The Past Week or So...

There have been a few developments. Here we go.

Namaedmun Market- Last Saturday, two ICEV teachers invited me to go along to this open-air market in Seoul. Here is what my travel book says about Namaedum market (I am honestly too tired to describe it myself); "The market's history traces back to the Joseon Dynasty and since then has become the main transactional place of daily products between urban and rural areas of Korea. Namdaemun Market is also the nation's wholesale center and virtually anything you want can be found here: clothing and shoes in vast array, housewares, foodstuffs, flowers, tools, wigs, glasses, accessories of every kind, gift items, sporting goods, construction materials, electrical supplies, furniture, etc." This is especially true of the wigs. Lots of wigs. I want the green one. My favorite part of the market was the street food, which is EVERYWHERE. I tried this pancake-ish thing that had some honey and other goodness in the center, rice noodles in a red, hot sauce, and makolri, which is a Korean rice wine. When I first heard of rice wine, I was somewhat skeptical that it would be wonderful. Still, I wanted to try it. I rather loved it. I should probably run to the Ministop downstairs tonight and purchase all the makolri in stock. Better yet, I should go to the Home Plus across the street and clear THEIR stock of makolri. Home PLUS is bigger than MINIstop. Much bigger. All in all, Namaedmun market was a very alive and intriguing place that I hope to visit again soon.

The Subway: My first Korean Pet Peeve- There is good news and bad news about the subway. Good news; I'm starting to feel comfortable with it, as I now have used it twice, and I think that I may attempt to use it all by myself sometime next week. Bad news; the Korean subway is the source of my first pet peeve when it comes to Korean culture. In fact, I don't even know if the term pet peeve is strong enough to describe my dislike because what happens on the subway truly disgusts/enrages me. People push. They push often. And they don't apologize. Or they run right into you and don't even acknowledge that they nearly pushed you into the ground or that you even exist. Perhaps they go after foreigners more aggressively. There must be a point system for crashing into people on the subway and foreigners are worth double. I can think of no other explanation. I nearly screamed.

Popcorn: I found popcorn kernels in the grocery store and have made my first bowl of homemade popcorn. Not as good as at home yet (I still need to get to know my stove-ware better), but perhaps someday. Still, delicious and homey.
(Side note): My father would HATE the way they sell butter here, which is in half sticks. Surely, he would never consider that to be enough butter.

Books- As one teacher was leaving, I was arriving. He gave me most of his furniture, including a bookshelf stocked with books! I have so much good stuff to read for the next year! The titles that I am most excited to read include Life of Pi, Catcher and the Rye (a classic that I never encountered during my literature studies), The Great Influenza:The story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, and Don't Know Much About History: Everything you need to Know about American History but never Learned. There are also three Harry Potter books (1, 6, and 7), so those are always solid go-to's...unless you don't like HP. In that case, screw you. Those books are full of magic.

First Week as a Real Teacher- I observed classes during my first week of work. This week, I am a full-on teacher. It is Wednesday, so I have been going for three days...and I'm tired. To tired to blog about it. I'll do it over the weekend or over my upcoming break.

Later.

Exploring My Neighborhood

I FINALLY took some time today and walked around my neighborhood and took a few pictures. Yesterday, one of my fellow ICEV teachers and I had some adventures in Seoul. We went to Itaewon, which is an area full of foreigners living abroad, and also to Hongdale, which is near a university in Seoul. In Hongdale,there are lots of young Koreans and lots of things that young Koreans like to do- a very fun place, indeed. However, I was silly and didn't take any pictures. Ah well, there will be plenty of opportunity for that soon enough.


This early evening, I decided that since I've now explored Seoul, it would be silly not to explore the area around my apartment. Plus, I'm feeling more like a human less dazed and confused, so I finally felt unafraid of what lies behind my apartment door. My photography is more functional than anything wonderful or exciting. I especially wish that I had taken more/better pictures of the park that is right by my apartment. How excited I was to discover that there is a park amidst all this industrialization! I can't wait until it is warm enough outside to use it! I took a picture of the fish tanks because I love that there are fresh fish right on the street (and these tanks are everywhere). Also, I purposely waited to start my walk until the sun was soon to set so that I could get some pictures of all the LIGHTS! Still, not even everything was turned on when I took the photos, but you get a good idea of what the streets look like at night. More to come, I promise!
P.S. During my walk, I found a karaoke spot. I will be using it soon and often.

My Apartment

Here is a little video tour of my apartment, which has been requested by loved ones (aka JACKIE). Also, shout out to Granny Franny. I hear you have been able to view this blog. Good for you. I miss you (Grandpa too)!

Week One

I have now been in South Korea for one week. So far, so good. I am very, VERY excited about working at ICEV. The children are so cute that it makes me want to vomit. I certainly plan on sneaking one unto the plane with me on my way home to the USA. It will have to be one of the more cooperative kids because most people, adult or child, are not 100% willing to be smuggled on to an international flight. One of my favorite moments of this first week was when I worked the night shift on Thursday evening and was assigned dorm duty. Dorm duty is, essentially, hanging out with the kids in the dorm before they go to bed. So, I had the pleasure of hanging out with a group of super adorable and super sweet little Korean girls for about an hour. I mostly observed last week but was also given two classes to teach all by my lonesy on Friday. I taught sports to a lovely group that I had been observing all week and then taught writing to some older kids. Sports was basically gym class, so it wasn't difficult. Writing went very well and I had a blast with the kids.

Also, over the past couple days, I have finally been introduced to some wonderful Korean food. Today, I had Korean barbecue and it was especially exciting and delicious. At a Korean barbecue restaurant, you are brought the meat (pork and sausage when we went) and you then cook it yourself on a grill that is at the center of the table. Add some kimchi and garlic to the grill as well and sweet jesus, it is gooooood.

And noooowww, I am on vacation already and don't know what to do for the week. I suppose this week will really force me out of my comfort zone as I, a very strange stranger in a strange land, try to find adventure in a country where I don't know how to get around and I don't really know how to communicate with the general population.

Go, Elise, Go!

Hour 36

I have now been in Korea for 36 hours. It is 4:30 am, and I have not been able to sleep for the past two hours. Much has gone down in this first day and a half. Here is the rundown....

Sunday/First day in South Korea!

4:30 pm- I arrived at Incheon International Airport after a 13 hour flight that was not all that bad...until the last four hours when I suffered from cabin fever. The entertainment I enjoyed on board included Michael Jackson: This Is It, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, An Education, Snow White, and episodes of Two and Half Men and Friends, a documentary of Korean Food, and Scorecese on Scorecese...No, I did not get very much sleep.

5:30/6ish- I arrived at my apartment and was given a little tutorial on how to work things and then given a quick tour of the surrounding area. Pictures coming soon.

9:30 pm- I did some unpacking then went to meet Mr. Sandman, who was dying to see me.

Monday/First day at ICEV!

9 am- Andre, from Human Resources, took me to get a health check and open a bank account. I felt like a foreign specimen during the health check, which I suppose I truly am. Within about a half hour I was sent to 6 different nurses, physicians, x-ray technicians to be measured, pee in a cup, be pricked with a needle, have blood drawn, have probes placed upon my chest, undergo a quick oral exam, and receive a mammogram (at least that's what I think that was...). The bank was a bank. Not super exciting.

10ish- I arrived at Incheon English Village. As we pulled up to the school and started to walk towards the building, the song "I Like to MOVE IT, MOVE IT" was blaring from the school. At this moment, I knew that I belonged here.

10ish-6- My first day consisted of meeting TONS of new coworkers, shadowing a fellow teacher (whose Shakespeare class, it appears, I am taking over soon), and a little bit of orientation/slide shows with one of the assistant directors. I started the day P-U-M-P-E-D but then jet lag seemed to hit me around 2 pm or so.

6:40ish pm- After the bus ride home (ICEV provides shuttles for all the teachers at the beginning and end of the day), I went up to my apartment, recollected myself, and ran to the Home Plus across the street. Home Plus is like a hybrid of a department store and Wal-Mart. The first floor is like the clothing/accessory portion of Carson's. There are lots of clothes. I hope my American body will fit into them because I do not think that I packed enough clothing. Next floor up is groceries, which I didn't walk through. Next floor is more like Wal-Mart or Target, where they have everything you may humanly need. I was there for a plug adapter. Fun side note: To get to each level, Home Plus has not a moving sidewalk, not an escalator, but a combination of the two. I guess it is an inclined moving sidewalk. I like to refer to it as the Stairway to Heaven. Definitely a highlight thus far.

End of Home Plus adventure-10 pm- I did some organizing and then went to sleep.

2 am- I can't fall back alseep.

3 am- I mean, I really can't fall back alseep. I guess I will facebook, try to skype my Auntie Carol, Mama, or Gay-Gay, and blog.

5:05 am- Time to stop blogging and time to attempt to fall back asleep for an hour and a half before I have to wake up for work.

Goodnight and Good luck (to mySELF).