There are two things I am absolutely very sensitive about
right now.
ONE. My hair. Especially when the natural curls are out.
TWO. My recent failed Korea trip.
Any mentions of these that I find insulting, watch our
relationship turn sour.
If you were me, you’d know how my natural curls gave me a
really bad time during my late high school period. The curls are in my genetics
and therefore, I am programmed to be sensitive about it. Nuff said.
Now, regarding my failed Korea trip, there’s a lot more
behind it…
Anyone who knows me knows that I SHIP this land of plastic
surgery. The announcement of the Korea trip sent me over the moon. I worked
hard researching and planning the tour itinerary, learn how to expect the harsh
Korean winter, learning the basic tourist Korean, food, transport, shopping,
etc. It was my first time; planning and visiting Korea.
I spent my December and January reading up on all those
information. KTO, blogs, yahoo answers, Youtube, more blogs… But there’s only
so much I can know and remember. How does one be fully prepared for something
she never experienced before? I do not have much guidance except from the
internet. Tonnes of information but vague… Extremely vague. “Winter is harsh
and cold in Korea.” How cold is cold? And how harsh is harsh? I watched in
Running Man that they shivered in the bitter cold wind but how cold is it? “-16
celcius” Look sister, I come from a tropical country
of Malaysia and all my life, all that I’ve seen were sun and rain. The coldest
I’ve ever felt would be when the air conditioning was set to the lowest
temperature and that probably would be 18
celcius? Thick padded windbreakers and white winter
wonderland was all I had in mind. And thoughts can’t be felt by the skin.
Seoul’s subway system was amazing… …-ly complex. It was
efficient. But complex. In Malaysia, KL, we have our commuters, monorails,
LRTs. It is okay, can’t say it is bad, but I bet the upstairs people are
“trying” to improve things. Our rail systems, it is funny. Well, they are not
interlinked. To change commuters to LRTs, we have to change station. It is
pathetic. Nuff said. So when I got my hands on a Seoul subway map, imagine the
shock. Saw it a gazillion times on Google image but the physical map is still
different. It felt like efficiency IN YO FACE! Such a huge leap from the local
public transport to the public transport there. Good thing my brother’s
experience navigating through Melbourne metro shortened our time being lost
underground.
Gift giving and souvenirs. I live a mundane life and I do
not believe in the practice of gift giving and souvenirs. My concept of these
practices is pretty similar to that of Sheldon Cooper’s. I will not take
initiative of the hassle of estimating what you might like, buying it and wrapping
it in fancy paper with a bow on top, unless, you mean that much to me where I
take it personally to care. On your side, if you like that activity and wish to
surprise me, be my guest, but take note that I expect you to not expect
anything in return other than a thank you and a set of genuinely happy eyes
looking back at you.
Shopping in Seoul. I had a great time browsing through the
endless racks of clothes, shoes, bags, merchandise and stuffs but to buy them
is a tad tricky. Words of many were that if you ever visit Korea, be sure to
haggle A LOT and stuffs are EXTREMELY cheap. Well, yeah. I heard those, I read
those. But note that they are folks from the US, UK, Europe, Japan, Singapore,
etc but Malaysia. Less from Malaysia. Dude! Do you realize how much we are
losing on our side of currency? To be thrifting on a vacation doesn’t feel
nice. I’d like to be shipping hordes of fashionables back home but we ain’t
rich. We get stuffs for the family, yes, but extras, sometimes we really just
can’t. Well, maybe my dad can, but I can’t. I just can’t anymore.
Falling sick for 3 days. Out of an eight-day trip. Do you
know how that felt? Especially for me, after all my effort researching, my
hopes, my expectation. It was just awful. However, it wasn’t something that can
not be controlled nor foresaw. My disappointment and bitterness could not be
measured with anything before this.
There could be more, but I really don’t wanna be recalling
all this crap anymore. So sister, your words, “白痴，有去相没去”, you are rubbing
salt on my still fresh wounds. It’s uncomfortable.
Mock my height and my dressing but this of Seoul, do it
more, and I might just shove a chainsaw up your pathetic ass.
You have been warned.
