The First Day of the Adventure!

Well, I woke up this morning and realized I really wasn't dreaming, I'm in Korea!! Still can't believe it and it still hasn't hit me that we will be here for a whole year. Hopefully this whole blogging thing will be a good way for everyone back home to be able to keep up with our travels and adventures. That’s what the girls and I are trying to keep reminding ourselves, this is a big adventure and it wouldn’t be one if there weren’t some interesting things to start it off.

Speaking of interesting, the only reason I’m blogging is because I’m avoiding taking a shower, which happens to be a small handle hanging over our sink. I guess they don’t have tubs here, there’s a drain in the middle of the bathroom by the toilet and the sink and you just shower standing there in the middle of everything. The shelves are all waterproof I guess and there is a little case protector for the toilet paper so it doesn’t get soaking wet. That whole situation will take much getting used to but I guess it makes sense as space is a luxury. The whole apartment is pretty small, but the building is new so it is nice. You will be able to see better with the pictures I will upload but I have a small kitchen and fridge, bathroom/shower (2 for 1 special), and sliding opaque doors that open up into our bedroom. There’s a clothes washer on a little balcony type thing. I had a dream last night that I woke up just in time for the sunrise and went out to watch and saw all these guys getting out of their cars with their dogs, like they were taking them to a park or something. When I woke up for real this morning (well for like the 7th time, the bed in like sleeping on stone!), I was kinda excited thinking it would be a nice view. Not so much… these apartment buildings have just been built so my view is the yard where they store all the extra building materials. Not quite like my dream! It’s ok though.
Yesterday went pretty smooth as far as all the travelling went. Pretty much hassle free. We had a long layover in San Francisco so we all made some phone calls and got some Mexican food. The bloody marys helped take the edge off and made me drowsy on the long flight! It was nice to be able to sit with Katie and Brianna on the flight from San Fran to Seoul, it was 10+ hours and we were all pretty thankful to have each other to talk to. I slept a little, tried to learn some Korean, watched a little of the Office, and read magazines about Brad and Angelina breaking up.
So we got into Seoul around 5:45, earlier than expected. After going through customs and picking up our 800 suitcases, we walked out into the chaos of the Incheon Intl Airport. Luckily, we found our guy right away. He had a little sign with our names on it and he and his friend helped push our carts to the van outside. I was able to talk to Joanne (our recruiter and the one who’s been helping us the last several months) on the phone for a little, she’s in the hospital she just had a baby yesterday! So she gave us directions and all that and hopefully we will be able to meet up with her sometime in the next few weeks. She’s very very nice and I have heard from everyone else that’s here that she enjoys going out to eat and getting to know us.
So it was about an hour and a half ride to Dongtan. If anyone is looking on a map to find Dongtan, don’t be surprised if you can’t. The city is only 2 ½ years old so it’s not on many maps. It just a hint south of Suwon. We arrived at night so there wasn’t much to look at except all the lights and cities. There’s a huge bridge right outside the Incheon airport with the most beautiful support structures all lit up and different colors. We passed a few clusters of what looked like casinos, and a big lit up pirate ship. Looks like mini-Vegas or something. Once we arrived at the apartments, Jade (the school director) met us and took us to our rooms. Because they just opened up a new school, the one we will be teaching at, we are here technically a few weeks early to help move things and get settled. Consequently, our apartments are not furnished yet. Katie doesn’t even have a bed in hers yet! We are all on the same floor and I took the apartment at the end of the hall which was a good call because for some reason I think I have heated floors! But because they are so new, the most I have in my room is a bed and a cord to hook up internet. The heat doesn’t work yet (and it’s freezing outside!!!) so Jade gave us these portable heaters. I went to bed with two sweatshirts, two sweatpants, and ski socks on and woke up sweating. After Jade got us settled her and her husband went to the store to get us some water and some snacks. Her and her husband left and the three of us girls just kind of sat in Brianna’s room eating potato puffs and chocolates, just kind of staring at each other. After arriving in Seoul and suddenly being thrown into a world where you can’t understand anything, being moved into freezing unfurnished apartments, and realizing we would have to take showers in our sinks in the morning, we were all a little overwhelmed and shocked. It already a very different world and I’ve only been here half a day. Thank god for Katie and Brianna or else I think I would be pretty lonely. It’s a lot to take in and it’s finally setting in that I’m away from the people I care the most about for a whole year. We were all a little down last night so we just tried to encourage each other and remember that we asked for the adventure and we knew it would be different. We even had to laugh a little last night at how crazy everything was. I think we all woke up this morning with a more positive attitude. It helped to get some sleep. Today we are going shopping for groceries, pillows, some sort of shelving unit, toilet paper, etc. And I can’t wait to get some Korean food! I’ve been craving it since we flew over Alaska.

So I already know this will be the year we look back on and say, wow I can’t believe we did that. The inevitable culture shock and uncomfortableness (is that a word?) made for a trying night but I’m more than thankful to have Katie and Brianna by my side. I know I am going to miss everyone terribly and I already miss the small comforts of home that I often overlook. But I can’t wait to make this apartment mine, decorate and put pictures up, and to cook my first own Korean meal! I know I will get used to all the quirks and it will soon become routine but for now I’m still getting used to it. Should make for some good reading for you guys! I will write more this week when I can tell you about the city and the school. I love and miss everyone.