The streets behind Bokja

So if you will remember, the drivers of Korea are kind of insane. Calling it aggressive would be an understatement. About two months ago, by the back entrance of school, the city installed a crosswalk. This was, of course, after many months of petition from the Bojka school nuns, the boys’ high school down the street, and the two or three middle schools in the area. Multiple accidents happened because the students couldn’t cross to get to their school, and I think the city finally relented.

Now that there is a cross walk and a button to press to help the students cross the street, the traffic occasionally stops at the red light. It’s amazing to see. But more often than not, if there is a student crossing, the car will zip through the light before the student gets to their side of traffic. Can’t win them all I suppose.

But once this crosswalk went up, it seemed that the instillation came with an adorable little ahjushi (old man) with a navy blue baseball cap. Every morning when I walk to school, he is standing at this crosswalk pressing the button every time a group of students need to cross the street. I’ve been at work as early as 7:30 and as late as 8:15, and every day for the last 6 weeks, he has been there pressing the walk button each time a student approaches.

And every time I walk up to the cross walk, he is there. Every morning, he tips his hat and bows to me. Of course, I bow back as a return greeting. And a moment later, I cross the street. He’s made this crosswalk his unofficial job in the morning. But I have never seen him when school lets out.

None of the students ever pay attention to him, but he is there every day, regardless of the weather, pressing that walk button and making sure every student gets to school safely.

Hurrah for sweet old people :)