love actually is all around.

this week i have been putting in a good amount of extra hours to make up for one of my classes that was cancelled a couple weeks ago.  i left work around 6, ready for a nice big cup of honey citron tea and some kendra time.  i made my way to hansungdae via a very crowded 150 bus, quite excited to get off and make the blustery walk home.  i picked up some bread and a lovely little creme puff at crown bakery, and then remembered that i needed some oranges and more tea.  i stopped at a little fruit stand where a lovely young man was helping customers get their produce.  i bought my oranges and my tea.  he said something in korean.  i just smiled my big dorky "i dont have a fucking clue what you're saying" smile.  as i was about to leave, he grabbed a little bitty orange, put it back, picked up a different one, and handed it to me.  i now have my fruit stand.

i made my way towards the dakpokki stand, hoping that my favorite brother/sister combo would be there to greet me as i passed by.  i saw the brother and then i saw the sister.  and then they saw me.  i waved and then decided to stop, curious as to how much english they spoke.  the answer is not much, but they are lovely (and yes, carla, brother and sister) and adore me and that makes up for the fact that we can barely communicate with each other.  the girl apologized and asked me for my name.  i told her and then i apologized for not remembering her name.  song ji-hun.  she is my favorite person in hansungdae.  i asked her and her brother (song jihoon) if they spoke english and they shook their heads and said, 'very little.'  when i said that i was an english teacher, they nearly jumped out of their fried chicken stand.  when i said 'ybm,' you would have thought that i had said 'the pope.'  we had a lovely little chat for five minutes.  i gave her my card and i got her email address.  i gave lots of hugs and was given lots of hugs.  it was nice.  i felt loved, so welcomed.  its nice to know that i am making someone's day.  she certainly makes my day every time i walk by there.  

i walked home smiling, knowing that i had made my little mark on a new part of the world.