Another week in Seoul

As with all big moves, as the weeks past the more accustomed you become to the environment around you. My week at work was full of new experiences, challenges, and thankfully a feeling of relaxation! Now if my boss read that he would think my feet are up on the table, but what I really mean is that the stress of the new job has subsided and I can now begin to do the job that is expected of me.

But the way business is done, the way issues are resolved, and even more so, the expectations people have is so different here. Now I mean this in a good way for the most part! For example, communication must be done in a certain way. You might have a brilliant idea, but your idea must be passed from top down. This way all the managers keep their respect as being part of the decision.

Anyway my week was filled with regular meals in the hotel, walks through the COEX mall, a night out to see my mate Tony perform, and finally I finished up the weekend with a huge Friday night.

Friday night deserves a paragraph of comment as it was my first real "Korean Night Out". It was the farewell for one of the front desk staff who was immigrating to the US. Very nice guy, well liked by the team, so you know even before the night began it was going to be big. I was warned about my first night out by the other expats in the hotel to look out for "SOJU" Now Soju is the local drink of sin, and has been know to also be use for embalming, and tastes somewhere between whiskey and vodka in my alcoholic connoisseur opinion.

So anyway we head out on the town and all meet up at a Korean BBQ House. There is about 30 of us, spread over three large tables sitting on the floor, and for the next two hours we ate and drank ourselves into a different world! It was a lot of fun, though really I did not like the taste of Soju, but what the heck! The BBQ was awesome and I will make sure I do that a few more times! So anyway, we then finished up, lots a few weary travelers outside, and moved on to a Kareoke joint about a km away! Private room, tons of beer, and music loader than a ACDC concert! This lasted about two more hours, and finally after drinking the bar out of beer, we left to find our next area of entertainment. As it happened only the hard and desperate survive and I was standing there with 4 and 1/4 people. So your asking a 1/4 of a person! Well one guys had definantly left this world and it was fair to say he was a 1/4 of a person left. So to save more pain we found a sashimi bar to eat, and after a hour or so, we hauled ourselves into taxis and parted ways! What a night!

As you can imagine, Saturday was a day of rest for me, nursing a cruel headache, and trying to drink as much water as I could. The rest of the weekend was spent doing a little work, as well as getting out onto the subway for the first time and visiting a place called Techno Mart. If you want electronics here, that is the place to go! I have never seen anything like it!

One last story which I promised myself I would write. Sunday lunch I spent in one of our restaurants. Nothing amazing right! Well as I was sitting there I noticed all the tables full with couples, young, and looking very serious. Forgetting my food, I was almost stunned to realize what was unfolding around me. It was dating, and not just your normal dating. What Icould see was these old ladies, say in their 60's / 70's sitting a man down, then a few minutes later brining a well dressed lady over and sitting her down. All the men were dressed p also in coat and tie, so it was a real hoot. Anyway to cut a long story short I finished up and then spoke to one of the staff. She explained that the Grand InterContinental is very famous for this. These older ladies are like matchmakers. They set up the dates and if the couple do get married, sometimes they are paid up to $10,000! I am not joking! I am blood serious! They said throughout the day there would be at least 20 to 30 couples introduced! So I thought that was an interesting story.

Well that's all for now! Appreciate your feedback ok!

Since my arrival in summary!

I woke up Sunday morning to the sunlight drifting between the curtains. It was about 830am, and for a brief moment I thought I was feeling better. I sat up in that usual morning daze, and after an eternity did the morning ritual and 30 minutes later was standing in the middle of the room feeling as bad as I did yesterday, but new I had to get out of the room and look around.

I first gave the laundry team my welcome gift, three bags of clothes to be cleaned, pressed, or dry cleaned. I am sure they were loving me on a Sunday! I then unpacked a little, then hit the club lounge for a small breakfast, then started to walk around. The hotel is huge with numerous restaurants and 535 rooms on 34 floors. This is going to be two years of fun?! But really it was so exciting to walk around the hotel and see what was on offer. First impression was extremely positive.

Moving right along, I then ventured into the adjoining basement mall called COEX shopping mall. Huge area, with more shops than I could count, several food halls, a movie cinema, and a few other bits and pieces I am still exploring. Above the COEX mall is the COEX exhibition centre, and on the other end of the mall is the other InterContinental, called COEX.

As I do, I decided to watch a movie, and had to see Star Wars 3. Clariza is not so much a fan off Star Wars, so best to get it out of the way on my own. I was not disappointed and enjoyed finally having the Star Wars series finally all come together of 20 something years! About bloody time!

I then spent the evening trying to kick the fever and flu, had a dinner in the restaurant and tucked myself into bed bright and early.

After a restless sleep with the anticipation of my first day of work starting at 830am, I put on the new suit and headed down to the bosses office to meet him and the team.

Monday to Friday was spent meeting all the team, the managers, the staff, the secretary, trying to understand when and where all the meetings were, and trying to get answers to a thousand questions. But the most difficult thing I faced in my first week was the barrage of names, ranks, and responsibilities. This is going to be fun!

Friday night I got out of the hotel and looked around the local area. (First real time out of the hotel in 5 days)

Saturday I did a little work, and in the evening I went to an area rodeo Drive. Very upmarket area with high fashion, and bloody expensive.

Sunday, a little work through the day, and the evening I met up with an aussie who has lived here for three years in Ietewon. He showed me around all the places, where to go and not to go. "Keep away from the juicy bars" he mentioned! Peering into the doors of these places, I can understand why! He is a drummer in a band, as well as teaches, and holds a bit of fame in Seoul working with some famous Korean bands. We went up to the club he plays in, Woodstock, and we enjoyed a couple of hours listening to an open mike evening of music, singing, poetry, and comedy. Tony, my new aussie mate, also teamed up with a few guys and jammed for about 20 minutes, sending the crowd into a rock frenzy with some great classic rock! Man can he throw those sticks around!

We finished up the evening with some falafals, homous, Egyptian tea in a Egyptian restaurants called Pharohs, and I was in bed by 3.30am after a great evening in naughty Ietewon (hey I will work on the spelling I promise)

So now we are caught up, as it is Monday afternoon, Memorial Day, a public holiday. I have done a few hours work and ready for week two. The honeymoon period is over folks, and work is really about to begin!

Less than two weeks until Clariza arrives. Sure do miss her. Weird not being with my wife, but I am glad she is spending time with family and friends in PI, which she has not done all that often over the years.

Tonight is to be a quiet night! Thanks for listening!

Last Saturday is a distant memory thanks to 9 days of non-stop action. As I really my initial hour was spent waiting for my bags in the airport, being greeted by an over zealous hotel employee at the airport, and in seconds loaded into a great limousine, and whisked away.

Suddenly I was peering out of the car's windows into the evening sky, radiated by the millions of lights of the distance towns and cities. Driver told me if there is traffic it will take 2 1/2 hours, so with this sudden news I sunk back in the seat for a long ride to Seoul!

One hour 40 minutes later his estimation was thankfully off by 50 minutes and we entered the famous Grand InterContinental. I said to myself that I must take the time to observe the hotel as I arrived, but with a fever, aching limbs, and a headache from hell, I put that on the back burner for now.

Within a moment of stopping, the door swung open, and I was greeted by the Duty Manager and Guest relations girl, along with the Doorman, Bellman, and anyone else that had a second to see who their new boss was! I was whisked away again into the lobby, and directly into the elevator, and taken to my room.

The room I was given was a lovely Junior Suite and I have to say a wonderful first impression. But it was the bed that took my attention, and I whispered to it that I will be there soon! I said my goodbye's, shut the door, and finally I was free at last. Quiet ironic as I had just locked myself in my room. What do I do? Sleep, eat, unpack? ............ Well I took the eat option and ordered a club sandwich, water, and a mushroom soup. Within moments it was delivered. I ate what I could and then upheld my promise to the bed, and launched myself into oblivion in my first night in Seoul!