Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Tuesday, Day 21 (minus 16 to PST)

JennGregNme

Exactly 3 weeks and 16 hours ago, I was hanging out with my friends Jenn and Greg, the night before I departed to South Korea. I miss them bunches!

Today is a hot day. I took the lloooooooooooong way to work, an extra 20 minutes, just walking around, and seeing what my eyes could see. In fact, I stopped into a little clothing outlet, and before I could say anything to her, she say, "Everything too small!" and gestering her hands to the exaggerated small size. Wow, did that make me feel big or what! And all I wanted was a little vest to cover up my shoulders. Boy..

I can't wait to upload my pictures tonight. I've got plenty, and I'll take more on route to walking home after work. I was worried the cleaning people that come in early to clean the school may think to picking it up--but alas, they're are righteous people here! (Plus, I'm sure they know who the 'foreigner's desk is' and that I would have squacked if anything was missing.)

I've finally catered my website to how I like it. I like learning html, but it's a bit of a pain, and very time-consuming to tweek the little things without formal education on writing the darn computer language.

I think I'll end today's entry with a little notable:
I remember how groggy I felt when I got off that airplane and onto collecting my baggage at the Incheon airport. I couldn't believe I was near Seoul. I could believe I was in South Korea! I weather was muggy, and I bet I wasn't the only foreigner lost and sleepy after such a long flight, and only 3 or 4 hours of shut-eye.

I met a Korean expat that kept me company while we waited for our baggage, and checked into immigration with our passports. I felt reassurance knowing that I wouldn't quite be shocked by the language barrier, the foreign faces, and my first encounter with the strange writing that I would finally see in the flesh, called Hangul. I had studied at least a handful of hours on Hangul, but that didn't prepare me for being overwhelmed by understanding NOTHING!

Then came meeting Kal, my director's brother and the Vice-President of the school. He took me to eat my first bowl of seaweek--which I choked down! 5 hours of driving later, when I was told about an hour and a half; nearly 85% of that driving I was asleep...we finally arrived in Daegu.

The ladies greeted me, and I met Ellen, Angelina, Kelly and Susan for the first time, along with the school, and the very location that I would eventually call home. What an experience.

Now, today, three weeks later, I am feeling more comfortable in my skin, and these foreign surroundings are becoming less foreign by the day. I greet my school and the ladies with a smile, and I reward myself when I remember a Korean word, and it's meaning--and somehow get the pronounciation right.


Such is the nastalgia of my first days here in South Korea, and it will always remain bittersweet in my mind.

2 comments:

Blue S. Who-Two said...

Hello there,
I've checked out your blog before. I'm not sure how I feel about the half face. Artsy, yet it leaves you wanting more. Nice, but leaves me unfulfilled.

It sounds like you're having a good time in Daegu so far. You are so lucky you have AC. The post-shower sweat is something that exists in my life too. We have twin kitchens too, right down to the floral-ish glass doors.

Anyways, I just thought I'd say hello. Maybe I would be interested in that job after all.

Unknown said...

Hey blue.. it sounded like you were on an uphill. What happened? I still think the people at Wonderland sound creepy. I've been reading up on the book, Prisoner of Wonderland.. sounds scary. Sounds like you must have found the book AFTER you took the job?

I'll talk with my boss tomorrow, and see what her feeling is. She may feel relieved that we'll have a back up when we'll be short like 2 teachers that normally take on 30 classes a week each! ;) I'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, send me your CV and I'll pass it on to her :)