Every time I move to a new country, I make a point of frequenting a local shop or restaurant in the hopes of developing a sense of familiarity with the staff. It's sort of pathetic, but fills the void of not being surrounded by a large number of friends or any family at all. In Korea I found this with the Kimbap Lady. In Japan, I had a Dunkin' Donuts lady (Yes, this was the least Japanese venue I could possibly have made a point to frequent. They had a good breakfast deal). Here, I had Cell Phone Guy. Of course, my going to the cell phone shop to creep on teenagers every other day would have been weird for everybody, so have substituted this with always going to the same supermarket and cafe; I have a few favorite employees at each who smile when I come in. It's not much, but in a city where it's rare to catch a smile, it will do.
1 comment:
Hi BWB -
I know what you mean. I ate BiBim Bap at the same restaurant for two weeks after I arrived in Ichon, S.Korea, just because the lady greeted me in English. Then I realised there were about 200 other dishes available and 500 other restaurants, and did some exploring.
Best of luck,
Francis
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