My Morning Commute

Last year, when I talked about Seoul, one of the aspects I spoke most highly of was the subway. "It is so clean! And it has both heat and AC! It's just so convenient and easy to get around on," said a year ago me. Well, none of those things have changed but my attitude sure has. I mean, the subway is still one of the best I've ever been on, but yeah...riding every day definitely puts me in a love hate relationship.

The love part is pretty easy to explain. Cleanliness, music, heating, and many other great things (like discount shopping in stations). Here, I'll let Michael sing to you about it...

And the hate part. Well, not to talk down about the "ahjussi," but sometimes they make my subway experience less than enjoyable. For those of you who don't know, an Ahjussi is a 40-50 year old man. It really applies to any 40-50 year old man, but the word is usually also associated with a Soju riddled man of this age. Soju, Korean rice liquor, is ridiculously cheap and the beverage of choice in the Ahjussi community. 

So, when the subway is particularly crowded an an Ahjussi cuts in front of me to grab the only open square foot of room in the subway (or to make a spot for himself in my personal bubble), I know I'm going to be breathing in Soju breath and cigarette smell the entire way to school. Granted, I think this is pretty standard on any morning commute in public transportation, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant.

Also, since personal space is "less of a big deal" here in Korea and staring is not rude, that always makes it fun to ride to and from school. Although, to be fair, usually, the ahjussi spends his subway ride harmlessly sleeping...and saving room for cats.

Meow?

And, of course, there's the constant companion of Plastic Surgery advertisements. My feelings about plastic surgery in Korea are a little bit complicated, but it never makes me entirely comfortable to see 3 different ways to change my face on my way to school.

So, all in all, my morning commute isn't so bad. It is fast, convenient and affordable. But, before morning coffee and sunrise when I'm going to school on Monday, everything sucks.