arrival

the airport was easy enough to get through. plenty of pictures and english to get me along- i really need to pick up korean though. not every other place will be as accommodating as the international airport. :)

customs was no problem, getting my luggage was easy, and as i walked into the area where people wait for you i was greeted by a man who seemed to know my face (i had to send a picture as part of the process). he’s the director of the school. but close by was swon!

i hadn’t given her all the flight info, since it would be really early monday morning, and i was already told the recruiter or someone from the school would meet me. i didn’t want her to go to the trouble.

well, she got the flight info from my mom. (mom and dad at work, even from afar)

she showed up with a breakfast for me. i introduced the school director and her, and we talked all the way to his car. swon met is at the school.

you wouldn’t believe the errand the school director and i made before we got to the school. we stopped at a department store to pick up some replacement fluorescent light bulbs. it was like almost nothing had changed. standing in a aisle staring at fluorescent bulbs choosing between different wattages and color temperatures.

we got to the school and i met a few of the teachers. swon and i got a quick tour. the school director then led me to my apartment. swon checked out my cable while i showered. the cable and internet was already set. nice.

swon had to get to an appointment, but we had a quick lunch before she dropped me off at the school.

i spent the rest of the day observing some of the classes. i was given an option to go home earlier, since i would be tired, but i stayed till about 5.

i picked up some food at a local market and walked about 15 minutes to the apartment.

i’ve eaten a bit. i fell asleep around 8- very tired, but woke up again around midnight. it will take time to shift my internal schedule. i hope i don’t completely sleep through tomorrow morning!

there are some things to get to make the apartment more cozy, but for now what’s here will do. pictures to come soon- i want to unpack and settle a little more first. . .

the teachers all seem really nice and welcoming. there was a new korean teacher today as well, and another couple of foreign teachers will arrive within the week, so there will be more people in the same boat as me.

i have a bunch of observing to do, and schedule to figure out, but in the meantime swon wants to come out during the week to make sure i get a phone and bank account set up. she also wants me to visit her in seoul- but that will have to wait for a weekend.

busy busy.

but right now i should sleep.