The car eased onto the freeway; and it felt free, even though you had to pay for it. Wide open roads stretched out between the fields, under the cool, comfortable blue of the sky.

I was in South Korea. The impressions weren't as intense as I'd expected, but the driver was cruising towards my new life, and my heart surfed on waves of hope and fear.

Suburbs built up around us, starting small, then sprawling. The road curved by a river, a banner on a bridge said Hi Seoul and a party of kites danced above buildings.


That night, I wandered from my Officetel, sleepless but exhilirated. The night was staggering for the morning, and a teenager puked in an alleyway. Laughing groups balanced on the pavement and I walked on, wandering into an anonymous bar.

San Miguel slipped down amongst the Jack Daniels banners and the groups of young Koreans . The barman was convinced that San Miguel was from the Phillipines and pushed ice at me.

'You Phillipines beer. Drink Phillipines stylee! Welcome to Korea. Drink Phillipines stylee!'


I went home , but Korea kept me up, its' flavours and faces flashing in my mind. When the sun rose I felt like I could sleep at last, but I dressed, fastened my tie, and left for the first day of class.