I Joined a Gym

I had wanted to join a gym since I first arrived in Korea. In my first days in Busan, my co-teacher took me on a little tour of the neighbourhood and showed me where the gym was located. Unfortunately, due to the corona-virus, it was closed for a few months.

My co-teacher said that she would help me sign up for the gym membership. "Don't go to the gym without me," she said. Grateful for the assistance, I knew it would be much easier to have someone translate the Korean on the application forms and explain the rules and procedures of the gym. So, I waited a few months and periodically walked past the gym to see if it was open. One day in late May, I discovered that the gym was open! I peeked in and saw a few people working out and wearing masks.

I had been trying to exercise at home and on the outdoor equipment at the nearby park, but I much prefer a gym. You don't need to worry about the weather. And it's hard to maintain motivation working out at home.

I asked my co-teacher for help signing up for a gym and to my surprise, she had a mini freak-out. She looked at me like I was crazy. Didn't I know that the corona-virus was very dangerous? The gym is not safe. Would you even be wearing a mask? It's not good to go into indoor spaces with people.

This was surprising given her earlier offers to help me sign up. My arguments were ineffective. I said there are more people in the teacher's office without masks and I have to come here every day. But alas, she worried that people would be "breathing heavily" at the gym. I explained that people were wearing masks at the gym. No matter. Joining a gym seemed to be a big problem for my co-teacher, so I dropped it. The core issue, she explained, was that it would put her in an awkward position if I got sick and it was discovered that she was the one who helped me register at the gym. She suggested that if I waited until June, then she would help me.

June came and went with no mention of the gym from my co-teacher. I was secretly enjoying my lazy lifestyle but decided it was time to get active and join a gym, and I would have to do it myself. Well, sort of.

I explained to another Korean English teacher at my boys' school that I was planning to join a gym and wondered if she could translate a note for me. I wrote a few sentences about what I wanted and she translated it for the gym staff to help facilitate communication and hopefully bridge the language divide so I could join the gym. She kindly wrote her phone number on the note saying that I could call her if I ran into difficulty.

The note was essential because once I entered the gym and asked the staff if he spoke English, his eyes bugged out when he said, "a little."  I could tell he was very nervous and not confident with English. We muddled through some of the particulars with the assistance of Google translate, but when our communication hit a barrier, we called my coworker on speakerphone who translated. It was a success, I signed the contract and got a brief tour of the gym.

I saved 10% on the membership fee by paying in cash, so I made a quick trip over to the nearest ATM and withdrew the 270,000 won (approx $50 CAD per month) which covers the fee for a 6-month membership. My picture was taken and entered into the system. I push a 4-digit code on the touchscreen when I arrive, and I'm set to workout.

That staff member has been kind and friendly whenever I see him in the gym even though his English isn't great. He struggled to answer my question, "How are you?" Still, he is welcoming. I haven't seen any other foreigners at the gym so far. It's possible that I'm the only one, or perhaps if there are others, they work out at different times.

I couldn't take many good photos of the gym because people were exercising but it's basically a standard, although somewhat under-equipped, fitness center. So far no old people using the machines barefoot or sitting on the exercise bikes for an hour like at my gym in Japan, so that's nice. 

There are these weird pieces of equipment that essentially vibrate and jiggle your body, presumably to loosen up your muscles. Otherwise, standard stuff. The gym also supplies exercise clothes for those who want it, so most people in the gym are dressed alike. And of course, people are wearing their face masks, although that is a little inconsistent.

Because the co-teacher at the main school was so against me joining a gym, I thought I would try to keep it on the down-low. I'd just start my exercise program and not advertise it. That didn't work because on the first day I went to the gym I saw one of the school groundskeepers working out there. He is a member too. We spoke, about what, I have no idea, but surely my secret gym membership has now been discovered. Don't know if he has shared this information with anyone else. Time will tell. I'm not concerned, just happy to be getting active again.