Stephen Whelan
Labrador


Arriving in Pusan, Korea was an experience I'll never forget. It seems like yesterday when I think about it. After a nice flight and smooth connections from Halifax, Nova Scotia, I was met by Mr. Yoon. He was looking for foreign passengers in the airport. Foreigners stick out like sore thumbs so he spotted me easily and asked, "Are you Mr. Jeff?"

I had no idea who this guy was or if I should trust him. I politely answered "No." Then he asked if I was "Mr. Stebuh". I supposed I was and the next thing I knew we were cruising through the city in his tiny Tico. Jeff turned up the next day. He had missed his connection in Seoul.

It was about eleven at night so I couldn't see much as we drove through Pusan but I did feel a sense of mystery and awe since this was all so new to me.

He brought me to a yog-won, which he said was near the school. A yog-won is similar to a motel I was told. We dragged my luggage up three floors and checked in. I was given a key and Mr. Yoon came with me to see the room. It had a small area to leave my shoes but I walked on in exhausted from the flight. The floor was covered with yellow linoleum; there was a TV, telephone, dresser and mirror. Blankets and pillows were spread out on the floor. It also had a private bathroom. Not having read much about yog-wons I wondered where the bed was. I didn't ask though, the floor looked comfortable enough. Mr. Yoon said I should take off my shoes at the door or the manager would be mad.

The floor was warm due to on-dul heating I later found out. Hot water pipes run through the floor, heating it and the entire room. A logical concept since heat rises. I believe this evolved from ancient times when people in Asia burned coal under the floors of risen houses to heat them. Most yog-wons don't have beds but the floor is quite cosy.

Mr. Yoon left and said he would come back at 10:00am the next day. I walked in the bathroom. There was a sink, toilet and shower with a hand-held nozzle. The shower was not separated from the rest of the room. The water from the shower went into a drain in the middle of the floor. Plastic slippers were provided to keep your feet dry when the floor was wet.

I couldn't call home when I got settled in the room (as well as I could). The phone wasn't operating for international calls. After several attempts, I hung up. To my surprise it rang. I answered saying "Hello?" and was yelled at in Korean. I supposed someone was angry because I had occupied the line. I left the yog-won and walked out into the street. I was afraid to go very far for fear of getting lost. No one spoke any English! I walked into a store but cannot remember what they sold. I motioned a telephone gesture to the clerk who understood what I wanted and passed me the phone. I tried again to no avail. It was late so I returned to the yog-won a little sad and disoriented but slept fairly well on the on-dul heated floor.

I woke early the next morning in anticipation of an interesting day. I showered and put on a shirt and tie that my father had given me and shown me how to tie a week before along with a sports coat that my uncle said was too small for him. I was told a professional appearance was very important in Korea. I walked out onto the street feeling good. Looking around, I saw a comic store and walked in. There was a public phone and I got through. What a wonderful sensation went through me when I heard my mother say "Hello?" in her beautiful, polite tone of voice, albeit on the other side of the world. I said so far so good and they were happy to hear it.