"Isn't it splendid..."

"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world” ~Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

Wonderful little stories from December...

*I went to the cinema with my co-teacher and she insisted on us watching a film in English because it helps her to improve her English. I looked over at her twenty minutes in and there she was, snoring away beside me.

*Winter English camp have begun at my school and I'm teaching a great group of grade three and four students.  A poster was made by one of my co-teachers to advertise the camp to parents.  The poster is hung outside of our classroom which reads, “Tops in Enlish”. Sigh.

*I sent two parcels home filled with gifts for Christmas from Seoul, which only cost a total of $30.  When I was in Canada and I had to mail a piece of paper to Seoul , it cost over $60. Hmmm…

*Hyehwa. Bar. Vinyl. 7/11 deck of cards. Cass. Morrison Hotel. Dylan. Appetizer surprise. Jack Daniels. Bar top dancing. Oh! Darling. Cheese & Crackers. Korean paparazzi. Dillingers. Mingling. Darts. Misplaced purse. Found purse. Cab home. Changed mind. Train home. Sleep on train. Enough said.

*I missed the Monteith Christmas party....extreme bummer!  One of the not so splendid things about being far from home.

*I found another market near my place, which brings me so much joy.  I decided to walk another route home from school and just stumbled upon it.  It's AMAZING the things you just happen upon while wandering around.  Market specialties: Yubu chobab, Veggie Mandu, Jijimi, and the most beautiful selection on veggies I have ever seen: sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, radish, chives, garlic stem...Heaven!

*Went on a Sunday stroll through Seoul forest, which wasn’t a forest at all (no surprise there).  While bored in the forest, I decided to learn how to use my friend’s iPhone. Big mistake! I was so enthralled that I tripped off a curb, and in an effort to save his phone, I nearly broke my hip, scrapping my knees and elbows.

*I volunteered once again at the orphanage and enjoyed an awesome Christmas party with the kiddies.  They are so cute and sweet.  Watching them open the gifts we brought was a perfect holiday moment. 

*Parking in Seoul can be a bit of a problem as there are just too many cars to accommodate. While out with my co-teachers, a car had blocked us in. I figured we were gonna have to wait around until someone came back in order to get Kate’s car out. Of course, this was not the case.  I watched stunned as my co-teachers began pushing the MERCEDES out of the way!!  I’ve been informed that it is common courtesy for Koreans to leave their cars out of gear once parked.  It makes it easy to push cars out of the way to avoid parking issues. LOL!

*I’m contemplating backpacking South Korea during my two weeks off in January.  Yeah its winter, but I think that’s what will make it such an exciting adventure.  Bring on the snow!!

*No snow in Seoul yet, which is a real bummer. I WANT SNOW!

*I experienced a few interesting dishes this month in the school caf, one of which was fish organs. Sorry, but I had to pass. I just couldn't do it ha.

*About two months after I came to Seoul, I wrote a list of random things I want to accomplish during my year here.  Some things are Korea related, but most are just random things I want to do.  There is this blog that I like reading every now and again, and I got the idea from it.  Sooo…..since I have no original ideas of my own I thought I’d copy it and post my list on my blog.  We’ll see how much I actually accomplish.

*Feeling bored of my current hair colour, I decided I would buy some dye and rock a new shade of red.  Instead of red, I ended up with bright PUMPKIN ORANGE hair and was mortified. I feared I'd never hear the end of this mistake the next day at school as my students never hold back.  As it turned out, my students think pumpkin orange hair is really cool and I am no longer "ugly teacher".

*Knitting parties!! I’ve started knitting again and my friends here have decided to join me.  Yarn and supplies are super cheap, so we’ve been knitting up a storm. I’ve completed a scarf and am currently making a hat.  Parties include dessert, fancy coffee, wine and lots of laughs.  Who knew knitting could be sooo much fun!

*Cat and dog cafés. I have yet to go to one, but it’s on my list of things to do.  What are they? Just as they sound…enjoy a latte while playing with cats and dogs. AWESOME!!  There are many of these all over Seoul and I plan on a trip soon.

*Christmas.  This will be my first Christmas away from home and I’m happy to say it won’t be a lonely one.  I have an exciting weekend ahead with great friends and I just can't wait!

Life is fabulous!

I want to wish family and friends back home a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.  I miss you all very much…especially this time of the year. 

Enjoy the holidays and know I am thinking of you.

Nothing like some Peaceful Protest...

Such exciting events!!! ...but where to start?

 A couple days after I wrote my last blog I received a phone call from the board office here stating that I would be transferred to a new school come the new school year (March) and would fulfill the rest of my contract elsewhere.  The dude on the other end of the phone sounded like I should be thrilled with this change of plans, but initially I took it quite hard.  Actually, when I found out I cried LOL…but I waited for the dude to hang up first.  Why was I so upset?  I’ve made terrific relationships at my school and my overall experience has been really great.  I didn’t want to go to another school and start all over again…what if I got transferred to a horrible school? (yeah I realize this is a pretty selfish statement). Of course, everyone at school found out and my Principal and Vice Principal decided to make some phone calls. 

The reason why I was being transferred was because of budgeting.  Seoul had voted in a new mayor and part of his campaign would include students having free lunches at school.  This also meant cutting back on foreign English teacher jobs.  My school was one of six schools in the Songpa region who would lose funding for a foreign English teacher.  This ruffled some feathers at school because they did not feel it was fair that our school had to sacrifice their English education.  As explained to me by my head teacher “this budgeting clearly goes against the English learning mandate established by the government and education office”.  So what did my school do to retaliate?

They decided to call on the people the school board would NEVER want to piss off: Mom’s Council. For those of you that don’t know, parents here really call the shots in education.  If they don’t like something you’ve done, you’ll find out and best change your ways. That said, eighteen mothers went to the board office and PICKETED outside the building!!!  My head teacher called me into her office and told me that these women were picketing on my behalf and that I had a better chance of staying in our school if they requested it.  All I could think to myself at that exact moment was “Holy shit! What have I gotten myself into here?” LOL.  And as much as I’d like to tell you all how “I’m the best teacher ever and that is why they picketed for me”, I do realize that it wasn’t necessarily for ME that they were fighting for.  I do see the bigger picture…….but when my principal and head teacher gave me the news, and she had tears of joy that I would be STAYING, I felt really honoured and cared for (just let me bask in the reflected gloryJ).

BUT, having now lived here for almost four months, I have also learned that ANYTHING is possible and that there is probably still a good chance that I will be transferred hahaha. That’s just Korea!!

So other than being somewhat connected to some radical collective movement, what else have I been doing? 

I’ve joined a volunteer group called Bean Seoul and have helped out with a couple events.  I’ve volunteered at an orphanage and have donated a gift for the Christmas toy drive.  There are other volunteer opportunities that I’d like to get involved with as well, like ocean fishing or tandem bike riding with the blind, but with over 500 volunteers, it’s hard to get an opportunity to get involved.  It’s kind of a first come, first serve basis LOL…I guess everyone just wants to help out ‘round here…

The orphanage was really not like I expected, which was a good thing (I always expect the worse).  We teach for about 40 minutes and then the rest of the time is spent snacking and playing with the kiddies.  The age range was toddler to 10 years old (I think) and the whole experience was pretty chilled actually. The best part of the experience for me was playing tag with this little girl.  It was soooo much fun!!  I haven’t played tag in years…and enjoyed every minute of it.  Big smiles in return always make it worth while anyhow J 

And of course, it wouldn’t be an ordinary story from MOI unless I told you about the part where I was ALSO playing catch with this one girl and I might have passed her the ball when she wasn’t ready and it SMASHED her really hard right in the face! … and she was wearing glasses….ahhhhhh man!! I felt so HORRIBLE.  So I just ran up to her, grabbed her head and started hugging her.  She was pretty tough though…she didn’t cry!  But some volunteers did look at me mortified…so I just went on my way and played tag again.

Peace.

♫ I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues ♪

Guess what?

It’s already been three months since I’ve moved here. WOWZA!! Time flies when you’re having fun!!  Well, fun for the most part anyhow.  It has been a while since my last blog and the reason for this was because I was kind of in a downer.  I guess CULTURE SHOCK finally hit and I found myself getting really frustrated with EVERYTHING.  Top frustrations:

Mannerisms...Learning the language...Technology...Having to rely on my co-teacher for EVERYTHING!!

When I first arrived here, I had so much...tolerance I guess. I was just so excited and overjoyed to be working and living overseas that NOTHING bothered me.  About mid October, things started to change.  I noticed that slowly, I was starting to get really frustrated with many things.  I was annoyed with the shoving, disgusted with the spitting, queasy over the smells.  I was frustrated with learning Korean language and annoyed with seeing English used in the most useless ways.  I was aggravated when using any type of technology at school because of the language barrier, and then feeling absolutely enraged with having to bother my co-teacher with every little thing such as banking, ordering internet, getting a cell phone, finding out about medical, how to use the heat and hot water, what’s my address, and etc…etc!!  I guess the frustration stemmed from the loss of independence I started to feel.  When you move to a new country, you really rely on the people around you…people you really don’t know at all.  I guess I was beginning to find this bothersome.

Sad news from home also caused me to question if I had made the right decision to come here.  There are just some things you don’t think about when you hop on a plane excited to begin a new career and life….and that something is death.  Unfortunately, death also helps to put things into perspective.  It made me realize that the above so called “problems” aren’t so awful after all…

The good news?

This slump was short lived!  I had been warned previous to coming that these feelings would arise and that it’s completely normal.  I’m happy to say that I’m feeling lovely and less annoyed about this whole experience.  What else was helpful? Talking to my friends who live here about it. Turns out, many of them had been feeling the exact same way J

Phew!!

Teaching

Yes…this is the main reason I came to Seoul, and yet, have written next to nothing about it.

Why? ...

Honestly, I guess for me it is just something I find hard to accurately describe to everyone, but also, I feel what happens in the classroom should mainly stay there.  For me, learning has always been a private and personal journey, and I don’t think it should be any different for my students.  Also, I have been putting in a lot of extra time outside of the classroom, in order to improve what is going on inside of the classroom so I really don't wanna talk shop in these blogs or tell you how many Hyung Hee's and Jin's I have in my class, or explain to you how much my grade six students annoy me at the moment :)

What I will say is that I do love my job and am glad I decided to become a teacher.  It is the perfect career for me as it is rewarding and challenging all at the same time, and my students make every single day an adventure.  But don’t be fooled by what I say.  “Adventure” doesn’t always mean it’s been a good day.  I have had some really rough days!  Times where I wanna hop on a plane and fly home because I feel like I am the WORST teacher in the world and think to myself, “damn…I should have listened more in Prouty’s CR management class”… or days when I look around at my students in hopes of finding signs of any comprehension, but unfortunately they stare back at me blankly.

Being a new teacher or a new ANYTHING is hard work. I truly believe that most challenges we face arise from the things we are most passionate about.  That said, no fear...I am not giving up or flying home anytime soon.  I have sooooo much to learn and experience yet.

For those that I have been speaking to about coming over to teach, I think you’d be CRAZY not to do it.  TEACHING EXPERIENCE is still EXPERIENCE no matter where you do it.  Don’t listen to those who feel otherwise (you know who I mean…this fear that principals in Canada will think that ESL teaching isn’t REAL teaching, so they won’t hire you once you return to start a REAL teaching job). 

Pssst! ...I teach REAL children here at REAL schools!!!  Not the fake ones.   

Bye bye for now :)

Fun...Informative...Perhaps Useless Facts! All for your Pleasure:)

1) Never sleep with the air conditioner on...you may not wake up in the morning.

2) Men and women spitting constantly. Why? I've been told it is better to get it out than keep it in.

3) I. Love. Noraebang. Private karaoke rooms where you and your friends can belt out your fave tunes.

4) The people here are so very helpful and kind if you are lost.

5) Cars, scooters, & motorcycles can drive ANYWHERE...even on sidewalks.

6) I love going to a family mart, buying a beer, and drinking it on the sidewalk patio furniture right outside the store.

7) Koreans seem to love saying "HI" to ME. (as was so kindly pointed out by some friends of mine lol)

8) This city is very clean (well I think so anyhow).  Not very much litter anywhere. People even rid of smoke butts in the appropriate spots. LOVE IT!

9)  I watched an older lady grab one of my friends breasts and jiggle them around in her hands while dancing in a drumming show. bahhhh

10) Apparently, my apartment is haunted. Thanks for the info past tenant that lived here. (this is sacarasm)

11) The number 4 is believed to represent bad luck. You will not see it often.

12) Leg shakers beware! It is believed this is bad because you are shaking out all the good luck...or maybe it is bad luck, I can't remember:)

13) Simple tasks take TWICE as long to accomplish here than at home.

14) Always take your shoes off at the front door.

15) Red pepper paste and beer gives you the WORST dragon breath. Monday mornings crammed on the bus is not so pleasant.

16) Korean babies are the cutest little things I have ever seen in my life.

17) K-Pop is brutal in my opinion lol

18) Hiking is fun...getting older is not:(

19) There are soooo many hiking trails here and many mountains to climb. But hiking here is quite different than at home...there are soooo many people on the trails here:)

20) My friends and I have made an observation and it must be said: Foreigner men want (and have) Korean girlfriends.

21) Banks here have the right idea: take a number, go sit down on the comfy couch and wait contently while greeter dude brings you a coffee.

22) Although...one day I was at the bank and the security dude was flinging his gas gun around like he was in an old western or something. AWKWARD!

23) If a bus driver is late on his route, don't get in his way:)... OR ...if on the bus already, take some gravol for the ride.

24) I have loved the weather here so far. Although, we have had some HOT and HUMID days, it has been beautiful. We'll see how the winter goes.

25) Bribery is your best classroom management tool here. USE IT!

26) Women! You must have broad shoulders to live here. If you weigh more than 115-120 lbs, you will be considered FAT and probably called it.

27) If someone thinks you are UGLY you will be called it.

28) Most store clerks will only sell you clothes if the item has 'stretch' in it.

29) The spiders here are really pretty looking.

30) Men must serve in the military for two years, age 20-22.

31) Soju is GROSS! It's a weird type of booze here that is popular.

32) You can get trapped in the doors of the subway if you are not quick!

33) Your alien registration card really is your KEY to happiness here. You can't get $$$, phone or internet without it.

34) Quail eggs are really good!

35) I like eating seafood tentacles.

36) Gotta love a good ol Korean BBQ!

37) The cost of living is more expensive here than what I had been told by others.

38) You could NEVER be bored here. There is sooooo much to discover.

39) Koreans are very proud people and respect their traditions.

40) It is easy to figure out and use Korean currency.

41) I LOVE IT HERE!

42) Learning to speak Korean language is hard, but Hanguel is much easier to pick up (alphabet).

43) Korean language sounds very aggressive, so sometimes it is hard to tell if things are GOOD or if things are BAD.

F.Y.I.

This is MY experience and should only be taken as such. Everyone has a different story or experience, or way of interpreting the things that happen to them. So PLEASE don't take this blog as the ONLY truth about South Korea because it is far from it. 

Also, some things that I've said may sound negative or unpleasant to you, and I want you to know that I don't mean them to be or don't take them as such.  One thing I love about Korean culture is their HONESTY...and please, always remember much of what they say and what they mean is lost in translation, and is said using the ONLY English words they know.  I'm sure I have offended a few people here by forgetting specific mannerisms that are really important to the culture. It's just about being understanding and tolerant.

Hope you enjoyed:)

Chuseok

Korean Thanksgiving is here and I've been having a great time so far.  Friday and Monday night I ended up in Itaewon with friends.  Those not familiar with this place, it's a little area of Seoul where all the foreigners go to party, shop or eat familiar food from home. It's a cool spot...lots to do.  Friday eve I watched some bands play, which I totally loved. Nothing better than live music and tons of drinks! FUN:)

Saturday I went on a temple stay at Hwagyesa Buddhist Temple with a friend.  I wanted to try it out and so we booked a 24 hr stay.  It was beautiful...lots of pretty views, and lots to do.  There was a small group of us, half Koreans and the other half foreigners (like moi). We hiked (actually slowly walked, like tiptoed) through this walking path. The idea was to be 'one with nature' (hence the extremely slow walking), and made it to this incredible view of the surrounding area. (Pics to come).  We then toured the grounds and got a clinic on Buddhist ideology.  We learned how to meditate and the purpose (which I am still kinda unclear about lol). I think the purpose was to uncover who the TRUE SELF is...which is to be enlightened...hmmm...best not take my word for it haha. I suggest google!

Anyhow, not only did we learn to mediate, and do this at very odd hours of the day (4:30am), but we also did this whole bowing routine where we basically admitted to all of our faults and wrong doings (me: smoking, drinking, gossiping, lusting cheese, eating meat again...polluting your minds with false info about Buddhism), AND...was FORGIVEN for all of the above. CLEAN SLATE!! Lovely!

Monday found me at Olympic Park with two lovely ladies where we took pics of ourselves inappropriately with statues...and searching the park high and low for this cool bike that we could ALL ride at the same time. But no luck...couldn't find the bike and decided that ice cream would be a better option than riding a cool bike anyhow:) Olympic Park is a pretty cool spot! I actually really enjoyed the statue park and thought the scene to be a beaut. Pics to come. (Keep forgetting my drive with all my pics on them lol). The evening brought us to Itaewon again, where we did nothing but eat and drink the rest of the afternoon and evening away. We found this one really cool pub called "Rocky Mountain....tavern" (I think).  It's a CANADIAN pub and I LOVED IT!!! Lots of canadian team jerseys everywhere, TV's with sports on and lots of yummy food and drinks.  I indulged in an extra spicy caesar, beer and french fries - YUMM-O! Heading there this Friday again actually for Sam's bday...but instead of taking the subway home, we have decided that we will be spending the night at this all night sauna. (right next door to the canadain pub) I'll let you know more about that once it happens, but these saunas are an inexpensive place to stay once the subway closes down for the eve. It's like $7 a night for a stay.

Anyhow...gotta run!

First Week of Teaching at Jamhyun Elementary.

First week done and over with and heading into my second week.  My first week went really well. My co-teacher Nicky is soooo helpful.  I teach Grade 5 and 6's English, Grade 5's Pop music class, and Debate class (which I am really looking forward to).  So far I've been doing a lot of planning and have not had a lot of down time (a.k.a desk-warming they call it here).  My english classes are pretty much text-based but we can deviate from the plan and make it more interesting or fun:)  Pop music and debate are classes where I can really be inventive and make English really fun to learn...I hope!!  I can make up my own plans or use ones previously taught by other teachers....I have lots of resources at this school.  The school was built in 2008 and looks like a museum...I shit you not! This school has the BEST of EVERYTHING. Not even my university was as nice or has more technology.

On my first day I had to give a small speech to the staff and students introducing myself. I stood in the broadcasting room in front of a camera where I told everyone about myself.  This message was sent live into all the classrooms on BIG SCREEN televisions....ughhhhhh! My first day consisted of lesson planning only and  that great.  The next day I gave a powerpoint presentation about myself to all my students...which they all seemed to really enjoy.  HINT: Anytime you turn an activity into a game, where someone can potentially be the "best winner of all time", it really makes students participate lol.

Tea time: the awesome part of the day!! I am in an office with six other women and at around 3p.m. we have tea time and snacks! They all talk in Korean and then Nicky translates for me...hahaha...none of what they say makes sense to me or vice versa. Our language is soooooo different.  I can totally understand what the kids are going through...

Although...most of these kids at this school have fantastic English skills.  Nicky says it's because their parents put them all in evening English classes as well. These kids are pretty much in school all day and most of the evening as well.  They even go to school for half days on Saturday.

I've posted pics on Facebook showing my apartment and neighborhood in Gangdong.  One exciting event this week...I got stuck in the elevator in my apartment for about 30 seconds. hahaha....scary but pretty funny now because I actually figured out today that I didn't really get stuck but maybe, perhaps hit the wrong buttons...which led me to believe I was stuck....

I should wear a helmet most days I think lol....

I also attacked the subway this week and was very successful at navigating about. And when I looked lost, many people helped me...even if I couldn't speak their language. 

Cute story: I was sitting on the subway and an older lady came on and there was no where for her to sit. I got up and  gave her my seat....and she gave me the biggest bow EVER! For those not familiar, bowing in Korea is an important thing to do...people always bow when meeting or when you see someone who deserves it (like a principal, grandfather, etc). Anyhow, she bowed to me and was saying something that I couldn't understand  but she looked very happy. Then as seats were freeing up, she motioned for me to sit beside her. I came and sat beside her and then she started rubbing my back and held my hand...it sounds weird I know, but when you are far from home and haven't been hugged in a while, you welcome things like this I guess. I loved every single minute of it:)

Anyhow...gotta run. Hope you are all well.

xoxo

All on my own in Gangdong-gu!

I've been on my own now since last Thursday and it's been exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. I was dropped off at the education office in my district of Seoul called Gangdong-gu.  There I was met by my Korean teachers Kate (Head Teacher), and Susan & Nicky (Korean English teachers).  They all know English quite well and I wish I could tell you their Korean names but they didn't even mention them. I'll figure that out later on.  I was greeted with such kindness and they were all soooooo helpful. They took me to lunch, helped me buy bedding, ... and they even cleaned my apartment for me before I moved in:)  This I was surprised at because I was told that the apartment would be quite dirty because Koreans believed it was bad luck to clean after a move...or something like this lol.  They even helped me to get my T-money card (transportation card) and are now going to get my internet hooked up for me...sometime soon:)

My apartment is awesome as well. I remember being told the worst of the worst apartment stories at orientation but when Kate opened the door to my new place I was ecstatic!! It was bigger and cozier than I had thought! I ran in with such excitment and then halted quickly as I heard three large gasps behind me. I had committed a Korean faux pas...ran into my apartment with my SHOES on!!! This is a big no-no. OOPSY!!! Sure to not make that mistake again haha. Also, the previous teacher Gus who I am replacing and lived in the same apartment, left me a letter regarding "Things to know". OMG this was soooo helpful!

I also received the Friday off from school in order to get settled in...my VP is sooooooo nice:):) So I had a three day weekend and enjoyed every hot and humid minute of it. I just explored my neighborhood in search of cheap grocery shopping, hot yoga and a gym.  I did get lost a few times...found an awesome farmer's market and discovered it is a BAD idea to travel an entire BLUE bus route from start to finish...unless you enjoy 3 1/2 hour long bus rides in bumper to bumper traffic lol. But I did find Olympic Park, COEX shopping center, A huge MAC makeup store (Holly, you would be so pumped!) and a few hot yoga studios very far, far away from my neighborhood of Gangdong.

Today was my first day at my school, Jamhyun Elementary School, and all I did was plan for lessons. I did find the day overwhelming with computer troubles and it was difficult to communicate with every one...but obviously this would be an issue lol.  I'm planning a lesson using Pop music for my grade 5 class...hoping it goes well. Fingers crossed!

Life at Kyung Hee University

So far so GOOD!!! The orientation that EPIK has put on for us here is awesome! It has been so informative and helpful...so far I recommend EPIK to those who are contemplating coming to Korea to teach. We have been taken care of here: our dorm rooms are small but quite comfortable, laundry is provided, 3 meals and snacks daily, instruction on lesson planning, Korean history, daily life, and culture, language lessons! And not to mention that our EPIK Coordinators have been so welcoming and really a pleasure to be around. We even get a 12 a.m. curfew after classes we can go it and experience a bit of Seoul's night life. LOVE IT!!!!!!

I am enjoying this orientation immensely...but we have been pretty sheltered here.  As I mentioned before, this part of the stay is easiest because we have been taken care of.  On Thursday we leave the university and all the friends we have met, and are dispersed throughout the different districts of Seoul to live on our own and start our teaching jobs.   SCARY!!!    Reality is really going to set in.  The main message our lecturers and coordinators have made to us at orientation has been "be patient, accommodating, flexible and accepting".  Koreans don't stick to schedules and things always change last minute.  I'm going in with no expectations and a "go with the flow" type of attitude.  Kinda excited for some craziness to be honest!

I've met some really great people here as well. Lots of Canadians and Americans of course, but also people from the UK, South Africa, Ireland, Australia...everywhere! I could listen to my friends Charlotte and Lloyd from the UK talk all day long...I'm even thinking of dropping the word 'pants' from my vocab and using the word 'trousers' more often lol, sounds waaaaaay cooler for sure.

Sunday we went to this Korean Folk Village to catch a glimpse of the old rural life and it was pretty cool!!  I have attached a mini video of the traditional drumming show we watched. The elder in the middle (drum leader) is 70 years old and is drumming with his son and grandson...he was so proud when telling us about it.

Hope you enjoy this...AWESOME!
 ............

haha I can't download the video for some reason...not surprising lol. I will figure this out and post it later.

Flight and Orientation

Hey All!!

Well the flight in wasn't too bad. Seventeen hours altogether with one layover in San Francisco. The exciting part...pretty sure I saw the San Fran bridge waaaaaaaay off in the distance when we were landing. Pretty cool seeing the 'Full House' bridge lol (yup...I'm a dork).
The downfall about long flights....pretty sure I have a mild case of "Cankles".  Mmmhmm, my feet are a little swelled and the heat here isn't helping the situation either. I've been told the temperature here is in the 80s...minus air for breathing, which makes it extra hot. Anyhow, seems hotter than at home for sure.

This week has been pretty tame. We've been staying at Kyung Hee University in Seoul completing orientation, but we haven't really ventured into the city yet.  We are here until the 25th and to be honest, I haven't felt culture shocked yet because we've been secluded to basically our English teacher colleagues and a few Korean coordinators. The big shock will come once out on our own...I can;t wait for this!

Tonight we had a Korean language class and WOW!!! This is going to be quite a challenge learning the language here.  I'll be lucky to master 'hello' before I leave...but I plan to continue taking language classes throughout my stay.  Every time I tried talking in Korean, my teacher laughed at me. Maybe I wasn't saying 'hello' after all...ha

And the food....YUMMY!!!! Seriously, I'm loving the Kimchi (hot pickled cabbage).  It's super spicy and eaten at EVERY meal.  Most of us are loving the food here. It's great and healthy too! Very little processed garbage. A nice change for sure. Oh, I almost forgot...the greatest cafe exists just downstairs. This dude who works there makes the greatest vanilla/caramel latte EVER...seriously in LOVE... ...with the latte of course!

And now I'm tired...not as jet lagged as yesterday, but seriously, I opted for going to bed rather than going out with people for drinks. Kinda regretting that decision...really, really thirsty!!!

Hey Everyone!

Well I did it...I copied what every other traveling teacher does and started my own blog.  I figured this would be easiest to keep those who care up-to-date on my teaching and travel experiences this year. I know these types of things usually start out strong (you know, with me writing every few days and having all these interesting things to say...ha), and eventually fizzle out as the blogger begins to have more of a social life once settled in their new country, but I will try to keep everyone updated on a regular basis. Who knows, maybe I will enjoy being a blogger.

This post is going to be pretty boring. Today is my second day in Seoul and I'm feeling jet lagged, so I'm kind of finding it hard to concentrate at the moment.  I guess I just wanted to get this thing started and get the word out.

Anyhow, off to bed...have a long day ahead at orientation, but looking forward to it!