Sunday, June 21, 2009

From One Side of Seomyeon to the Other

Finally. I have left my shit hole neighborhood in the dust and moved on to greener pastures. My former neighbors - two love motels, a booking club, and a food n' booze tent - have been replaced by car dealerships and office buildings. My poorly lit, one room closet of a living space, has been replaced by an apartment with high ceilings and a loft. I can finally cook without expecting a sea of cockroaches to flood the sink. Count the Number of People Excreting in Public is no longer a valid game to play on my walk to work in the morning. I can finally leave my apartment, walk a block, and not need a shower. I hardly know what to do with myself anymore.

The week before I was due to leave for my short Canadian vacation, my supervisor stopped me to share the great news: rent in my building was going up 30 bucks by the end of September. My poorly located, cockroach infested, shithole of an apartment was jacking the rent (just because everybody in Seomyeon is jacking rent doesn't mean that this is okay). While my employer subsidizes a significant portion of my rent, unfortunately I have to pick up the rest*.

Before I could even consider huffing, puffing and accidentally blowing a gasket at work, my supervisor suggested that if I didn't want to pay extra for that apartment, that I could move into an apartment that a former coworker had just vacated. No brainer. I didn't even need to look at the new place to know that I was moving (of course, I did look. I'm not a complete idiot).

The truth is, I nearly insisted on a move ages ago. After two days in that apartment, I knew that I wasn't going to like it. I weighed the pros and cons of moving. Then, New Year's happened. Suddenly I had more important things to worry about than the fact that I lived in a craphole. I put the idea of moving on the back burner. I waited. And the second that I was given an out? I moved. Win. Now I just wait and hope that they don't stick one of the new kids in there. Bah.



*There are more than enough contracts floating around that will pay your entire rent here. In that regard, some may say that I have a shitty deal. However, this year I was looking for very specific things in a job and wasn't willing to compromise that - even if it costs me a few bucks a month. If there had been more time to find the "perfect job" (what the fuck is that, even?) I may have found a better deal. Or not. I only had one year's experience and no teaching credentials to speak of; I wasn't really entitled to a better job. Either way, it is what it is and I have absolutely no regrets.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Uh oh, the loud black woman is moving into a better area. I'm sure you'll ruin it by pissing and shitting everywhere. And being really fat. You know why Coria sucks, bitch? Because of you. Specifically you. Fuck you. I'd say to move back to Canadia, but they don't want you. Nobody wants you. You're a misanthropic cunt that only whines about everything because you suck. Yet, I keep reading this blog because you suck. And you're not funny...at all.

Anonymous said...

i don't know you, but, like lots of other people, i read your blog. please delete the guy above me's comment. i can't believe someone would even think to post that!

Holly said...

i need your help! i live in seomyeon also..and it's about that time to find a better apt. can you give me the name of a good building? my school will pay up to 5000 key money and 400 a month. thanks so much!:) hahoffmann@yahoo.com

holly said...

oh yeah..i forgot to say..i need it for the end of february..like feb 25th, i think..right now i'm living in han il building..and it's DEFINITELY not great.