This post was composed over two different sittings which were days apart because I have been extremely busy but I think it will add to the sharing of my experience.
My first few days in Seoul have been a bit of a whirlwind. Still haven’t quite gotten over my jet lag or adjusted to my surroundings. I am really looking forward to getting settled in my apartment so I can begin to figure out this vast and complex city. Seoul is really an amazing place with a blend of old meets modern laid out over a mountainous landscape. The way they have packed so many streets, buildings, cars and people onto the land while still preserving green spaces is really unbelievable. As I am writing this I am in a bus owned by the school on my way to my new apartment!
The first few days of teaching so far have been great! The students are very energetic and have a ton of personality. The staff at the school are all very friendly, welcoming and helpful. The foreign teachers at the school in particular have really helped me feel welcome and have set me up with a cell phone and taken me to Costco to get ‘Western’ groceries which I feel will be key over the next year (only place to get lunch meat and regular cereal). Still trying to figure out what I am going to eat outside of that. There is food everywhere however and produce can be bought from old ladies on every street for very cheap.
The teaching days at the school are very long and I am replacing a Canadian girl who was fired so I am pretty much left to figure out where I am at with my 7 different classes and where to go from here. The staff are as helpful as they can be but there are 3 other new Canadian teachers who are still figuring things out for themselves. I expect the next month or so to be very busy.
Part 2
I just got back to my apartment after doing an over night trip with students from the school to one of Korea’s largest amusement parks (Everland) and Korea’s largest water park (Caribbean Bay). Both parks were quite impressive but I am utterly exhausted at this point after spending 40 some odd hours touring students around! Thankfully they only do 3 over night trips per year and one is out of the way already :)
My apartment here is nice with a spectacular view which I will post pictures of. The girl who I am replacing at the school however was the previous tenant and it seems she put as much effort into her teaching as she did into maintaining the cleanliness of her apartment so I have to give it a good cleaning. Not only was she messy but she took it upon herself to write some of her favourite quotes on the wall in permanent marker, placed pink flower decals on the wall which take of the wall paper when you try to remove them and painted ‘electric ladyland’ in green and yellow paint right over my bed J I have already spoken to the school about having new wall paper put up but I will be sure to post pictures of the décor for your amusement!
Going to have a quick nap now then myself along with the 7 other foreign teachers at the school are going to hit the town as it is Saturday night here and the ‘vets’ are anxious to show us ‘newbie’s’ around!
So long till my next post!
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