Thursday, October 31, 2013

Gangnam Style

You bet I titled this post "Gangnam Style"-- I live in Gangnam (강남) now, so I'm allowed to be totally cheesy ... right?

It's been quite a while since I've moved, but between adjusting to the new company, adjusting to the new (tiny) apartment, and adjusting to the (awful) shift to cold weather, I'm a little discombobulated lately!




Really itty-bitty, right?? It's positively tiny, this apartment. I've rotated the bed and I brought with me my table and two chairs that I had bought while I was in Ilsan, so it's even more crowded than these photos. Whew.

The good news is, it's super close to work. I can't live far away from work, because I don't enjoy commuting (who does?). I don't have a family, so I don't need to worry about schools or my husband's office, I don't have much stuff (the moving guy took one look at my packed-up apartment in Ilsan and was really happy because I have so little stuff!); this is really the ideal time in my life to move around, try new things, live in new places.

I've realized now that I live in Seoul that when I lived in Ilsan, I really never wanted to leave Ilsan. It was so annoying to travel out to Seoul or farther. Ilsan had everything I needed, and I do still miss the convenience of living there at times. I do like that Seoul has more of a variety of things, and though I might have to trek a bit farther, I can find whatever I need (and then some) in this weird and vast city.

One of the few good things about the weather getting colder (it's down to about 5 degrees Celsius at night now!) is the foliage. People keep telling me that autumn is getting shorter and shorter in Korea, and I believe it- the gap between humid summer and windy, cold winter seems to be about a week. Maybe less.



The foliage isn't as majestic as it's been in the past (according to my friends, since I've never really been able to go see the autumnal landscape in Korea before), but I still appreciate the bits and pieces that I can see. I love these colors!

I'm off to LA next week for AFM, followed by a week of meeting up family and friends (or possibly snuggling with the cat (I miss her so! Her and her whiny meows!) and not leaving my parents' house, who knows) before I come back to the wintry wonderland of Korea...

It's Halloween! And unless I hoof it over to Itaewon (이태원), there are no costumes or candy for me. Ah, Korea, you celebrate things like Pepero Day (빼빼로 데이) but Halloween gets a pass?? Really? Sigh.

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