Students, Colds, And E-Mart

I have been crazy busy over the past few weeks.  Work is crazy but I am catching on.  The students can be awful  but most are good.  And I got a cold like I haven't had in years, but I struggled through it with the help of ginger tea and honey, liberally spiked with soju to help me sleep.  It actually worked and cured me of my cold in about two days.  I was impressed and plan to market this when I return to the states.  I think I shall call it. "The Super Yum Cold Cure."

Because of feeling like I was going to die by head explosion, I haven't had a chance to get out and see much of Daegu.  Next weekend I am aiming high and hoping to hit two temples.  I just need to figure out how to get to them.  Until then, I have been exploring more of the are around my house and the local E-Mart.

I spent four hours there with some of the Korean teachers from work the other day.  They can really shop. Thanks to a coffee shop and food court, it wasn't too bad.  I saw a TON of cool things, and found a desk that I think will work in my apartment aw well as a side table for my bed.  All I need is a comfy chair or small sofa and I will be golden.  I bought some fun things while I was there and I may have to go back again soon for a few more things.  I really want to find some christmas cards in Korean to send to my friends.  I found some classic books there in Korean.  I bought one that I am determined to read by the time I leave.  Let me say now, it will never happen, but a girl can dream right?

I have been enjoying all the different advertisements here in Korea and trying to read different signs and things as I walk.  My reading skills are very very bad, but I can pick out certain letters at lest now, so I am improving.  I really do like it here a lot, even if I don't love everything.  Some things I have decided I love about korea: my bathroom, the floor heat, being able to walk everywhere, how cute all everyday objects are, Korean advertisements, sample day at E-Mart (they even have alcohol to sample), being surrounded by mountains, the weather....  Some things I do NOT like about Korea: Not being able to read any signs, being stared at every time I leave my apartment, having to walk everywhere, how hard addresses are to figure out, scented toilet paper, no dryers, no counter space, how impossible it is for me to order anything online....

Soon exams start for my students and i will have free periods to catch up and get ahead at work.  And the weekend of the 9th I have some days off so I think that maybe I will take a trip up to Seoul for the day just to wander around.  Or maybe to a temple or mountain nearby.  Also, we are getting two new teachers at our school the second week of December and I get to go meet them when they get off the bus.  Hopefully they can find the right one!

My Toilet Paper Is Scented

I start the last day of my first real week at work in about two hours.  This week has been completely nuts.  I feel like I haven't sat still for more then five minutes all week and my brain has never turned off.  I am very ready for the weekend.  After grading probably sixty essays in two days, dealing with wonderful and horrible students, and trying to figure out a computer system that is writing mainly in hangul, I am ready for a rest.

I really like most of my students.  A lot of them are excited to learn, or at least are excited to learn if it involves chances to talk.  Most of them did pretty good on their essays and some of their responses were completely priceless.  The topic was "what do you think someone moving to your city would like or dislike?"  One of my favorite responses was "there are many mountains here for climbing.  And many hospitals for after climbing."  Another great one gave amazing insight into the brain of a 14-year-old boy, "Daegu has the most pretty girls.  I love daegu!"

I am finally feeling comfortable taking cabs.  The next big step will be the bus and the subway.  This weekend I am going to attempt to make it out to Daegu National Museum and maybe Yakjeon-golmok Market as well.  I also am making another trip to E Mart to get some serious shopping done.

A Week In And Loving It

Finally settling in here in Korea.  I am really loving it!  There are so many interesting things to see and try and do.  But I can show you all that through the pictures.  My first week has been pretty easy at work.  I have been observing the other foreign teachers while they teach so I can get a feel for the way they teach.  Monday and tuesday went great, wednesday I actually got to teach a some classes.  The students are really cute, most of them.  They ask silly questions and get really nervous and laugh when I answer them.  Thursday and friday were supposed to be observation and teaching of two of the teachers classes, until something crazy happened on Friday.

Friday morning everyone from work met for a trip to a traditional Korean lunch out in the countryside just outside Daegu.  The food was amazing and it was really fun to get out of the office with everyone and get a chance to talk.  After lunch, we all returned to work and us foreign folk went to burn an hour and a half before we had to be at work. I went home and did some laundry.  When I got back to work I started to prep for the two classes I was teaching.

About twenty minutes before classes began, I was notified that instead of teaching those two classes, I would be following one of our other teachers the whole day and then, starting monday, I would be taking over there classes.  I was supposed to have at least one more week of training before I was assigned my own classes.  So, I get to start teaching a bit earlier than I thought.  Apparently this other teacher is no longer working with the school.

Today I am heading to the E Mart to get some last supplies for my apartment and to explore the city a bit more.  I will have to take a taxi back to my apartment but for two dollars, it is totally worth it.  I will take lots more pictures, but here are some new ones for now.

First Trip To The Store

I braved one of the local markets yesterday all by myself.  I didn't actually get all the stuff I needed because I got a little overwhelmed.  There was more strange food then I have ever seen and the food and other stuff was all over the place.  None of this is said in a negative way.  I had no clue what I actually needed to buy and no clue what to make with the stuff that I did buy.  But I made it there and back, bought things with money I am not familiar with, and left after paying the correct amount.  Overall successful trip.

I need to go back again today to get a few other things, like a knife, toilet paper, and a broom.  Not really looking forward to carrying a broom and a big package of toilet paper back to my place.  Here are some pictures of the walk and of the stuff I found there.

Quail eggs.

Ramen.... So many options

More shopping options

My new street.  I'm up past the blue car.

Giant maple leaf looking leaf

My first homemade meal.  Classy, I know.

Longest Day Ever, But Really Good Day

Guess who is finally in Daegu!  That's right, me!

Okay, so I guess I need to give you an overview of my super sweet trip here.

Started out at 5 am on (what day is it?) Tuesday headed to the Chicago airport with my parents.  I made it through everything all right and spent the next two hours waiting for the plane.  I was pretty excited to discover that I not only had a window seat, but I didn't have anyone next to me.  So that flight wasn't to bad, though I forgot to eat breakfast and I would have had to pay for food, so I went hungry.  We arrived on time and then I started my speed run to the next flight.  I had only twenty minutes between the two.



When I got checked in for my next flight, they crossed off my seat assignment and told me to check with the gate when I got there for my new seat.  I was running late so I figured the had switched me for an even worse seat than center row economy, so I was not thrilled to get that news.  When I arrived at the gate however, I was told they had overbooked and that I was being bumped to business class.  I have never been in business class before, but this was amazing.  It was nicer than the first class on the first flight.  I got amazing food, and a tv, and a bed.  Needless to say, the idea of a 12 hour flight went from terrifying to pretty damn exciting.

My personal tv on the flight.  Over 500 movies to choose from.

Remote for the TV and all my other controls

My plane socks

Lunch.  At least one part of it.

After several movies, and two meals, and several short attempts to sleep, the flight ended and so did my trips smooth sailing.  As I got off the plane, someone was waiting to tell me that one of my bags hadn't made it yet and that it would be there in the next day or so.  Wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't the bag that had all of my socks, makeup, and movies in it.  After struggling through the airport to the baggage claim and locating my two bags, I headed to the lost baggage claim.  It took about twenty minutes to get that all sorted out then I exchange my USD for WON and headed for the buses.  This wasn't to bad, I followed everything on the sheet, but when I went to call my boss to let him know to send someone to get me, one of the numbers was wrong.  This wouldn't have been so bad, except that my phone was dying so I wouldn't be able to call both numbers later if I was lost.  I slept on the four hour bus ride to Daegu and watched a korean movie without sound about a guy and girl who hate each other but then end up falling in love and he has to win her back from the guy that he got to fall for her.  Universal storyline.  No words required.

When I got to the last stop, I asked the bus driver if it was right and he told me it was, so I got off the bus and he tossed my stuff on the curb and went inside.  an hour later, no one had showed.  Thanks to a wonderful gentleman working there who helped me call my boss and find the people who were looking for me, I left.  I owe him so much and I will forever be grateful.  However, the bus driver who told me the wrong stop can burn in hell.  We got to my apartment and they showed me around.  When they left.  I did a little organizing then watched sex in the city, and fell asleep.  

10:50 AM Tuesday, November 2nd

That is the time that my plane should be taking off from Chicago.  After a short stop in San Francisco, a really short stop that will have me running through the airport so I can catch my next flight in time, I will be leaving the lovely USA and heading al the way across the big blue ocean, and landing 12 hrs later in South Korea.  After a 4 hour bus ride, and one or two other jumps, I will be settled into my temporary home.  On November 7th, I will officially move into my own place.

I though I had my luggage squared away, until I found out that the airline I am using requires I bring half of what I thought.  So it is back to the drawing board, but I think I can handle it.  Over the next few weeks, I will try to fill everyone in as much as I can but I am predicting that I will be crazy busy/stressed/air-headed to do so very much.  Also, I am not sure how long it will be until I get myself some interwebs to interact with.

So, it is back to the last minute scramble and freak out of packing, the forced snuggling of pets, the loving, though obnoxious questions of the family, and the strange desire to curl up in a ball and forget the whole thing.  Hey, at least when I get over there I won't have to deal with people asking if I am more excited or nervous, or when I am taking off.  Here I Go!!