Sweetness in Korea

Sharing some brief treasured moments... so far!

1.  (Chuseok weekend) It was only slightly misting outside and I had just tucked my umbrella under my arm.  I was on my way to pick up Angie from the bus station and waiting for the green man to tell me when to cross the street.  This lovely little Korean woman came and stood right next to me and shared her umbrella with me.  I smiled and told her thank you (in Korean) and she smiled back at me.  Once the green man lit up I began walking first at her pace to stay under the umbrella but it was just too slow and I was sort of slouched down while I walked.  I turned to the woman told her thank you again with a little bow and said good-bye.  She smiled one of the warmest smiles I have ever received from a stranger and bid me on my way.  So sweet!

2.  (Sept 20) There is a man that works at my school who is in charge of the school vehicle entrance gate. I do not know his name but every morning we bow to each other and say hello in Korean.  This week he started to greet me with, "good morning."  The smile he gets when he says it to me just lights him up; he is so proud to speak some English to me.  I return his English greeting.  I find that once again, the more I show my willingness to learn Korea's language and customs the more welcoming and at home they try to make me feel.

3.  (Sept 23) This morning on my walk to school, a old Korean man caught up to me and with excitement in his voice greeted me with such enthusiasm I was taken aback a bit.  He was so sweet and excited as he started talking to me in Korean.  I was only able to pick up a few key phrases and confirm to him that I was indeed a waygook, foreigner, that I was from the US, and I was a primary school English teacher.  He was SO happy about this.  He continued to walk with me chatting away in Korean, while I smile and nodded and listened for any words that I might understand, until I got to my school where we parted ways.  At that point he said, "Good-bye!"  This was the perfect start to probably my best day of teaching in Korea so far!

As Korea continues to surprise and delight me, I am sure to share many more of these small and treasured moments.

Has it really been a month? Reflections on the month and Chuseok!

I can't believe it has already been a month (well a little over a month) since I have been here.  I fear my year here will be over before I know it.  I have been trying to savor every moment and yet they are just moving so quickly.

The first week and a half was filled with orientation!  It was there that I met some of the most amazing people I have ever come across in my life.  We have become fast friends and they have been a great comfort to me.  Second week I was introduced to school but didn't do any teaching. I finally got to teach some during my third week but it was basically a powerpoint introduction of myself and a quick review lead by my co-teacher.  Then came Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving and a 5 day weekend!


Chuseok was probably the best weekend I have spent in Korea so far.  Mostly because I got to hang out with my sister, Angie and my new friend Janna!  Getting to spend the weekend with Angie began to make Korea feel more like home.  The only thing I am missing now is my Dunkin'. Angie, Janna, and I spent the weekend eating fabulous food, wandering around Ulsan, enjoying a hike at Ilsan Beach and just hanging out.  I was just getting over being sick and the final stages of my cough sort of put a damper on the last 2 days of the holiday, but overall it was excellent.  Then it was back to work - for 2 days.

It is now the last day of the weekend and I feel the work will really begin and the time will start to move even faster.  This week feels like it will be my first REAL week of teaching.  I will have all of my classes and my after school classes start this week as well.  Once again my nerves are mounting, but I'm getting used to it.  At least by now I hopefully know what to expect... AND this week we FINALLY get PAID!

Spicy soup with mussels, clams, shrimp and more!

Spicy ddŏk pokki (I think) with octopus! SO GOOD! 

3 girls with way too much food! (Janna, me, and Angie)

A little nore-bang (Korean Karaoke) with my soul sister!

Amazing street food.  Great taste, even better price!

Hiking in Ilsan Beach

East Sea (or Sea of Japan if you're in Japan). View while
hiking at Ilsan Beach.

On the overlook during the hike.  Locks of love? Supposedly
it is tradition for couples to signify their commitment with
a lock. Many of these have dates and names and are quite
rusted... others pretty new.

I just liked that this man was out on a rock by himself. He
appeared deep in thought and very content.

Let the adjusting begin

I knew that moving to a foreign country was going to take its toll on my body.  I tried to condition my body to prepare.  First, I started eating meat again.  I had been a vegetarian since I was 16 years old.  Prior to that time I had very much been a carnivore, but never liked the heavy feeling I got after eating meat.  Why I became a vegetarian is the subject of another blog.  Anyway, recently because of my financial status I decided to start to include some fish, mainly canned tuna, into my diet (I can make 4 sandwiches with 1 can of tuna, economical by my standards).  Then in May, or thereabouts, I decided to move to Korea.  If I was going to do this I was going to go "all in", which meant I needed to start introducing meat into my diet in order to avoid hopefully any uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing situations (I'll let your imagination work things out for you).  Also, this choice wouldn't limit me on how I would be able to interact with my Korean colleagues and friends.  If I was going to live in a foreign country I wanted to fully experience the culture which I strongly believe can only be done through sharing a meal.  So far I am pleased to say, the priming of the stomach worked.  I have impressed my colleagues with my willingness to try everything.  They even liked the idea that I will try everything 3 times before I decide whether or not I like it.  Although I have to admit I don't think I will be up to trying something if it is still moving... I might just leave that to Andrew Zimmern and Angie.

Just chilling at the Cat Cafe.

So priming the body for the food worked, however the one thing I couldn't prime my body for is the new bacteria flora that I would encounter.  When traveling to any country you run the risk of becoming ill since your body doesn't have immunities that natives of that country have to the various contagens that inhabit every corner of the world.  Normally a person isn't bothered since they only stay in one place for about 2 weeks and then return to their homeland where their bodies are adapted to their native contagens. So after 2 weeks of running myself to the edge, stressing out before I came, engaging in an occupation that puts me in direct contact with incubating petri dishes, also known as children, my immune system has been continually tried and tested and for the most part it was working fine.  That is until I decided to join in a venture to the Cat Cafe, where cats are not only the theme but run around for you to pet.  On the same evening we sat in a restaurant where several people and tables were smoking.  Being allergic to cats and then the strain of the cigarette smoke, my body finally said, "NO MORE!" and now I am sick.  On the bright side I was able to go to a pharmacy, explain what I had and was then given 2 boxes of pills, of which I have no idea what they are, and told to take two of each three times a day, at least that is what I think he said, all for the low price of about $5 USD.  I have no idea what I have been taking but given how horrible I felt last night and how much improved I am today, it has made me a believer!

At the Cat Cafe in Ulsan... trying to get into the spirit.
While trying to maintain my distance from the cats.
And yes... that is Dunkin' Donuts coffee in my hand!

Random girls playing with the cats at the Cat Cafe.

Cats doing what cats will do at the Cat Cafe. Allergies
were killing me... no wonder I got sick.

Korea: Two Weeks Later

Well it has been two weeks since I arrived in Korea and so far it still hasn't really hit me that I am actually going to be living here as it stills feels more like a vacation.  I have only had two real days of "work", but I am guessing that once I start getting into the thick of teaching it will finally hit me that I live here now.

From my short time here I have to say I haven't really experienced culture shock.  Cultural differences are around every corner, but I haven't really experienced shock.  I attribute my lack of shock to my open-mindedness.  The shock may hit me if I ever see my co-teacher hit a child.  I don't think she would since she is a young teacher and corporal punishment is usually attributed to older teachers methods of classroom management, but you never know.  My co-teacher is very nice and has been extremely helpful in getting me settled in here.  Yesterday she took me to get my Alien Registration Card (ARC), equivalent to a green card in the US, and I as we were talking I think we both learned a lot about each other.  We covered everything from family traditions and roles, to hobbies, Monday's lesson, and of course food.  I think I have surprised her and the other teachers at my school in my openness to try everything (well anything that is dead, except dog).

The teachers and students, especially the students, seem to be completely fascinated by me.  They are impressed by my chopstick handling skills, and surprised by the little amount of Korean I can actually speak.  While I haven't done any actual teaching yet, I have been at school for the last two days doing some basic lesson planning but primarily desk warming and answering the kids' questions about me as they come to my desk between each of their classes.  I know this fascination with me is temporary and I will enjoy it while it lasts.  Right now I am greeted with "Hi teacher! I love you teacher!" In a few weeks when I assign them homework they will probably greet me more with "Mean teacher!"

Although I have enjoyed the time I have spent getting to know my new home, I am anxious to begin teaching!  As each day progresses the nerves just build up.  It's time to just rip the proverbial band-aid and get to work.  Perhaps once I have been working for a few weeks it will start to sink in that I am actually LIVING in Korea!