the evil deed is done

I looked at some alternatives and saw nothing better than the deal I'm getting from Top Real Estate in the Ilsan/Goyang-si area: W3 million deposit, W500,000 a month rent, six-month contract. Top was extremely accommodating, seeing as they had originally wanted W10 million down. And most landlords get antsy about six-month contracts, although I don't see why: they can get another person into that same domicile almost as soon as I leave it. My landlord, as it turns out, is a nice old lady who lives on the fifth floor of my building and uses girlish emoticons when she sends text messages. (^^ tee-hee!)

So I'm in Ilsan; I've signed the papers for my new studio and have already wired over my W300,000 "trust" deposit to show that I'm committed to this deal. The remaining W2.7 million will be sent tomorrow; they told me that I had until move-in day, February 5, to make the transfer, but I prefer to get this done quickly. Tomorrow, I'll be visiting my campus and giving the office ladies my new residential address; I've already emailed them about my personal situation, so someone in that office is aware that I'm moving, and they'd better not fuck with my teaching schedule, which is currently all Ilsan all the time. Tonight, I'll be scrounging around the local markets, like a homeless guy, collecting cardboard boxes to use for my move. Hell, I might even start packing tonight.

My W3 million treasure hoard is currently in my Daegu Bank account; that's where I've been storing my "Do Not Touch" money. There's a DGB branch within walking distance from where I currently live, so after I'm done at the campus, I'll stroll over to that branch and, I hope, transfer the W2.7 million with no hitches. I've borrowed W1.5 million from a coworker to take care of other business, such as buying furniture, paying the yongdal moving service, etc. I still need to tell my yeogwan "landlords" of my plans to move next week. Won't they be surprised. I'll pay my coworker back at the end of February, right before the semester starts, as that's when the Golden Goose will be paying me. (We've switched to a "once every two months" system to minimize inconvenience.)

Ah, yes: I emailed KMA yesterday to confirm my February 7 lesson; as I suspected, it's been canceled for lack of student registrants. But my supervisor there informed me that another teaching date has been added to my 2015 calendar, so there's hope for more potential income.

Events are in motion. Life is exciting. A week from now, I'll be up north, not too far from Gimpo and, happily, walking distance from the campus at which I'll be teaching.

_