i like the sky

yes, i live in the sky. it's the highest up i've ever lived and i like it on the 13th floor, which beats my college dorm 12th floor abode. thankfully it's much bigger than a college dorm- 3 bedrooms (albeit one is the size of a large closet-- and also happens to be the only room with a closet), a kitchen, and a living room which looks empty even with a loveseat, a wide flatscreen television occupying a large stand, and a tall freestanding air conditioner (the likes of which i've never seen before).

my apartment is lined by balconies on two sides. the balconies are enclosed by sliding full-wall windows. the warm, breezy, and sometimes humid summer air (depending on how recently the last rain has fallen) moves straight through since i keep all the windows open. i can hear sounds. today there was a lot of yelling in korean coming from a megaphone. i have no idea what sort of announcement it was, but it went on intermittently for hours while i scrubbed every dish in my cabinet. the previous inhabitants cleaned their things out, but they didn't clean. my mom taught me how to clean. how to clean well. so when i moved in, i went about systematically cleaning the refrigerator, the cabinets, the bathroom, etc.

luckily, i had some help. i thought i would be living by myself in this apartment, but one of the other teachers from the school where i work is also living here. well, sleeping here. she goes to her parent's home in seoul every weekend. monday through friday, she teaches from 10 in the morning til dinnertime and tutors til midnight. so really i live by myself with a ghost of a house guest. every time i've seen her at home she has brought me a treat. the first time was boiled corn and yogurt. the second time, a banana and two plums. anyway, when she moved in, her mother came down from seoul and cleaned the apartment. washed all the linens, scrubbed the floors three times. like my mom would do if i needed her help.

now that all is clean and tidy, i spent the rest of my sunday free time in the apartment reading 'the girl who played with fire' with some coffee, relaxing on the balcony, surrounded by my clothes hung out to dry. and of course writing this. i will write more soon because there is much to tell-- about the school, my visits to seoul, and the incredible (in both good and bad ways) food. but for now, must get back to my book.