Korea Life: Moving from Cheonan to Seoul

I recently (read almost 3 months ago because I post everything ridiculously late) decided that it was time to make the move to from Cheonan to Seoul. I wanted to live in Seoul originally but....  when I moved to Korea, I didn't have any previous teaching experience. Seoul is a much bigger city with a much more competitive market for English teachers. I knew if I wanted a good job in Seoul, that I would need experience first. I picked Cheonan for a lot of reasons; it was close to Seoul, it was a transportation hub (I could get anywhere pretty fast), and it was a great place to save money. I loved living in Cheonan and it's a great city to live in. But I am from a big city and I wanted to be back in a big city surrounded by lots and lots of people. When my contract finished at the end of February, I made the move to Seoul.

First things first, the actual move. Due to the situation of having no time off between jobs, I had a very limited window of time for moving. I ended work on a Friday night, moved to a new city on Saturday and started at a new job on Monday. To say it was stressful is a complete understatement. My school helped me hire a truck for Saturday to take me from Cheonan to Seoul. It was supposed to cost around 120 dollars, which isn't bad for a city to city move. Well, I specifically asked for a moving truck because the amount of clothes I have was in definite need of a full on truck. Unfortunately, something changed last minute and the truck was unavailable. A medium sized van pulls up in front of my apartment right on time, but I looked at it and said "not happening, my stuff can't fit in that thing!". The grumpiest faced old stepped out of this van. He looked just severely pissed from the onset. Luckily, I wasn't going through this alone (my male coworker, who is a worrywart, wouldn't hire the truck unless he knew I wasn't going alone). We moved all my stuff down and out of my apartment and into this truck in maybe 10 minutes. We had to tetris my stuff in and the grumpy faced man kept sighing and asking why there was so much stuff. Once we loaded all the stuff, he said he wasn't going to drive for the same price. He wanted 60 more dollars because there was so much stuff. I had no choice but to say yes because my stuff was already in his truck. We all piled into this van and were off on the long ride to Seoul.

No joke, it took 5 hours.... 5 hours!! The trip is usually 2 hours but the traffic was horrible and my new apartment was on the Northern most edge of Seoul. Janelle was blogging the whole way and the van was hot. It was miserable. We were all whining and annoyed in the car. But the absolute worst part was how bad  I needed to pee. I needed to pee so bad. I cannot even begin to explain this pain. I should have gone before we left, but I didn't, I was stupid and my bladder, kidneys, whatever... it paid for it. I was literally crying by hour 3. I wanted to ask the man to stop but we were in such bad traffic, it wasn't moving, and I was scared of the driver because he was grumpy. I thought I was going to pee in the back of this man's van. Since, my friend was vlogging the whole thing, she caught the crying on camera. I wish I could say it was funny now, looking back... but it wasn't. The pain of needing to pee that bad will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Anyways, I made it and unloaded my stuff faster than it was loaded because the man was rushing us. But I was finally moved and I was in my new apartment. My friends went out to dinner with me for my first night and then they went back to Cheonan.

That was my moving experience in Korea. It was pretty bad. From the wrong truck, to the grumpy old man, to the bladder infection that I thought I would get.... it was rough. But I guess I successfully moved with all my stuff... so it's not as bad as it could have been. I could have been dropped off in the middle of nowhere and had all my stuff stolen or something. (I don't know, something definitely could have gone very wrong).

Korea Life: My Kinders Graduating

While I have been in South Korea, I have been teaching kindergarten at an academy. It has been and still is a highly rewarding job. I enjoy helping teach young children, not only English, but everything else they need to know for life. But, although it is highly rewarding, it is also very hard. Not only is it hard in a general teaching aspect, but also an emotional one.

I have been assigned to teach the 7 year olds at the academy. This means they graduate and go onto elementary school after one year. This doesn't mean I will never see them again. Some continue studying in elementary classes at the academy after public school. However, they will not be my students again and the ones that don't choose to stay with the academy, I probably won't ever see again.

Now I should explain that teaching young children, especially 5,6, and 7 year olds in South Korea is a lot different than teaching in the USA. The parents and school wants you to make a connection with the children, not just in a respect sense, but an emotional sense. So, while you are required to teach, it is also looked well upon to love and nurture the children. Affection is something that is expected. Which is something that I have noticed is very cultural here. It is not just the parents who are raising the children, but grandparents and relatives, older brothers and sisters. It is a group effort and everyone (not literally speaking) loves the children. So, the teachers, helper teachers, and everyone at the school love the children. I am not saying that kindergarten teachers in the USA don't love their students, but it tends not to be normal to be affectionate to children not in your family.

Writing my goodbye letters to my graduating students required wine.

Getting to the downside, in February my first classes graduated and moved to elementary school. After spending six months teaching these children, watching them mature/grow, and pouring lots of love into them, it was really hard watching them move on. I still see a lot of them daily, as they come to elementary classes. But it is not the same as teaching them and being in the classroom with them daily. I would be lying if I said I didn't cry like a baby at their graduation ceremony. I was an absolute mess.

Some letters from my students.

After my classes graduated and I was assigned 7 year olds again, I thought I could never get as close to them as I was with my first classes. Especially since I knew they were also going to be graduating in one short year and the tear fest from losing the first classes was still fresh in my mind. But after teaching them for only a month and I half, I knew that I would be just as close to this class, if not closer because I learned a lot about teaching during the first 6 months. I know that if I continue on teaching, it will always be sad to see my students go but that it is rewarding watching them grown and hoping that you really helped them. 

Korea Life: Drinking, Clubbing, and Karaoke Nights

My weekends have been filled with drinking and new people for the past couple months or so. But compared to the US, the drinking culture here is much different. I have realized here drinking is a marathon, not a sprint. Not a short marathon either, if you are going out for the night you aren't going home until the sun rises. It doesn't help that I feel like the clubs NEVER close here. So you could literally stay out dancing and walk out into the daylight without realizing you've been up for that long.

But lets get back to the drinking aspect. It's quite a practical/ magical thing. First, you aren't drinking hard liquor like in the US most of the time. You are drinking soju, which has a lower alcohol content than the liquors back home. But I would say the main difference here is that if you are drinking, you are eating. There are bars here that just serve alcohol, but they are few and far between. It is normal to sit at a place for hours, eating and drinking. And if you want to move to a new place, you need to order food again. Sometimes this can be a little annoying because you do get full and don't want to eat and sometimes want to just keep drinking. But I think, overall, this is a really good practice. You are never drinking on an empty stomach and the food stops you from drinking as much. The food here is also insanely delicious, so I don't complain too much about the food. Even at the clubs here, if you get a table they not only have a bottle of alcohol but also a tray of finger foods to go with the alcohol. The two things go hand in hand here. 

Drinking games are not uncommon and I have learned a lot of really fun games since I have been here. Most of the time you see people just talking and drinking, games tend to be played by younger people. They are all hand games, people are usually surprised when I whip out a deck of cards because they have never played drinking card games before. 

There is also an order of events that you start to notice here. First you go to a restaurant and eat and drink. Then you go to a club to dance and dance. Then you end the night at a karaoke place. I used try to skip the last one because I can't sing for anything but it's grown on me and I no matter how much I say I won't sing I end up stealing the microphone constantly. But it's not uncommon to want to go to a singing room here. I also feel like everyone I have been to a singing room with is an incredible singer, which makes me feel slightly ashamed but doesn't seem to stop me. 

Korea Life: Cheonan

When I was interviewing for a job here in South Korea, I know I wanted a big city. I really wanted Seoul but knew that I did not have the qualifications for a good job in a city of that size. So I decided that I would be OK with a medium sized city that wasn't too far from Seoul. When I interviewed for my job here in Cheonan, the city was one of the things that drew me to the job.

Cheonan is a pretty great city to live in. It's not the most exciting city, but it is by no means boring. The city has a lot of great aspects to it. First, it is surrounded by mountains. Not only does the air seem really fresh here compared to the big city, but it has really good hiking trails. I have gone for quite a few hikes up some really beautiful trails since I have been here. Cheonan is also known for "hodugwaja", which is a really delicious walnut bread. You can find it in stands on the street corners. The smell is even better than the taste. You can usually smell it from a block or more away and it makes your mouth salivate like crazy.

Since it is a medium sized city, there is still a good night life here. The clubs are always full and there are lots of people partying on the streets whenever you want to go on a rager. This also means that there is a good number of cafe's and restaurants here. It is not limited in it's food selection. You can get almost any type of food you want and nothing is too far away. I have had a really great time trying all the new food and trying the fusion restaurants.

As I have mentioned, it is not the biggest city but there is still a lot to explore and do. The shopping is really great and there is underground shopping as well as a couple of malls. I have still barely scratched the surface of the city. There is still a lot more to see and even more to eat. 

Korea Life: Coffee Shops

I had a given up drinking coffee on a regular basis about a year ago. I had switched it for green tea. But it is so hard not to be a coffee drinker in Korea. Why? Because there are cute little coffee shops EVERYWHERE! Down every road, on every corner I find them. The cutest, most welcoming coffee shops that say "Come in, Have a sweet latte." How can I resist the coffee shops. Yes I know they serve non coffee beverages, but I do love the taste of coffee. So it is hard for me to go to a coffee shop and not get a latte.

In Houston, we have Starbucks everywhere. And most starbucks look exactly the same, with a few minor difference. But the menus are the same and the people look the same. But here there are so many small, local shops. All of them have different drinks and items, all of them look so different. It is absolutely wonderful. I have fallen in love with all my local shops and a new one just opened up two doors down from me that I am dying to try.

It may not be healthy, but it is relaxing. I love a warm cup of coffee and the weather is only getting cooler. I know in winter I will really appreciate all the coffee shops being so close to warm me up.

It is also nice to have the fresh coffee, because most of the coffee in the stores is instant coffee. The instant coffee here is good. But after drinking it all week, it is so nice to have a fresh cup of coffee at a cafe.

Korea Life: Living Off Convenience Store Food

The first few weeks I was here  I could not find an international ATM. So, I was not eating out but living off of cheap convenience store food (thank you GS25). When I say convenience store food, I do not mean the really processed, disgusting hot dogs and nachos you get in the states. Here convenience store food is much different. You can get as healthy or as bad of food as you want. I probably now have an unhealthy love for Korean convenience store sandwiches. Most of them have eggs/egg salad and are oh so delicious. But I have gotten kimbap to sandwiches to a full on stew from the convenience store. None of it cost over 25000won (2.50 US). The point of this being you can live off of convenience store food for cheap. Now the second point, this blog has a lot about losing weight and healthy living. Even though I was poor and eating from the convenience store. I still ate in moderation and chose wisely. So instead of gaining, I lost weight the first few weeks. Meaning that even if you have to live poorly your first few weeks here or even months here, that does not mean you will gain weight. Choosing wisely and eating in moderation are still big factors.

Lets move on to my real obsession that I buy from the convenience store.... banana flavored milk. It was honestly one of the things I wanted to try most when I came here. It is a hit or miss among foreigners, but it was a bullseye with me. I love the stuff. I would drink a bath of it. Even though I grocery shop now, it is something I still need to buy from the convenience store (this is to discourage me from drinking more than one a day because they are high in sugar).

I can now report that I can access my money back home and am back to cooking for myself. But I still treat myself to an egg sandwich once a week and banana milk a little more often. I am very happy I went through those broke convenience store times because there are other gems I found that I will probably continue to eat as well.

Korea Life: Teaching Kindergarten

Before I came here I was not a kid person. They annoyed me. When they screamed, I winced. When they ran, I wanted to trip them. I did not want them in my restaurants, I did not want them touching me. So why did I move to South Korea to teach English to kindergarteners?? For adventure, for experience, for money, but now.....

Oh... how things have changed. Teaching Korean 7 year olds (in the US they would be 5/6 year olds) has really changed how I feel about small children. It may be the mothering instinct that I suppressed for so long or it could be the responsibility you feel for your class. Or it may be the fact that they are all soooooo cute, I mean seriously adorable children. But I love all my students, even the ones that are complete brats (and I have many brats).

I feel like it may not be my place to comment on these things because I have only been teaching a month and a half. However, it did not take long for me to love my students. As soon as they were put into my care, I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility for their well being. They are only children and so small, so you have to take care of them. It has been a challenge though. Going from not being around kids at all to teaching them all day, it has been hard. I will probably spend the whole year learning how to best cope with them and how I can take care of them better. (I think anybody would do the same though because in all aspects of your life you never stop learning.)

I like to think my classes warmed up to me as quickly as I warmed up to them. They are very affectionate and give me lots of hugs and cuddles. They say very nice things to me and give me pictures they draw for me and cards with cute things. It is a very rewarding job, but not easy by any means. We do lots of fun things in class (although sometimes it is hit or miss with the activities). So,
I am constantly moving around with them and lifting them (or peeling them off of my legs) so it is an all day workout. I knew it was gong to be a different lifestyle than the cubicle I was used to. But I did not know how much until I was on my feet and lifting small (but heavy) children all day.

I am sure I will have more updates about teaching as the year goes on. But I think this is a good overview of how it feels to start teaching in South Korea, specifically  coming from being a person who disliked (now past tense) kids.

Korea Life: My Apartment

I have been living in my apartment just over a month a now. I read a lot about how I would have to adjust to a lot of things. However, so far, I have found the differences minimal, to say the least. The apartment is small, but I think it is perfect for one person. Just enough room. I have everything I need in the apartment, with a little room to spare. It is comparable if not bigger than a studio apartment in Houston or any other big city.
It is a one room apartment with a small kitchen and a bathroom. As you can see it is not the biggest thing ever. But it holds a desk/table, bookshelf, tv/stand, queen size bed, drawers and has a nice size closet. The floor has a good amount of space for my workouts in the morning. I have enough room in the bottom of my closet to store my weights and yoga mat. I am sad that I filled the top up and my clothes are trying to bust out of the closet. My kitchen is very small and cannot hold much food. But, as I have said, it is enough for one. It is a pain to cook in because there is no room to cut veggies. There is no oven, only a stove. It saves on a lot of space and a lot of heat, so I do not mind.

So, let's move on to the differences. The main one is the bathroom. It is not like a traditional western bathroom. There is no shower or bath tub, it is just one tile room. Your shower head is connected to the sink. So you have to take a shower in the middle of the room. There is not curtain or anything. Just you in the middle of the bathroom showering. It means everything gets wet in the bathroom, at least at first. It is not bad, just different. Another difference is the washer and dryer, or lack thereof. There is only a washer and then lots of drying racks to hang your clothes. My porch, which in the US would be used for patio furniture, is solely used for my washer and drying racks. The last difference is that it is not normal to keep the A/C on for a extended amounts of time. In Houston, the A/C stays running, even when it is cool outside. It is not normal to keep the windows open all the time. But here it is very normal to keep your windows open instead of turning on the A/C or fan. So, my windows stay open all day and night, I have only turned on the A/C  a few times since I have been here. This could be because of a slight weather difference (hot/humid is all Houston is and the weather is beautiful here) but I also think it is just something we get used to doing now. There are a few other nuances that I think are well known. You don't wear your shoes indoors, so there is a spot in the front to take them off and put them. The plugs are different. You have different controls for the hot water. But those are all a given.
I am not done decorating yet because I need more on the walls to complete it. I have been on a search for really cute things to fill my apartment with. You know, the quintessential Asian cute stuff they are known for. I have found a few things. Cute stickers for my kitchen and bathroom walls. But nothing that I am super excited over. I will try to remember to take more pictures when I am done completely decorating. That could take awhile though.

Korea Life: The Arrival

I have been living in Cheonan, South Korea for a month now. I meant to update sooner buuuuttttt surprise surprise three prong chargers are not easy to find in Korea. However, I finally got one on Friday.

Sooooo, my Korea adventure started a month ago. I have not taken many pictures. But that does not mean I have not been exploring everything, everywhere that I can. I have been trying lots of new foods and meeting new people.

I spent my first week in a love motel. It was kind of funny, because I was not expecting it. But the motel was very cute and super clean. It was fun for my first week, although a little creepy.. I think some people got the wrong impression of what I was doing there. For anyone that doesn't know what a love motel is, it is a cheap motel where people can go for uhhhhh "love".

I will post more specific blog posts about my apartment, food so far, and teaching kindergartners in Korea.