"Ladies and gentlemen, we have safely arrived at Incheon International Airport..."887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpBoNj9ypR
Somebody pinch me right now! Who would have thought? I just landed in Seoul, South Korea!
I picked up my hand carry bag and exited the aircraft. As I was walking to the airport immigration I looked around me and oh my goodness! Everything was so foreign to me! It was all Korean to me! Hell yeah! I couldn't be more excited!887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHORjosr03
After getting my passport stamped, I proceeded to claim my baggage. While waiting for my luggage to show up at the conveyor belt, I thought about how far I have come. Boy that sure felt like a long-ass time ago!
***
Six months ago...
"A what now?"
"A gap year, mom. I want to take a gap year in South Korea."
The look on her face told me that she was not happy at all with my decision. But I have made up my mind. I will take a gap year and nothing she says will affect my decision.
"Dom, you have one more year left in your studies. Why don't you just finish this year and then we can talk about the gap year?"
"Because when I finish this year, you will start looking for a firm and use everything you've got to get me into it! And when I bring this matter up again you will start this process all over again. I don't even want to do this major to begin with!"
There! I finally confessed to my beloved mother that I was only doing this dreaded law major just to please her. I had a feeling she would give me a lecture about my future any moment now...
"What do you think I'm doing all this for? I'm doing it all for your future! Think about your future, Dom!" BINGO! "The only reason I got you into law school is to ensure you have a bright future! You know how much money lawyers make, don't you? Think about the work you'll be doing! The lives you will be saving! All this could be in your future and you're throwing it away for what? A gap year in China?"
"Mom," I sighed. I didn't want to do this but I guess I had to now. "First of all, it's South Korea. Maybe you should learn how to listen to me when I'm talking to you next time. Second of all, those things you just said to me, those were your dreams! That was what you wanted! Not me! So stop shoving your dreams down my throat!"
"How could you talk to me like that?" Mom looked shocked. Understandable. But it was about time for a reality check, mom!
"Because what I'm saying is true. You can fool everyone but you can't fool me and you can't fool yourself. Whether you like it or not, I'm taking a gap year." I said and got up from my seat. "Oh, and this conversation is over." I added before I walked out of the house to clear my head.887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ryQX60uRp
Well, honestly I think my mom has good intentions. I understand she was doing all this for me because she loves and cares for me. But I have my own dreams and I don't need someone to tell me what to do with my future! No, not even my mom! However, my mom never understands what I tell her. Whatever.
Going to South Korea was not an overnight decision. Ever since I took up Korean as a foreign language a year ago, I found myself getting interested in the country and the culture even though the foreign language study lasted only for a semester. My desire to visit South Korea only grew stronger as my final year in university drew closer and closer. Obviously, a Korean adventure was way more interesting than a stupid, boring law degree or job that guaranteed nothing! I figured just thinking about it was not doing me any good so I did my research and long story short, I found YeonDae University in Seoul and decided to enroll in the Korean language program that the university offered. I did all of this behind my mom's back and only told her about my decision to take a gap year abroad in South Korea during breakfast this morning.
The damage was done. No turning back. The university dropped an offer letter in my email inbox this morning and in a week's time I will be busy getting myself the appropriate visa to start my new life in South Korea. So yeah, I was only informing her and not seeking her permission to go abroad. After all, I'm a freaking adult! I can do whatever I want and she can't say shit, right? Right.
Things were a little awkward during dinner. We were eating quietly, not saying a word to each other unlike the other times where we would talk and joke about things. But not tonight. I expected this to happen since I 'misbehaved' (the term my mom would use) earlier. 887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8ek0aEGsa
"When are you leaving?"
The question took me completely by surprise. I looked up from my plate and looked her in the eye. For a moment, we were just looking at each other blankly.
"Hello? I asked when are you leaving?" mom asked again.
"Oh...uh...so you were expecting an answer, huh?" Suddenly, the feeling of guilt washed over me. Shit. I regretted saying those things to her in the morning.
"What do you think I was doing?" She rolled her eyes. Ha! That was cute.
"Before that, I just...I just wanna say I'm sorry, mom. I shouldn't have said those things to you earlier this morning."
"Oh Dom, I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't be forcing you to do something you don't like. And I'm actually glad you told me how you feel this morning. I didn't know that I was acting so selfishly the whole time. I'm so sorry I was being a bitch to you, Dom."887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwvjz4Hr8U
"Huh? Mom! Don't call yourself a - " I blushed. "A bitch." Seconds later, we burst out laughing. "Well, I can tell them I don't want to go anymore and ask for a refund."887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOx7RdXGj9
"Are you crazy? I'm gonna smack you in the head if you do that! Don't waste your time and money like that, okay? Go for it, Dom. You deserve this. And make sure you come home speaking Japanese like a pro, okay?"
"Mom! I'm going to South Korea, not Japan, not China! You really should learn how to listen."
"Ugh! Whatever. They all sound the same to me. Anyway, I really mean it. Go for it."
"Aww...mom!" I went over and gave her a huge hug. That was the best thing she had ever said to me. Damn! I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
Isn't she the best mom ever?
***
"...and fill up this form as well. Please return it to me by this evening. Thank you and have a nice day."
"Thank you."
I took the accommodation agreement and inventory checklist from the lady at the reception and went up to my room located on the fifth floor, which was where all the boys' room were. I took the elevator to the fifth floor and searched for my room. It was only four rooms away from the elevator. I saw my name on display on the door's name plate. Dominik Daly. I almost cried. It felt so surreal! I took my phone out from my pocket and snapped a photo of the name plate. Dominik Daly just made history, y'all! My eyes briefly stopped by my next door neighbor's name plate. Grayson Lee. Hmm...interesting.887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgdrMddcil
I tapped the key card that was issued to me on the reader that was attached to the door handle. I opened the door to reveal a cozy bedroom with a study desk, a single bed, a closet and a private bathroom. I fell in love with the room right away! Even though the room was much smaller compared to my bedroom at home, it was perfect to say the least. 887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ42eE0ovq8
Time to unpack! 887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFo0TESoxa
---
My alarm went off at 7:30 a.m. I turned it off and headed to the bathroom for a quick wash up. Class starts at 9 a.m. so I had some time to do some exploring before I hit the books. I changed into a smart casual outfit and headed to the 24-hour convenience store located at the basement of the dormitory building to get some food.
The convenience store was simply amazing! You can buy almost everything you need there! I got myself a tuna mayo triangle kimbap and a banana milk. The cashier scanned the items and the amount I had to pay was 3500 won. Okay...let's see...
Shit.
Fuck.
FUCK!
I used up all my Korean won yesterday and forgot to exchange some of my dollars for the local currency! I literally had zero cash on me and my dollars certainly would not work here!
"Sir, 3500 won, please," the cashier said.
"Yes...um..." I fumbled in my wallet, hoping I could maybe find something useful.
"You can pay with card if you don't have cash." A deep voice from behind me said.
"Really? Tha - " Before I could say 'thank you', my breath was taken away by the beautiful creature that was standing behind me. Those deep, hazel eyes, those chiseled features and that body... he was legit a Greek god! What did he do to me? I can't move or talk!
"Here's 5000 won. That's enough for the kimbap, the banana milk and this mocha." The Greek god placed a 5000 won bill on the counter and smiled at me. Oh my God! Please! That smile! I just died! "Don't forget your stuff."
Goddamn it, Dominik Daly! Snap out of it! Don't embarrass yourself!
Before I could say a word, the Greek god left and I quickly collected the kimbap and milk and exited the convenience store. I went outside the building and found a quiet little spot to eat my breakfast. I thought about the incident that just transpired. What the hell? A hotter than hot stranger just told me I could pay with card and even paid for my food and smiled at me and....what exactly was happening?
Calm down, Dom. Calm. The. Fuck. Down. Yes, that's better. Finish that milk and go to class!887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dBQzVgglH
I walked to the school lobby where students crowded around several mobile notice boards with papers stuck on them. I moved closer to have a better look and it was information regarding the class placement. Since I decided to start learning from the very beginning, I looked at the notice board marked as Level 1.
Class 1-4
1. Ahn, Rachel Sujung887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgyGh33PdS
2. Alexeev, Karina887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknv7CNHU2K
3. Bunyasarn, Patcharee887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOefYvvSt8X
4. Chan, Ying Ying887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMen4nuADE
5. Daly, Dominik887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoQp1a8rj7
6. Dan, Wai Ping887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnBZJRoroi
7. Dawson, Amber887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QoqVBp3GP
8. Fong, Heather Wing Kei887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsjOuJpEDy
9. Lee, Grayson887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFZN1XoG0z
10. Mori, Sakura887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8Jt5uBSrD
11. Nguyen, Thao887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOEELCdKWn
12. Sato, Kanako887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13mwuiZkKa
From the looks of it, it seemed like there was a huge international presence in the class. While I can't tell exactly by some of the names if they were male or female, I could still see that there were more females than males. 887Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcSz21ZTZu
Grayson Lee? That Grayson Lee from next door? I wonder how he looks like.
I walked to my class with my tote bag, thinking about how wonderful this gap year will be. This was my best decision ever! I was already so pumped for the first class! I would do so well and I would learn so much! Just wait and see! I just couldn't wait to -
Oh.
My.
GOD!
IT WAS HIM AGAIN!
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