute has proven to be quite unpleasant, however. Yesterday I caught the 7:42 bus. Or, at least I tried. The bus was so jammed with people I couldn't get on. Nor could most of the other people at the 7:42 Bus Stop Club. I got to work 20 minutes late. Today is different, I'm going to be early. You know how when you commute to work, leaving just 10 minutes late can increase your commute time by 20 minutes? Similar concept here.
7:28 Perfect timing! I'm at the bus stop and the 401 & the 406 arrive just seconds after me. Mine is the 143. All the people waiting will get onto those buses leaving the 143 nice and empty. I look around and to my surprise the 7:30 Bus Stop Club looks exactly like the 7:42 Club.
The thing about Bus Stop Clubs is that the characters rarely change between buses. People have their schedules and they stick to them for the most part. The 7:30 Club should be different. But it's not. Apparently after yesterday's fiasco, everyone has had the bright idea to come early.
Yup, there's Velma. With her black thick-rimmed glasses and short fuzzy haircut she could have come straight out of the Scooby Doo cartoon except she's dyed her hair platinum blond. There's Velma's mother. And here come Talk-a-lot and her co-worker Quieter. There's Tough Guy. Red Beard. Handsome is also part of the gang, as is Tony. Tony is his real name, by the way; I actually know him. If I didn't though, he'd be Tall Guy. He's 6'3". Sometimes I wonder what nickname they've given me. Maybe it's Hot Stuff or Cute Guy. I don't' think so though. It's probably something like Marathon, or Long Commute. Since my stop is two away from the end of the line, I'm always last to get off the bus. Perhaps it's Sucks For Him.
7:33 The 143 arrives at last. It's three minutes late and the passengers look pretty distressingly squished. If I were still in America I would have resigned myself to tardiness. Having spent four years in country, however, I consider myself a semi-Korean, and my instincts have changed. But mainly I've also expended too much energy to get here early only to be late. Against all common sense the bus doors open and I make a break for it, jumping in front of the rest of the 7:30 Club members. Elbows out I charge the back door and squeeze into the crowd, pushing into people in my determination. Despite being twice my size Tony too, has joined the sardines. I suck it in, face outwards, and reach up to the door frame, standing on my tippy toes and pushing myself backwards inside the bus, allowing just enough room for the door to slide shut. "Nice move!" Tony croons with an approving smile, impressed with my moves.
With the bus at full capacity the driver still feels that it's necessary to blast the heat at full force. It's sweltering. I can't breath. I can't maneuver my arms to take off my coat or scarf. Fighting claustrophobia I take measured breaths and watch the city go by through the door window my cheek is smashed against. The bus comes to the next stop and the door slides open. Balancing on my toes I again push with all my might against the top of the door frame, fighting against the pressure that wants to pop me out of the bus like a champagne cork. No one gets off at this stop, I don't know why the driver insists on opening the door. Must be protocol. I suck in again and allow the door to slide past me, trying hard to avoid getting caught in it. I watched that happen to an old lady once. She screamed bloody murder. I have desire to make that kind of a scene.
The bus continues on its route, entering Namsan Tunnel 3- the third of three tunnels under Namsan Mountain, that sits smack in the middle of the city. Breathe, breathe. Just two more minutes until the Pressure Valve Bus Stop. Crap, there's traffic in the tunnel. I close my eyes and picture the beaches in Thailand. The heat certainly feels like I could be in Thailand. It doesn't work; I'll have to endure. Five minutes of hell later, the we reach the next stop, Myeong-dong- a shopping district with lots of upscale stores and more importantly for me, a lot of upscale store clerks who happen to be on my bus.
The door slides open and and the bus vomits humanity onto the sidewalk. Lest we get trampled Tony and I too plop out and step aside. Disheveled workers splatter out onto the sidewalk and briskly head off to work, straightening their ties and smoothing their skirts as they go. When the heaving has subsided we quickly jump back into the bowels of the groaning steel contraption before we get left behind.
The bus is still way too crowded, but at least I don't feel like I'm going to asphyxiate anymore. Just two stops later Tony and I acquire a seat and settle into our commute, none worse for the wear. Just another day in the world's second most crowded metro area- just behind Tokyo that is.
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