all things korea

I'm here! After a 6 hour flight with crying children to San fran and a 12 hour xanax/wine sleep induced flight, I arrived in Seoul only to find that my extra 50lbs of excess baggage they made me put in a cardboard box had been jacked by someone who thought it was their cardboard box!

Anyway, Korea is absolutely amazing! I'm shocked how easy and not itimidating everything is. After all of the nonsense they put me through to get here it's pretty crazy that things in Korea are so organized and clear. I found my "recruiter" with no problem and he took me out to an amazing Korean bbq dinner. [I am officially a carnivore as Korea doesnt have non-meat meals] I get an email from my recruiter yesterday saying welcome to Korea and sorry I couldn't be there to pick you up which confuses me because I thought he did pick me up. David Hwang, my recruiter, sent David Kang, his friend to pick me up. I would have had no idea it wasn't him if he hadn't told me. haha I suppose I should be lucky I wasn't sold into a kabuki or something.

As soon as I was dropped off at my motel (which I'm pretty sure is a pay by the hour place. See photo of my overhead light )I found it easy to go out and find things to do. My communication with anyone has been pretty limited but I guess that's expected for now. A little boy in a coffee shop taught me hi, an yo haseo, and thank you, come se neda, this morning. Spelling is phoentic, not actual spelling of these words. And I've been able to find my way back to my motel every time I leave!

So my first morning in Korea I decided to venture out to breakfast. The first thing I see at 9 am is a Korean dude running out of a building, on his cell phone, projectile vomiting in the street. He continues to chat it up while doing this. Ew. I went to the pool in Itaewon, ex-pat central, to meet with Emily and her friends. Side note: I went to high school with Emily and she's been here since November. After telling them about my puke siting all everyone could say was "yeah, welcome to Seoul." It was weird being in Itaewon. You're pretty hard pressed to find a Korean there yet in Gwanak I am one of the only Americans. I didn't see any until the second morning while searching for an adapter. My first Korean (well American in Korea) friend!

So I have definitely figured out why everyone loves Korea and wants to stay forever. It's spring break for adults. Everyone is doing the exact thing you are, and I guess since there isn't a whole lot of culture here since Seoul was basically leveled in the 50s, people just booze it all day and night. It's a nonstop party. The pool party in Iteawon yesterday went from 10-8pm and there were DJs spinning, drinks pouring and dancing on lawn chairs all day long. I felt like I was in Cancun except that Koreans LOVE the banana hammocks.

So far so good :) Tomorrow someone from my school will come get me and bring me to my apartment. I am under the impression it's not far from where I'm staying in Gwanak, but who knows. Then I get my health check, alien card and start teaching. Boo summer's over. haha as I write and reread this I realize that I have no idea about grammer. My knowledge of comma rules, or any grammer rules, is long gone. Good thing I'm an English teacher :)

I miss you all already, and all I can say is come visit; you'll love it!! xoxo