We're not in Kansas anymore...or are we?

Underwhelmed. 


If I were expressing my feelings with an emoticon, it would be looking back and forth and shrugging. Meh. underwhelmed. Even as I type that, the voice in my head is screaming "No! Not underwhelmed! Bored! You're BORED!" Okay, okay! This is a no judgement zone; I'll admit it: I'm bored.


I know what you're thinking, ok? "Julia! Are you fucking kidding me! You moved by yourself to a new home, in a new country where you don't speak the language, to start a new job... and you're BORED?!?! What the hell is wrong with you!??! You crazy- " Woah woah woah, hold on to your outraged horses, and give me a chance to explain myself.


Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about history. But I've read some stuff in books, and I can say with some amount of certainty, that Korea has one. And along with their history is tied an interesting and complicated culture.  What I'm wondering is, where is this culture??  And you're probably thinking, Jesus H. Chrysler, Julia.  Open your eyes.  And I'll tell ya right now, they are open.  And they're looking at a brand new LG refrigerator.  And I'm wondering, why is that refrigerator making SUCH a loud noise?? Unless it's actually producing ice cream in that freezer, that grinding sound should not be coming from that appliance.  No wonder this has been the Office Mystery of the Week.


Back to my point (as if I ever had one).... I came to Korea expecting to be blown away with how different and strange and foreign it is.  I wanted to be able to feast on dog, and go to a Buddhist temple and get a new soul (according to that Mayan Shaman, I am in dire need of a replacement).  Instead, I look around, and I've got EMart, and Cafe Bene, and Zoo Coffee, and Holly's Coffee, and Tom 'n Toms Coffee, and Flower Garden Cafe, and Paris Baguette.  And, I tell ya what, a 'Cafe Americano' is the same wherever you go.  If you dug this city up, put it on an extra wide flat bed truck and shipped it to Nebraska, it wouldn't look a bit out of place.   


So, what am I trying to say? I guess I wasn't expecting to end up in such a... sterile environment.  But then I guess the source of my issues isn't necessarily this environment, but my expectations.  Maybe I'm too culturally insensitive and dense to perceive the subtle nuances that make this culture exciting and unique.  Perhaps the year in Central and South America dulled my senses.  Perhaps, unless I'm being hit by a neon-colored, reggaeton blaring chicken bus, I can't recognize culture.  




Seriously, though. What's a girl gotta do to get some deep fried puppy up in this joint?