I've arrived!

I truly believed that I would be able to post so much more often with so much detail and sustenance, but the whirl wind of moving to South Korea still hasn't really died down. When I arrived on the Saturday the 26th, I was able to stay awake until 9 o'clock at night and then simply fall asleep. I stayed awake the ENTIRE plane ride hoping to adjust to the time difference (thanks for the advice, Tommy!) and it ended up working really well! When I woke up Sunday morning, I felt very adjusted and have felt on the correct time track the entire time I have been here.That has been very helpful with getting through the days.

My first two days Saul took me to some great tourist spots. We went to Seoul Tower and also the 63 building where we went in to the aquarium! It had 20,000 different species in it!! I realize this isn't very "Korean", but I really enjoyed it!

On the 1st we went back out to the airport using the subway and met the EPIK representatives. Saul had gotten me a subway card when I first arrived and I was somewhat familiar with the system after my first two days. The subway system here is absolutely amazing. It is so much cleaner, smoother and nicer than any I have been on in the states or in London. Here is a picture of the subway map.

I stayed in a hotel near the airport Tuesday night and met a few people who were also in the smaller orientation group. Then we woke up early Wednesday morning and headed back to downtown Seoul for our "orientation". This "orientation" consisted of all 50-60 of us sitting in a room for 30 minutes, signing our contracts and listening to an EPIK representative give us a few bits of information. Apparently we will be attending a 5-6 day orientation on the 24th. So, that should be interesting since they will be orienting us after we have already been teaching for 3 weeks. Still, a real orientation will be nice to have!

My co-teachers picked me up after the "orientation" and whisked me off to my school. Only one of my co-teachers speaks English, and even her's is not that spectacular. When we got to the school I took a tour, met the vice principal and principal and then my co-teacher's took me to my apartment. My school is a 10 minute walk to the subway, 5 stops and then 10 minute walk to my apartment. It takes me a little over 30 minutes to get to school, which isn't a bother. However, the subway is so packed in the morning that I feel like a sardine in a can. Koreans don't seem to have much concern with personal space in any way. This was interesting at first for me because if people got that close to me back in the states, I would be within my social rights to pop them in the face. However, here I'm fairly certain that they can smush you up until the point of cracking a rib. That is their cut off point.

When I arrived at my apartment for the first time, I was blown away by how amazing my area of town was. I am very close to Seoul National University, so there is just about everything I could possibly need within walking distance. Dozen of restaurants, both Korean and other country based cosine (including a Subway which just took my breath away), shopping stores, a huge grocery store, little nick-nack stores, street booths, street food, bars, a billiards room (with only one "American" table, but the owner loves me so I have a feeling I have dibs), a movie theater.. literally everything. My apartment building is fairly nice and very clean, but my apartment is the size of my bathroom back home. Well, that is an exaggeration, but it is very small. My kitchen has a small sink with 1 cabinet bellow and 1 above, my washing machine with a camping style stove on top with a cabinet above that, and about a 4x8 stretch of floor. A sliding door separates my living kitchen/entry way from my bedroom. I have a twin bed, a small fridge, a small desk, a bookshelf that goes through the desk and a hanging closet and... that's it. I haven't quite figured out how this is going to be enough for my clothes, but I will make it work. While my place is much smaller than most and was very disappointing when I first arrived, the area that I live is so sensational that I can't help but appreciate the silver lining. It isn't "Angela's Ashes" and it isn't trashy or dirty or full of broken items. It is just small. I can live with small.

I have been observing the past 2 days at school and will continue to observe next week and then assist in the classroom. By the next week I will be co-teaching. The students all laugh and say hello to me in the halls. They are amazed by white people, which is both cute and a tad insulting haha. I am getting use to being called a "way gook" though and get a kick out of sticking my tongue out at the younger kids and watching them laugh hysterically. I was also asked to teach 400 minutes (4 days a week) after school for extra pay. Of course, I accepted, so that should really help with my finances. Just another silver lining to my small living condition! Maybe I'll be able to decorate it with awesome stuff with all the bank I'll be making. :)

Well, this has been an extra long post because I felt so badly about not posting anything earlier. I will sign off with the 5 things I've learned about Korea that I have enjoyed the most:
1) Tipping is considered rude and not allowed ANYWHERE.
2) There is a Dunken Doughnuts on EVERY corner! I don't enjoy this for my own purposes, I just find it so shocking that Koreans enjoy the place so much.
3) Soju is only 19% alcohol, but 2 shots of SoJu pack the punch of about 5 shots of vodka. Plus there are 7 shots in a bottle and each bottle costs only $3 or less.
4) People bow to you instead of shake your hand. This just makes me feel ridiculously cool.
5) Downloading movies, music and tv shows is not illegal here. Sorry, piracy.

To post again soon, friends and family! Love and miss you all!