I had a craving for Korean food, finally, today, so I went to Kim’s place, owned by South Koreans. The woman who runs it speaks Korean, Japanese, and a little of Russian. It’s good that she knows Japanese because a lot of Japanese people come to the restaurant.
My taxi driver, a local Uzbek, spoke Korean… pretty well, too! (he had worked there) He asked me “what is ‘straight’” in Korean (as in the direction). I said “i don’t remember!” and then confessed that I was actually Korean from America. DUH, now I remember – chook.
At the restaurant, I’m feasting on my bi-bim-bap, reading Russian Glamour, and cringing at the LOUD, OBNOXIOUS, DRUNK South Koreans sitting behind me, gabbing in Korean. Interspersed throughout, one guy keeps yelling “debushki! debushki!” (ladies! ladies!) and then “oobiraete! oobiraete!” (clean up! clean up!)… meanwhile, I’m shaking my head, wanting to turn around, wag my finger at them and say “CHEMPI CHEMPI!” (shame, shame, in Korean). A group of Uzbeks are sitting at another table, looking very amused… and sitting besides me on both sides are two groups of Japanese people, sitting quietly, talking quietly, eating quietly…
I finish my bi-bim-bap, and four people, separately, come and ask me “do you want tea or coffee?”… twice in Korean, once in Uzbek, and once in Russian.
I get my coffee and continue to read Russian Glamour…
While I type this, I’m watching Syriana, an excellent but disturbing movie. G. Clooney is getting himself BEAT UP right now (Sorry, Yeri-Sama)… and I’m wanting to learn Arabic, Farsi, and visit a certain country that borders Afgh, Turkmen, and Iq. I was supposed to go there this past spring but wasn’t able to. I’m cringing as they pronounce “Kazakstan” with a long “a”, like “Kazak – staaan” (“a” like apple) instead of “Kazak-staaan” (“a” like armor). Didn’t they see the Borat movie?
Hmph. You know, going back to the US and A is going to be hard, but if I lived in NYC, I could “travel” to each of these countries regularly, taking the 7 train. Can’t wait!
