Bank, Baby, Bank . . .

I successfully conducted a transaction in Korean today. At the bank. Okay – it didn’t take *that* much vocabulary, but I was feeling pretty pumped when I left. I entered the bank, took a number, sat down (they have benches everywhere here) and waited my turn. These number systems are pretty popular – they are at the bank, the post office, anywhere a line might form. You take a ticket and watch the digital display over each teller/window. When one transaction is done, a new number pops up. But the numbers change so fast. You have to be ready to bolt up to the counter or you miss your turn. It’s quite anxiety producing. But then again, almost everything is anxiety producing here . . .

So I was sitting on the bench, anxiously watching the numbers change, 156, 157, 158, 159 – I was next. My eyes scanned nervously from display to display – which one would change next? I scooted to the edge of the bench, ready to bolt as soon as I saw 160. 160! There it was. I jumped up and scurried the 5 feet to the counter. She already had changed the number to 161. “Ani-o, ani-o, chom . . .” No, no, please . . . She smiled. Okay, good. I didn’t miss my turn. I placed my 5 inch stack of bills (really) on the tray and placed my pink bank book on top of the bills. I love a bank that issues pink bank books. And my ATM card has a picture of the World Cup Stadium on it. How cool is that? But I digress. . . So I place my items on the tray, smile and say, “EunYoungKoojwa-so.” Which roughly translates to “bank account – in.” Not polished. Not eloquent. But, it got the job done. She understood. Took the money, entered the deposit in my bank book, and handed it back to me. “Khamsa Hamnida! AnnongHiKaySeyo!” Thank you and good bye! With that, I spun victoriously and headed out the door.