A whole new experience

2008.10.3.

Oh wakes up to his cel phone alarm clock, then starts to hesitate whether he will go to the office today and take a short trip to Paju with his mentor. He does not have to, but then thinks that it will be a great opportunity to learn lots of things about his work and to be more professional. So, he gets up, jumps in a shower, pops and scrambles two eggs and gulps down a can of tuna, pieces of bread and milk. Munching food, Oh thinks that what is going to be ahead of himself today, not knowing a lot of things are going to transpire.

His mentor is already at work. Oh asks what the itinerary is today. After giving a very helpful lecture to his mentee, as usual, the mentor suggests they hit the road. Oh, of course, calls "Shotgun"

Traffic is not too bad. Sun's beating down on them. Oh's tapping his fingers according to "Nobody" by Wonder Girls.

After wasting 90 minutes, they arrive Paju, pull up the car at the parking lot for this particular restaurant whose food Oh and his mentor need to sample for the special project. Tofu place it is. The place is packed. They wait outside about 5 minutes and are ushered in.

After eating delicious tofu, they hit the road and head over the Heyri, an art village in Paju. Feeling that Heyri is a nice place to hang out, Oh also thinks that Cathy would love this place. He also thinks that he should have taken her here in lieu of Insadong the other day. While his mentor gives Oh a short tour around the place, they end up in a book store looking like a gigantic shed. Oh walks inside and finds that the place is actually really nicely decorated, artistic and architecturally strcutured. He starts to parse a book about Van Gough.

Oh seldom understands art, well, certain types of art, such as drawing, patinting, sculpturing. Surely, they look nice, but never actually deliver life-changing experience to Oh's personal life. However, when Oh continues to read Van Gough's book and runs into some of the most famous portraits, it sorta strikes him. This gets Oh thinking "What am I doing here? Where am I in my life?..." Alas, the place is too swamped to take time and meditate on such philosophical questions. Bummed out a bit, Oh and the mentor walks out of the building and walks more around Heyri.

Getting back on the car, the mentor re-sets the designation to Suwon on his GPS navigation system. Hitting the road again. Living up the little title that his mentee gave him, the mentor, while driving, bombards Oh with a number of advice as to how to live a life, how to excel in his work and whatnot. Most of times, Oh does not like to take advice from people because he is an egoist. But the mentor's advice is different. It is genuine, helpful, detailed, not condescending, but realistic. So Oh just tries to regurgitate every single word coming out of the mentor's mouth.

On his way back to Suwon, Oh notices his cell phone starting to buzz. A text message "Hey, I am throwing a wine party at a Frazer Suite pent house near Insadong, Do you wanna come?" has arrived. It is from Alex one of the mentors in Oh's life. There are three mentors. And this mentor Oh met in the military. He currently works for the VP of SC Banks in Korea as a personal translator. It has been awhile since Oh saw him, so regardless of the possible characteristics of party, Oh wants to go all the way up to Seoul as soon as he arrives Suwon.

But Oh is not sure if he would fit in "Wine Party" and upscale "Penthouse" He is a pretty down to earth guy. At first, Oh thinks that Wine Party is like a private one where these snobbish people gather, sip glasses of wine, exchange businesse cards and look for eligible bachelor(ettes) to sleep with or to get hitched to. But, knowing that Alex is a snob nor a son of a rich family, Oh finds himself lean toward the idea. So Oh calls up Alex and bombards him with questions as to "Who is going to be there? Is there anyone that I know of? What is the dress code? Is there an entrance fee?"

Then Oh arrives Suwon and still is not sure whether to go to Seoul or not. Oh thinks that getting prepped and going all the way up to Seoul is just pain in the ass. But it will even out the fact that he will get to see a good ole friend! Still undecided, Oh leaves the office, saying good bye to and thanking his mentor at work, and heads directly to the gym.

The trainer was not there. So Oh stretches out and starts to work on his quads. Oh asks the front desk clerk about whereabouts of the trainer to which the clerk says that he is one his way back to the gym right now.

The trainer shows up. The gym is empty. Oh thinks that this is a perfect timing to get a free one-on-one lesson. The majority of the gym members just comes to the gym, works out and leaves. Oh, having been taken work-out more seriously, thinks that it would be stupid not to take advantage of the trainer while he can. Oh has been cozying up the trainer and the kid is quite nice and hospitable. Anyways, today Oh needs to work on his shoulders.

The trainer teaches Oh some routines and corrects his postures. Oh, while feeling utmost pain on his shoulders, actually relishes every single moment in that workout makes him feel alive and helps him relieve stress to the great extent. After a 50 min long private lesson, Oh calls it a day, takes a shower, winks at himself in the mirror, jumps out, puts back on the clothes, and comes back home. Then he starts to doll up to go to Seoul.

On the bus to Seoul, Oh is in disbelief, thinking that he rarely goes up to Seoul unless it is very necessary. But now he is. It is not a time-sensitive matter or urgent, either. He just wants to see his good ole friend. Although Alex enticed Oh to come to the party, telling him that they are a lot of eligible, good looking, successful singles at the party Oh just does not really care about them much.

Oh, however, wonders if he by chance could run into her in the middle of Seoul, knowing that she could be in Seoul now. He has lots of things to say to her. Bitterness again.

Upon arrival Seoul, he spots the penthouse right away. He is actually surprised to see that luxurious building standing next to Insadong. He has never noticed the building before. According to Alex, monthly rent is 7,000,000 won. Oh flabbergasts.

He calls Alex who then comes down to the lobby and lets him in by swiping the card. They exchange firm man-hugs. It is always sooo good to see friends.

Reaching the 15th floor, they enter the room. All eyes upon Oh. Oh is obviously nervous. 3 guys and 7 girls. Oh thinks that it is going to be a very interesting night. The night is young and they drink (Oh does not), eat, chit-chat. The first impression that Oh gets is that the party members are snobs. But it turns out to be wrong later. Well, some of them are snobbish.

As times goes by some leave the place. Oh needs to decide whether to go back down to Suwon or just stay up all night with total strangers that he gets on the wrong foot with. Oh is still on the fence. In order to catch the last bus Oh needs to leave right now. But Alex talks him into staying and he falls for it solely because he could talk the night away with Alex.

Around midnight, there are only 4 people left. Two girls and two boys (Oh included). They talk, eat, and drink (Oh still does not). Oh feels left out because except for Oh, they all know each other. They are all co-workers. Actually, the party members are some of the close co-workers of Alex or at least previous ones. So probably 75 percent of time, they talk about their work, other colleagues and trash talk them. Oh starts to pitify them because he thinks it is a bit stupid to talk about your work outside the work. Also, Oh thinks that it is insensitive of them to talk about their work while they are fully aware that Oh has no idea what they are talking about. Office cliques..

It is around 3:20 am and everyone feels tired.

There are four people and only two beds in the place.

Next morning, only in his boxers, Oh gets up and takes a shower. With Alex, Oh leaves the place. The girls are still sleeping in. Alex needs to participate in choir practice at this church near Oh's parents' house. Oh shortly contemplates whether he will head parents' home with Alex. But Oh needs to work out later and above all feels tired. So, after exchanging firm handshakes, Oh and Alex go separate ways and promise to see each other later.

"What a day" Oh thinks.