Korean

A Korean restaurant in Mapo in April, the two families at one table and Eli meeting Su-a's parents: so you're Eli, sit; it's an honour to meet you, Father; we've heard a lot, your Korean is good; I'll ask you the words I don't know; I'll bring my parents too, to greet you; where will you two live; near here, we're looking in Mapo; take good care of our daughter; I will.

A wedding planner's desk by Gongdeok station: which month are you thinking of; a Saturday in May; the second Saturday of May at eleven is free; when is the meal; the meal is scheduled downstairs, right after; and the bowing room, the bows to the parents; the bowing room is scheduled after the meal; then the second Saturday of May.

Mrs. Park's kitchen, the invitation drafted with Ji-yeong: an invitation opens with a greeting; we ask that you bless our first step; does everyone write it like that; everyone, then the day, the place and the parents' names; my parents' names in Korean letters too; yes, the groom's parents on the left; we would be grateful if you came, and the map; two hundred copies, printed by Friday.

Vice-principal Oh's office at the middle school: Vice-principal, may I have a moment; come in, sit; I'm getting married in May, I have a big favour to ask; say it; I was wondering whether you could be our officiant; me?

The Mapo district office, a form on the counter: the marriage report, one copy, and both identity cards; my foreigner card and my passport; for a foreign groom, one certificate and one translation; from the embassy, one copy of each; and two witnesses sign here; our two friends signed last night; about a week, then print the marriage certificate; we'll print three, for the visa and the school.

A shop for the traditional dress, Grandma choosing: he's tall, give him a longer one; this one is on the long side, try it on; the sleeves are on the tight side; the sleeves of the dress tend to be wide, let me see; Grandma, the colour is on the bright side; a wedding should be bright; buy it, wear it at Seollal and bow to me; then we'll buy it, Grandma.

Mrs. Park's flat, Eli's parents just landed and every question passing through Eli: ask your mother whether the flight tired her; a little, but she's glad to be back; tell her to stay here; she says she doesn't want to be a bother; your father is asking what this dish is; tell him braised ribs, and to eat a lot; he says it's the best he has ever eaten; tell him to say that again on Saturday.

The wedding hall by Gongdeok station, Min-jun at the microphone and Vice-principal Oh officiating: we will now begin the wedding; the groom will now enter, applause please; do you vow to love, in sickness and in health; yes, I vow; does the bride vow the same; yes, I vow too; I declare the two of you husband and wife; the couple will now bow to both families' parents.

The bowing room after the meal, dates and chestnuts in a bowl: live well, the two of you, and don't fight; we'll live well, Grandma; now the dates and chestnuts, hold out the skirt; how many are you throwing; dates for daughters, chestnuts for sons, nine; we caught only five; five is plenty, may you be healthy and happy; come to Jeonju often, with my great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Park's table the morning after the wedding, Ji-yeong with the guest book: the guest book and the envelopes, let's count; fifty thousand, one hundred thousand, two hundred thousand; Vice-principal Oh, five hundred thousand; that's a lot, we give it back at his daughter's wedding; my school gave one million together; how much in all; ten million three hundred and fifty thousand won; the hall's balance is six million, the rest to your deposit.

Mrs. Park's table and the question of where the newlyweds will live: live here with us for a while, we need a place of our own, the nearer the river the dearer, the nearer Su-a's office the better, the older the building the smaller the deposit, a small flat near the market, the nearer the stall the more side dishes, and that's a threat, not an offer.

A cafe with Min-jun and the two ways to rent in Korea: full deposit or monthly rent, explain the full deposit again, a big deposit only and no rent, you get it all back after two years, a villa in Mangwon is three hundred million, as much as three hundred million, or fifty million deposit and nine hundred thousand rent, we have thirty million and the rest is a loan, monthly rent then with the deposit as big as we can.

A phone call to an estate agent by Mangwon station about a two-room villa by the river: Mangwon Real Estate, I'm calling about the two-room by the river, it's still available, could you tell me how much the deposit is, fifty million and nine hundred thousand with the maintenance fee separate, may I ask when we could see it, tomorrow at six and are you coming alone, with my wife, see you tomorrow.

A new one-room near Hapjeong with the estate agent: a new building two minutes from the station, it is new but it's a one-room, it is near but outside the window is a wall, at midday it's bright, it is bright but there's no wall for a bookshelf, I have two thousand books, a translator's home needs walls, it is clean but we'll look at the villa in Mangwon, and the villa at six then.

The third floor of an old villa by the river path in Mangwon, the estate agent, a neighbour on the stairs: the couple who lived here left last month, are you the ones here to see the flat, yes we came after seeing the listing, the couple who lived here were quiet and the walls are fine, the room we saw yesterday was dark, from here you can see the river, the window I liked in the photo is it this one, that one and the river path is below, this is the flat.

The estate agent's office by Mangwon station, the owner on the phone through the agent: the owner asks nine hundred thousand, would it be all right to raise the deposit and lower the rent, seventy million and eight hundred thousand, fine for two years she says, I'll ask the owner, would the first of July be all right, we'd be grateful if you did the wallpaper, the first and the wallpaper are fine she says, then seventy million and eight hundred thousand for two years.

The lease read line by line at the estate agent's office: the lessor, the lessee, the address above, the balance paid on the move-in day, the contract money paid today, the lessee returns the premises as received, the lessor returns the deposit on the day you leave, what does the above mean, the house written above and it means this flat, stamp every page with your seal and Eli signs instead, a signature is fine and the owner has stamped.

Moving day at the villa, with Mr. Kim's taxi, Min-jun and a ladder truck: have you packed the books and how many boxes, all packed and ready and twenty boxes, the ladder truck is parked outside, the big things through the window, I've left the kitchen boxes open and the cups are on top, where shall I put the bookshelves, along the big wall and I've marked it with tape, Father I've put drinks in the fridge, then let's finish before they get warm.

The Mangwon community centre and the move-in report: it must be made within fourteen days, we moved on the first and here's the lease, your foreigner card and it's processed today, the fixed-date stamp on the lease, from today your deposit is protected, the certificate is issued right away, does my wife have to come too, her report was received this morning, then we're done and thank you.

The housewarming at the villa with Ji-yeong, Min-jun and Grandma: toilet paper and detergent so that everything goes smoothly, thank you and we almost ran out, I almost got lost and every villa here looks the same, I nearly fell on the stairs and the third floor, Grandma sit by the window and you can see the river, I almost forgot the rice, Mum sent kimchi in three kinds, I came empty-handed, two hands are enough and eat.

In his office, Vice-principal Oh tells Eli that a high school in Mapo is looking for a teacher: a full-time teacher, someone worth trusting, is he up to it, the recommendation is worth reading too, the contract ends in August, that's why he's telling him now, and the papers go this week.

At the table in the new flat, Su-a lists what Eli needs to apply to the high school: to apply, a CV, in Korean, will you check it, to become a teacher you have to have the degree certificate, the apostille he'll apply for, the criminal record certificate too, to get it in time apply today, the health check, to work the marriage visa comes first, six papers, the longest first.

At the immigration office, Eli's number comes up and he changes to the marriage visa: applying for the marriage visa, the marriage certificate and his wife's family register, how long since the marriage was registered, a month, how long the decision takes, within three weeks and the card by post, may he sign a contract before the card comes, and from today with the receipt.

In the principal's office at the high school, with Ms. Jang beside him, Principal Han interviews Eli: he has heard a lot about him, tell me about your teaching in America, three years of science, about the science classes in English, experiments in English at the Jeju camp, about the students who are tired, a tired student wakes up for an experiment, and a call by Friday.

At the high school's admin office with Ms. Jang, the clerk goes through Eli's terms: the pay is set according to the salary scale, which step, step four and the three years count, eighteen hours a week by the timetable, the vacations and the four insurances, duty days according to the school rules, deducted by law, severance pay after a year, and every line read on Monday.

In the principal's office, Principal Han and Ms. Jang take Eli through the contract clause by clause: party A the school and party B the teacher, the term a year from the first of September, in case the contract is renewed, in case of agreement a year at a time, in case of a Saturday event a weekday off, in case of illness a doctor's note and paid leave, in case the twenty-fifth is a holiday the day before, then the signatures on each page.

In the middle school's staff room at the end of August, Vice-principal Oh asks for a word: Eli has come to be leaving, he has come to be teaching at the high school, thanks to this staff room he came to speak Korean, and came to be married too, now he argues in Korean, the students made a book of letters, he'll read it at home or he'll end up crying, and crying is allowed today.

Eli's first class at the high school, and a student who tests the new teacher: hello everyone, I'm teacher Eli, are you American, yes from America and colder than Seoul, how long have you been in Korea, three years and next time ask in English, is today an experiment, yes let's and come to the front, me, you, everyone watch and don't touch the water.

At the admin office, the clerk hands Eli his first pay slip, then Su-a does the sums at home: payments on the left and deductions on the right, basic pay three million and allowances three hundred thousand, the total three million three hundred thousand, deductions of pension, health insurance and income tax, total deductions four hundred thousand, net pay two million nine hundred thousand on the twenty-fifth, rent eight hundred thousand and the loan five hundred thousand, and the rest is theirs.

On the villa's stairs, the neighbour from the second floor stops Eli and Su-a: her son talks of nothing but the water experiment, he saw it through the classroom window, is there a science class for children nearby, none and Eli is thinking of opening one on Saturdays, the shop by the market has been empty since spring, Su-a is thinking they should look, Eli is thinking of calling the owner tomorrow, and her son is the first pupil.