School is in full swing again and I'm hoping that with my regular schedule back I'll be able to write a little more. These stories I'm recording are the best kind of souvenirs after all.
While on vacation I went to an eye clinic with my neighbor Jihea. I had been hearing over and over again about how Korea has great deals on eye wear and decided it was time to get new glasses and try contacts again.
I'm not sure if I would've been able to get my eyes checked without Jihea because no one spoke English to me (but then I did bring a translator so they were off the hook). First they had me look at this small computer and a picture of a sail boat slowly became clearer. Then began the ever boring part: one or two (that was in English). A few times I had to look at colors and say what one was more vivid or what lines that were in a circle were bolder. After about twenty minutes I was done with the check up and the hard part began - putting in the contacts. They had a short video for me to watch about how to put them in and take them out. Thankfully I got them in with little trouble (compared to last time I tried contacts). I then was brought around to the other side of the store where they had cases and cases of glasses ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 won. I started trying on some of the 20,000 glasses but quickly saw a major problem - all of the adult glasses were WAY to big for me. I kept smiling at Jihea not fully knowing how I was going to explain that I'd like to try on kid glasses (in Korea it is a HUGE compliment if they tell you that you have a small face because they think small faces are pretty). I really didn't want to point out my small face because it still embarrasses me when I am told I have a small face, I can't help it! But thankfully she agreed that the glasses were too big for my face. I explained to her that my mom buys kid glasses back home. So she waved down a lady about our age and together the three of us looked through the kids glasses. They both laughed with me as some of those glasses were still too big for me.
In the end I settled on a pair that I'm not in LOVE with, but they definitely are Korea worthy! I was able to get scratch resistant and non-glare lenses at a great prince too. The best part of the trip was after I picked the frames and lenses out they told us to get some coffee and wait for the glasses to be ready. We had just sat down with our coffee when they gave me my new glasses. I walked out of the store an hour and a half after arriving with a new pair of glasses, contacts for 6 months, and a bunch of free things. Talk about service!
When I told Jihea that in America I would've had to go back to the store a few days later for my glasses and contacts she just smiled and told me, "Korean's are fast because we don't like to wait."
I love the black case they gave me to hold my contacts and a small bottle of cleaner in.
It has been so nice to not wear glasses and I am SO excited to start sunglass shopping. Bless friends.
Wow - that's fast service! When I worked at the bike shop we sold sunglasses and there were certain ones that were wider-set called "Asian fit"... it's all making sense now! What do you they think about lasik eye surgery there?
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing well!
I know a lot of foreigners get it done here because it is so cheap!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I am. Looks like you are having a good time on your adventure too!