Snapshot of a week in Seoul

I fell over three times this week. First time: central Seoul heading down the to the underpass. I was wearing high heel boots at the time (something I have not done for about 7 years since becoming pregnant with my first and totally losing all sense of balance and style (I was not a yummy mummy)). But on this particular day, I thought I would try to wear high heels out for the day like other grown up women instead of my usual trainers. I was also off to the dentist and testing out a theory that the dentist will not find any cavities or feel the need to give you any fillings if you look hot (I was just going for respectable really. Hot would have been an (unobtainable) bonus). Theory proved wrong and I paid out another $700 for two fillings and sweet smile from the dentist, thanking me for being such a wonderful patient (given that I gave him money and for most of our meeting he had me strapped in a chair with tape over the majority of my mouth and a drill constantly on the go in the un-taped part which therefore meant I couldn’t talk, he had  never given me a chance to show him just how un-wonderful I was). Ironically, I fell just as I was thinking what a stupid idea it had been to wear heels out and that, really, I should just embrace the fact that I do love sneakers and, in celebration of that embrace, perhaps it was time for a new pair. Blue or pink? That is exactly what I was thinking as I fell. People laughed. I twisted my ankle. However, I heroically managed to make it up the stairs on the other side, onto the bus and back home where I spent the next three days with my ankle in ice. Fall number two was on the ice this morning. A man rushed to my help and didn’t laugh. I hurt my bottom. Fall number three was approximately ten minutes after fall number two. Ironically (again), I fell as I was thinking about fall number one and, once again, back to those new pair of sneakers. Couple passing me at the time laughed nervously as they delicately skated on the ice surrounding me. They were wearing sneakers. They didn’t fall.

The rest of the week went like this.

First child. Phone call from school nurse on day two of the week to collect first child as she had “high fever.” Day three, second child down. Never even made it to school as was coughing all night long with very, very high fever (much to annoyance of competitive older sister). Off to hospital, where they put a needle in her bottom, a swab up her noise and confirmed she had Influenza A for which we needed no less than eight different kinds of medication. Eight! Third child failed to get to purple school at all this week thanks to an amazing amount of snot and a cough that goes on and on and on…

After watching me cook rice (in a rice cooker no less) and shaking her head in disbelief, our Korean babysitter took over the rice cooking and then, given I failed to protest (seriously, why would you?), she became possessed, and with an adjuma like fury proceeded to take over the rest of the cooking for the entire week! She made pork Chop Chae noodles, cut up the sheets of kim (seaweed), marinated the beef for the weekend, cut up the fruit, peeled the ginger to make an amazing fresh ginger tea for the sick children, and reinforced the message several times of how to cook rice the proper Korean way. She then ironed all the shirts, ironed all the rest of the clothing, cleaned the living room and then let me leave the house to go and get my nails painted. I love her.

Middle child made it back to school on Friday to pat the horses that the amazing Parent Teacher Association arranged to be in school  celebrate the Year of the Horse. Middle child very happy (before starting to cough again). 

I walked past yet another Korean film crew (I think I am up to number nine now) shooting a scene for a movie or Korean TV drama. Have decided this is a sign that I am about to be discovered by a Korean director and will be called upon to play the part of simple yet complicated foreigner, lost in a land she does not understand but desperately wants to, with a deeply troubled past that she feels she cannot escape from, haunted by a run in with the police years ago that will only be resolved by finding the police officer that arrested her as she has just realised that she loves him passionately, as illustrated by her constant need to stop and stare melancholy into the distance as the camera takes a close up of the tears on her cheeks. (This is what I have understood from watching Korean drama).

I spent a fortune at UNIQLO (which I also love but not a much as my babysitter).

Dragged husband to Costco so he could also experience the joys of Costco in Korea. I didn’t take him to the one south side, which is the busiest Costco in the world. I took him to the second busiest one in the world. He said he is never going back.

Forgot to buy rice at Costco where there is only about three bags to choose from. Went to Homeplus to buy rice and found two aisles dedicated to just white rice. I want to know if people really can taste the difference between so many varieties. Although given the strict instructions from babysitter on how to cook rice I suspect that Koreans probably can. Have decided on approach of trying most expensive, followed by least expensive and then settling on a mid-ranged priced one.

I did 10 loads of washing.

I drank 9 coffees.

I made yoghurt and ricotta cheese for the first time. Cheese was good. Yoghurt was not.  

I shopped online for new bag. Found one I really liked (Feed bag). But didn’t buy it. Think I need a grown up black bag first but given my attempt at wearing black high heel boots was not so successful maybe I should just accept that the look of a mature, stylish, sophisticated mum of three is beyond me.

Applied for a job but didn’t get it.  

Walked past only three couples in matching sneakers and two in matching jackets but I was too cold to stop, take gloves off, get out phone and take a picture of any of them.

Almost ran over a cat. Totally its fault.

Sat in Starbucks for approximately eight hours. Not as long as usual thanks to sick children. Starbucks on a Sunday consists of me and 14 Koreans studying (ok, so they are and I am not) and, on average, each person (exclude me here) has in front of them four books, two coffees one computer and/or a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Daydreamed for approximately 4 hours about the following:

• Writing a famous poem that is turned into music (I don’t know why);
• Writing this post
• Leaving my family and escaping to a desert island where waiters serve me cocktails all day and I never do another load of washing again.

Soul to Seoul: Ankle better. Bruise on bottom. Still looking for my new sneakers (and working out ways to hide the purchase from husband).