Victim

Yesterday was the end of my innocence here in South Korea. I had chilbo class at 1:00pm and decided to do a little shopping around Paldalmun Gate. I bought some CDs I had been looking for and decided to eat at the Lotteria which is a Korean burger chain.

I had a lot of money in my wallet, about 750,000WON ($750US). We were going on a Costco run (which only takes cash). I still had a little time to kill before my class so I was window shopping wearing my IPOD minding my own business as I walked towards my class.

It was lunchtime and there were a lot Koreans out and about. I had also noticed that there were a lot of people begging including one with no legs right in the center of the sidewalk. This is not unusual to see in Seoul but I had never seen this in Suwon or at least our area of Suwon.

Suddenly, I noticed a scruffy looking man approaching me. He stopped me, grabbed my arm which had my purse and put his palm out to me. He said something in Korean and I said, "Annio!" which is no in Korean. He wouldn't let go of me and kept speaking Korean with me yelling, "annio!" He then grabbed my purse and we struggled. Luckily my purse was under my arm and I clamped my arm down to keep him from taking it. During the entire time I was yelling "no" in Korean looking for help from the many Koreans that passed us by. All I received were looks with an occasional stare but everyone continued on.

It seemed like forever when I'm sure it was only seconds. I finally shoved him hard and he let go of my purse. I ran off to my class, not bothering to look back. I was a little scared that he might go the police and it would all be my fault. Believe me, I've read many stories about this happening to foreigners here.

I was so relieved that I didn't bother to look inside my wallet. I saw that my wallet was in my purse and that's all that mattered to me at the time. I finished my chilbo class and rode the bus home. After awhile, I took out my wallet for some reason and noticed that it wasn't very thick like it should have been with all that money in it. I opened it up to find NO MONEY. He had somehow got my money.

I called my husband in tears. He asked if my purse had been opened while I was walking. I couldn't remember because since it's under my arm, I sometimes leave it open if I'm shopping. I called my Korean girlfriend and she thinks I was set up. That there were probably two guys involved and to be honest, I had my ear buds in so I wasn't aware of anything going on behind me. Also, the shock of it left me numb.

If you wonder if I will file a police report? I wouldn't waste my time. After our treatment by the City of Suwon when we were ripped off by a Korean taxi driver, I know there would be no resolution. This happened during lunchtime on a very busy street with many people and I was left to defend myself.

I'm thankful that he didn't pull a knife but I have lost my innocence here. I was under the fallacy that since they don't allow guns, I was safe and I learned a valuable lesson yesterday. I will not listen to my IPOD when walking, I will not stop if a Korean man comes up to me, I will always be aware of my surroundings as if I am being watched. I will not be visiting Paldalmun Gate ever again without my husband.

This was the first time in my nearly two years in South Korea that I told my husband I want to go home. This has been so hard for me to accept. I've been spit on, had cigarette ashes flicked on my chest, had a Korean man pull his pants down right in front of me, rode a bus with a drunk bus driver, been yelled at for being an American (during the beef protests), hit in the stomach by a ajuma... So for this small moment in time, I will wallow in self pity.