Recap: Week One
It's been nearly three weeks. How about we just start with what went on the first week of Life Korea? I took almost no photos the first few days, so you're stuck with words.
Day One
I left Minneapolis at 7:45 Tuesday morning (US time) and arrived in Seoul at 5:30pm Wednesday (Korea time). Only when we were taxiing to the gate did I realize the man next to me thought I was coming to do a year of military duty in Seoul. I couldn't decide which of us would feel stupider if I corrected him, so I refrained. Never knew I looked like military....
Eddie picked me up from the airport and drove me to my school. While I was getting an introduction to the school, Eddie left. This was slightly disconcerting until I learned he moved my suitcases to someone else's car before driving away. By now it was at least 8:00pm. Boss took everyone still at the school out to dinner. At this particular restaurant, they bring out the food and you cook it yourself. I don't know what we ate, but it looked like uber thick bacon and tasted better.
I'm very glad for the quilt and India blanket I brought with me. The sheet and comforter I was given were too small, and I couldn't get the heat to work. That could have been a really long night!
Day Two
The original plan was to have a week of training before teaching. All bets are off if you come to the country three weeks late. Instead, I observed for a day. I'm glad they at least gave me that. One teacher bought me lunch and another bought me a latte. Ordering food here is intimidating to me, so I was extra glad for that. I'm very thankful that the other foreigners have been so helpful!
Day Three
Friday was my first day as Elizabeth Teacher. In the mornings I teach 11 pre-kindergarten kids. By Korean counting they are all six; by US counting they're more like five. They're so fun! Quotes will come later. In the afternoons, I have different elementary age classes.
Three other teachers live in my building. Somewhere late Friday night one came over to show me how to turn on the heat and figured out that there was actually something wrong with it. It seems the gas bill hadn't been paid for a few months. There was nothing to do about it since it was the weekend, but another coworker let me borrow a plug-in water heater. I'd never been so excited about hot water!!
Day Four
The same friendly coworker showed me around Seoul a bit. I tried my first kimbap, got a T Money card (for subway and stuff), loaded money on it, visited E-Mart (household goods, clothes, grocery, everything), tried food at a street vendor stand (the only one I can remember is mandu), went to a snowboard competition, fell while crossing the street (lost my phone and the remainder of my kimbap), and spent a lot more time on the subway and walking around the city never really knowing where I was.
Day Five
I saw Amy today! She came down to my area. Fortunately, yesterday Mark showed me the subway stop where Amy and I were supposed to meet. We ended up going to the same kimbap shop as yesterday, too. This time I tried donkasu (pork cutlet), which is so far my favorite food here. It was super nice to hang out with a pre-Korea friend.
I picked up an adapter at E-Mart, since mine from the states didn't work. And then I forgot that it was just an adapter and not a converter, and I fried my alarm clock. Sorry Jonathan.
Day Six
I don't remember this day, but I know it was Monday, which means I worked. Oh, I had hot water when I got home! And the stove worked and the heat worked. It took a long time to really feel the heat, but at least it was on!
Day Seven
I don't remember much about this day either except that, when I got up, my floor was warm (my apt is heated through the floor). Americans really should get on board with heated floors. I love it.
Day One
I left Minneapolis at 7:45 Tuesday morning (US time) and arrived in Seoul at 5:30pm Wednesday (Korea time). Only when we were taxiing to the gate did I realize the man next to me thought I was coming to do a year of military duty in Seoul. I couldn't decide which of us would feel stupider if I corrected him, so I refrained. Never knew I looked like military....
Eddie picked me up from the airport and drove me to my school. While I was getting an introduction to the school, Eddie left. This was slightly disconcerting until I learned he moved my suitcases to someone else's car before driving away. By now it was at least 8:00pm. Boss took everyone still at the school out to dinner. At this particular restaurant, they bring out the food and you cook it yourself. I don't know what we ate, but it looked like uber thick bacon and tasted better.
I'm very glad for the quilt and India blanket I brought with me. The sheet and comforter I was given were too small, and I couldn't get the heat to work. That could have been a really long night!
Day Two
The original plan was to have a week of training before teaching. All bets are off if you come to the country three weeks late. Instead, I observed for a day. I'm glad they at least gave me that. One teacher bought me lunch and another bought me a latte. Ordering food here is intimidating to me, so I was extra glad for that. I'm very thankful that the other foreigners have been so helpful!
Day Three
Friday was my first day as Elizabeth Teacher. In the mornings I teach 11 pre-kindergarten kids. By Korean counting they are all six; by US counting they're more like five. They're so fun! Quotes will come later. In the afternoons, I have different elementary age classes.
Three other teachers live in my building. Somewhere late Friday night one came over to show me how to turn on the heat and figured out that there was actually something wrong with it. It seems the gas bill hadn't been paid for a few months. There was nothing to do about it since it was the weekend, but another coworker let me borrow a plug-in water heater. I'd never been so excited about hot water!!
Day Four
The same friendly coworker showed me around Seoul a bit. I tried my first kimbap, got a T Money card (for subway and stuff), loaded money on it, visited E-Mart (household goods, clothes, grocery, everything), tried food at a street vendor stand (the only one I can remember is mandu), went to a snowboard competition, fell while crossing the street (lost my phone and the remainder of my kimbap), and spent a lot more time on the subway and walking around the city never really knowing where I was.
Day Five
I saw Amy today! She came down to my area. Fortunately, yesterday Mark showed me the subway stop where Amy and I were supposed to meet. We ended up going to the same kimbap shop as yesterday, too. This time I tried donkasu (pork cutlet), which is so far my favorite food here. It was super nice to hang out with a pre-Korea friend.
I picked up an adapter at E-Mart, since mine from the states didn't work. And then I forgot that it was just an adapter and not a converter, and I fried my alarm clock. Sorry Jonathan.
Day Six
I don't remember this day, but I know it was Monday, which means I worked. Oh, I had hot water when I got home! And the stove worked and the heat worked. It took a long time to really feel the heat, but at least it was on!
Day Seven
I don't remember much about this day either except that, when I got up, my floor was warm (my apt is heated through the floor). Americans really should get on board with heated floors. I love it.
My aunt's cabin in Longville has heated floors, they are the best!!
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