Time is going by so fast! I don't have time to regularly update my blog. Anyway, not much has happened since the last time I posted. I've really been enjoying myself though. I spend time with students every weekend. Either on a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon, but I make sure to spend time with them outside of class. This mission is about building relationships and becoming friends and that's exactly what I'm trying to do. I finally got a cell phone on Saturday night and now my co-workers and especially my students can contact me. A cell phone is really helpful here because it has a map of the subway system and it's very difficult to spot people in the crowds of thousands that are always roaming around the city.
There are so many people here! HAHAHA...really all I can do is laugh because it is kind of absurd. The Koreans here have stated on numerous times that there are too many people here. It seems like everywhere is crowded i.e. subways, buses, streets, sidewalks, malls, coffee shops, etc...It is definitely interesting to be a part of this culture.
We had Korean thanksgiving (Chuseok) last week for 3 days and I was able to spend that time with my foreign friends. We had an American Thanksgiving gathering and there were about 15 of us in total. It was nice to be around native English speakers and have "adult" conversation lol...Side note, if you ever have questions about the culture or my life here, feel free to ask questions in the comment section.
I received my first care package from the U.S. today...THANKS MOM!! It has lots of goodies and useful things. I'm not homesick yet, because I'm so use to going off to college, but I am frustrated by the inability to find things that I really want. And even if those things are here, I don't know how to read the signs or even how to ask just yet, so I really need to stop slacking on learning the language. It seems like I learn a new word or phrase everyday but they aren't the most useful for what I need at this point in time.
Anyway, things are continuing to go well here. Thanks for all the support from my blog readers and well wishers from around the globe. Your thoughts and prayers go a long way. Until next time...
P.S. Pictures can be found on Facebook!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Insadong and a bunch of randomness
Wow! Has it really been a week since my last post? Time just seems to fly by here. Also, I've been extremely busy and I haven't even had time to think about my blog, yet here I am =)
My last few days have been quite normal. Over the weekend, I went to Insa-dong with two of my 7 AM students. Insa-dong is a part of Seoul that houses the traditional shops, foods, people, etc...We had a great time together. They met me at the institute so that I would have no problems getting to our destination. I have to say it was quite nice of them. Anyway, we got there and walk around for a bit. Then we ate at a traditional Korean restaurant, and I enjoyed some authentic pimbimbap. It is rice, vegetables, raw egg, and meat. I obviously got mine without meat. In Korean you say cogi ppego which means no meat. It is brought to the table in a scorching hot bowl and the patron is suppose to stir it all together. The bowl is so hot that it actually cooks the egg! It was quite delicious and I was satisfied. They were great company and asked a host of good questions about my family, America, me, movie stars, and just general things about English. After dinner, we went to a little cafe for tea and treats made out of rice. Overall, the whole experience was a pleasant one and I'm glad I went out with them.
On another note, my last few days have consisted with me trying to keep up with all the sports going on back home. I quickly just want to give a shout out to the Huskies, Seahawks, and Storm!! They all had a good weekend and I supremely enjoyed watching the Huskies romp Syracuse =) Just made my Sunday.
So last week I had a Korean kid call me an interesting name...he called me Chocolate Teacher. I think he likes pointing out that I'm a different color because he has been calling me that more frequently and even as recently as this afternoon haha...he's an interesting character so I let him slide.
I'm starting to get frustrated and angry! I have the most difficult time staying asleep and I haven't felt rested in weeks. I go to sleep tired and wake up tired. It's a vicious cycle. I feel like a could simply fall asleep at any point during my day. It's somewhat discouraging because I'm just so exhausted...so please pray for me. I have my first vespers sermon this Friday night too so I'm trying to muster up the energy to finish that on top of what I'm already doing.
Until next time...
My last few days have been quite normal. Over the weekend, I went to Insa-dong with two of my 7 AM students. Insa-dong is a part of Seoul that houses the traditional shops, foods, people, etc...We had a great time together. They met me at the institute so that I would have no problems getting to our destination. I have to say it was quite nice of them. Anyway, we got there and walk around for a bit. Then we ate at a traditional Korean restaurant, and I enjoyed some authentic pimbimbap. It is rice, vegetables, raw egg, and meat. I obviously got mine without meat. In Korean you say cogi ppego which means no meat. It is brought to the table in a scorching hot bowl and the patron is suppose to stir it all together. The bowl is so hot that it actually cooks the egg! It was quite delicious and I was satisfied. They were great company and asked a host of good questions about my family, America, me, movie stars, and just general things about English. After dinner, we went to a little cafe for tea and treats made out of rice. Overall, the whole experience was a pleasant one and I'm glad I went out with them.
On another note, my last few days have consisted with me trying to keep up with all the sports going on back home. I quickly just want to give a shout out to the Huskies, Seahawks, and Storm!! They all had a good weekend and I supremely enjoyed watching the Huskies romp Syracuse =) Just made my Sunday.
So last week I had a Korean kid call me an interesting name...he called me Chocolate Teacher. I think he likes pointing out that I'm a different color because he has been calling me that more frequently and even as recently as this afternoon haha...he's an interesting character so I let him slide.
I'm starting to get frustrated and angry! I have the most difficult time staying asleep and I haven't felt rested in weeks. I go to sleep tired and wake up tired. It's a vicious cycle. I feel like a could simply fall asleep at any point during my day. It's somewhat discouraging because I'm just so exhausted...so please pray for me. I have my first vespers sermon this Friday night too so I'm trying to muster up the energy to finish that on top of what I'm already doing.
Until next time...
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
My Address!
This will be my mailing address;
Sanmaek plaza, #147 Dongsomun-dong-6ga, Seongbuk-gu
Seoul 136-036, Korea
If you feel inclined to mail packages, refer to this list for good things to mail:
Sanmaek plaza, #147 Dongsomun-dong-6ga, Seongbuk-gu
Seoul 136-036, Korea
If you feel inclined to mail packages, refer to this list for good things to mail:
- Deodorant (old spice)
- Razors (shaving)
- Pop tarts
- Popcorn
- Stickers
- Candy
- Oatmeal
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Emperor's Palace, Interviews, and Great Italian Food
It has been a great weekend thus far. Vespers and church went well and they are not anything like I was envisioning. There were a few people that came to each, but that will not be the norm. There will be maybe close to 20 or so on a regular basis. Anyway, I can now rest a little easier knowing there is not as much pressure. It helps that my director is a really cool pastor and quite easy to talk to. It is making my transition to my new school a lot easier.
After having potluck with the students after church yesterday, I went out to tour the city with two other new teachers, Brian and Jonathan. We went the Emperor's Palace! It was blazing hot and we were pouring down sweat but we wanted to have fun so we continued on. It was a very beautiful place. We were even able to practice our Korean several times while we were there. We would ask locals questions on how to get certain places or things like that...
The picture on the right is one of the many buildings at the palace. That is Brian on the left and my other friend Jonathan on the right.
Also, before we even entered the palace I got lucky. Some really cute Korean girl wanted to interview me for her English speaking program on tv =) It is geared towards people who are learning English. She says she routinely asks foreigners a question of the day. Mine had to deal with how I like my eggs. Then she asked me some other questions as well...here we are...
It was so HOT! I was dripping sweat during the interview. Anyway, she was really nice and her English was amazing. Before she approached me I sneezed and I heard a bless you from like 20 feet away. I looked around and she came up to me and started talking to me in superb English. She was so nice that I figured I would help her out. While I was doing the interview my friends were laughing. Who knows why but I was giving her some wild answers lol..
After our little excursion, we went searching for food. In the midst of our journey, we stumbled across the US Embassy and like 10 huge police buses. There were guards stationed everywhere too. It was pretty cool to see. I quickly snapped a photo of the American flag and we kept moving. We eventually arrived at an Italian place to eat and it was delicious. I had gnocci with marinara sauce and mozzarella ...yum! After dining like kings we ventured to see what else we could do. Eventually we landed in an upscale part of town where all the Gucci and Dolce & Gabanna stores were. There were actually waiting lines to get into the stores. It was kinda funny to see. Only a limited number people were allowed to enter at a time. Anyway, we stayed at the building and went to see a movie. We went to our homes after that and I simply knocked out...
After having potluck with the students after church yesterday, I went out to tour the city with two other new teachers, Brian and Jonathan. We went the Emperor's Palace! It was blazing hot and we were pouring down sweat but we wanted to have fun so we continued on. It was a very beautiful place. We were even able to practice our Korean several times while we were there. We would ask locals questions on how to get certain places or things like that...
Also, before we even entered the palace I got lucky. Some really cute Korean girl wanted to interview me for her English speaking program on tv =) It is geared towards people who are learning English. She says she routinely asks foreigners a question of the day. Mine had to deal with how I like my eggs. Then she asked me some other questions as well...here we are...
After our little excursion, we went searching for food. In the midst of our journey, we stumbled across the US Embassy and like 10 huge police buses. There were guards stationed everywhere too. It was pretty cool to see. I quickly snapped a photo of the American flag and we kept moving. We eventually arrived at an Italian place to eat and it was delicious. I had gnocci with marinara sauce and mozzarella ...yum! After dining like kings we ventured to see what else we could do. Eventually we landed in an upscale part of town where all the Gucci and Dolce & Gabanna stores were. There were actually waiting lines to get into the stores. It was kinda funny to see. Only a limited number people were allowed to enter at a time. Anyway, we stayed at the building and went to see a movie. We went to our homes after that and I simply knocked out...
Thursday, September 2, 2010
First Two Days of Teaching
Yes, I have finally started my teaching! It has been an interesting two days. My first class is a Level 2 Adult English class that begins at 7:00 AM. I have approximately 18 students. I was not expecting to have that many! They are a good bunch though. They were very nervous the first day, as was I, but they were definitely talking more by day two. I have a religion class scheduled for 8 AM that I don't begin teaching until next Thursday. My next two Level 2 classes are at 10 and 11 AM and they are considerably smaller. Less than 7 students in each. I have Yes I Can (YIC) 1 and 6 in the afternoon. Yes I Can consists of junior students anywhere from ages 6-9 I think? I'm not all that sure...
Anyway, my stomach has been in knots the first few days. I haven't had much of an appetite due to nervousness. I am no longer sick so I will blame it on the nervousness lol. My co-teachers have been really accommodating and have been showing me tips and telling me new ways of doing things. Our building is really nice. We are located on the 3rd and 4th floor of a downtown building. I really feel like a BIG TIME teacher because I have my OWN classroom. Yeah, true story! It gives me a sense of ownership and I definitely like that. Well, time for me to go prepare for class but I will write more later about my duties and my housing arrangement.
Anyway, my stomach has been in knots the first few days. I haven't had much of an appetite due to nervousness. I am no longer sick so I will blame it on the nervousness lol. My co-teachers have been really accommodating and have been showing me tips and telling me new ways of doing things. Our building is really nice. We are located on the 3rd and 4th floor of a downtown building. I really feel like a BIG TIME teacher because I have my OWN classroom. Yeah, true story! It gives me a sense of ownership and I definitely like that. Well, time for me to go prepare for class but I will write more later about my duties and my housing arrangement.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Seongbuk Institute
So after much deliberation and many phone calls, I have finally been assigned my first placement. It is my understanding that it is only 2 subway stops or so from the main institute where I am currently. They tell me that it is a very new school. Actually, it's been around for about two terms (4 months), so I'm going to continue helping the institute build it's reputation in the community. It is a three teacher (missionaries) school which means I will have several opportunities to do vespers talks and sermons on sabbath. It wasn't my dream to be speaking so much but we'll see what happens. I'm just happy that I finally have a placement. All the other missionaries received news of their placements tonight as well. I head to my institute early tomorrow morning. I will be picked up by the pastor there and then he will show me the nearest grocery store, bank, post office, etc... MY MISSION IS NOW BEGINNING =)
Now...onto the cockroach. A matter of fact, I just saw another huge one about 10 minutes ago! My housemate Brian had to kill it. It certainly was NOT about to be me lol...I made something likened to a screaming noise and he came jetting in from his room. It was actually quite funny. Anyway, this cockroach from the other day. I was going into the bathroom and I flipped on the light and...I see something jet across the bathroom floor. And I had already spotted cockroaches outside so I was immediately suspicious of whatever was in there. So I picked up a slipper and chucked it in its direction, and out scurries a huge cockroach. I mean that thing would have made a normal cockroach look puny. I'm talking David and Goliath stuff here ;-) Anyway, I just knew that I had to have a picture for a keepsake. I closed the bathroom door so it wouldn't get out and ran to my room to grab my camera. Enjoy the evidence!!
Now...onto the cockroach. A matter of fact, I just saw another huge one about 10 minutes ago! My housemate Brian had to kill it. It certainly was NOT about to be me lol...I made something likened to a screaming noise and he came jetting in from his room. It was actually quite funny. Anyway, this cockroach from the other day. I was going into the bathroom and I flipped on the light and...I see something jet across the bathroom floor. And I had already spotted cockroaches outside so I was immediately suspicious of whatever was in there. So I picked up a slipper and chucked it in its direction, and out scurries a huge cockroach. I mean that thing would have made a normal cockroach look puny. I'm talking David and Goliath stuff here ;-) Anyway, I just knew that I had to have a picture for a keepsake. I closed the bathroom door so it wouldn't get out and ran to my room to grab my camera. Enjoy the evidence!!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Yeah, that JUST happened!
I had more training this morning but it had nothing to do with teaching. It was sermon preparation and vespers training day. AHHHHH! They were trying to equip us with as much advice and resources that could best help us prepare and do a good job. They aren't suppose to be just regular talks or sermons. They need to include english pronunciation practice, powerpoint presentations, and culturally relatable details and examples. My first few sermons and talks will definitely require much research and preparation. Prayers will be greatly appreciated.
That ended our training for the morning and we were off to do whatever the rest of the afternoon. I walked about half a mile down to a basketball court near the river. Three other guys from my orientation group came along as well. Not long after we arrived there it began to rain. And this was not like normal rain...oh NO! It was quasi monsoon rain. It-was-epic!! We tried to wait it out but it just would not let up. So we just said whatever and proceeded to play in the rain. What a great decision that was. I have not had fun like that in quite sometime. We were all drenched from head to toe. It was extremely difficult to play because of the terrible conditions, but we couldn't stop laughing =) Several Koreans were taking solace under some shelter right next to the court and they were looking at us like we were crazy. I think they enjoyed watching us flail about in the pouring rain. I would occasionally see them crack a smile or even chuckle.
It has been a very pleasant day. We capped it off by attending vespers and then facilitating the afterglow program with the students. It was our (new teachers) first time in a classroom with students. I think we all did pretty good. I was with my new buddy Jason and some other teachers. Initially he led out and then I took over. I was the leader of hangman! The students and teachers were great participants and the whole experience turned out quite well.
Anyway, it is time for me to hit the hay. I'd like to wake up at a reasonable time so that I'm not late for breakfast and/or sabbath school haha. Side note...pictures will be showing up on the blog soon. I've got a little story about a cockroach and there needs to be some visuals to help you understand. Until then!!
That ended our training for the morning and we were off to do whatever the rest of the afternoon. I walked about half a mile down to a basketball court near the river. Three other guys from my orientation group came along as well. Not long after we arrived there it began to rain. And this was not like normal rain...oh NO! It was quasi monsoon rain. It-was-epic!! We tried to wait it out but it just would not let up. So we just said whatever and proceeded to play in the rain. What a great decision that was. I have not had fun like that in quite sometime. We were all drenched from head to toe. It was extremely difficult to play because of the terrible conditions, but we couldn't stop laughing =) Several Koreans were taking solace under some shelter right next to the court and they were looking at us like we were crazy. I think they enjoyed watching us flail about in the pouring rain. I would occasionally see them crack a smile or even chuckle.
It has been a very pleasant day. We capped it off by attending vespers and then facilitating the afterglow program with the students. It was our (new teachers) first time in a classroom with students. I think we all did pretty good. I was with my new buddy Jason and some other teachers. Initially he led out and then I took over. I was the leader of hangman! The students and teachers were great participants and the whole experience turned out quite well.
Anyway, it is time for me to hit the hay. I'd like to wake up at a reasonable time so that I'm not late for breakfast and/or sabbath school haha. Side note...pictures will be showing up on the blog soon. I've got a little story about a cockroach and there needs to be some visuals to help you understand. Until then!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
FYI #1 - Interesting Discoveries
Being here in Korea has been a pleasant experience thus far, and as each day passes by I learn something new. So far here is what I've gathered and/or learned.
In the United States, most of our foods are salty. Right? Right! That is not the case here. Things are more likely to be sweet. Believe me, I've been shocked than on more than one occasion. For instance, I have eaten both sweet Korean brand Cheetos and potato chips. It was totally unexpected. And as recently as this morning, I got egg and toast and a nearby toast shop and would you believe it, the egg had sweet corn in it...HAHA! That was a little unusual but it turned out okay. Spaghetti sauce is sweet. Even pizza sauce is on the sweet side. I don't even have to eat candy or have dessert most times =)
Now onto bathroom etiquette. There is a new system that we are all currently adjusting to. The pipe system is not very good here, and on account that there are so many people, things can easily get clogged. So how do we combat this issue? Well, we have a waste basket in each bathroom/stall which is used for discarded toilet paper. GROSS RIGHT?! It has taken some getting used to but I think we are all getting the hang of it.
Onto happier things...our training is complete for the day. I'm about to venture to Costco with a group of the new teachers. I'm excited to see what it is like over here. I am still sick but I figure I'll just go out anyway. I'm feeling slightly better by the way...
I hope you are all doing well!
In the United States, most of our foods are salty. Right? Right! That is not the case here. Things are more likely to be sweet. Believe me, I've been shocked than on more than one occasion. For instance, I have eaten both sweet Korean brand Cheetos and potato chips. It was totally unexpected. And as recently as this morning, I got egg and toast and a nearby toast shop and would you believe it, the egg had sweet corn in it...HAHA! That was a little unusual but it turned out okay. Spaghetti sauce is sweet. Even pizza sauce is on the sweet side. I don't even have to eat candy or have dessert most times =)
Now onto bathroom etiquette. There is a new system that we are all currently adjusting to. The pipe system is not very good here, and on account that there are so many people, things can easily get clogged. So how do we combat this issue? Well, we have a waste basket in each bathroom/stall which is used for discarded toilet paper. GROSS RIGHT?! It has taken some getting used to but I think we are all getting the hang of it.
Onto happier things...our training is complete for the day. I'm about to venture to Costco with a group of the new teachers. I'm excited to see what it is like over here. I am still sick but I figure I'll just go out anyway. I'm feeling slightly better by the way...
I hope you are all doing well!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Oh NO!!
So I'm sitting here on my bed listening to a little Michael Bublé on this rainy Korean evening. It's soothing. Quite appropriate after a long day of work.
Today consisted of more adult and junior training. I enjoy the training, because more than just seeing the trainers model it for us, or watching videos, WE as a class have to model our teaching for each other. There is a lot of repetition to the practice but it's for the best. It allows us to evaluate each other and work out the kinks. We are a very easygoing and rambunctious bunch, which makes the whole process easier. The training room and cafeteria were full of laughter today! Ya'll know I love to laugh so it suits me perfectly =)
The current teachers here, the main institute in Seoul, have been very hospitable and helpful. They are quick to answer any questions or give advice on how to do things. I have done my best to deliberately interact with them and pick their brains as much as possible. I'm trying to learn as much as I can even though I understand that the experiences of each teacher vary. However, the way I see it is, the more I learn, the better off I will be.
Now for the reason of the title. I've been here in Korea for what, a week? Yeah...and guess what?! I'm already sick!! Yeah. I started feeling that infamous little tickle in my throat Sunday night, and I was like "oh boy!" It took a little longer than I was expecting, but the positive is that I can go through this now before teaching and greater responsibility begins. I've been consuming my vitamin C twice a day, and have recently started taking my multivitamin, so we'll see how it all pans out. All I can say is to continue to pray for me. Lord knows I'll need it!
Until the next time...
Today consisted of more adult and junior training. I enjoy the training, because more than just seeing the trainers model it for us, or watching videos, WE as a class have to model our teaching for each other. There is a lot of repetition to the practice but it's for the best. It allows us to evaluate each other and work out the kinks. We are a very easygoing and rambunctious bunch, which makes the whole process easier. The training room and cafeteria were full of laughter today! Ya'll know I love to laugh so it suits me perfectly =)
The current teachers here, the main institute in Seoul, have been very hospitable and helpful. They are quick to answer any questions or give advice on how to do things. I have done my best to deliberately interact with them and pick their brains as much as possible. I'm trying to learn as much as I can even though I understand that the experiences of each teacher vary. However, the way I see it is, the more I learn, the better off I will be.
Now for the reason of the title. I've been here in Korea for what, a week? Yeah...and guess what?! I'm already sick!! Yeah. I started feeling that infamous little tickle in my throat Sunday night, and I was like "oh boy!" It took a little longer than I was expecting, but the positive is that I can go through this now before teaching and greater responsibility begins. I've been consuming my vitamin C twice a day, and have recently started taking my multivitamin, so we'll see how it all pans out. All I can say is to continue to pray for me. Lord knows I'll need it!
Until the next time...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Weekend Festivities
Sorry it took me so long to give an update. Life has been busy around here and what a weekend it has been! Let’s begin with Friday...I already mentioned that we went out with the All Day Club. Friday night was business as usual and included vespers and afterglow. The vespers is called Friday Night Fellowship (FNF) as to encourage the students to come continue to practicing their English while learning about God. It’s a pretty nifty idea, and there were several students who attended.
This program was a bit usual, but customary for the last FNF of the term. The new teachers and current teachers were both present. But what made it unique was the musical focus of it all. Students and teachers were able to display their musical talents over the course of the 1 1/2 time we had together. I must say that I am completely amazed how well the Koreans here can sing. It totally blew me and the other new teachers away!! After the conclusion of what was one of the most amazing vespers I’ve ever been a part of, I mingled with the current teachers and students.
Saturday had it’s own set of craziness. Breakfast, sabbath school, clubs, church, lunch, nap/rest time, dinner, and some more free time. Let me start with the explanation of clubs. Clubs are kind of like attending sabbath school but with more emphasis on English. There was a Breakfast Club, Conversation Club, Music Club, and Signs Club (which I joined). Signs Club consisted of an article from Signs of the Times, which was then broken down. We were able to study vocabulary and pronunciation all while reading the informative article. We then had discussion questions to talk about what we read. It was really fun working with the current teachers during the club and now I have a better idea of what to look forward to once I reach my institute. Church was pretty interesting as well. The Academic Dean, Leo, who I admire and now have a good working relationship with, was the preacher for the day. Church alternated between English and Korean speech, and there was a translator there to translate into the other appropriate language. It was indeed and interesting service to attend. Surprisingly everything turned out ok =)
I spent my afternoon napping and finally getting a hold of family and friends via Skype and Facebook. It was nice to see my family’s faces and hear their voices. Side note - for those of you who have yet to contact me, shame on you! Anyway, after dinner I spent my Saturday night in because I didn’t want to over do it on the weekend. Sunday was going to be a busy day and I was already preparing myself. I had a good time cracking up at Happy Feet and eventually fell asleep pretty early.
Sunday! Today was the beginning of our adult teacher training. We ran through most of the basics in our three hour morning session. Everything seems very organized and understandable. From what I’ve seen so far, it seems as if I will be able to adjust rather easily to the format, schedule, and even expectations. Aaron is our trainer for the adult training and he did a great job explaining the nooks and crannies. After lunch we had lunch which consisted of pizza (tasted like actual pizza), kim bap (seaweed+rice+vegetables), pineapple, and aloe juice (which everyone here has become so fond of).
Today, we had an excursion planned for the afternoon/evening to go explore Seoul and see an Original Korean musical. I can’t even begin to tell you which sections of Seoul we were in today namely because I can’t spell them lol... The musical was called Miso and ran about 1 1/2 hours. There were several drums, costumes, and spectator interaction. I didn’t care for the show all that much and actually fell asleep for about 10 minutes of it. All the walking and sun had drained me of my energy, so there! That’s my excuse haha. Afterwards we walked over 15 blocks, in humid and sunny conditions mind you, to a Subway of all things. It looked like a Subway. Smelled like a Subway. Even had sandwiches like Subway. But in the end, it didn’t taste like Subway all that much. Either way we were all satisfied to finally get some food and liquid in our starved and dehydrated bodies.
Pictures to come later! Goodnight for now =)
Friday, August 20, 2010
The First Few Days Summarized
Wow! What a journey it was. I left Seattle on Monday morning around 9 am after about an hour delay of my flight. I was only functioning on about 3 hours of decent sleep, so I knew it was going to be a rough day. However, I was pressing on and made it safely to San Francisco with enough time to catch my connecting 12 hour flight to Seoul, South Korea. I was at the back of UA Flight 893 (a 747), which means I was at row 60 of 61. It was nice to be at the back because it means I was near the lavatories. There was all plenty standing room back there which my chronically achy knees were thankful for.
I arrived in Seoul around 3 pm on Tuesday in Korea and was greeted with a fairly slow moving immigration line. I got through with no problems after about 50 minutes and proceeded to pick up my luggage. I stepped out of baggage claim to see three individuals waiting for me. Leo, the Academic Dean, Aaron, can't remember at this moment, and Tasha, Academic Supervisor. They were all very kind and were quick to make me feel welcome. We couldn't leave just yet because we had to wait for missionaries to arrive so we could all leave at the same time. It took about another 3 hours before we were on our way to the SDA Samyook Language Institute which was suppose to be 1 1/2 hours away. I will say that it seemed like we were on the bus for close to three hours! I don't think we were but my mind wasn't right because I only slept approximately 3 hours out of my combined 14 hours of flying! So it's safe to say I was a little deranged, lol.
We eventually arrived to the Institute and I was shown to my new home for the next 13 days or so. I have 4 housemates and they are all great guys. One is from Canada. Another from Michigan. And the two others from Maryland and Alabama. I actually lived on the same hall at Southern with the guy from Alabama and it was very nice to see a familiar face.
I was extremely exhausted and I quickly went to sleep after exchanging pleasantries. I was too tired to shower! Too tired to brush my teeth! Oddly enough, I almost felt to tired to sleep but I did it anyhow =) I found myself waking up at 3:30 am wide awake with no ability to go back to sleep. Our group breakfast appointment wasn't until 9 so I found myself attempting to read but I was just too tired. So I fired up some episodes of a TV show just to past some of the time. The next 14 hours were definitely a blur, but new foods, laughing, new faces, and a new language all entered my world.
I went out last night and today (Friday) and did some exploring with my new friends and a seasoned missionary teacher. We had our first experience riding the train system, which is very technologically advanced. I quite enjoyed it and within a few days I believe I will have it down! That is exciting news for me, so I hope that I am stationed in Seoul. However, we do not find out where are placements are until the night before we are supposed to leave for our new institute.
This brings us to Friday. We went out on the town with 5 All Day Students (they study English all day). It was a fun excursion through town and boy was it hot and humid! I was carrying a handkerchief around all day, like some old man, just to wipe the sweat off my brow. I saw many Koreans doing the same thing so I didn't feel so bad.
More to come tomorrow....
I arrived in Seoul around 3 pm on Tuesday in Korea and was greeted with a fairly slow moving immigration line. I got through with no problems after about 50 minutes and proceeded to pick up my luggage. I stepped out of baggage claim to see three individuals waiting for me. Leo, the Academic Dean, Aaron, can't remember at this moment, and Tasha, Academic Supervisor. They were all very kind and were quick to make me feel welcome. We couldn't leave just yet because we had to wait for missionaries to arrive so we could all leave at the same time. It took about another 3 hours before we were on our way to the SDA Samyook Language Institute which was suppose to be 1 1/2 hours away. I will say that it seemed like we were on the bus for close to three hours! I don't think we were but my mind wasn't right because I only slept approximately 3 hours out of my combined 14 hours of flying! So it's safe to say I was a little deranged, lol.
We eventually arrived to the Institute and I was shown to my new home for the next 13 days or so. I have 4 housemates and they are all great guys. One is from Canada. Another from Michigan. And the two others from Maryland and Alabama. I actually lived on the same hall at Southern with the guy from Alabama and it was very nice to see a familiar face.
I was extremely exhausted and I quickly went to sleep after exchanging pleasantries. I was too tired to shower! Too tired to brush my teeth! Oddly enough, I almost felt to tired to sleep but I did it anyhow =) I found myself waking up at 3:30 am wide awake with no ability to go back to sleep. Our group breakfast appointment wasn't until 9 so I found myself attempting to read but I was just too tired. So I fired up some episodes of a TV show just to past some of the time. The next 14 hours were definitely a blur, but new foods, laughing, new faces, and a new language all entered my world.
I went out last night and today (Friday) and did some exploring with my new friends and a seasoned missionary teacher. We had our first experience riding the train system, which is very technologically advanced. I quite enjoyed it and within a few days I believe I will have it down! That is exciting news for me, so I hope that I am stationed in Seoul. However, we do not find out where are placements are until the night before we are supposed to leave for our new institute.
This brings us to Friday. We went out on the town with 5 All Day Students (they study English all day). It was a fun excursion through town and boy was it hot and humid! I was carrying a handkerchief around all day, like some old man, just to wipe the sweat off my brow. I saw many Koreans doing the same thing so I didn't feel so bad.
More to come tomorrow....
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