I really should learn some Korean

Today I learned the struggle of a language barrier, not knowing my address, and curvy roads. To start, I caught a taxi and went to Ulsan beach which has a walk way along it and a hike through a pine forest all along the coast. So I went there and drank a juice at 'Holly's Coffee' then hiked the trail. Which was beautiful. All pine trees and along the coast. You could see a view all along the city and out to the ocean. It was cool outside, smelled fresh and I was in nature. And I got to practice being Korean and take self portraits which everyone does every where. Normally it actually two people who want to both be in the picture. And they take them everywhere! Like Costco where I saw a couple take a picture (you know camera held out at arms length and just hope you get both in the picture). That one confused me. Who wants to show off being together at Costco. "Oh look this is me and my boyfriend shopping for mass amounts of food." That'll be hung on the wall. But! Hiking alone an knowing that picture with people in them are the pictures that I keep mp and like most I am working on the self portrait.

Then I walked back to the main road and caught a taxi. Of course I have no idea what taxi edict is and I speak zero Korean. So I got totally confused when I got in the parked taxi and he said something and laughed at me. Ya that started the confusion. Then I gave him the card that has my address on it and he said "oh ocean city ya." So I sat back and chilled out trying to figure out what the stores around us where selling. Then he stops outside a building and say "ocean city." Shit... It's a building I have never seen in my life. Now at this moment I don't have a cell phone, I defiantly don't know any street names and these roads are so of the most confusing roads I've seen. "No." I said to the driver. The look on his face was sort of priceless. Then there was some loud talking in Korean where he looked at me and gestured to the building and then said some more Korean. Did I mention that I don't speak any Korean? So the he started calling people and yelling at them in Korean. Apparently no one knows where I live! He started driving around and kept pulling over to call more people. Then the Sea Side restaurant (right down the street from the apartment)  saved the day! I saw it and started kind of yelling at the driver to turn and with a lot of gesturing and repeating on my part he got it and turned. Then with even more gesturing and trying to get him to just stop we got the the apartment. Only double the cab fare than what it cost to get out in the first place but hey I'm back! With just a little lost trust in cab drivers and really confused my he didn't use the GPS that was on his dash but home.

That was all today. Yesterday we had a party/get together at Michael's where I got to meet some of the people he works with and they got to see his house. So that went down smashingly well. It is really good to meet some more people and finally start to get a little bit of a network. Hopefully Michael will bring the phone I get to use while I'm over here home with him today then when he leaves Monday I will have access to people and not be totally alone for two weeks. Which would be dandy but I do like myself and find that I am great company so I could just find more adventures to go on and it would all be good! Now I am going to put off washing the dishes even longer by taking a bath and finishing my book. Man I have a delicious life.