Laundry Lesson #2

My friend Lizzy JUST moved to Korea and I am doing my best to help her get acclimated. Neither one of us speaks the language but I've been living in this country for a year and a half so it would be seemingly safe for others to assume that, by now, I can accomplish all of life's most basic tasks here. However, this is exactly why we should never make assumptions.

In Korea, you have to use fabric softener because the water is harsh and driers are uncommon. You put the detergent in at the beginning and, when it beeps about halfway through the cycle, you put in the softener. Lizzy took me to the store with her so that (being the wise Korean veteran that I am) I could help her pick out a detergent and softener. I wasn't entirely sure I was giving her the correct information so I decided to call a friend to double check.

EPIPHANY.

It turns out I have been washing my clothes with only fabric softener for the entire year and a half that I've lived in Korea. Oops.

It gets worse: For whatever reason, I have been under the impression this entire time that the purple bottle of fabric softener (below) was detergent and that just the blue one was softener. This means that I've been washing my clothes with NO SOAP and yet two different scents of fabric softener.

I may be dirty but let's look at the bright side: at least my clothes are extra soft.

Disclaimer: I washed all of my socks and underwear with actual detergent when I got home that night.

(A special thanks to Renata for finally cluing me in.)

Seven Months Later...

I’ve been in Korea for 17 months now and, although I haven’t written about any of the even remotely recent, I’ve had plenty of blog-worthy experiences.

I am fortunate enough to have been in Korea when Gangnam Style was released, when our northern neighbors’ dear, sweet, beautiful leader, Kim Jong Il, died and when South Korea inaugurated its first female president.

Within my first (almost) year and a half in Korea, I’ve become accustomed to bowing when I say hello to people and seeing wheelchairs driving on the streets. I’ve seen a girl in 6-inch stilettos get hit by a car (at a relatively slow pace - don't worry) and I’ve dealt with absurd noise complaints from my irate neighbor at least half a dozen times. I’ve continued dancing and playing soccer, and I even learned to ski. I’ve learned to read Korean, though I can only actually say probably 20 words. I’ve experienced Korea’s public bath houses (despite the fact that you have to walk around naked) and gotten both acupuncture and a massage for the first time. I’ve gone on too many a medical adventure, including an 11-day hospital stay that resulted in the Korean blood now flowing through my veins. I’ve visited the DMZ, where my grandfather was stationed when he was here all those years ago, and, best of all, I’ve learned a ton and made friends from all over the world.

I’ve definitely been here longer than the amount of time I consider appropriate to stay in one country, but the opportunities I’ve been given, combined with my inspirational students and amazing friendships, are making it all-too-easy easy to stay here until the last penny of that school loan is finally paid. More than seven months after my last post (sorry!), I’m pleased to let you all know that it’s still going amazingly well.