Day 1. – Taking care of business

“Don’t cry over spilled milk.”  Definitely something I needed to keep in mind!  I don’t think I’ve ever before run into so many obstacles in such a short time period.  I started off the morning with trying to go on base.  When I think of home, I think of a military base.  It’s what I grew up with, always had access to, and have become most familiar with.  No matter where I’ve gone, there’s always been a base, which are all set up pretty similarly.  BUT now that I’ve graduated, I have no ID card and am refused entry. 

Attempt #1:  My mom and I took a taxi to Camp Walker here in Daegu to a) get a cellphone   b) go to the gym   c) shower and d) use the phone to call home 

Rejection #1:  I couldn’t be signed in unless my mom was registered in the system so we had to go to the other base.  After she registered, we went back to Camp Walker, used the gym, showered, and tried to get a phone.

Rejection #2:   I can’t get a phone from on base unless I have an ID so we registered under my mom for a temporary pay-as-you-go phone.

Rejection #3:  Found out I can’t get a phone plan until I have a visa AND a Korean bank account.  So now I have to get a bank account here in Korea.

After finding out that I am so restricted from using what I’ve been familiar with my entire life and how much I have to do just to get a phone, the discouragement rained down on me like the warm raindrops pouring down here in Korea.  Then as I went to throw away the paper towel I used to dry my hands with in the bathroom, I saw this:

Such an encouraging little trash can!  Even though it was on a trashcan, it reminded me to keep positive.  Hard work will pay off eventually right?  :]

Rejection #4:  Once I got to the Consulate or whatever the place you register for a visa is called, I was assuming that I’d get a renewed one on the spot since I had one before.  Naaaah, they sent us across the street to get my mom’s paperwork and then told us mine wouldn’t be ready for another 4 weeks and I’d have to come back to pick it up.

Travelling around isn’t easy…especially if it’s 90 degrees with 250% humidity and rain.  

Cheerful moments:  I found this cute little coffee shop after 30 min of walking around looking for a PC bang (Internet café to send my dad an email that I landed safely)  and couldn’t help but stop to grab a latte.  The ambience was quaint…like a comfy little café should be!

[THE neatest fish tank I've ever seen!]