Shopping

Shopping here comes with many options, all of which are pretty overwhelming to the non-native speaker.  Here is what we've found so far:

(1) The May-jum (that's how it sounds to me, although a google search suggests "pyeo-nui-jeom" is the proper translation for "convenience store").  This is a very small store on campus about 28 seconds from our front door.  They sell milk, glue, Skittles, guitar strings, shampoo, umbrellas, pop, many packaged mystery foods, Coke, aloe juice (really tasty), soccer balls, ice cream cones, WD-40, etc.  Pretty much anything a student might need, and at decent prices.  I love this store.

(2) The city streets.  Want fresh produce (onions, garlic, tomatoes, berries, melons, and lots of foods I can't identify)?  How about fresh seafood?  Some streets - usually those close to the high-rises - are lined with ajeemas (older women in over-sized visors) who squat at the edge of the road/sidewalk to hawk their wares from plastic baskets.  I have not worked up the nerve to buy from these ladies or even to make eye contact.



When waiting for Elisabeth to finish her violin lesson this week, the boys and I explored the local streets and I couldn't resist pictures of a woman whapping her goods with a stringed mop sort of thing.  We have no idea why she did this.  Even the pedestrians seemed amused.

(3) Dream Mart.  (I like to call this "Dream World" because it ALWAYS makes Nick reflexively correct me with "No, it's Dream Mart" and that cracks me up every time.)  This is your basic grocery store - like Fareway for those of you in Iowa, or like a Felpaucsh IGA if you're in Michigan.  But, of course, there's a huge section for seafood, which is displayed up close and personal - complete fish, octopuses on ice, etc.   To get here only requires taking the university's shuttle bus 15 minutes into the city at about $.50 per person each way.  Prices are a little higher than I'm used to in the US, but it's not too bad.  Besides, they have pears the size of grapefruits and apples the size of large oranges.  Super tasty!

(4) Hana-ro.  This is more like your Super Walmart - several stories of goods and services and food, connected by a complex system of escalators (the kids LOVE that the shopping carts have magnets on the wheels so they stay still on the escalators) and elevators.  So complex, in fact, that Sam and I could NOT find the darn food floor today after several trips up and down and around and through every other area.  You had to be there, I guess.  This is only a couple of blocks from Dream World, which is where Sam and I ended up going for food after buying a pillow and a bath towel at Hana-ro.  Why didn't we ask for help, you ask?  Because I only know 5 words in Korean:  Hello, Good-Bye (ok, those are the same word), Thank you, Five Hundred, Change (so, I can basically ask nicely for change to feed the dryer in our building, but that's about it).

Hana-Ro.  And lots of associated little shops.  And food that hides
downstairs unless you find the secret escalator.

(5) Jukdo Market.  I saved the craziest for last.  This is a combination of a super-Walmart and the street-side ajeemas - serious culture shock here, and I didn't are to buy anything

Turn left for Jukdo Market.  Oh, sorry - no left turn here.
(Not that you'd see that tiny sign among all the others on the street.) 

David and Sam (in hat) approaching the open-air Jukdo Market.

There must be miles of booths with sea food, clothes, pottery, camping equipment etc.
On this trip we checked out the seafood aisles.

Most seafood booths/stands had several plates of these little guys (about finger-length) neatly piled up.  Sometimes I would catch an ajeema fluffing up the piles. 

Scary huge crabs that just look at you as you pass.  Remind me not to swim in the ocean here.

Racks and racks of drying fish.  They look like flounder or halibut. 

Huge fish.  We felt like we were in a free aquarium.  One where you could point to a fish and someone would take it out for your approval, whack it a few times, and filet it in front of your eyes.  Nice.

More crabs - the boys could hardly believe the size.  I couldn't believe how much they looked like giant spiders. 

There are apparently other places to shop, but that's our adventures so far.  : )