Day 23:
Short version: a bunch of relatives on my dad's side and I visit my grandfather's grave, and have lunch.
Long version:
Grandpa's grave, or well, resting place, was in Suwon. Which meant about an hour's worth of car ride from my grandmother's house, which was about an hour's worth of subway + bus from my aunt's house where I'm staying. I'm riding a lot of transportation this month.
It was my first time visiting my grandfather after he passed away. When I visited Korea two years ago, he was still alive, and I can still remember his voice. It was still kind of surreal.
I also saw a bunch of my cousins who I haven't seen in a while. Three of us were college students, one in med school, one working, and one working and doing a master's degree. And it seems like yesterday when I was a wee elementary school kid and the older cousins were talking about college and high school. There were only about half of us, but it was still pretty fun.
Going to the restaurant wasn't too fun, though. Traffic jam in a narrow road, seemingly rural-ish area (nothing but plants and small rivers and loads and loads of restaurants), and taking forty minutes to go to a place just within sight's reach because a car in the front got a flat tire. Wonderfully carsick.
It was pretty neat meeting and chatting with my cousins like that in a group. Now that everyone (in the restaurant) was in their twenties and thirties, we were all more open with each other in terms of coversation, and I seriously haven't talked and laughed like that in a big group since... the end of sophomore year. God, I'm such a sad, sad person.
It was also amusing how my relationship status seemed to be something akin to "classified information, limited personnel allowed"; when my uncle (dad's oldest brother) asked if there were any guys who had a crush on me (as if that would realistically happen in most situations), my aunt (dad's youngest sister) was skirting on the subject but not really saying it directly, which completely flew over my uncle's head. I think. Or perhaps it was because she saw me hesitate for a second at that question. But really, I don't know if I want to let my uncle know, since well, given his personality and mindset, there's a chance that he wouldn't take it too well, and who knows what he'll tell me then. The people who know it seems fine with it, though. AND WHY DO I HAVE TO FRET MYSELF OVER THIS? If a stranger reads this, they might think I'm dating a criminal on the run or something, instead of, well, a smart, sane, ordinary guy. I MEAN GOD WHY IS THIS COMPLICATED.
Day 24
It has finally come; the time of cicadas. Wherever I walk past trees, I start to hear that unmistakable high pitch, creepy-looking insects serenading each other so that they can hitch it off before they die. CICADAS! Run away from the trees! Lest you see them, and heaven forbid, fall onto your head or shoulder after failing to find any mates!
More translating and odd jobs ensued, as usual. Though I was given the task to translate the closing speech for the adoptee summer camp program, as well as pronounciation guides for some words after I was done. Wow, well, I'm flattered that they asked me to do such a task.
I'm glad that I'm seen as a competent worker during the short time I'm here, at least. That makes me know that 1) I'm actually doing things right, and 2) makes me feel accepted here at the very least, at the state where I am not too chummy enough (or unknown, even) with most UM Korean students to hang out with them, and my only friend available here suddenly stops all contact mid-July and disappeared from the face of the earth. Seriously, is there somewhere on my fortune that says, "has a seriously pathetic social life; attracts only very few friends in lifetime, somebody take pity on this person"?
On a completely different note, the urge to karaoke alone is rising. How sad is that?
