I didn’t specifically address it in the last post, but the sharp-eyed reader may have noticed that I slipped in another four nights at the hostel in my itemized travel costs. I had only originally only wanted to make sure I had a place to sleep for the extent of the CNY holiday (in case half of China decided to visit Seoul) while being optimistic about figuring out better accommodations from an on-the-ground position. However, I’m quite enjoying my stay and, quite frankly, am a little too lazy to move out.
A large part of my “lethargy” (e.g. not running around the streets of Seoul, exploring various neighborhoods and hiking mountains) is that living in the hostel is better than the most state-of-the-art virtual reality presentation of a Korean soap opera. There is so much drama, and I’m dying to see how it all plays out.
In broad strokes, there is a bit of upheaval in the staffing at the hostel. A new partner joined the ownership team in December and has proceeded to attempt to maximize returns on the capital by egregiously exploiting the foreign “volunteer” team. We are already on the third manager since I moved in and with all three still living in the house, there is the potential for a showdown over back wages or eviction at any moment.
Of course, there are also a number of guests who pay by month, effectively making them long-term residents of the hostel. All of whom are characters in their own right, engaging in what can best be described as quirky behavior such as keeping nocturnal hours.
Anyways, the day was spent much the same as every other. I had a decent lunch, a 9 km run, and a healthy dinner.
| Bibimbap | 6000 W |
| Coffee (Americano) | 3500 W |
| Cajun Chicken Salad (GS25) | 2700 W |
| Kimchi | 1950 W |
| Total: | 14150 W (85.6 RMB) (USD 12.67) |
Running Total: 3974 RMB (USD 588)
Daily Average: 265 RMB (USD 39)