Jeonju is literally in the sticks. It's very close to Busan and only a 2.5 hour bus ride from Singal Station to Jeonju World Cup Stadium. Instead of getting off the bus at the Jeonju Intercity Bus Terminal, I opted to get dropped off at the stadium, but that was a challenge. In fact everything was a challenge and required the help of locals and lots of charades. The trip went something like this...
Mid Day Saturday
I was originally supposed to make this trip last weekend, but Alex did not get back to me with the itinerary until late Friday evening so I decided that I'd go this weekend so I could figure out the route, and I wasn't feeling well either last weekend. After a few phone calls I worked it out that I catch the express bus from Singal Station near my house (5 min. bus ride).
As I left my house I thought that the local bus I needed to catch was outside my house, but after a brief conversation with a student at the bus stop, I walked 4 blocks to another on a different road. One thing that I discovered is that most younger people know English and are eager to practice. Granted, I will talk to anyone to get directions, but students in uniforms help the best. Four teen age girls were sitting at the bus stop near the sign I was trying to decipher to see what bus I need and they just started talking to me much to the amusement of myself and the two old ladies waiting for the bus too. After the usual pleasantries of being told I am handsome, being asked where I am from, being told that they are 14 years old, being asked what I am doing here, am I married, etc. I was escorted to the bus they were taking as it would take me to Singal Station. "OK, get off here please...We hope to see you again..." It was cute and funny.
Finally at Singal Station, I ask a man standing at the bus stop where I could buy a ticket and was ignored... Not willing to give up easily I find a woman my age waiting and attempt to get her attention in Korean; it worked. A little more broken English and charades and I am directed to a ticket booth. The advantage of getting help from Alex is that he just works it out. The problem is that I don't learn or feel comfortable, but dependent on his help all the time and that can make things a bit stressful. This time I did work it out and with limited help from him, other than one phone call to translate and explain to me why the ticket agent wouldn't sell me a ticket, I was able to secure a ticket. Turned out I was at the wrong window, but when asked the only response I got was "anyo" or "no" in English. After speaking to Alex, another agent guided me to the right window... Now I needed to find the bus stop.
After securing the ticket I walk back to what I thought was the bus stop and an older student makes eye contact with me and says, "Hi. Where are you from?" I tell her I am from America and ask if she knew where the bus stop was to go to Jeonju... We exchange a few more pleasantries then I walk 50 more feet to the stop, 20 minutes to wait. The first bus came up and I tried to get on, but it was the wrong bus... Having seen this error, she, the student that gave me directions rushed over and said that she was going home, but would wait with me until the bus comes. I actually learned something from our conversation. Koreans consider themselves one year old at birth; so if a Korean tells you that they are 18 years old, they are really 17 in western terms. In addition to this I learned that I was the first American she got to practice English with and this made her very happy. We also talked about foods like dokboki, kimbap, bibimbap, galbi, and a few others. I can't say for sure as the English was a bit awkward, but I think she asked me to have lunch with her next Saturday, but considering she is way too young it seemed better to just play dumb lost foreigner and change the subject. It worked, then the bus showed up. I shook her hand, thanked her for the help. She waited for the bus to leave and waved at me through the window as it departed... That was another cute and funny experience.
This post was more about the adventure of getting to Jeonju than anything else. I was able to see my friend from Australia that lives on the 7th floor of an apartment near the stadium. Attached is a photo of the stadium that I took from the balcony last night.
I hope all is well with you my valued readers. Please send me an email every now and then letting me know how your doing.
Mid Day Saturday
I was originally supposed to make this trip last weekend, but Alex did not get back to me with the itinerary until late Friday evening so I decided that I'd go this weekend so I could figure out the route, and I wasn't feeling well either last weekend. After a few phone calls I worked it out that I catch the express bus from Singal Station near my house (5 min. bus ride).
As I left my house I thought that the local bus I needed to catch was outside my house, but after a brief conversation with a student at the bus stop, I walked 4 blocks to another on a different road. One thing that I discovered is that most younger people know English and are eager to practice. Granted, I will talk to anyone to get directions, but students in uniforms help the best. Four teen age girls were sitting at the bus stop near the sign I was trying to decipher to see what bus I need and they just started talking to me much to the amusement of myself and the two old ladies waiting for the bus too. After the usual pleasantries of being told I am handsome, being asked where I am from, being told that they are 14 years old, being asked what I am doing here, am I married, etc. I was escorted to the bus they were taking as it would take me to Singal Station. "OK, get off here please...We hope to see you again..." It was cute and funny.
Finally at Singal Station, I ask a man standing at the bus stop where I could buy a ticket and was ignored... Not willing to give up easily I find a woman my age waiting and attempt to get her attention in Korean; it worked. A little more broken English and charades and I am directed to a ticket booth. The advantage of getting help from Alex is that he just works it out. The problem is that I don't learn or feel comfortable, but dependent on his help all the time and that can make things a bit stressful. This time I did work it out and with limited help from him, other than one phone call to translate and explain to me why the ticket agent wouldn't sell me a ticket, I was able to secure a ticket. Turned out I was at the wrong window, but when asked the only response I got was "anyo" or "no" in English. After speaking to Alex, another agent guided me to the right window... Now I needed to find the bus stop.
After securing the ticket I walk back to what I thought was the bus stop and an older student makes eye contact with me and says, "Hi. Where are you from?" I tell her I am from America and ask if she knew where the bus stop was to go to Jeonju... We exchange a few more pleasantries then I walk 50 more feet to the stop, 20 minutes to wait. The first bus came up and I tried to get on, but it was the wrong bus... Having seen this error, she, the student that gave me directions rushed over and said that she was going home, but would wait with me until the bus comes. I actually learned something from our conversation. Koreans consider themselves one year old at birth; so if a Korean tells you that they are 18 years old, they are really 17 in western terms. In addition to this I learned that I was the first American she got to practice English with and this made her very happy. We also talked about foods like dokboki, kimbap, bibimbap, galbi, and a few others. I can't say for sure as the English was a bit awkward, but I think she asked me to have lunch with her next Saturday, but considering she is way too young it seemed better to just play dumb lost foreigner and change the subject. It worked, then the bus showed up. I shook her hand, thanked her for the help. She waited for the bus to leave and waved at me through the window as it departed... That was another cute and funny experience.
This post was more about the adventure of getting to Jeonju than anything else. I was able to see my friend from Australia that lives on the 7th floor of an apartment near the stadium. Attached is a photo of the stadium that I took from the balcony last night.I hope all is well with you my valued readers. Please send me an email every now and then letting me know how your doing.
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