A Different World

First of all, let me apologize for waiting so long to post an update.  My life has been flipped and twisted in the last few weeks, creating a whirlwind of changes.  Allow me to explain...

THE PLANE RIDES

To start off my journey to Korea, I was already a bag of nerves.  Not only was I going to a foreign country to live and work on my own for a year, but I was leaving the people I love the most behind.  Can you say DIFFICULT!?!  I tried to contain my emotions so I could stay strong through the long journey.  Well, 5 minutes onto my first flight (from Charlotte to LA) a man a few rows in front of me had a minor heart attack.  A woman started screaming "Emergency! We need a paramedic!!!"  Next, she was saying his breathing was slowing and he was turning blue.  They layed him down and proceeded to give him CPR while putting the AED machine on him.  Thankfully, a few people of the plane knew CPR because they had to do it for about half an hour before the paramedics arrived.  Being the person that I am, I began to cry and pray, hoping that the man would be ok.  It seemed like the CPR worked and he started breathing again.  So, they took him off of the flight an hour later. Once the flight took off, it was about 10pm.  In order to sleep on my next 13 hour flight, I tried to stay awake during the next 5 hours.  The plane was dark, everyone was sleeping, there were no TVs or music, and I was left awake in my seat contemplating whether I'd make my next flight in time or not.  My stomach was in knots after what happened and after not knowing what would happen next.

Once arriving in LA, I got lost in the huge airport.  Every worked I asked questions to seemed to give me conflicting answers.  I did, however, find out that my plane would be taking off from 2 building away.  I went to the transfer buses and a kind man offered to take me there.  Once there, construction stalled me finding an entrance door.  I went inside and a worker helped me to desk for check-in.  The woman scanned my passport then told me I wasn't booked on their flight!  We realized that the worker had led me to the wrong check-in desk and that my check-in desk was two long rows away.  I finally found it only to see a sign that said "GATE CLOSED" for the flight I needed.  I told the woman and she was thankfully able to sign me in, then said "You must run quickly!"  I tried to get through security, sweating at this point and looking guilty of something (though the only thing I was guilty of was being more panicked than a person should be).  Once through security, the same woman from the check-in desk runs by me and yells "Hurry, you must run!  The plane is leaving!" Ahhhhhhh!  In many movies, you see people running through airports--it's romantic and whimsical.  THESE MOVIES LIE!  Running through the airport is one of the most frustrating, stressful things I have ever done.  Did I mention that I was sweating and had a sweater that insisted on shedding and causing fuzzies to stick to my neck, face, and mouth???  Ugh.  Also, the terminal I was running to just so happened to be at the very end of the building!  Thankfully (yes, I was literally thanking God!) I was able to run and jump on the bus at the very last second to take us to the plane.  I was crammed into the bus with a bunch of Asian people--my sweatiness, fuzz-covered body and all.  

After calming myself down, and being served delicious Korean food, I was able to re-group.  Stuck in the middle seat of the middle section of my 13 hour flight, I was too happy to just be on it so it didn't even both me.  I must say a GIANT THANKS to my mom and dad for buying me Bose noise-cancelling headphones for my birthday.  These alone allowed me to fall asleep for long periods on the plane despite the fact that the man beside me decided he slept best when his head was on my shoulder.  Uh, is there really a plane where you DON'T feel uncomfortable?  (Maybe first class???)

Once arriving in Seoul, I met another person who was part of the my recruited group of teachers.  He was kind and soft-spoken and make me feel at ease.  He showed me where to convert my money (though most of the airport was closed since it was about 4am Korean time) and shared his excitement about the upcoming experience.  This, followed by a 1 hour plane ride with few people on and lots of space, helped me reassure myself that the choice to come to Korea was the right one.

ORIENTATION

I had finally arrived in Korea!  I met my recruiter Alistair (who, let me tell you, is probably the best recruiter in the world!!!!) along with some other teachers. We also waited for another teacher, Tonya, to arrive.  Once I met Tonya, I knew we'd be friends.  She was sweet, freckly-faced, an experienced teacher, and you could tell she had an amazing heart.  Later, we were roomed together which I was happy about.  That night, 4 or so of us went to have our first meal in Korea...and it was Indian food!  (our recruiter suggested it, so we listened).  Not exactly what you'd expect, but it was delicious.  The next morning we met most of the other teachers.  They were great--so many different personalities!!!  After meeting everyone, we packed up our million pieces of luggage and headed to our next hotel.  This is where we would be staying for a week.

When we got to our new, temporary home, I was roomed with Kristi, a woman living in Charlotte, NC (just like me)!!!  I was nervous because I had become so comfortable with Tonya and wasn't sure if Kristi and I would click.  Boyyyy was I wrong!  Kristi and I laughed harder than I have in a lonnnnng time.  I would go to my room at night, exhausted and ready for sleep, but stay up for hours talking and laughing--especially about men!  We both had been in relationships with people who didn't seem to deserve us (I apologize if this sounds conceited or self-absorbed, but if you do or did know the situations, you would completely agree).  It was nice and refreshing to spend time with someone who could not only make me laugh, but had a big heart too!  I remember one of the first things she said to me was, "I hope you're not a light sleeper because I snore!"  My response, "Ohhhh Lord!"  :)  

The week of orientation was such a bonding experience for all of the teachers.  We sat through, what seemed like, endless seminars, then spent our nights talking on the rooftop or learning Gangnam Style (see link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0&feature=player_detailpage) at Ho Bar from crazy Korean dancers.  At one point, some Koreans pulled me onto the dance floor.  "Where are you from?" they asked. "America!" I replied. "Ohhhh, American Star" they said and started dancing around me.  I think I could get used to this!  Another cool thing we did at the end of the week was go on a cultural experience trip (eco-friendly tourists).  We visited some museums (at one, I started to get low blood sugar and had to sit and eat a granola bar then go get fresh air, ugh).  At one point, we went to "Lego City"--a cultural village with traditional arts.  We designed tie-dye silk scarves and used natural ingredients to dye them.  This was such a cool experience!  By the end of the week, I felt like I had gained knowledge of teaching in Korea and a group of really great new friends!

FIRST NIGHT ALONE...EEK!

Now, I've kind of lived on my own before.  Granted, I did have the most amazing roommate ever--Mr. Adam Houser, but it was somewhat like living on my own.  But, let me tell you, living on your own in a foreign country is much different.  On Friday of last week, I was separated from all of my new friends. I had grown so attached to them and wasn't sure when I would see them again. Next, I was greeted by my "co-teacher" whose first question was "Where will you sleep tonight?"  "In my apartment, right?"  "No.  The other teacher is there.  Do you know of a motel?"   Ahh, I wanted to scream!  Motel!?!  How would I know of a motel, lady, I don't live here!!  On top of it all, we visited the apartment I would get to live in soon and dropped my luggage off.  I was supposed to ask many questions about how to work the hot water, AC, etc.  When I asked her one question she said "I don't know."  That's it!  "I don't know!"  Uh, hello.  If you don't know then how in the world am I going to know!!!???!!!  We proceeded to go to the school, which just so happens to be almost across the street from the apartment (yay, finally good news!).  I finally met the girl whose place I would be taking.  I think she was a guardian angel.  She was soooooo kind---I'm talking guardian freaking angel!  She not only explained the school to me, but she also took me to the apartment and showed me how everything works, she left me great things (hair dryer, toaster oven, toaster, food, etc.), she took me to get a subway pass and showed me how the subway system works, she GAVE me her old phone and helped me get a pre-paid activation until I get a plan, etc.  I could NOT have survived in Korea without her!!!!  Thank you Michaela Scott!!!!

After a long day, I walked with my co-teacher to find a motel.  Oddly enough, I was put in a love motel--a cheap place where most people go to just have sex for the night (in a nutshell).  It was smelly, dirty, and had 2 toothbrushes,  a razor, and a condom on the counter.  I sat on the bed and cried--hysterically cried.  It wasn't that I had a bad day, it was that everything seemed so overwhelming.  I had been separated from people who finally felt familiar, I had an overload of information I was trying to process in order to survive, my luggage was at the apartment while I was at a scary motel, and I felt so alone.  I am usually pretty strong and don't let my emotions get to me, but I couldn't help it.  I just broke down.  I tried to pull myself together and just get out of the motel.  I walked to Lotte Mart to eat some food.  I was so upset I couldn't even eat.  Thank goodness I was able to pick up wireless at Lotte Mart.  I got online and saw that some of my new friends were getting together that night.  I emailed one of my friends, Graham, in desperation of needing someone, and rushed over to find my friends.  After getting lost on the subway, I finally found the hotel.  After a while, more people arrive.  Next thing I know, here comes Daniel with a bottle of Jameson.  Another angel?  We sat in John's room, sharing a mug of Jameson to soothe our nerves.  This is what I needed :)  After our evening of talking and listening to Daniel do a personalized Borat impression for each of us (probably the funniest thing I've ever heard) I had to leave.  I was dreading, completely and utterly dreading, going back to the motel.  I was alone, and I didn't see anyone else but the worker.  Would I be safe?  Would I start crying again?  I just didn't want to be alone.  Thankfully I had become close to my new friend Graham.  Being the gentleman that he is, he came back with me and stayed in the motel with me on my first night so I wouldn't have to be alone (this was a platonic motel stay, nothing more).  It meant so much to me to have so many people there to support and encourage each other (especially since I really needed it!).  

SETTLING IN

The next day, I was able to finally get into my new apartment.  It was being cleaned though, so I dropped some stuff off (finally leaving the love motel) and went to run errands with Graham.  We decided to meet some of our other friends at a Korean baseball game!  It was CrAzY!!!! We ate fried chicken (most people buy fried chicken and bring it into the game--so on the way to the game the streets are lined with fried chicken stands!).  Then, near the end of the game, they hand out bright orange grocery bags.  As I watched, 100s by 100s of people started to fill their bag with air and then attach it to their heads.  So, in order to experience Korean culture (if this counts), we did as well!  Sitting with a blown-up grocery bag on my head while watching baseball is an experience I am not sure I'd want to do every weekend, but it was fun!

After the game, a group of us met up with some others at Wolfgang Bar in Haeundae.  This bar is a foreigner bar, meaning many foreigners in the area go there--so we weren't the only "foreigners" there!  Being the cheapskate that I am, I wouldn't buy any drinks ($10 for  sangria, uh NO!).  I waited for a bit then some of us walked over to Haeundae Beach, picking up wine and snacks on the way, to celebrate Alex and I'd belated birthdays (we are 2 days apart and had our birthdays right before we came to Korea).  Once on the beach, we realized that the wine was a corked, not twist-top.  Using keys and a pen, we managed to open it.  Alex and I went and stood in the ocean and drank our wine, toasting to us being in Korea !!  We both leaned over for something and got splashed by a giant wave (he was pretty soaked, I managed to stay somewhat dry).  We drank our wine and ate some then headed back to Wolfgang to meet the others.  There, we danced all night (dancing to Spice Girls at 2am in Korea is not too shabby!).  WHAT-A-NIGHT! i seriously love all my new friends--they're great!

THE JOB

So, after a great weekend, I started my job on Monday.  It is awesome!  It has a very relaxed schedule--I teach no more than 4 classes per day, sometimes one of them being a Teachers' Workshop where other teachers and I discuss English and American-based topics.  I work at YuRak Girls' Middle School.  In Korea, Middle School includes grades 7th, 8th, and 9th.  The girls are girls--no matter what country you're in, girls are having awkward changes and usually emotional and/or talkative.  But, these girls seem extremely smart and sweet.  I am excited to get to know them.  I only see each class once per week since the school is so big.  I believe I have 7 co-teachers, meaning throughout the week I will be teaching with 7 different teachers.  I teach 7th grade (here it's called 1st grade) and 9th grade (3rd grade).  There are A, B, C levels of each class (A being the most proficient in English, C the lowest).  Technically, I'll only being making 2 lessons per week, but I will have to alter the lessons to fit each learning level.

The co-teachers seem really kind.  The main co-teacher (the one I met in the beginning who frustrated me) is actually the representative of the English department.  Though I was afraid at first, I think she is starting to warm up to me.  She is super nice and had done a lot to help me out.  Her English is pretty good and she is funny too.  I think I'm really going to like her, along with the other teachers.  There is only one male English teacher out of all the others.  His American name is James and he is young.  I think we'll go hang out sometime so he can practice English and I can learn Korean.  He is new to this area and wants to make friends so I'll probably introduce him to my other foreigner friends.  

Since there are 7 periods total, and I only teach 4, I spend lots of time at my desk planning.  This schedule is much different than my 12 hour, 7 days per week Korean summer camp schedule.  THANK GOODNESS!  I am thankful that I'll have time to really put thought and effort into my lessons and grading.  I hope this will be a great year!

NEW HOME 

I have finally settled into my apartment.  It is small and much different than American apartments.  The bedroom and kitchen are all one studio room and then the bathroom is separate.  Thanks to the teacher before me, I have awesome wallpaper, beautiful curtains, and bedding!  I'm still trying to get used to turning on the water heater before I shower and turning on the gas before I cook.  I don't have an oven, just a stove and toaster oven.  Also, as all Korean-style houses are, you have to leave your shoes off when you walk in and then step up into the apartment.  The bathroom is also Korean style--it is just big and open and everything in it gets wet since there isn't separation for the shower.  I am have BIG WINDOWS with beautiful glass in them on one of my main walls (yay!!!) so I get a lot of natural light.  The curtains have two parts--one sheet, cool-designed set, and one dark blue set.  So during the day, I leave the sheet ones closed so a golden light comes in with still having privacy.  Then, at night I shut the big blue ones so I have lots of privacy. Oh, did I mention that I'm about a block from a big department store and the subway!?!  My area doesn't have a lot of restaurants or shopping, but it has the essentials and is close to many other areas.  The subway here is super cheap--about $1.00 (1,400w) to go anywhere!  So, I can visit friends and/or the beach easily.  There are many places I want to visit.  Right now, I have a sore throat, so once I get over it (which may take going to the doctor) then I'll explore more.

Korean life and culture is very different than American life and culture.  But, I really am enjoying it.  There is so much we can learn from experiencing a different way of life.  I am beyond thankful to have been able to make this dream a reality and to be given this opportunity.  I know this adventure will NOT be easy--each day I face new challenges and sometimes feel I can't overcome them.  Being the outside is not easy.  But, I'm going to stay strong and push through.  I'm going to step outside of my comfort zone and do things I normally wouldn't--I'm in Korea and I want to experience all of it! I hope I will learn in grow in ways that I never knew I could.

I will be posting pictures soon, and keep checking in to see updates and more crazy Korean stories!  Take care <3

Only the Beginning.

Hello everyone!

Soon, I will be beginning a new chapter in my life--moving to Busan, South Korea for a full year to teach English.  Did I mention that I'm doing this alone?  :P  In order to share stories, updates and more throughout my journey, I've created this blog to keep you all informed.  (note: check out my facebook for pictures and short updates, and this for more personal stories and detailed updates)

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This past year has been quite a journey for me. I moved out on my own, fell in love, had my heart broken, learned how to be a good (and bad) friend, and realized that my students were just as capable of teaching me lessons about life as I was to them. On top of many other struggles, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life--choosing to leave the most perfect job to pursue an unwritten and no-guarantee path. Though some may think I'm crazy for doing so, I felt it was the right decision for me. Sometimes, you just have to follow your instincts.  I mean, they're there for a reason, right?  Yes, I am going to miss my students and colleagues more than I can put into words (especially my cheerleaders!!!), but I am excited to see what the next 12 months bring!
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Ok, so I'm sure you're wondering what's with the title of this blog. Well, I was greatly inspired by a story (Are you surprised? I'm an English teacher!). When I heard this story, 
it made me stop and realize one of the most important lessons in life: we can CHOOSE what type of person we are and become--it all depends on which one we feed...
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An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

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