The End of the Beginning

The last week of Orientation was probably the worst week of the whole program because there was just so much going on you barely had time to think or breathe. There were 2 talent shows, a "graduation" ceremony for our Korean class, last-minute prep for what would come after Orientation (they made it sound sometimes like DOOMSDAYm all hushed tones and solemn faces), the feeling you had to make the most of your time with your friends while you still had them, and lots of dinners and parties. It was just pure, unadulterated craziness. The final weekend of Orientation we came to Seoul. Oh Seoul, how I love thee. I'd heard so much hype about it and was kind of skeptical but it really is a great city. Huuuugggeee but wonderful. I'm actually pretty glad my placement is only an hour away from there.

I can't really describe it but Seoul is something you have to experience. There's just so much going on everywhere and it's fairly easy and cheap to get around. In fact, so far I've been really impressed with the Korean public transportation system. It's cheap, fairly clean, not too hard to navigate (almost all the signs are in Korean, English and Chinese), pretty efficient and fast. And taxis here are pretty cheap too, especially if you go with a bunch of people. I actually skipped out on all the touristy things while in Seoul because I figured I could and probably would be doing all that later anyway. I ended up mostly just going shopping because I had to buy presents for my homestay family, my school's principle, vice-principle, and my co-teacher (my guide for the year) but it's so hard to buy presents for people you know next to nothing about and whom you haven't even met yet. I ended up buying pretty random stuff for my hometay family, a mix of things brought from America and things bought in Seoul. I actually still need to buy presents for other people because there wasn't too much time to buy things or I went to the wrong places. Shopping is pretty easy in Seoul because there's basically different districts or areas that are known to sell specific things. For example, the area near Ehwa University (the all-women's college) is known to have a bunch of clothing and accesories stores for women that are a bit cheaper than other parts of Seoul. There are tons of markets in Seoul, some where you can and should haggle and barter at.

Anyway, in Seoul we met up with our Korean teachers at a bar in Hongdae. Hongdae has a vibe that reminds me a little bit of New York City, that sort of young, urban, artsy vibe. There's a really good art college there so the scene is definitely younger and hipper than in other parts of Seoul. Our teachers were actually happy to see us and that Sat. night, everyone got crazy drunk. Like seriously. I was late to the party because I was out shopping and had to do stuff so by the time I got to the bar where everyone else was, everyone was pretty trashed. It was probably one of the craziest nights I've had in a loooong time, mostly due to the fact that the dorm we were staying in had a curfew so we had to either be back by 1 or stay out until 5:30. So we stayed out all night, mostly at a bar, then a noraebang (karoke room) and then at a resturant. And we were so sleepy by the time we got back we just passed out in our rooms. Good times but probably something I won't do again for a long time. Too tiring.

Then Monday came, and it was the day we were all going to leave for our homestays. So first, we had to dress up because we were going to be meeting people from our schools, and then we had this little ceremony where the schools found out which teacher they'd gotten. Some of the schools were so adorable, they had flowers or big banners for the teachers. Mine, not so much, haha. But that's ok because my co-teacher (essentially my "guide" for the year) and my vice-principle were really nice.

Then we had lunch, a very awkward lunch, with the schools at which I was informed I should not speak in Korean at school. At all. Not even to the teachers. Which kind of sucks because I really would like to improve my Korean. But I guess hearing it will also help. After a massive lunch, we went back to the reception area and hung out for awhile, then we separated into our respective groups again (us and the schools) and said our final goodbyes to everyone. It was kinda sad but actually I think we were all too nervous to be too sad about it. Also, I know it sounds dumb, but you really can get pretty close to people after 6 weeks of living with them and even though I knew I'd be seeing them again for conferences and trips, it still wouldn't be the same. Most of my close friends from Orientation were placed in the other part of the country, so I knew I wouldn't be seeing them too often probably. It also reminded me of how I'd said goodbye to all my American friends just 2 months ago and god, I hate saying goodbyes. I'd rather not even say the word because it makes everything seem so...final. Like your closing the door on something forever.

Anyway, we then were plunged into chaos as we merged again with the schools, this time to be taken away to our new homes and schools. I ended up taking the train with my co-teacher and vice-prinicple and we all fell asleep on the train. Haha. My co-teacher had found out I had relatives in the city I was going to and had me call my uncle. My uncle ends up picking all of us at the train station. It is then they tell me that we are going to the school so I can meet the principle. You have to understand that this was a complete surprise for me because 1) I was under the impression that I would be visiting my school the next day and 2) I looked like a hot, sweaty mess from wearing business/formal clothes in 90 degree weather and from falling asleep on the train. So we all go to what will be my school for the year and I try to fix myself up as fast as I can without a mirror and finally meet The Prinicpal.

So I had already known that my high school was Catholic but I didn't realize that The Principal would be a nun. Most principal positions (and most leadership-type positions) in Korea, as almost everywhere else, are held by me. So I was quite surprised to see my principal was a nun. It also changed pretty much everything they had told us about The Principal at Orientation, i.e. a good gift to give your princial: alcohol and advice like that which didn't really apply for my situation.

After that I'm finally taken to my new home and have an awkward first meeting with my co-teacher, homestay family, uncle and aunt. It was...interesting. My uncle also insisted on taking us out to dinner which was also pretty awkward. I was so tired I could barely stay awake the whole time but I feel bad so I try to talk to my new family but it takes too much energy to think of questions. I somehow stay up for a few hours after dinner to talk with my host sister, who's a freshman in high school (high school in Korea is only 3 years), pretty good at English, and really sweet. It's interesting because half the family is gone--the brother's away serving his army time (by law, all Korean men have to serve 2 years in the army in between the ages of 20-30) and the dad had to move to another town 2 hours away when the factory he worked for changed locations. I was actually kind of relieved because I figured it would be a lot more comfortable with just the mom and the sister.

Next up, my 1st week of school, learning my way, adjusting to a homestay and finally realizing I'm not in America anymore...