Is it chilly in here?

When I moved to Korea I did not bring a coat. It wasn't a priority when I was packing in the Florida heat, and even if I hadn't given my coat to Goodwill weeks before I left, I might have still vetoed it to save space. Now with the temperature starting to drop in the evenings, I wish I had one. Unfortunately, I have inexplicably set my heart on a pumpkin orange, wool coat that would be a rare find in Busan where the current trend is faux-army apparel, blacks, grays and blues. I remain optimistic, of course.

Yesterday I set out in search for a fall jacket in an underground shopping mall connected to the subway. Boy, who knew shopping was so difficult with a language barrier? Prices were easy; most of the shopkeepers would type it into a calculator to show me (I'm working on my korean numbers, but not quite there yet!). What was difficult was that most of them were very eager to help me find exactly what I was looking for and have you ever tried to mime "well I'd like something thicker, waterproof and under 70 dollars... preferably not in animal print"?

The women's coats all have this really hilarious drawstring feature that cinches in the waist and bottom hem of the jackets. I would try one on and undo the drawstrings to see what it looked like un-cinched (as I would be wearing it), only to have the shopkeepers "tsk tsk" and immediately re-do them up .... while it was still on me! I stopped in a men's store where I thought I might have more luck and ran into some more communication issues. The sales associate kept motioning above my head indicating a larger person. It took me a minute before it dawned on me: she was asking how big my boyfriend was. You know, the one for whom I would be purchasing this coat. I shook my head "no" and pointed to myself. She stared and glanced sidelong at a coworker before tentatively helping me into the coat. I left when they started cinching that one in, too.

Anyway, it took me all day to realize that I was underdressed for shopping. It's much easier to shop when you already feel attractive and everything you try looks good because you look good. I was a little green from a slight cold and after the 10th round of "well, the jacket's okay but my hair is so greasy," I  gave up and went home to make potato soup. The next time I go out clothes shopping, I'll try showering first.

(click on cartoon to enlarge)