Where the Artsy Go for Therapy

Someone as melodramatic as me really needs constant access to a strong WiFi signal.  Especially when I'm halfway across the world from someone as important as my psychotherapist.  It's not that I'm crazy, it's just that my vivid imagination combined with my somewhat different wavelength of thought sometimes require that I be brought back down to Mars by someone with a little sense.  And Skype only works on my Mac even though it's from 2006 and my PC is brand new.  The microphone goes out on my PC.  Macs, on the other hand, are MUCH more reliable than PCs...but my Mac wouldn't plug into the wall so I was depending on neighboring WiFi signals to get me through my phone calls.  Half of the time I wouldn't get a signal at all.  That's why, when I finally got a WiFi signal of my own this evening, I literally shed tears of joy.

I'm not crazy--I'm artsy.  And "tenacious," according to my therapist, who was commenting on my incessant persistence at finding a WiFi spot in order that I may call and bother her on a weekend.  I think she was just thinking of a kinder way of saying "obnoxious," bless her.  But hey--a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to stay grounded.  After trying my apartment and two subway stations, I finally found free WiFi at a cafe at Insadong...about an hour too late to call her.  It's hard enough dealing with the 13 hour time difference, let alone wandering the streets for a good signal.  I settled for some good retail therapy instead.  Insadong is the perfect spot for an artsy girl looking for therapy.

Insadong is where I had met my recruiter for dinner a couple of weeks ago.  It's full of amazing handmade Korean stuff.  The first item I purchased was a new amber ring...my previous 2 have missing stones.  I saw one in the case and thought it was the most beautiful one I'd ever seen (I have a thing for amber) and asked the lady to see it.  It fit perfectly.  "This was made just for me!" I thought, and forked over the cash.

Next I found two small paintings for my bare white apartment walls.  Looney-Bin White is not my favorite wall color...they needed cheering up.

Feeling good, I came home, hung up my paintings, cooked dinner, and put away all my laundry.  Actually I cleaned my whole apartment...it was time to nip this WiFi problem in the bud, once and for all.  "She's right, I am tenacious!" I thought, deciding to put my newly-discovered tenacity to good use.   I'm kind of like the opposite of a cartoon who has run out the window of a 30-story building and keeps running until someone points out there's no ground underneath them.  Only then do they plummet to their temporary demise.

Once my apartment was sufficiently clean, I set up my PC at my desk (normally I'm sitting on my bed with both computers, both on differing tasks), hooked up my router, which I purchased about a month ago but couldn't get to work, and picked up the box to the router and carried it downstairs.  I found the old man who works in the office, straightening the trash bags out front.  I thrust the box in his face.  He started to take it, thinking I was asking him where to throw it away.  I held on to it tightly.

"Help me!  Toh watchu say-o, toh watchu say-o!" I pleaded, using one of the Korean phrases my ESL students taught me on the sly.

"Oh, hahaha, towatchuseyo," he chuckled back.  I grabbed him by the arm to show him I really meant business.  I led him to the elevator and mashed the button.  He was going to help me whether he liked it or not.

I led him all the way to my apartment and brought him inside and pointed to the computer.  I picked up the instruction booklet, which was entirely in Korean, and handed it to him.  He held it right up to his nose trying to understand what it was.  Uh-oh, this man is blind as a bat!  This wasn't looking too good.

Then, to my delight, he seemed to realize what it was.  He said something in Korean and kind of motioned for me to stay put for a minute.  He then proceeded to exit my apartment and ring on doorbells of my Korean neighbors.  Yay!  He was looking for a younger, less blind person who could help!  Boy, are these Koreans good people.  I knew this would work.

About 5 minutes later he returned with a young Korean man, who sat down at my desk and got to work.  Twenty-five minutes later he was still working, apparently determined to get it up and running despite repeated failures to do so.  The old man was sitting in another chair and asked for a pen and paper.  He knows a little English, but his written English is better than his speaking.  As it turns out, he's even more deaf than he is blind, according to the girls at school.  He wrote down, "If he can't fix your computer, Tomorrow evening I will promised enginer if you want to see him? what time, Do you want to promised him     Broken English.  Sorry"

It kills me that the Koreans will apologize for not speaking perfect English in Korea.  I should be the one apologizing!  I love these people.  He even asked me for the correct spelling of "engineer," which I gladly provided for him.  "7pm," I wrote down.

Anyways, after 30 awkwardly silent minutes, the persistent young man gave up.  I was bummed out but hopeful that this "engineer" would have me set up the next night...tonight.

At 7:05pm this evening the old man and the "engineer" rang my doorbell.  At 7:20, I had my own WiFi!  And I owe the old man $10.  I spent my last $10 in cash tonight on some really yummy looking fruits and vegetables on my way home from school...oops.  Apparently "engineers" don't come for free...but who's complaining?  I am nothing short of psyched.

I'd just like to say "Thank you!" to my therapist for pointing out my own tenacity to me!  I had no idea it was there!

Artsy--or just plain crazy?  Korean masks for sale in Insadong