The City of Pears
Naju, South Korea is known for their Asian pears.
Well, I'm here!
Travels went just about as smooth as creamy peanut butter. :) My flight from New York to Seoul was 13.5 hours, during which I pretty much lost track of all space and time. Haha. I'm really not sure how much I slept... maybe about half the flight. When I arrived at the airport in South Korea, I was nervous that I would not have internet, and thus be unable to contact the co-teacher I was supposed to be meeting. I was also nervous that everything would be in Korean and I would have no idea where to go. However, there was enough English on the signs to get by and I managed to get through immigration, pick up my bags and buy myself a delicious strawberry-yogurt smoothie in just enough time to purchase the last ticket for the bus that my co-teacher was taking to our final destination.
On the four hour bus ride to Gwanju, I sat next to a super cool dude from India. After talking with him for a while, I learned that he is a professional compound bow archer! He got 2nd place in the 2013 World Cup in the doubles competition! How cool is that? He was on his way to his next bow competition for the Asian Games being hosted later this month in South Korea. We are now Facebook buddies :) When we parted ways, he gave me some Indian rupees and a sweet pin.
After the bus ride, my co-teacher (Malia) and I were picked up by our new boss, Saminim. She is the principles wife at our school... but she basically runs everything. It was so funny when her and the driver pulled up to the bus stop (which was also a giant mall) in a white mini-van. She rushed out, waved at us and asked us if we were the teachers she was picking up. Malia and I smiled and nodded at her and we all briskly loaded our bags into the van. I jumped into my seat and pulled myself into the vehicle just as the door was closing behind me. Had I not read up on what to expect upon arriving in South Korea or been informed by the HR manager (David) of Saminim's hurried tendencies, I might have been a bit disgruntled by being ushered so quickly into a mini-van without any proper introductions. For me, the whole thing turned out to be quite amusing... not sure whether I can say the same for my co-teacher, Malia :). (Malia, if you are reading this, perhaps you can enlighten us on your thoughts in the comments below if you feel so inclined).
Around 10:00 pm, the van pulled into a parking lot surrounded by several high-rise apartment buildings. Malia and her luggage were deposited in one building first, then I was taken to another building across the parking lot where I met Mindy and her family. I soon found out that Mindy is one of the teachers I will be replacing at the academy here in Naju. She has been teaching with this school for about 5 years with her husband Peter and two children, Lucy (6 years old) and Elliot (2 years old). Mindy's family will be vacating the apartment I am currently living in on Monday, soon to be replaced by my other co-teacher and friend, Brandi (in about a week). After formal introductions, Mindy and Peter made Spaghetti for dinner imparted invaluable information to me about living and teaching in Korea. I am literally taking notes on everything they have said so far.
I slept straight through the night in the comfortable bed I was provided with and woke around 8 am to the sounds of Koreans getting into the elevator in the hall outside my bedroom window and Lucy and Elliot playing in the living room outside my door. Immediately, I felt a smile pulling at both corners of my mouth. I was in Korea! About to begin a new, exciting and different life with adventures as far as mind can imagine. Not to mention, I felt certain that I was in the exact center of God's will... which is the most amazing feeling I have ever felt.
My morning consisted of nibbling on the Belvita breakfast biscuits and Starbucks Via coffee I had packed, spending some time with God, cleaning up, getting the lowdown from Mindy and Peter about the day's schedule and then hanging out with Lucy and Elliot while her parents went out for supplies. It was a good morning!
In the afternoon, I observed my first classes which began at 1 pm and lasted till about 9 pm with only 5-10 minute breaks in between. I don't know if jet lag kicked in or what but I found it more and more difficult to stay awake as the evening went on. When classes finally finished, I got some instant noodles at the mini-mart with Malia and called it a night!
And THAT was my first two days in South Korea.
Well, I'm here!
Travels went just about as smooth as creamy peanut butter. :) My flight from New York to Seoul was 13.5 hours, during which I pretty much lost track of all space and time. Haha. I'm really not sure how much I slept... maybe about half the flight. When I arrived at the airport in South Korea, I was nervous that I would not have internet, and thus be unable to contact the co-teacher I was supposed to be meeting. I was also nervous that everything would be in Korean and I would have no idea where to go. However, there was enough English on the signs to get by and I managed to get through immigration, pick up my bags and buy myself a delicious strawberry-yogurt smoothie in just enough time to purchase the last ticket for the bus that my co-teacher was taking to our final destination.
On the four hour bus ride to Gwanju, I sat next to a super cool dude from India. After talking with him for a while, I learned that he is a professional compound bow archer! He got 2nd place in the 2013 World Cup in the doubles competition! How cool is that? He was on his way to his next bow competition for the Asian Games being hosted later this month in South Korea. We are now Facebook buddies :) When we parted ways, he gave me some Indian rupees and a sweet pin.
After the bus ride, my co-teacher (Malia) and I were picked up by our new boss, Saminim. She is the principles wife at our school... but she basically runs everything. It was so funny when her and the driver pulled up to the bus stop (which was also a giant mall) in a white mini-van. She rushed out, waved at us and asked us if we were the teachers she was picking up. Malia and I smiled and nodded at her and we all briskly loaded our bags into the van. I jumped into my seat and pulled myself into the vehicle just as the door was closing behind me. Had I not read up on what to expect upon arriving in South Korea or been informed by the HR manager (David) of Saminim's hurried tendencies, I might have been a bit disgruntled by being ushered so quickly into a mini-van without any proper introductions. For me, the whole thing turned out to be quite amusing... not sure whether I can say the same for my co-teacher, Malia :). (Malia, if you are reading this, perhaps you can enlighten us on your thoughts in the comments below if you feel so inclined).
Around 10:00 pm, the van pulled into a parking lot surrounded by several high-rise apartment buildings. Malia and her luggage were deposited in one building first, then I was taken to another building across the parking lot where I met Mindy and her family. I soon found out that Mindy is one of the teachers I will be replacing at the academy here in Naju. She has been teaching with this school for about 5 years with her husband Peter and two children, Lucy (6 years old) and Elliot (2 years old). Mindy's family will be vacating the apartment I am currently living in on Monday, soon to be replaced by my other co-teacher and friend, Brandi (in about a week). After formal introductions, Mindy and Peter made Spaghetti for dinner imparted invaluable information to me about living and teaching in Korea. I am literally taking notes on everything they have said so far.
I slept straight through the night in the comfortable bed I was provided with and woke around 8 am to the sounds of Koreans getting into the elevator in the hall outside my bedroom window and Lucy and Elliot playing in the living room outside my door. Immediately, I felt a smile pulling at both corners of my mouth. I was in Korea! About to begin a new, exciting and different life with adventures as far as mind can imagine. Not to mention, I felt certain that I was in the exact center of God's will... which is the most amazing feeling I have ever felt.
My morning consisted of nibbling on the Belvita breakfast biscuits and Starbucks Via coffee I had packed, spending some time with God, cleaning up, getting the lowdown from Mindy and Peter about the day's schedule and then hanging out with Lucy and Elliot while her parents went out for supplies. It was a good morning!
In the afternoon, I observed my first classes which began at 1 pm and lasted till about 9 pm with only 5-10 minute breaks in between. I don't know if jet lag kicked in or what but I found it more and more difficult to stay awake as the evening went on. When classes finally finished, I got some instant noodles at the mini-mart with Malia and called it a night!
And THAT was my first two days in South Korea.
Thanks Vicki!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for you, Eden!
ReplyDelete