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Monday, June 6, 2011

By Foot, By Bus, By Train



Commuting continues to provide us with some of our most interesting experiences.  As we walk and wait for the bus, we have met many interesting people.  
In an extended conversation with a very gracious young lady, who was asking why we would come this far away from our home and family, we said "Because God directed us to come".  She very quickly, but very politely, replied that she did not believe in God.  She continued talking with us, and after we got off the bus in an area that was new to us, she led us to a restaurant and placed our order for us.  We hope to visit with her again.  
On another occasion, on the bus, I (Gene) talked for about 30 minutes with some men from a country that was part of the former Soviet Union.  After I said I am a Christian,  the one who could speak a little English, stated that he is a Muslim.  One of the men asked how old are you, and I said 66.  At this point, he seemed shocked and, via mostly sign language, asked if I could still hear, if I still have natural teeth, if I can still see.  He then stated that his father is 55 and is lacking all these items of health and has difficulty moving his joints.  He indicated that is the typical condition of all the men that are over 50 back in his home country.  
  
All of Pastor Choe's family are very willing to drive us to whatever destination is needed.  Since the public transportation system is clean, reliable, and reasonably priced, we use the bus as much as possible.  If we are running late on Sunday mornings, we can take a taxi from our apartment to church for about $5.  If that seems like very much to you, just keep in mind that a round trip to church for us in Alabama would cost about $12.  It feels good knowing how much expense we are avoiding by not having a vehicle here.  
The bus is easy to use - until you realize they have changed the schedule.  When the local people are looking at the schedule trying to figure it out, guess how we feel.  
 (double click the pictures to enlarge them)


After a 10 minute walk and a 20 minute bus ride from our village to downtown Iksan, we shop at Lotte Mart and Home Plus.  These large stores are WalMart type stores with groceries, clothes, everything (almost everything - except for a few unique Southern essentials).  The orange/red building is Lotte Mart. 

 Rule Number 1: do not buy more than you can fit into 4 totes and a backpack.  
 Korea is a unique mix of old traditional ways and modern technology.  Even though we see 4 wheel drive tractors and rice planting machines every day, we sometimes see sights like this man and his cart as we wait for the bus.   

Speaking of waiting for the bus -------------


These gentlemen invited Gene to sit down with them and gave us a piece of candy.  When Huw and Yang Hee saw this picture, they said "you have been officially accepted into the Harabeoji Club (Grandfather Club)".

The gentleman who had 3 new hats, decided to see how Gene would look in one of them.  




Another meeting of the Harabeoji Club


This must be the Halmeoni Club (Grandmothers Club)
These ladies try to be nice and help us get on the right bus, even though they are sometimes trying to send us to the wrong school.




Many weeks ago, our first trip to Costco (Gene's favorite place to shop) was in the church van.  Since then we have learned how to take the bus to the Iksan train station, and from there take a KTX train to the city where Costco is.  The train travels at about 180 MPH, but it is too smooth and too quiet to be a thrill ride. 


By superb planning, they located the Costco next door to the train station.  Of course, we still must remember Rule Number 1.   

At Costco, we saw a non-Korean lady and spoke to her.  When we asked where she was from, her reply was "Alabama".  She is from Talladega (about 1.5 hours from our home in Brierfield).  She said she has met several Alabamians here.  She has been in Korea 2 years teaching English and has just renewed her contract to stay another year.  




 Sunday morning - 10 minute walk from bus stop to church.  




 At Bessemer, Alabama, we know who is present by the cars parked by the church.  Here we know who is present by the shoes parked by the door.
Oops, wrong pair.  




 Gene driving the church van.  


A couple of times Pastor Choe has asked me to drive the church van.  Driving here is not for the faint of heart.  There are traffic lights at major intersections, but no stop signs or yield signs at other intersections, so it is kind of a bluff as to who has the right of way.  The rule of the road seems to be: the bigger vehicle has the most right of way.


2 comments:

Christy said...

We enjoyed this post! Especially the Grandfathers' Club! They're probably thinking - let's see if we can get this American to wear the funny hat. And, the video - Dad not being able to say anything - is quite funny. The girls like the picture of Mom walking to church. Next time take a video while riding the train.

Vicki Smith said...

Love the post. Thanks so much for giving us a taste of your life in Korea. Congratulations for your bravery in driving the church bus. ;-) --We didn't experience a train ride when we were there. It looks pretty fancy!

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