Busan - What's next?

Mall Time!

New day, same old story. I need something from the mall, I want to buy an adapter for my switch. Playing games on the small screen is only half as fun. So off to Lotte Mart. On the way there, I stop by eMart24 and think to myself, 'Hmm, a juice would be good. Something really tasty with fruit and all.' After some searching, I find something. Another point that is different here compared to our place. Asians love food, but they are not as fond of fruit in general as we are, and I can see that even in the prices. The 700 ml organic juice costs 7 €.

Today, I want to gain more experiences, so I decide to take the metro. Google tells me to take Line 양산. Yes, Busan, you are ready for the world... 🤨

On my way to the mall, I cross the intersection, counting. 4 lanes in one direction, 7 in the other. Cars everywhere. This city loves its cars. In one corner, there is a police booth. In the other corner, there is one of the countless sculptures here. The irony of the location is not lost on me...

Busan is ready! For what? 🤔

In Lotte Mart, I don't get what I want. The food court is completely inaccessible to me as a foreigner. I don't expect to be treated like a king, but I am still frustrated. So, I head to the train station, where I should be able to find something to eat at least. Just 200 meters further on the way to the train station, I cross the pedestrian crossing and another driver just ignores it. Above it, there is a sign in huge letters: 'Busan is ready!'. Fairly, it doesn't say what Busan is ready for.
I'm starting to hate this city more and more. So far, I haven't found anything that I like about this city. Not a single unique reason that would ever make me want to come back here. 'Maybe this experience is necessary,' I think, as my navigation leads me through the favela-like streets of this city.

Who let the thoughts out? 🐕

I let my thoughts run free, thinking back to Japan. I miss Japan. Even the worst city there, Osaka, was much more pleasant to me right away compared to what I experience here. Suddenly, something familiar appears. Something I haven't had in a long time. A deja vu moment. I never know what it means, and it disappears as quickly as it came.

It's strange. In Japan, I didn't understand any more than here when it comes to words, language, and writing. But here, my system resists opening up to it, even going through things like I did in Japan. I notice that this city makes me more resistant. Colder. I have hardly had any friendly encounters here or even moments where I randomly had to laugh, grin, or smile. I feel like an oyster, withdrawing into my protective shell.

After eating something at McDonald's, I decide to go back to my room. I didn't expect anything from Maces, but I am still disappointed. It's raining and I don't have a jacket or an umbrella with me. According to the weather forecast, there was no rain expected. My expectations and this city will not be friends. I watch the gray city pass me by. The display boards show a slightly sad poem, either elevated fine dust or ozone values. Just like on the day of my arrival. When I'm in the hotel, I will open my emergency tea and crawl into bed. Apparently, besides a hot shower, these are the only sources of warmth that this city can offer me. I hope the situation improves with tomorrow's move to the next accommodation, also in Busan. Later, I have two phone calls to my home country. It can only get better.

Exchange of thoughts with home 📞

Maybe I shouldn't have let my thoughts off the leash, the current mood is not suitable for it. The premature termination, which I had excluded before, is now an option. When? After visiting Okinawa? I could make do here, that's not the point. But is it worth it?

Another, far more tempting thought occurs to me. Maybe I just trade Taiwan for Japan. I like the idea much better. What binds me to Taiwan? I don't have a contract with this country, nothing that pulls me towards it. In Japan, on the other hand, I was happy from beginning to end and left the country with the feeling that I could stay longer. I let it sink in. The two phone calls help. It will be a night full of dreams.