Week two in Chonju City

Sunday, 14 July 1996

Was back in Seoul for so-called training yesterday. It worked out well in the end because I was able to visit the [South African guy I met at the airport], who’s quite homesick, and not very pleased with his situation. I also met his American colleague – quite a perverse guy. He’s okay.

On Friday night, I went to SE Jazz and saw [one of the Canadian ladies] again. We talked for a while, and then she asked if it would be rude if she said she’d like to kiss me. I said: “Well, I’m not sure of the consequences …”

I also found out tonight about my new room. It’s in the same unit as the home of the owner of the school, Mrs Kim, but with an outside door and separate wash area. What I’ve seen from the outside is that it’s spacious, with a few windows.

Also went to the Immigration Office this week and had a bit of luck in the process. Because they took my passport, I couldn’t cash my traveller checks*, so I received an advance of ₩50,000 on my salary.

I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I think Korea could turn out all right.

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* I arrived in Korea with R400’s worth of traveller checks: R200 I got from my family for my birthday, and R200 left over from the proceeds of selling my car six months prior.


Steps to the front door of Mrs Kim’s house – Chonju, South Korea. The window on the right is part of my room.
My (second) room in Chonju. The window is the one next to the front door in the previous picture.
My shower-and-sink room in Chonju

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