UCLA

밀레니엄 미국 여행

유시엘에이 2000. 1. 17

오늘은 마르틴 루터 킹 목사의 탄생일로서 미국에서 국경일이다. 어떻게 하루를 보낼까 궁리 중에 UCLA(University of California in Los Angeles)에 가기로 작정한다. 아이들은 나가기 싫다고 하길래 집에 두고 아슬아슬하게 표를 사고 메트로 링크 기차를 탔다. 유니온 스테이션에서 내려 메트로 레일로 갈아타고 3개의 역을 간 다음 내려 밖으로 나와 메트로 버스 21번을 탔다.

약 45분간 걸려서 UCLA에 도착했다. 비는 추적추적 내리고 학교 내의 주요 시설은 닫혀있었다. 아크만 유니온 학생회관에 들려 학교 지도를 구하고 학생회관을 둘러보았다. 학생회관에는 식당과 UCLA기념상품을 파는 곳, 인터넷을 할 수 있는 공간, 오락실, 구인, 구직판, 광고판 등이 있었고 한쪽엔 미국의 대형 지도가 걸려있는데 각각의 주에는 번호가 붙어있다. 그 옆에는 카드가 있었는데 여행을 가고 싶은 지역의 번호를 쓰고 기간, 전화번호 이름 등을 써서 각각의 번호 밑에 붙어있는 못에 걸어놓는다. 그렇게 함으로써 여행 중 차를 함께 탈 수도 있고 같은 방을 사용함으로써 여행 경비를 줄일 수 있기 때문이다.

회관을 나와 캠퍼스를 돌아본다. 밖에 비는 오지요. 볼만한 박물관이나 미술관은 닫혀있지요. 적당히 앉아 쉴 곳이 없다. 피곤하다. 훠레스트 검프는 4년 몇 개월인가를 끊임없이 뛰다가 문득 서서 " 난 피곤해요, 이제 집으로 가야겠어요."하고 터덜터덜 왔던 길로 되돌아 갔다. 프레이야, 왜 여기 있는 거야? 여기에 있어야 할 아무런 이유도 없으면서. 도대체 공주대학교와 UCLA가 얼마나 엄청난 차이가 있다고 이러고 돌아다니는 거야.' 다리도 아프고 졸음도 왔다. 잠시 어떤 건물 현관 앞에 놓여있는 의자에 앉는다.

답답했다. 바로 앞에 또 하나의 엄청난 건물이 시야를 다 차지한다. 다시 일어난다. 이렇게 답답하게 앉아 있을 수는 없다. 또 걷는다. 비가 온다. 잔디밭에 앉을 수가 없다. 거대한 건물 옆 벤치에 그냥 털석 주저앉는다. 정신이 몽롱해지며 잠이 오기 시작한다. 안 되겠다. 집에 가자. 왔던 길을 되돌아 나오며 누워버리고 싶은 생각뿐이다. 몸살 기운이 있다. 이상하다. 21번 버스를 타고 왔는데 21번 승강장이 없다. 치명적인 오류다. 길을 잃어버리는 심각한 증세가 또다시 나타난 것이다. 561번 승강장만 있다. 561번, 세 자리 숫자면 도심에서 떨어진 곳의 노선버스인데.. 어쨌든 기차 시간까지는 넉넉하니까.... 무조건 탔다.

몇 승강장을 가니까 Getty Center가 눈으로 들어온다. 아!~ 여기였구나, 입구엔 큰 글씨로 'CLOSED'라고 쓰여있다. 또 한 번 초대받지 못한 자의 서러움이 밀려든다. 버스는 계속 달렸다.

낯선 거리로 한 시간 넘게 달렸다. 버스 안에는 나와한 아가씨만이 남았다. 잘생긴 버스기사는 큰소리로 뒤에 앉아 있는 그 아가씨에게 "I love your eyes."하고 소리친다. 유심히 그녀의 눈을 탐색한다. '칫 이쁘긴 뭐가 이뻐. 저게 인형 눈이지, 사람 눈이야?' 버스는 계속 달렸고 이상하게 뭔가 중심지에서 벗어나고 있다는 느낌에 버스기사에게 물어본다. 버스기사가 내리라고 한다. 이 곳이 어딜까. 역에는 Sylmar/San Fernando라고 쓰여있다. 한참 후에 열차가 왔다. 열차는 사람들로 북적 댔다. 50대 중반 정도로 보이는 남녀 직장인이 많이 탔는데 얼마나 큰 소리로 얘길 하고 웃는지 신경이 거슬린다.

열차는 첩첩산중으로 올라간다. 이러다가 평지가 나오겠지 기대했지만, 점점 깊은 산골로 들어가는 것이었다. '할 수 없다. 물어봐야지.' 지금 내가 있는 곳이 Action이란다. 한 시간을 뒤로 가야 LA 다운타운이 나온다고 한다. 되돌아가는 기차는 없단다. 이것이 마지막 기차란다. 어쩐지 사람이 많더라. 택시를 타고 그레이 하운드 역으로 가서 그레이하운드 버스를 타고 LA로 가야 한단다. 어휴, 일이 꼬이는 군. 열차에 내려 급히 택시를 잡는다. 친절한 택시 기사는 거기까지 갈 필요 없이 5시 35분 버스가 있으니 그것을 타고 가란다.

버스를 탔다. 출입문 바로 앞에 앉아있는 웬 건달처럼 보이는 남자가 우리말로 안녕하세요? 하고 인사를 한다. 그리고 틈틈이 윙크를 보낸다. 어쩌란 말이냐, 난 유부녀다. 처음엔 나에게 특별한 관심이 있어 그러는 줄 알았더니, 버스에 오르는 사람마다 관심을 보낸다. 그리고 무척이나 버스기사를 귀찮게 한다. 나중엔 흑인 버스기사가 들은 척도 안 한다. 혼자 떠들다 심심했던지 들고 있던 카세트를 틀고 몸을 흔든다. 점잖은 버스기사는 마이크를 잡는다. 누군가가 버스에서 음악을 듣고 있는데 다른 사람을 위해서 카세트를 꺼달라고.

그 까불이는 방송을 듣자마자 벌떡 일어나 주위를 둘러본다. 도대체 누가 그런 교양 없는 짓을 하는지 알고 싶다는 듯. 그러더니 슬그머니 음악을 끈다. 버스기사는 마이크에 대고 다시 한번 말한다." Thank you." 버스를 타고 그 버스의 마지막 정류장인 Santa Clarita역에서 내렸다. LA까지는 메트로 링크 기차를 타야 한단다. '그럼 아직 LA가 아니란 말인가?' 지금이 6시 20분인데 7시 36분에 기차가 온단다. 갈수록 태산이군. 언니에게 전화해서 이 사태를 알린다.

모든 걸 포기하고 역의 의자에 걸터앉는다. Hi, 한 곱상한 청년이 인사를 한다. 그 학생은 케년 대학 2년생이란다. 머리를 길러 뒤로 묶었다. 목소리가 부드럽다. 내 말을 진지하게 들어주니 고맙다. 열차에 올라서도 서로 마주 보고 앉게 되어 그 청년이 내릴 때까지 이야기를 나눴다. 남자가 참 이쁘게도 생겼다.

그는 내가 처음에 잘못 탔던 실마(Sylmar)에서 내렸고 잠시 후 흑인 소년 하나가 내 앞자리에 앉는다. 그는 12학년이라고 말하며 춥다고 한다. 두 귀에 귀걸이를 했길래 학교에서 금지하지 않느냐고 묻자 혀를 보여 주며 혀에도 했다고 한다. 나의 놀라는 모습에 그 학생은 재미가 있었는지 티셔츠를 내리고 어깨에 문신한 것 도보여준다. 할머니가 돌아가셨는데 할머니를 기억하기 위해 했다고 한다. 또 팔뚝도 보여준다. 엄마의 이름이라며. 이런저런 얘기를 하는 중에 유니언 역이 가까워졌다.

역이 가까워짐에 따라 그 아이는 눈을 두리번거리며 불안해 보인다. 이윽고 나에게 2 달라를 달라고 한다. 왜 2 달라가 필요한지 물으니 역에서 내려 버스 타고 버몬트(Vermont)에 가야 하는데 버스비가 없단다. 2달러는 없고 5달러짜리 밖에 없다고 하니 괜찮다고 신경 쓰지 말란다. 5달러를 바꿔서 2달러 주겠다고 하니 손을 내밀며 악수를 청한다. 유니언 역에서 내려 빵 하나를 사서 그 아이 주고 2달러를 주니 엄지손가락을 들어 보인다. 헤어지면서 나의 이름을 묻는다. '황'이라고 말하자 자기 이름은 '장'이라고 한다. 앞으로 좋은 여행이 되라고 말하며 그 아이는 어둠 속으로 사라졌다. 형부와 언니가 유니온 역에 나를 태우러 오셨다. 오늘도 이렇게 하루가 간다.

Jan 17th, 2000 UCLA

Today is the birthday of Martin Luthur King Jr. and, thus, a holiday. As I thought about the day's schedule, I decided to go to UCLA. I left my children at my sister's house because they didn't want to come. I just caught the Metro link to downtown. I got off at Union Station and transferred to Metro rail. I got off the rail after three stops and took Metro bus 21. It took 45 minutes to UCLA. It was drizzling and all the door of the school was shut.

I got a school map while I was at Acman Union student center and looking around. In the center, there were restaurants, UCLA gifts and souvenier shop, an Internet cafe, games, advertisement for getting and looking for jobs, etc. There was also a big map of the US on the wall and each state had a number written under it. There were some card boxes on the other side. Using the card in the boxes, one can write the number of the States, the duration of visit, phone number and name. After that, one should hang the card under the number. That will allow one to save money by sharing a car and room with other students who need to travel.

I came out of the student center and looked around the campus. It rained outside. All the museums, art galleries or anything else worthwhile visiting were all closed. And there was no place where I could rest. Forest Gump (a movie character) was running around continuously for four years and some months and stopped and said " I exhausted. I must go home now." He trudged his way home.

"Hwang, Seonae, why are you here? Do you have any reasons to stay here? It's not as if there is a world of difference between Kongju University and UCLA?"

My legs ached and I got sleepy. I sat on a bench in front of a campus building for a while. I felt depressed. A big building filled my whole vision. I stood up again. I can't just sit here all depressed. I walked and walked. It rained. I can't sit on the grass. I sat on a bench by a huge building. I got dazed and got sleepy. "I can't go anymore. Let's go home." I felt like just laying down as I traced my way back. I'm fatigued due to a cold.

'Strange! I came here on bus 21, bus but there are no bus 21 stops.' Fatal error: I lost my way again. There were only bus 561 stops. Number 561, the three-numbers means that it goes far away from the downtown. Anyway, I have enough time to catch the train to Norwalk. I take a bus without any reservation. (I got on the bus without checking to see where it goes.) I can see the Getty Center after a few more stops. A-ha, the Getty Center is here... There was a sign in big letters 'CLOSED' by the entrance. I once again felt a bit of sadness and disapointment that an uninvited person feels. The bus kept on moving. The bus was running through an unfamiliar streets over one hour. Only a girl and I were left in the bus. The handsome driver spoke to the girl seated at the back back of the bus in a loud voice, "I love your eyes." I looked at her eyes carefully. "Phee, what's with this love your eyes stuff. They are doll's eyes, not human eyes." The bus kept on running. I felt strange that the bus is getting out of the city, so I asked the driver how to get to Union Station. He said to get off the bus. "Where am I?" 'Sylmar/San Fernando' was written on the station. After a while, a train arrived. The train was full of people. Many of them appeared to be career men and women in their mid-fifties. They were chatting and laughing so loudly. I found it quite annoying.

The train climbed up into the mountain. I expected to see a field as we went, but the train advanced deep into the mountain. "I can't help it, I had better ask what I should do." The man in front of me said that we were in Action. He said LA downtown is one hour back. He also said there is no train to going back. It's the last train. "So, that's why the train was crowded." He said I have to take a taxi to the Greyhound bus terminal and take a bus to LA. "O my, a setback." I got off the train and try to get a taxi. The kind taxi driver said I don't need to go there by taxi because there is a 5:35 p.m. bus.

I took a bus. A punk sitting by the door greeted me in Korean, "An Nyong Ha Sae Yo?" He also winked at from time to time. "What do you want from me? I am a married woman." At first I thought his winks meant that he was interested in me, but he did that to every persons who took the bus. He also annoyed the bus driver very much. Later, the driver just ignored him. Maybe it was because the punk was bored, he turned on the cassette and grooved to the rhythm. The gentle bus driver picked up the microphone and asked him to turn off the music for the rest of the passengers. The punk stood up as soon as he heard the announcement and looked around the bus. He did so as if to see who was ill-mannered enough to do such a thing. Then he sit down and turn off the music quietly. The bus driver pick up the microphone again and said, "Thank you."

I got off at Santa Clarita, the last bus stop. Someone said I have to take Metro Link (train) to go to LA. "Then I'm not in LA right now?" It's 6:20 p.m. and the next train is at 7:36 p.m. "The situation is getting worse and worse." I telephoned my sister and told her the story. I gave up everything and sat on a bench at the station.

"Hi", a clean-cut young man greeted me. He said he was a sophomore at Canyon College. He had long hair in a ponytail. "What gentle voice!" I thanked him for listening to my story. We sat across each other on the train and continued to talk until he got off. He was pretty in spite of being a man.

He got off at Sylmar, where I took the train mistakenly. Shortly after that, an African-American boy sat infornt of me. He was a 12th grader and said he was cold. He wore ear lings, so I asked him if the school allows it. At my question, he put out his tongue out and said he pierced his tongue, too. Maybe because my surprise interested him, he brought down his T-shirt and showed me his tattooed shoulder. He said he did for his dead grandmother. He also showed his tattooed arm saying it is his mother's name. The train come near Union Station as we talked. As we got closer to the station, he looked around anxiously. Afetr a while, he asked me to give him 2 dollars. I asked him what for, and he said he didn't have bus fair to Vermont. I told him I didn't have two dollars, only a five. He said not to worry about it. I promised to give him 2 dollars after I break the five (dollar bill). As soon as I said that, he put out his hand for a hand shake. When I bought some bread and gave him 2 dollars, he gave me a thumbs up. As we went our own way, he asked for my name. I said my name was Hwang, he said his name was Jang. He wished me a good trip and slipped away into the dark. My sister and brother-in-law came to the station to pick me up. That's how today's been going.

I got a school map while I was at Acman Union student center and looking around. In the center, there were restaurants, UCLA gifts and souvenier shop, an Internet cafe, games, advertisement for getting and looking for jobs, etc. There was also a big map of the US on the wall and each state had a number written under it. There were some card boxes on the other side. Using the card in the boxes, one can write the number of the States, the duration of visit, phone number and name. After that, one should hang the card under the number. That will allow one to save money by sharing a car and room with other students who need to travel.

I came out of the student center and looked around the campus. It rained outside. All the museums, art galleries or anything else worthwhile visiting were all closed. And there was no place where I could rest. Forest Gump (a movie character) was running around continuously for four years and some months and stopped and said " I exhausted. I must go home now." He trudged his way home.

"Hwang, Seonae, why are you here? Do you have any reasons to stay here? It's not as if there is a wrold of difference between Kongju University and UCLA?"

My legs ached and I got sleepy. I sat on a bench in front of a campus building for a while. I felt depressed. A big building filled my whole vision. I stood up again. I can't just sit here all depressed. I walked and walked. It rained. I can't sit on the grass. I sat on a bench by a huge building. I got dazed and got sleepy. "I can't go anymore. Let's go home." I felt like just laying down as I traced my way back.

I'm fatigued due to a cold. 'Strange! I came here on bus 21, bus but there are no bus 21 stops.' Fatal error: I lost my way again. There were only bus 561 stops. Number 561, the three-numbers means that it goes far away from the downtown. Anyway, I have enough time to catch the train to Norwalk. I take a bus without any reservation. (I got on the bus without ckecking to see wehere it goes.) I can see the Getty Center after a few more stops. A-ha, the Getty Center is here... There was a sign in big letters 'CLOSED' by the entrance. I once again felt a bit of sadness and disapointment that an uninvited person feels. The bus kept on moving.

The bus was running through an unfamiliar streets over one hour. Only a girl and I were left in the bus. The handsome driver spoke to the girl seated at the back back of the bus in a loud voice, "I love your eyes." I looked at her eyes carefully. "Phee, what's with this love your eyes stuff. They are doll's eyes, not human eyes."

The bus kept on running. I felt strange that the bus is getting out of the city, so I asked the driver how to get to Union Station. He said to get off the bus. "Where am I?" 'Sylmar/San Fernando' was written on the station. After a while, a train arrived. The train was full of people. Many of them appeared to be career men and women in their mid-fifties. They were chatting and laughing so loudly. I found it quite annoying.

The train climbed up into the mountain. I expected to see a field as we went, but the train advanced deep into the mountain. "I can't help it, I had better ask what I should do." The man in front of me said that we were in Action. He said LA downtown is one hour back. He also said there is no train to going back. It's the last train. "So, that's why the train was crowded." He said I have to take a taxi to the Greyhound bus terminal and take a bus to LA. "O my, a setback." I got off the train and try to get a taxi. The kind taxi driver said I don't need to go there by taxi because there is a 5:35 p.m. bus.

I took a bus. A punk sitting by the door greeted me in Korean, "An Nyong Ha Sae Yo?" He also winked at from time to time. "What do you want from me? I am a married woman." At first I thought his winks meant that he was interested in me, but he did that to every persons who took the bus. He also annoyed the bus driver very much. Later, the driver just ignored him.

Maybe it was because the punk was bored, he turned on the cassette and grooved to the rhythm. The gentle bus driver picked up the microphone and asked him to turn off the music for the rest of the passengers. The punk stood up as soon as he heard the announcement and looked around the bus. He did so as if to see who was ill-mannered enough to do such a thing. Then he sit down and turn off the music quietly. The bus driver pick up the microphone again and said, "Thank you."

I got off at Santa Clarita, the last bus stop. Someone said I have to take Metro Link (train) to go to LA. "Then I'm not in LA right now?" It's 6:20 p.m. and the next train is at 7:36 p.m. "The situation is getting worse and worse." I telephoned my sister and told her the story. I gave up everything and sat on a bench at the station.

"Hi", a clean-cut young man greeted me. He said he was a sophomore at Canyon College. He had long hair in a ponytail. "What gentle voice!" I thanked him for listening to my story. We sat across each other on the train and continued to talk until he GOT OFF. He was pretty in spite of being a man.

He got off at Sylmar, where I took the train mistakenly. Shortly after that, an African-American boy sat infornt of me. He was a 12th grader and said he was cold. He wore ear lings, so I asked him if the school allows it. At my question, he put out his tongue out and said he pierced his tongue, too. Maybe because my surprise interested him, he brought down his T-shirt and showed me his tattooed shoulder. He said he did for his dead grandmother. He also showed his tattooed arm saying it is his mother's name. The train come near Union Station as we talked.

As we got closer to the station, he looked around anxiously. Afetr a while, he asked me to give him 2 dollars. I asked him what for, and he said he didn't have bus fair to Vermont. I told him I didn't have two dollars, only a five. He said not to worry about it. I promised to give him 2 dollars after I break the five (dollar bill). As soon as I said that, he put out his hand for a hand shake. When I bought some bread and gave him 2 dollars, he gave me a thumbs up. As we went our own way, he asked for my name. I said my name was Hwang, he said his name was Jang. He wished me a good trip and slipped away into the dark. My sister and brother-in-law came to the station to pick me up. That's how today's been going.