ENVY// AMBW

2.

I never thought about how many stares I would get entering this country. With every turn of my head, fascinated natives stop to get a quick glance at me. Unfamiliar faces, unfamiliar smells, an unfamiliar language. I feel so out of place like a black sheep amongst white cattle.

I should be used to this feeling, but I am not. I'm too afraid to speak. I don't know where to go. I am stuck in the middle of the airport and my journey has just started.

"Amara Sauda Kalu!" Who called my name? Spinning around with my luggage, I hear murmurs from the crowd. Mmm, weird.

"Amara Sauda Kalu!" Once more I turn around, confused and now agitated. Someone must be calling my name, but who? Then, about seven feet away, I see a man holding a sign with my name on it. He's taller than me, maybe 5'11 at most. As soon as he realized that I was looking at him, he starts waving and motioning for me to come to him. I walked acquiescely towards him.

"Annyeong haseyo! My name is Jenn. I am to get you safely from here to your dorm at Dankook. You are Amara correct?" Jenn asked me. He was really good at speaking English, although he had a really thick accent. It was kind of cute, actually.

"Um, yes. It's pronounced a-MAHR-a by the way...but, ugh, you can call me Nala." He pondered the correction for a quick moment. "Nala?" He asked. "Yes. Yes...shall we get going?" I didn't want to sound impatient but it was very uncomfortable having people watching our interaction.

"Yes. Let's get going!" He motioned towards an area that lead outside to where the taxis were picking people up. Yes, let's. Once we finally got a cab, Jenn told the driver where were headed and we were off.

We didn't speak much. Turns out, Jenn didn't speak as much English as I thought he had. The things I wanted to say, I didn't know how to. Note to self: learn Korean. Looking out the window, there was plenty to see. Big signs, bright lights, many parks. At one point, I thought I saw a McDonald's or an interpretation of one I believe.

After an exhausting two hour ride, we finally made it to the University.

This was my home. My new home away from home. This is what I wanted.

"We're here. I'll lead you to your dorm. There you can rest and refresh yourself. You will have someone to show you around later on, if I'm not mistaken." The taxi came to a stop and I grabbed my bags.

Minutes later I'm facing a door or mun, shall I say, that says 209. I was astonished when I entered the room. I was expecting the basic bed, small bathroom and desk, but I was almost entirely wrong. It was a good size to be a dorm room. The bathroom was pretty big too.

I sat my things down and laid on the bed. I was to have the tour with this mysterious person at 6:30. I had about an hour to spare. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

Translation: Annyeong haseyo= Hello!