My first neighbor: "Speedy Delivery"
In Korea, every purchase has the option of free delivery (groceries, furniture, appliances, dry cleaning...you name it) and motorcycles rule the road...they don't have to stop for red lights or pay tolls, they can pretty much park and ride anywhere.
Neighbor #2: "Tan Treats"
This little battery operated tan cart is full of yummy nummys. Anything from hot sausage sticks to cold yogurt. You can find a tan cart on nearly any street in my town. What I find most
endearing about this neighbor is the outfit that matches, right down to the tan hat (can you find hers?) 
Neighbors #3 and #4: "After School Hogwan"
The typical Korean child spends at least three hours a day (after school) in some kind of tutorial academy or "Hogwan". We have two brand new "hogwans" on our block. Some of the most common hogwans are math, English, and piano. It is not unusual for a Korean child (six and up) to study more than six hours a day outside of school.
Neighbor #5: "The Wheat Shop"A fellow bread maker and friend of mine introduced me to this shop that sells whole wheat. It's right around the corner from me! Who knew? Someone once told me, "you can buy anything in Seoul." That may be true, but the trick is finding it.
Neighbor #6: "Mr. Clean"
Right across the street from me is a dry cleaning shop. Every morning at 7 a.m. Jim and I hear him slide his big metal gates to open his shop. During the day when I go out I see him bustling away in his shop, ironing or loading up deliveries. Around 11 p.m, when I am snug in bed, once again I hear the big metal gates. This time they are closing. He is as consistent a
s the waves of the sea, day in and day out. Everyday, but Sunday. He never works on Sunday.Neighbor #7: "Sew Nice Mending"
I'm stuck when it comes to mending. I often look the other way during laundry when I see the dreaded hole in the knees. I pretend they're not there but...
So, I figured the dry cleaner did such a nice job on mending up my dolls he could handle the painful job of patching my children's jeans and sewing on a few buttons. He was nice and
accommodated me at first, then he started to catch my drift: five children = too much mending. On the day that I took yet another stack of clothes into his shop, he shook his head and pointed me to the end of the street. Around the corner, just a few feet from my front door, is a tailor.She didn't seem to mind my stack of work. Here's a picture of her sewing table. Can you find it?
Neighbor #8: "Soedaemun Sobongso"
Sobongso in Korean means fire station. We live right up the street from a fire station. Sobongso is one of the first Korean words I learned. It was really useful when it came to getting me home in a taxi.
Neighbor #9: "Presbyterian Church"
There are two Christian churches on my block. I often see the parking lots full.
Well, these are the people in my neighborhood,
The people that I meet when I walking down the street.
Yes, the people that I meet each day.
(Thank you Sesame Street)
12 comments:
I messed up my first comment. Sorry. What a fun blog. Great pictures. Do you know all these people personally? How are the sausage sticks? Is it noisy? Your neighborhood is much more interesting than Sundance Circle! Natalie could use someone to mend all her kids clothes too. Then I wouldn't have to.
Your neighborhood sounds as inviting as Seseme Street, and lots more exciting than most! I suppose we have all the same people that do all those same exciting things, but none of the fun shops, only houses. You look like you just fit right in! So is paying someone to mend cheaper than buying a new clothes or what? You have a mender and a house cleaner, hmmmm. Are you spoiled in Korea?
Very fun entry, Kim--it's a window to your world. I am most excited about the wheat!!!!!!! Looking forward to seeing more photos of bread. It is nice to learn more about Korea through you--sure miss you.
Kim, I love the customization of vehicles in the 3rd world. They are so innovative and the laws are flexible enough to let it happen. I'll email some photos from Mexico of the vehicles we saw there. Korea is looking like a place we'd like to visit. Say hi to Jim, Jimmy, & the girls.
I will never forgit dressing up in the fire fighter outfit
Love your blog! I didn't know that you took SO many pictures when you were taking pictures that Saturday! Hope you have time to make a new post soon.
You have a lot of useful neighbors in your neighborhood. I haven't even met my neighbors.
Cute post. Sausage stick? SICK! I could definitely get used to the mending lady though. Looks like you've got a great little neighborhood. Thanks for giving me a visual of your neighborhood. Now I can picture your home a little better. Question. Do your kids go to that school after school to study? I doubt it! Studying 6 hours a day at 6 years? Wow!
I love this post, Kim! I should do one of our neighborhood. What a great idea! We have taken a lot of field trips but I usually forget my camera.
It is great to see your neighborhood and hear about Korean lifestyle.
It really is mind-boggling that children spend that much time studying. They really don't have time for much else. In fact, I always thought it was funny when I heard that soon-to-be brides in Korea spend up to three months with their mothers learning all about cooking, cleaning, keeping house, etc. Apparently they never learned these things while growing up because they were studying all the time! I was on an internship in Seoul the summer before I married and my host mother offered to teach me a few things in preparation for my marriage. I did take her up on the Korean cooking lessons!
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