is the Korean word for "oh yeah," as in the phrase you utter when you do something completely awesome, or things fall into place just perfectly.
The other night, I was down in Busan (Southeastern coast) visiting some friends. After an evening of eating, drinking, hanging out on the beach, swimming, frisbee, and hula-hooping until midnight, we were getting a taxi home. I was on interpreter duty:
Friends: Tell him to go to Busan National University.
Me: (convey to driver)
Driver: Shall I take the highway or the surface streets.
Me: (convey to friends)
Friends: No idea.
Me: They don't know. And I don't know because I'm not from around here. Just take us whichever way is fastest and easiest.
Driver: Ok.
(a few minutes pass)
Driver: So you're from Daegu, eh?
Me: Huh? Yeah. Wait, did I tell you that? Didn't I just tell you I wasn't from around here?
Driver: Yeah, but you seem like you're from Daegu.
Me: You mean my pronunciation?
Driver: No, not that. Just a feeling.
Total as-ssa moment, right?
On the other hand, it makes me realize: I'm ten weeks away from having been here for five years.
