The charming ajumma @ Sangju-si, South Korea
After a great night of glamping we were rested and ready for our biggest climb of the trip. Helen got a quick stretch in then we were off.
Despite our trepidations, the climbing day ended up being our smoothest and most picturesque day of riding so far:
After an amazing day of pedaling we arrived at our accommodations, a guesthouse for cyclists run by a charismatic ajumma (an endearing term for an older Korean woman). As we rolled in our hostess, alerted to our presence by a watchful dog, was waving vigorously.
She gave us rapid instructions in Korean and pantomimed energetically. The language barrier blocked some words but none of her personality.
We were ordered to split up boys and girls, strip naked, put our dirty clothes in a wash bucket, shower, scrub ourselves clean, don clean shorts and shirts that she had prepared for us, and then join her for dinner. We were all a little surprised that this woman was making her guests shower and wear her clothes before they were allowed to enter, but no one was going to question our 5 foot tall ajumma; it was clear who the boss was in this household. Also we were, admittedly, quite smelly after climbing day.
As the girls were showering the boys were given clean sandals and ushered inside. Our ajumma looked directly at Eduardo and said “single?” Eduardo said “yes” and she pointed to his assigned room. He ambled towards it muttering “is it that obvious”. Matt and Adam put their things in their rooms, but before we could get comfortable we were shooed back outside again straight to the showers.
After our shower a delicious homemade meal was waiting for us, well seasoned and sauced with pork, rice and assorted pickled veggies. When she served us she would say “thank you” or rather “gamsahabnida” (thank you in Korean). Prompting us to respond the same, as if she was our auntie teaching us how to be polite.
The ajumma’s home was immaculately clean. We walked barefoot and there was not a single speck of dirt on the floor. We slept on comfortable Japanese floor mattresses.
In the morning our hostess made us a hot meal and added charms to all of our bikes for good luck. When Helen attempted to move her charm to a more secure location our hostess swatted her hand, scolded her, and gestured that it must be dangling; flapping her hand like a bike charm in the wind.
All in all it was our favorite accommodations yet. Though she spoke little English our ajumma was so welcoming, and for a few hours we felt like we were immigrant children returning home instead of American tourists looking for a place to stay. Yet again Koreans showed us that language is no barrier to kindness.
