Got a cellphone the other day, through the tried and true method of asking someone who has some friends leaving town to score me a free phone. (South Korea uses a mobile phone protocol that's used by pretty much, oh, no one else in the world. In other words, Korean phones are useless outside of Korea.)
This is a big deal, because it can be really tough for foreigners to get phones here--or, more specifically, for foreigners to get phones they can use. You see, several of the big providers here require you to enter your national ID number to set up payment . . . and foreigners don't have a national ID. (No, we tried--alien registration card IDs don't work.) So foreigners either have to get a Korean friend to sign them up for a phone plan, or they have to get phones that are compatible with prepaid plans. . . . so getting a phone from a departing expat is a pretty safe way to go. Only problem is that I'm still getting the occasional text message from the guy's friends. And, his ringtones are awful. But, hey, as far as price goes, you can't beat free.
And, in other news, we've found another menu item that's not too spicy for Nana to eat: seollongtang, which is apparently the Korean equivalent of chicken noodle soup. Basically, a plain rice broth with some chives, a few veggies, and boiled beef. Whereas my latest culinary foray has been into the realm of jjigae, a spicy soup/stew (think spicy tortilla soup, with tofu and lots of cabbage). I can only be grateful that my tastebuds aren't terminally allergic to spice.
Coming soon: Parents' Night (aka, open house). Poor Nana's going to have to entertain the Saudi ambassador. Eek!
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