My Mini Korean Coffee Adventure

Well I'm back to writing and the only way to do that is by having as few distractions around myself as possible. My solution is to find a warm corner in a coffee shop and add the clattering sound of my keyboard to the chattering of the korean coffee-goers.  Unfortunately, my favourite internet-cafes are a bit of a distance from my apartment and I've been searching for a closer coffee shop.  In a country where coffee shops are scattered about like their competing with the Seattle Startbucks population, I hadn't found one on my street until the other night.  And wouldn't you know it, there was a cute little coffee shop lit up with twinkling Christmas lights on a sidestreet by my hagwon.  I've walked that street every single day for almost two months and had failed to see it until just now.  This seems to be the norm in Korea.  I'm always stumbling upon hidden restaurants and shops wherever I go.  It's like the "I Spy" kids books but the Korean version.  You're looking for something in particular but you see the strangest things on the page that you didn't notice the first 20 times that you read the book.  Anyways, back to my story...

So I pack up all of my supplies and take an inventory (very important for little ms. forgetful).  And so, laptop...check...cord...check...power converter...check...wallet...check...okay, good to go.  Well I walked in and greeted the very surprised and excited owner. And mustering up my courage, I manage to ask her where I can plug in my computer by showing her my converter plug and throwing out a few hopeful Korean phrases while apologizing to her and trying to explain that my Korean is not very good.  Well our lines of communication were not exactly on par but I managed to express my need for a place to plug in my computer and to connect to the internet.  Or so I thought...

One of the ladies told me to follow the ahjuma (older lady) so that she could show me an alternative location.  Did I mention that they are super nice in Korea and always want to help me out!?! Such awesome and hospitable people.  Well we walked for a few blocks and she brings me to a Samsung store and marches me right up to the counter to tell them that I am need of sending an email via computer.  Not quite what I had in mind.  Once again, I attempted to ask where I could find an internet CAFE with wireless such as OLLEH (the internet supplier in Korea) and drink coffee at the same time but in my neighbourhood.  I then provided a few examples such as Tom 'n Toms and Cafe Bene.  Ping went the lightbulb as the store employees all started chattering away and pointing in different directions and off we went once again.  This woman was having such a ball with me as she escorted me to a Cafe Bene location.  I just didn't have the heart to tell her that I already knew where it was located.  I figured that it gave me a chance to practice my Korean and she'd have an awesome story to tell at the end of the day.  I felt like I was being led through a maze and when I inquired about it my ahjuma responded, "Bali Igeot," which I figured out (yay for me!) mean "this fast" or rather, a shortcut.

Well we finally made it to my location at which point I bowed respectfully and thanked her profusely for helping me.  And now here I am!  At Cafe Bene, one of my favourite coffee houses that has a warm interior, cute little wicker chairs, spacious booths with pillows, and they even have stuffed animals to cuddle with if you're drinking solo and are in need of a friend...