Oooooh Waygooken

Yesterday i was meandering around my new favorite store.... an art store.  It is way more than art, a little of everything and more.  I walked up the steps and towards the back of the room and this girl who was maybe six years old saw me.  Her mom walked before her and then girl looked my way, stopped, starred and slowly began to say, "Waygooken."  She said it softly and slowly while taking in my appearance.  She acted as if I was Santa Claus or Big Foot, like, "Ooooh, they do exist."  I stared back at her, taking her in as well.  I smiled back, and kinda chuckled.  She ran to tell her mom she just the one and only Waygooken.
I will remind you that waygooken means foreigner.  This was my first waygooken experience.  Im sure there will be many more to come.

Ulsan, is not as diverse as Seoul.  In fact there is hardly any diversity.  To paint the picture a little better pretend you are the only one of your kind.  You are abducted by aliens.  Aliens that all look almost identical from afar.  You're surrounded by thousands upon thousands and forced to live on their ship.  No one else looks like you.  No one else talks like you.  Then you are walking down the hallway where there are hundreds of aliens all around you, and out of the corner of your eye you seem one of your own.  You are so excited to want to run over and hug them!  But really you cant fight the crowd, and all you can do is waive from afar.

Ok, so its not that extreme.  Im just bored.  But it is true, every time i see another waygooken i at least say hi and sometimes i wish to stop and introduce myself in hopes that they do the same.  Whenever i go out to downtown, 8 out of 10 times i will see one other foreigner.  Most of the time they are an older gentleman and my guess is that they work for Hyundai.

Its kinda like a real life Where's Waldo :)  Wheres the waygooken?!