Hi everyone!
So much has happened in the last few weeks that I don't really know where to begin. I started writing down some things earlier in the week, but there was so much that had already happened and it was too long for one post. So, I think I'm just going to pick up from today, but I will probably refer to things that have happened since I have been here.
I am here with two other new teachers, who are from the U.S., and it is nice to have others going through all of this with me. We have been spending a lot of time together, figuring out the job, food, and shopping. The job has been very overwhelming so far. The first few days we just audited classes, but there was a constant barrage of information. This last week we started teaching. The preschool classes are challenging, and only occasionally discouraging. It is difficult to make 12 six year olds, who don't speak English, to move in the same direction, but as the week went it did get easier, not easy, but easier. The elementary classes are much more enjoyable at the moment. They are easier to communicate with, and are in regular school as well, so they know how to behave in class, for the most part. During the week there wasn't much time to do much but walk to school, work, eat and walk home again, but as the weeks go by that should change.
The apartment is a 20 minute slow to moderate walk from the school. I enjoy it, though it has been a little cool out. Between the walk, school, and climbing all the stairs (3 flights to my apartment, and up and down a flight multiple times a day at school), I'm feeling pretty exhausted by the end of my day. I am still looking forward to hiking, although from what I hear it is not so much hiking as it is easy rock climbing. Apparently there are ropes and steel pegs that I will need to use to climb up in some areas. Hiking is very big here. There are stores everywhere that are selling hiking equipment (clothes, shoes, bags, hats, etc.), and there are also departments in department stores.
I haven't done much sight seeing yet. I'm just getting to know my way around the city. Last weekend we checked out part of downtown, the mall, which was very expensive, and the underground shopping mall, which was less expensive. Today some of the other teachers showed us around downtown. We went into a cafe that was pretty cool. There were smoking and non-smoking sections. The non-smoking was full, so we went to the smoking, luckily no one was smoking. The booth was HUGE, it could have fit 10-14 people depending on there size. There were only five of us so we got to spread out. We had to take our shoes off out side of the booth (not uncommon in certain restaurants) and basically crawl in. The seat of the booth was purple velour or something like it, and the seat part of it extended under the entire table, so you stretch out your legs when needed. There was a curtain to close off our booth from the rest of the cafe, and there was a button to call the waitress when needed. It was quite enjoyable, I definitely think it will be a favorite spot.
Many of you are probably wondering about the food. I'm being fairly brave, but there is still a lot that I'm not brave enough to try. Rice and kimchi are a staple, meaning there is some version of it at every meal. The kimchi is usually very spicy, but I do try to have a few pieces every meal. It is supposed to grow on you, and be very healthy. Koreans do pork up right. I've had it a few different ways and it is usually very good. There aren't a lot of vegetables, and what they do have is usually pickled. The most common vegetable pickled and unpickled is cabbage. I'm not a cabbage fan, but some of the dressings make it downright edible. So far, I haven't really cooked anything. The school provides lunch for us, and in the evenings we usually eat out. It's interesting what you can get here in regard to western food. Last night we ordered pizza and it had corn on it. Unusual, and unexpected, but it did provide a pop of flavour and I would eat it again. Koreans have modified pizza in other ways as well, but I don't care for it. I can't really explain it because I don't really know what they do, but there is a dark brown sauce (black bean, soy, I don't know) drizzled on it, and this thick strip of something, that I don't care for, all over it. There was also a restaurant that put sugar instead of salt on its' fries. The first few bites weren't too bad, but then it started to get to me. This was the only place I've found so far that does this, thank goodness.
And for Amanda F, I am currently washing a load of laundry, and will be doing another tomorrow. Plus, I have some dishes to wash, and I need to do a serious cleaning of my apartment tomorrow. Some things never change.
Signing out, from the future (it is Saturday night here), dun dun dun.
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