Okay firstly I have to say that after I went “to bed” last night, I actually woke up two hours later and messaged Ailee (the girl I’d met on tumblr) who wanted to meet up with me in the basement (since she’s doing a work-exchange at this hostel). So I totally did. She said it was her first time hanging out with so many Western people. I guess it was pretty full in the basement since it was a Friday night. At first I sat with her and one of her friends that seemed very uninterested. But the friend left soon. Then her Chinese guy friend sat down and he attempted to converse with me (his English is about as good as my Korean). She gave me this yogurt drink and some sprite. Then this group of friends at beside us and we started talking to them. There were 2 guys from France, 1 girl from NYC, and 1 guy from England. The two guys from France have been friends for a couple years but they met the girl while studying in Tokyo and the three of them traveled here together. They met the English guy while at the hostel.
So that’s all of us. From left to right (excuse my spelling) it’s Neville, Jacque, Chinese guy (forgot his name–oops!), me, Ailee, George, and Ashley. I wish I knew how to share a video in here because soon after we started talking, Neville picked up the guitar and started serenading us. Ashley called him a jukebox and that was exactly what he was! Any song we named he could play. He even played the strange tune that sounds in the subways here in Korea. Crazy! And for words he didn’t know he’d just majestically mumble lol. He’d get really theatrical too and jump up and shake around and make creeper faces. It was brilliant!
We stayed out in the basement until like 4AM, then I finally went “to sleep”.
Well today I got up at 11:30AM, then met up with Ailee and her friend Sophie (from Cali) to go to the Eat Your Kimchi studio. Today, Martina and Simon are opening their studio to their fans and selling all their merch much cheaper. So of course I had to go! Despite being naturally bad at directions, I managed to remember and lead the two of them to the studio (which I knew was in the clubbing area of Hongdae). There was actually a line and I came to find out that the studio is much smaller than I expected! But omg I finally met Spudgy!!!! (their dog). What a total cutie! Old dogs are the best.
I got some cute videos of Spudgy too, but I guess I’ll show you them later. We also met this girl, Leah, in the stairwell (she was an exchange-student at Sogang University in Sinchon, and like me is going home on Monday). We ended hanging out with her most of the rest of the day. But yeah, Ailee walked up to Martina first and asked if she remembered her, it took Martina a second but she did. Before I could even ask, she looked at me and said “of course I remember you, you’ve met with us a couple times”. Yay, she still remembers me! I hugged her again. I then asked Simon if he remembered me, then showed him the picture of when we first met and then he was like OH YES! And then I hugged him again. I really love the two of them. I hope they’ll remember me whenever I return to Korea.
But yeah, the studio was nice. Small but nice. It was nice to finally see where the magic happens. Then, Leah, Sophie, Ailee, and I walked around Hongdae a little bit. We stopped in Forever 21 then we stopped in the one store I’d meant to stop in all semester but never did: Condomania. Yes, it’s what it sounds like. I nearly bought something for my sister just to make her laugh but seriously that store was creative! Then we went to the You Are Here cafe and noticed several others we’d seen in the studio were there (we all had the same idea). I got a slice of carrot cake. Then Leah left and Ailee and Sophie and I went to the Japanese Ramen place I love for dinner. Now I’m back here. I plan to hang out with them a bit more in the basement later, but right now I’m going to take a short nap.
But anyway, the title of this is because I feel happier now than I have in Korea for a while. I really like living in a hostel. I’ve already met some really great people. It feels like the Korea I first felt when I first arrived here.
coyotalia 