A Plague o' Both Your Houses!!!!

I won't lie, the title that I chose for this post is completely deceiving. I used the Shakespearian reference to introduce the newest character in my life: Juliet, my Korean tutor. I was referred to her by my boss, who met with her for quite some time during his stay here, in Incheon. He gave me her name and number and told me her name was "May." The entire time I was communicating with her via phone calls, I had been calling her May, oblivious to the fact that she had changed her English name to Juliet. I was completely confused when I received an email from the address "Korean Juliet," and thought that maybe May had set me up with another tutor. When I finally met Juliet, I realized through voice recognition that May and Juliet were one in the same.
Anyway, she had sent me some websites to get started on my own, practicing reading and writing mostly. She was impressed that I had actually listened, and studied before meeting with her. She also was saying that she is very happy to teach people like me because there are many foreigners in Korea that come to this country and have absolutely no intention of learning the language. I have come across many expats who have that exact mantra: something to the effect of, "I'm just going to basically party in another country with other westerners, and not bother learning the culture while I'm here." I hope to show Juliet that we are not all that way.
My boss described her English as being "good enough." That choice of wording is definitely not generous enough for Juliet's capabilities. Her accent is very minimal and she has very few grammatical errors; her English is phenomenal in my opinion. We are now going to meet once a week for about two hours. She said if I am doing well that we can change it to twice a week. She charges 40,000 won/month. This is less than $40/month...for a private tutor. That is insanely cheap. Not to mention that she gave me a book and a syllabus. She told me she had a feeling that I would be very good at speaking Korean. Not exactly sure how she would have gathered that, but I took it as a compliment nevertheless.
I'm very excited that I met Juliet because she not only will help me learn Korean, but is another opportunity to have some local friends. I don't think I would get as much out of this experience if I did not meet more Korean friends. Her and I are having lunch together on Saturday and then going to a yoga class together. She works for a Cultural Activities center and this will be the center's first go at yoga. She wants me to meet her young friend who teaches the class, she apparently also is 22 and "has the same hair style and fashion as me." She said that we would really like each other. Who knows? I'm always down for yoga.
We met at Juan station--which looks like the Spanish name for John, I know, but is pronounced "Chuwon." I left early because I wasn't sure exactly how long it would take me to get there. It ended up taking less than 10 minutes by cab. I had a lot of time before we were supposed to meet so I shopped around a little bit in the underground shopping center. The stands in the subway stations and markets have loads of knockoff designer things that have something just a little bit off about them. For example "Marc by Marc" sans Jacobs is everywhere. While leafing through the bargain sweatshirts today, I came across a Boston Masschubatts sweatshirt. That is not my typo, that is what it said. Then I came across a cubs sweatshirt:



Click on the image if you cannot see the small print. Note: Major League Baseboll. 5,000 won? Don't mind if I do! This way I can wear this awkward Cubs knock-off if I ever (for what reason? I don't know) venture to Wrigley. I know half my family is probably yelling at the computer screen for this blasphemous post about the Chicago Cubs. It's not even real, get over it.