Finding a part of home in South Africa

Met up with teacher Daniel (the guy who taught me how to read korean) and aunty Juanitta. It was the sort of warmth and familiarity that's been missing which I embraced last weekend when I met the 2 of them. It's funny how a married couple comprising a S Korean who hasn't been home for ages, and a South African can bring you closer to home than all the rest of my acquaintances in Seoul combined. (It does help that both of them have been living in Malaysia for awhile....)


The thing is, I know how some of the locals are very warm and they try their best to make you feel welcomed, but there's a certain limit to what they can do as friends. Very few would actually spend time to go the extra mile. One good example would be the simple act of explaining what the rest are talking about in lunch/dinner conversations; sortof like summarizing what they have been saying the past 5 minutes. Little acts like that can go a long way to make you feel less awkward. I have been poking my nose, every once in awhile, into their conversations but I have a feeling that overdoing it might just push them away from me. That said, one of them.. lets call him Ks- he's from the company. As part of our 동기 (Tonggi- meaning.. siblings, or rather, people from the same batch. In our case, it refers to this bunch of new interns at the company), he's been like an elder brother to me. We've been doing a little language learning exchange thing where he's been teaching me bits of korean whereas I am to teach him mandarin. We've barely taken off with this idea when the announcement came last week. 
He's going to Mexico on Friday. For 6 months. Dammit.
:(


Then there are my colleagues. Somehow, I feel that one of them is always avoiding me. Probably tired of straining to use English with me. We take the same subway home (I'm pretty sure), and yet, there's always an excuse to go to the bookstore, or divert to the shopping mall to get something. I've given up my part. Meh.


It's been a few times now that I felt that the only solution would be to turn to booze. The only thing stopping me now is the lack of companionship- ze very reason why I'm at the bottom of this valley in the first place. 
To list people I know here: the Hanyang AIESECers (most of whom are back home for the holidays, the few who're here are busy LC members planning for the 2011-2012 year), Chan (who's busy with his work and family matters), my office team, a couple of Malaysians on the other side of the river and my tonggi. The weather isn't make things any better either.


So yes, back to the meet-up with Daniel and Juanitta. Although I've only met Daniel for a span of 2 weeks in late September/early October, and despite the fact that Juanitta and I were meeting for the first time, I felt the heavy stones (in my mind, engraved with bold letters spelling 'USELESS IDIOT') being lifted from these shoulders. It was a break I needed. 


Really appreciate the companionship, even if it was only for 5, 6 hours. Thanks teach! :)

Sun Seng Nim> Daniel and his lovely wife, Juanitta. (the Chos)

Now, who's this handsome young man?

Delicious food (except the bowl of tomato... paste/soup)

Chic decor. Pretty good dining outlet if not for the steep price.