Since I live in Seoul, hockey jerseys are really difficult to come by. I had a friend meet me in Thailand a couple weeks ago and bring me a few Pens sweaters but since I'm traveling in Central Asia now rather than returning to Seoul, I have to lug them around with me… Carefully of course.
I'm currently in a yurt village near Kol Sul. I cannot stress how isolated it is here. It's 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) in the mountains in the far south of Kyrgyzstan. It's close to nothing and an absolute trek to get there at all.
The owners of the camp we stayed in saw my jersey I had on because I'm a nitwit and didn't bring enough warm clothes and resorted to wearing the jerseys. The husband, who doesn't speak any English, said "Oh! Penguins! Go Malkin" his wife translated to tell me he loved the Pens and Geno is his favorite player.
I decided to gift him one of my jerseys I had, sadly, I don't have a Malkin with me but he was STOKED nonetheless! He couldn't believe it. He might be one of the rarest of Pens fans or just NHL fans in general really! I tossed on another jersey I had and took this photo with the family! Such a cool experience!
by NomadicLaguna
17 Comments
This is a crazy coincidence. I love how you didn’t pack warm clothes but you did have multiple jerseys. Priorities!
This is so cool. So random, but a nice story. Imagine if he was a Flyers fan.
By any chance did you run into John Ralphio and Mona Lisa, granted Tajikistan is more their jam
lol. I would never even think to bring a hockey jersey to a trip like this. But well done!
LGP!
Woooow that’s like the nicest thing one can do for a stranger. You will be reborn as a badass dragon in your next life.
Badass. A line cook at a resturaunt I used to work at would always wear CCM hats. 30-something yr old dude from S. Korea. Asked him if he followed a team and he just said “No.” couple weeks later I saw him watching Datsyuk highlights while working the line. Asked if he was a Red Wings fan, said “No, but datsyuk is the best.” Apparently he saw him play when he was on a Russian team playing a scrim/exhibition game against a Korean team in Busan(?) in like 2018 before he emigrated out to the States.
That’s an awesome story man! Enjoy it, and what an amazing view.
Goddamn. Looks beautiful. Can I come? I’ll be in a Bolts jersey tho lol
Are those some Tian Shan peaks in the background?
Super jealous.
Bruh I had 4 different comments. This is unreal. The sweater the old look everyone posing. 👌
You look good
Yuuuurrrrrt
This is incredible. I’ve been living in Israel for nearly 15 years now, and the other day I was driving the kids to the pool and we were behind a car with a Sharks sticker on the back, it was a drivers ed car too with a phone number on it, I’ve been planning on calling him and asking if he’s a Sharks fan, cause I was completely blown away. I’ll once in a while see some Bruins or Leafs gear, but absolutely never Sharks. I genuinely doubt he knows the team. If I remember I’ll call him tomorrow.
You look happy as hell bro. Contagious smile
I dig this! Good on you, bud.
I’ve never gifted someone a sweater, but once gave a fellow a guitar I was travelling with in the Dominican Republic. NGL, I kind of stumbled into it for free and have a few at home. It was in pretty good condition though, and lightweight (so great for travel). I tossed in my packs of extra strings and some tabs and the guitar case too. Felt good. I kept seeing him listening to me hack away on it in the mornings and he told me he wanted to learn to play, but guitars were too expensive. Problem solved, I hope he’s rocking out there somewhere.
Go Pens! You’re bound to find a few in Korea–we did have Jimmy Paek and Richard Park after all!
this is awesome