the unexpected

These past couple of weeks I've been constantly thinking about the fact that there really isn't that much time left before I go home again. As I've said all along I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do when I get back, aside from find a place to live and maybe a side job for some extra cash until I figure out what I really wanna do. If I don't extend my contract here I'll be coming home in less than two months, which is only like eight weeks, which seems like an awfully short amount of time. But I've also been thinking about all the things I'll be coming back to, not to mention that little European vacation I plan to take once I get back. So yeah...there's that stuff.

This past weekend my roommies, some coworkers and I all went to see a ballet of Don Quixote at the Seoul Arts Center in downtown Gangnam area. Overall, it was actually very good, though not really centered around the Don Quixote character at all; it wasn't even close to the musical version in the least bit. Afterwards we went to Outback Steakhouse and chatted there for a long while even after we finished our food. We all talked about our future plans (or lack thereof) and about the kids and such. Overall a very pleasant meal, even if we were at a steakhouse. (Did I mention I'm going back to being a veggie again when I go home?)

The way home was nothing out of the ordinary, just took the subway like we usually do. Everything was fairly normal...that is until we got stopped at Myeonmok Station about three stops south of Junghwa where we live. The conductor came on the intercom and told us that there had been an accident at Sangbong Station (one stop south of Junghwa) and we would be delayed for a little while. After about ten minutes the train started moving again so we guessed it wasn't that big a deal, that was until the train passed through Sangbong and we saw a bunch of emergency workers in orange coats scattering about the platform. It wasn't until right before the train started moving again that I saw it, a stretcher carrying a body that was cloaked in a white sheet from head to foot. Apparently someone had thrown themselves in front of the train attempting (and succeeding) in suicide. Liz, one of my other coworkers, said that actually a lot of people here in Korea do commit suicide by jumping in front of trains, but this is the first time she had actually seen it happen. I won't go into any more detail about it, but it was certainly something I wasn't expecting to see and it was really disturbing to think that this happens so frequently. Needless to say, my companions and I were a little unnerved from the experience. Hopefully that is something I won't ever have to witness again.

So anyway...on a lighter note, my friends and I are planning on going to a PC bang this Friday night and playing Starcraft until the cows come home. And I will be spending the remainder of my evenings this week rollerblading until my legs fall off. Yay nerddom!

Also, The Da Vinci Code comes out this weekend! WOOT!!!

Seoul Arts Center pics:

Korean, Chinese & English sign

the outside of the building

the inside of the building

many levels
(pics courtesy of Erin Martin)