Choo-sok 01

We had train tickets booked for Wednesday afternoon at 7pm and Chan-mi was worried because the sitting tickets had sold out ages ago and we needed to get to the cafe early so we could sit there for our 4 hour journey!

Well we arrived in plenty of time and had first pick of the benches that were lined against the window. The Cafe was a bar the served food, Korean delights! Seaweed and Kimchi galore! It had computers at one end that you could sit at and pay to use, next to this were some arcade type games and on the other side were 3 private Karaoke rooms!!!

We stayed well out the madness at the top end of the carriage. Journey was quite uneventful for a couple of hours, I had the usual curious smiles and nods and mini bows. Being a white woman is a conversation starter in itself in these parts!!

However, every time I looked up from my book, I got a massive grin and nod for the same man crouched in the corner. Yes crouched- I would later find out that this is a huge norm in Korea! He kept attracting my attention and doing the same thing, each time I would politely smile and nod and do a mini bow in return. He eventually plucked up the courage (Deutch, he was loving the on train bar!) and came to crouch in front of me, not standing up straight before he came over, he shuffled his way no more then half a metre away from me!

"English?"
Yes
"Where?"
Manchester (Pointless saying anywhere else!)
"ooooooooooo" lots of nodding and rocking.

Then awkward silence as he spoke in Korean to Chan-mi. And finally he finished with...
"Remember, all you gotta do is, Just Do It!!"
Okay then! Will do! After removing his hat he pointed to his shaved hair and said "Monk,Monk" and shuffled away!!

Not the end however, he returned many times, asking about what I was doing in Korea, and when he found out I study computer art (close enough!) he was disgusted, invited me to his mountain where he was headed and told me he would teach me real art! Unfortunately I had to pass but thanked him profusely when he brought me over a can of beer from the bar. And again when he came over to open it for me, and when he shouted from his corner "BOTTOMS UP!" and again when he brought me over a second beer!

By this point the whole carriage was staring at me! Not the crazy drunk monk! AGGGHHH!

The man sat next to Chan-mi then shook his head, had stern words in Korean to leave me alone now, and took the beers back to the man behind the counter who apologised! I loved it! Especially when he got off for his stop he carried on shouting JUST DO IT until all there was was a faint echo of my friendly Monk!