The Witch and the Wardrobe

On our first night in Korea we were asked if were satisfied with our apartment, we said we were. The truth be told I think we would have agreed to just about anything after thirty hours of travelling.

During the initial couple of days we felt that our apartment was small, but tolerable. After all we had been fore warned that apartments in South Korea are tiny. But then we met James and Barbara, James and Barbara who live next door enjoy a much bigger apartment on only one salary.

Understandably we were not happy, Jessica especially. We complained and were told it would be ‘difficult’ (to move), as far as my co-teacher was concerned this was the end of the discussion – but we remained unhappy. Then we found out that while only my school is paying for the apartment Jess will receive her monthly apartment allowance in cash. “Brilliant”, I said, “we get paid to live in a small apartment.” By this stage our apartment was not feeling so small to me, especially since I had just completed three months of varying degrees of squatting. Jess remained unhappy, my argument that receiving extra money was ‘cool’ fell on deaf ears.

In stepped James and Barbara, how I love them – my saviours. In one night of talking about their fantastic travels they may just have convinced Jess that accepting the dosh and putting it towards a holiday is adequate compensation.