Chapter Two: WANDERING AROUND THE CITY

Andre and Min-Jung leave school after their English placement test.

Andre: So how’d your placement test go?

Min-Jung: All right I guess. I was a bundle of nerves during the test; I’ll be amazed if I managed to answer many of the questions correctly. I could just kick myself for getting so anxious.

Andre: I’m sure you did fine. I was a little keyed up too. For some reason I had
a knot in my stomach while the instructor was assessing me. I should’ve just relaxed. There really wasn’t anything to get tense about.

Min-Jung: How about a change of pace? Do you want to wander through downtown with me?

Andre: Yeah I’d like to do that. I don’t know my way around yet. It’ll give me a chance to explore the city.

Min-Jung: Great! We can take in the sights together. Have you gone in that direction before? I wonder what’s down that way?

Andre: I think we should go up the street. My roommate told me that the
neighborhood to the east of the school is kind of down-and-out. We don’t want to end up on the wrong side of the tracks.

Min-Jung: That’s good to know. Let’s play it safe today.

Andre: As far as I know, the shopping district is up this way. Let’s go there. That way, if we get off the beaten path, we won’t get ourselves into trouble.

They walk around the shopping district for an hour.

Min-Jung: There sure is a lot to see. I don’t think I’ll run out of things to do in my free time. I’ll have to be careful, though.

Andre: What do you mean?

Min-Jung: I could easily spend a bundle in some of these stores. I’d hate to wipe out my savings on a shopping spree.

Andre: You should try and keep your spending in check. You don’t want to run up a huge bill while you’re here. Take it from me, paying off a big credit card debt is such a drag. I had to do it once before. I never want to do that again…Hey, did you notice the park that we passed a few minutes ago?

Min-Jung: You mean the one across the street from the train station?

Andre: No, the big park that was kitty-corner to the hotel.

Min-Jung: Oh that one. Yeah, it looked beautiful. Why? Do you want to get away from all these shoppers for a while?

Andre: Yeah. I wouldn’t mind taking a break from the crowds. Let’s go see what that park has to offer.

Min-Jung: OK. Why don’t we stroll through the park and then check out what’s on the other side. I don’t think we’ve been over there.

Andre: Sounds like a plan. Wow! We’re covering a lot of ground this afternoon.

Min-Jung: That’s for sure. I’ll know downtown like the back of my hand by the time we’re finished today.