월드미션프론티어

The streets of Korean cities and villages were always busy with commerce. All kinds of goods and services were sold on the streets just outside my window.

On our street there was a man with a loud voice who sold kimpop. He would shout out "kimpop, kimpop". One day my American friends and I were sitting on my ondelbang at my hasookchip. The sliding door was were open. My friend was imitating the street vender with a loud ?Kimpop, kimpop? . Suddenly another sliding door opened and a man said ?Hey, give me some kimpop over here?. He was startled to see that a young American was making the sound. We laughed and laughed

Outside my window there was a father and daughter who sold bondigee in little paper cones made from the chosen ilbo. The man would shout "Bon, Bon, Bon" and the little girl would add "digee, digee, digee". I only tasted bondigee once and didn't care for it. My girlfriend (and now wife of 25 years) used to eat bongigee like I eat popcorn. She doesn't admit that anymore.

I also remember an old gentleman who used to push a small Ferris wheel around my neighborhood. The wheel only held 4 small children. I think he charged 10 won per child for turning the wheel about 10 times. I watched the smiles of the kids as they went round and round.

There was also the little girl who sat in a small chair next to a hot grill and sold little pancakes to passers bye. And the man I only saw on rainy days with his arms full of cheap umbrellas.

My most pleasant memory of a street vender involves eggs. Late one night in the middle of winter I was returning from the train station to my hasukchip. It was bitterly cold and I didn't have gloves. My hands were numb. I spotted a vendor selling hot boiled eggs. I bought two and held one tight in each hand. My hands were warm all the way home and I ate a late night snack.