Oh, Ajumma... :)

This afternoon I went for a walk around a small lake just a few bus stops away from my apartment. It's a twin lake, actually, with red paths around it and bright orange carp under the water. I like this place a lot. There are a few willow trees and marigolds, and it's nice to be reminded that nature still exists even in the middle of a concrete city. In fact, this lake seems to be a favorite place for more than just me. It attracts about three different kinds of people: starry-eyed couples, ajummas, and me.

Couples are common enough. Everyone knows they can be a beautiful nuisance. They hold hands and gaze into each others' eyes and sometimes even make out behind trees when no one is looking—yes, even in this culture where PDA is somewhat taboo. (It's possible that I may also frown a bit about kissing in public, especially since my other half is currently halfway around the world...but that's neither here nor there.)

Ajummas, on the other hand, are unique to Korea, I think. They are very special in the world. My roommate explained it to me this way: “Alice,” she said, “there are three different sexes in Korea: men, women, and ajummas.”

Simply put, “ajumma” is the term for middle-aged mothers. They perm their hair and walk around in special hiking clothes and aren't scared of a single blessed soul. (An ajumma once told me that after you've given birth, there's nothing left for you to be afraid of.) They also wear visors—big visors. I saw an ajumma today with one pulled way down over her nose, and I couldn't distinguish anything from her hairline to her chin. It reminded me a bit of Star Wars...or perhaps Transformers. (I heard once that the reason ajummas wear visors is because they don't want to get sunburned; however, I can't help but wonder if it's because they are really part of the Mafia and don't want anyone to see their faces.)

Either way, it's best to use caution when close to an ajumma. (I've heard that ajummas can make some pretty crazy mothers...but that's just hearsay, of course.) They can be especially “dangerous” on a the subway. Just the other day, as I was turning around to sit in a seat, an ajumma suddenly ran toward me. She threw her purse onto the seat before I could even fully rotate to notice what had happened. She then proceeded to slide under my arm and set herself comfortably down. So I smiled and let her sit there. Like I said, ajummas aren't afraid of anything. And I'm secretly convinced that they run this country. :)