Going from living alone to living with someone is weird. At first you feel like you have no personal space, so it needs a bit of getting used to. Going the other way, however, seems to be even worse. Helena hasnt left yet, Ive still got the pleasure of her company for another four days, but her week in Malaysia gave a taste of whats to come. Coming home from work on a weekday to an empty house never seemed lonely before, but I hate it now.
Of course, theres only one-way to deal with that: get out of the house. Its been a long time since Ive been so sociable: pub quizzes, drinking on weeknights, magazine meetings that basically involve long winding conversations about nothing. Nice in a way, but I dont like having to work so hard to shake the empty house feeling.
Friday was a particularly messy one. If youre ever in Seoul and somebody suggests going to Pollys Kettles politely turn them down and head rapidly towards the nearest fire escape. Whilst I could hardly claim this was my first time, any place that mixes bad quality Soju with even worse quality fizzy stuff in quantities most easily measured by the litre is best avoided, especially when you have to work the next day. Ive never seen three more hung-over people attempt to teach English on a Saturday morning. Not to be repeated, me thinks.
On Saturday night I went to watch FC Seoul, which is always a great excuse for not spending Saturday night drowning in beer in Hongdae (which frankly Im a little sick of ). They seem to be finding form, and predictably put away the Korean military team, Gwangju, 3-1. A military professional football team could only exist in Korea. For military service they are trained as athletes by a sergeant, play in the top football league in Korea (often humiliatingly badly) and consider it to be a completion of their mandatory military service. I cant help thinking those who do it properly might be a little peeved.
Helenas back now, and this week is going to be a very busy one making the most of our last few days before nearly two months apart. No doubt Im going to be completely exhausted by the end of it, but itll be worth it. Its starting to feel like the end (of time in Seoul, obviously!) is nigh Id better get on with making the most of it!
J x