The Flying Elephant

Story time 

12/22

The Flying Elephant 🐘 

One day, I walked into Dunkin Donuts by my work to grab the most American tasting hot dog that I have found while in Korea. I was dazzled by the Christmas tree at the front door decorated in blue, gold, and clear glass ornaments. 

When suddenly my eyes fixed on one ornament in particular. It was a blue, blown glass hot air balloon with gold paint and blue glitter. Attached by a delicate golden cord was a little elephant, as if it were being lifted through the sky. 

I LOVE elephants and thought, "I have to have this! Where did they buy it?" Christmas anything is really not easy to find in Korea so I assumed it may not be too difficult to pinpoint a place to purchase it.

I spent days searching Google, Naver, Amazon, Coupang, G-Market, etc to see if I could locate it or anything similar. Mobiles for babies rooms were all that I found, but not this ornament. I made the mistake of telling a friend that I saw this and she begged me to find it too. 

So, I went back a few days later and in my minimal and broken Korean, I anxiously asked the store clerk where that ornament was purchased. I was told the manager bought it locally. So the clerk asked for my phone number and said that he'd have the manager contact me with the location. 

An hour or so later I received a message from an unknown number, telling me in the best English that they or a translator could muster up, that it was purchased at a "free market" close to Beomil station. Of course one can't simply look up "free market" in English on a Korean GPS, so I frantically began searching the map for anything that seemed likely on the map.

A coworker actually helped me locate it and turns out it was a wholesale market place. So I sent the location on the map to the manager to confirm. They said it was correct and that I would find the ornaments on the 3rd floor. 

Fast forward another week, I was meeting a friend close to that subway station so I decided to leave my house earlier so that I could peruse this wholesale market in hopes to find it. That was also the coldest day yet in 2021 in Busan (3°, -2° with wind chill), but I was determined.

I bundled up in my long padding (long winter coat), scarf, hat, gloves, and face mask and left my house at 9am. This market closed at 5pm so I was afraid I wouldn't have time after meeting my friend and time was short only being a week away from Christmas when all the Christmas items would get packed away.

I arrived at the station, hiked up the 4 flights of exhausting flights then cross the street to this triangular shaped building. There were pop up stores and kiosks in the front with household items, socks, lamps, etc. So I found an entrance and went in. I was suddenly emerged in shoes everywhere as if a Payless shoe store had exploded. The aisles were so skinny to walk through that barely fit with my winter coat and backpack. 

I just needed to find an elevator or stairs to get to the 3rd floor. Finally, I saw the sign for stairs... more stairs... ugh. I should have beastly legs living here with all of these stairs.. But, I was on a mission. I wasn't going to leave until I searched every nook and cranny. 

I hiked the narrow stairs still surrounded by boxes of more items for display to be unpacked later. I arrived at the 2nd floor and found myself virtually swimming through winter coats and winter clothes. I could barely see any aisles. But there were no stairs to the 3rd floor!! What?!?! The stairs stopped so I had to maneuver through this winter wonderland of garments in search of another way up. 

Turning corner after corner, squeezing through alleys of clothes I finally saw a sign for stairs. I hurried towards it.... only to find that it was the same stairs I came up. Feeling a little defeated in the moment, I let out a sigh and decided to just go straight until I reached a solid wall. This building didn't look so big from the outside. 

Low and behold I reached a glass doorway, which I could barely see beyond, another set of stairs!! I excitedly scurried up yet another 15 or so steps to the 3rd floor where I reached another glass door.

My heart began to race and a grand smile swept across my face. I could see through these doors the start of the most shiny and brightly colored Christmas items that I have ever seen in a single place. This had to be a good sign. 

I searched the first designated area with no luck, then the next, and then another. There were so many decorations but nothing of blue and gold.

I walked around aimlessly store after store until all of the Christmas items turned to floral arrangements. The Christmas was gone! So it was time to go back and be very thorough. Surely, I had either missed it or missed another store. 

It's a good thing I don't have a permanent residence and a bank full of spare cash because I would've bought so many other things. I came across two more stores where finally I saw an old woman barely visible from within the plethora or ornaments. 

My time was running short and my hopes were getting low. So I asked her in my poor Korean attempt, "Elephant isseo-yo" (elephant is there) while showing her a picture of the one I took of the Dunkin Donuts' Christmas tree. 

Assuredly she nodded her head and started walking. Had I really found it? It was such a needle in the hay stack after an hour long journey, a million stores, no Korean skills... was it really within my grasp? 

Behold, there was one hanging by a clear twine. She grabbed her scissors and snipped the twine to show me. I was practically dancing with glee. She surely thought I was the craziest foreigner ever. But I didn't see another. I was hoping to buy one for one for my friend and one for myself. 

My heart quickly began to sink looking around and not seeing another one. Would I have to bribe and haggle with Dunkin's manager for one of theirs? I sheepishly asked, "are there 2?" Her eyes began scanning the masses of ornaments and finally she found ONE more!! And quickly, my joyfully dancing returned with added clapping of excitement.

I did it!! I was so pleased with myself and this two hour long journey I went on. $15 each may be a lot but it felt like I had won a trophy - 2 trophies! I just kept saying "kamsamnida", "thank you" to the owner. I would have to thank the Dunkin's manager for the help.

At home that weekend, I made cookies and pumpkin bread in my tiny toaster oven (smaller than an Easy Bake Oven) and put aside some goodies to give the sajangnim (manager) later that week. I used a translator to write a kind and brief thank you in Korean writing - so I hope it translated well. 

Today, I went to Dunkin Donuts to gift him the Christmas treats and card. While waiting for my Piña Colada slushy I kept gawking at the tree that started it all. I felt both pride and excitement all over again. Then the manager started to pack up the donuts I purchased into a paper bag and then into a seemingly gigantic plastic bag. I was puzzled, but Korea always over packages things, so I dismissed it. 

Then he walked towards me with my items and suddenly grabbed a small box of various donut holes (mini round donuts) and put them into my oversized "no more" plastic bag. 

Seriously, it was the sweetest gesture and not my goal to expect anything in return as they had done so much already to help me. I thanked him profusely and headed to work where I decided to gift the box of sugar treats to my co-workers

And THAT is the story of "The Flying Elephant".

The Joys of South Korea (My Favorite Things)

 December 15th, 2021

So, after living in Korea for almost 3 years, I have decided to put together reasons why I like it here - things that make life better.

Health Care

I love that I have affordable health care. I do have to pay about $130 US a month to have this coverage. They will remind via messages and paper notices when it is time for regular check ups. I had mine this year and in total spent about $80 out of my own pocket. This covered many tests, like blood work, an ultrasound, a mammogram, a pap, x-rays, urine and fecal samples, and an endoscopy. 

I've also had a severely sprained ankle that cost around $50 US which included multiple x-rays, a boot, bandaging, and a prescription. I can get my birth control over the counter without a prescription and it is less than $10 a box. 

The doctors are all specialized in their field so you just go to a "hospital" that coordinates with the area of the body that you need checked. You can go in for most things without a prior appointment and you can easily be in and out in 20 minutes or less. One of the best things is that they will also tell you up front how much any procedure will cost with or without insurance. Plus, most doctors have some level of English so it is helpful that you will likely find someone in any office that has some English skills. 

Banking

I am impressed with the way that the banks and financial institutes run here - at least for a nobody with little money. All transactions are immediate. If you make a purchase using your bank card, it is deducted immediately. There is no more waiting a few days to see if/when your account will be charged and risk that pesky overdraft fee. 

This also works the other way - receiving money. When someone does a refund or sends you money it is received and available immediately. There is no waiting for funds to clear as the funds have already been guaranteed. 

I am assuming they must have some of the most secure banking practices as bank account numbers are offered to people like a phone would be in the US. Anyone can send/transfer money to and from any bank. If your friend uses their card to pay for a meal because it's easier than splitting it at the register, just jump onto your banking app with ABC Bank and send your amount to your friend at XYZ Bank. No fees, instant transfer, and easy (of course AFTER you have maneuvered through the challenging installation, installation, and security to set up the app). 

I have not yet encountered any banking fees here even when I was not receiving an income for a month. My US bank charges me $15 every month because I don't have a set amount of direct deposited funds. 

Transportation

You can go to almost every corner of this country using public transportation. I take a bus every day to work which costs me less than $3 US round trip. A 10-15 minute taxi is usually about $8 US. The best thing about these is that there are apps for the city buses, the intercity buses, to hail a taxi, to take a train, and even the subway. You will get times and prices for all of these on your handy dandy phone. If you have a bank account here, you can connect your bank card to use for all of these modes of transportation. Otherwise, you just purchase and load a card at a local convenience store. 

Most of the city buses run fairly regularly and often there are a few buses that are going in the same general direction. I rarely have to wait longer than 10 minutes to catch a bus. Almost every bus stop is equipped with a reader board that tells you how long until your bus comes. Taxis are literally everywhere and when you can't find one, use the app. Probably safer than Uber or RideShare services in the US - except they sometimes drive like they are Mario Andretti. 

The subways are also usually every 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the city that you are in. I have not ever seen one that is dirty really but I have heard occasional stories of the homeless or drunks that have their moment on the carriage. 

One of the most interesting things about the public transportation experience is that people are often very quiet while riding. There is some cultural rule that it should be a calm and quiet ride. I have even seen people yelled at by the bus driver because they were talking even at a low voice. 

You can take various speeds of trains across the country to many cities or towns. Depending on the distance that you are going, it can be a fast and inexpensive way to travel. A fast train from Seoul (north) to Busan (south) is usually $50 US and the slower trains can be around $30 US. The trains and subways are easy to navigate and almost always on time. 

WiFi

The internet here is not exaggerating when they claim that it is the best in the world. Yes, it is a small country but very mountainous. I have been on FaceTime while in the middle of a hike in the mountains. I can honestly never recall a time that I have ever not had signal on my phone. You will still experience occasional issues but often it depends on the model of your phone and the phone plan/company that you chose. My monthly unlimited phone plan is $70 US which is not really cheaper than back home, but a whole hell of a lot more reliable. 

The wifi service for a residence is usually just as good. Some buildings will combine the wifi for all residents and this can pose some issues for slower or more patchy services but it costs less than $20 US per month. Amazing! Your cable can be included and still pay under $30 US monthly. 

Plus, the majority of businesses provide customers free wifi. Most will have a password but once you have set it up, your device should remember it unless they change it - which is rare. Many people have very limited data on their phone plans here because of how easily they can access wifi. 

Safety/Security

Still baffled by this. You can 98% of the time leave your cell phone or computer sitting on a table in a public space while you step away to go to the restroom or order something more. If someone drops money or a card, people will usually leave it there and not touch it in the event that the person returns for it. I have left my cell phone in a taxi a few times and they driven back and returned it to me (often for a small fee to cover their lunch or a coffee). 

As a single woman, you can walk around most places at any time of the day or night with little concerns. There are cameras everywhere, even on parked cars that are recording while they sit. You can be drunk or sleep anywhere in a public place and you are usually left alone and your items will still be with you when you come to. There are codes to enter most houses, apartments, and buildings and more cameras. 

The only thing that I've really ever heard stolen with high regularity here is bicycles. Definitely a good place if you are looking to travel alone. As a female though, never let your guard down too much as there are still many sexual predators here. 

Office/Business Placement

Nearly every building you pass by will have at least one business located within. Many of them will have a business or two downstairs and apartments/living space upstairs. This means that you are hardly ever far from anything. And then there are buildings with multiple floors that have many businesses. Just in the building that I work in there is a grocery store, multiple academies, a Starbucks, restaurants, various doctor's offices, a hair salon, pharmacy, bowling alley, gym, cell phone store, and that is all that I can think of. Some business have vacated leaving empty spaces all over but it's difficult to tell. 

Just on my way to work I can visit a bakery, a butcher, a choice of many coffees/teas, grab donuts, have ice cream or a fast food meal, visit a store similar in price to a family dollar yet almost as convenient as a Walmart, see a doctor or dentist, get a nice hotel room with tub, go to a singing room, exercise in various ways, do my banking, stop by a convenience or stationary store, or even drop in at one of the many beauty supply/make up stores. The convenience of having everything so close is amazing and I feel like I have been in a dark hole my entire life. 

Cafes!!

This is probably one of my most favorite things here. I am not a coffee drinker so I was surprised to find myself collecting new cafes to visit as time allowed. The cafe culture here is often a place for taking photos, great aesthetics/scenery, and if you're really lucky - good food and beverages. 

There are cafes specifically for kids where parents can drop their kids off for a couple of hours and they will be supervised by the staff while mom or dad runs errands or has some quiet time. There are so many kinds of animal cafes, mostly cat and dog cafes where you can go pet or play with the animals. One that I visited had meerkat, raccoons, cats, and even a deer just roaming around together. Book cafes, themed/color cafes, cafes that specialize in a specific dessert or beverage, cafes set up like a time/place in history or in the world. I always go mainly for the atmosphere and occasionally I get lucky and get one with something amazing to eat. I will travel far and wide to visit cafes here and I mark everyone of them on my map in case I want to go later. 

Cuteness

You can find cute things to buy and see everywhere. You can find a cute place nearly everywhere set up for you take photos - even in the middle of the mountains or a ghetto. There are museums or places to take cute pictures. Stores galore that sell adorable plush toys, phone cases, pencils, even adorable foods. I buy more pointless crap here than I should. Even the Daiso (the local store like a Family Dollar) is amazing!

Drinks are cute, animals are dressed in cute clothes, little babies and toddlers have squeaky shoes and are super cute. Couples are more cute with each other than handsy like you may see in a western country. The ice cream cakes at Basking Robbins are way too cute as with most cakes or desserts here. Even when receiving a delivery order you may receive a cute little handwritten note asking you to enjoy your food. Heck, most Korean appliances will talk to you or sing to you in a cute little voice. It is literally cuteness overload but I don't hate it. 

Customer Service

This is usually very good here, unfortunately the reasoning is more of a dark one. Koreans hate to lose face or be looked down on. Don't dare give a bad review online because there are actually defamation laws that could be used against you. 

Example of good service. I accidentally placed an order for what I thought was for a delivery meal when in reality I selected pick up. I am a cool 20 minute subway ride from the restaurant. Well, I ordered at 9:45pm and the store closed at 10pm. The store stayed open waiting for me (one solo person) to came pick up my food. At 10:30 the store decided to call me to see where I was. Even though the conversation was only in Korean all 5 times they called, they were willing to talk to a friend who would call them then call me to tell me the situation. This continued for about 15-20 minutes. Finally, around 10:50pm, it was decided that because I still wanted the food, they would call a delivery driver to have it delivered. Something like this would NEVER have happened in the US. after 10 minutes max they would have closed up, trashed or taken the food home, and not refunded or offered any further assistance. 

This country is also big on giving you extra stuff at stores. I have received a cute umbrella for free when buying donuts at Dunkin' Donuts, calendars and cups at coffee shops, even a handkerchief and canvas bag at a book store. The "free", "service", and even "plus one" (buy one, get one) culture is always abundant. Again, the whole goal is that a company or business is always trying to be better and save face - as long as you are the consumer it is almost always guaranteed. Heck, I even liked an ornament on a tree at a donut shop and they took my phone number so that the store manager could message me with the location that she purchased it. Over the top - but I don't hate this either. 

Technology

Most of the things using technology is pretty amazing. You may encounter robots at a museum or at the airport. Self ordering kiosks at fast food restaurants or self checkouts in various languages. The Korean cars, even the cheaper Kia, are equipped with cameras and many standard features that would cost an arm and a leg in the states to "upgrade" to. Their digital Covid system is pretty efficient. Heating the floors in winter instead of centralized heat from a vent. The hotel key cards that will turn off all electronics once the card is removed and often saves your settings when you return. I haven't had the opportunity to use many things based on the lack of need or finances for home technology. 

Beauty Supplies

This culture is super obsessed with personal image and aging well - and slowly is definitely important. There are so many stores set up just for this like the beauty supply section of a Walgreens. These products are often very good if they are Korean made. Even the lotions from the cheap Daiso are often good quality. While some products are a little pricey you will likely get a plethora of samples when you purchase something. The cleansing and moisturizing face masks are also something to be sure to try. Be prepared, you may become addicted to a certain item and it may not be easily available once outside of Korea. 

Fruits/Vegetables (Select)

The best apples and strawberries that I have ever tasted in my life - plump, juicy, and sweet. Even their gigantic grapes are delicious and I am not a huge fan of grapes. These can be very expensive but these fruits especially may be well-worth the occasional splurging. 

The carrots also never seems to rot as quickly or easily. I have had carrots in my refrigerator for 2-3 weeks and never became soft or started to go bad. I would say 3 weeks is probably about the longest you may want to risk it though. They are also large and rarely bitter. Not sure if they are genetically modified or not but I really enjoy the carrots here. 

Free or Inexpensive Museums

I love museums and almost every museum in this country is free or less than $5 US. You may find something like the Trick Eye Museum which is a more interactive 3D art piece that is more expensive but if it has to do with Korean history or culture, it's likely super cheap. There are museums EVERYWHERE! I have been in a small isolated village and there was a museum. Often these are dedicated to some person that was famous at some point in history. One thing about Korea, there is always a "famous place" or "famous person who lived here" everywhere you go. 

Many Things to See and Do

Even with Covid and some restrictions being in place, there is always something to do or see here. From museums to amusement parks to street markets. The river is a 5 minute walk from my house and the ocean (which can be seen every day) has a nice beach 15 minutes away by subway or taxi. There are historic buildings, malls, and food markets everywhere. Pre-covid, there were festivals which you can occasionally find even now. People busking in some shopping districts. There are game cafes (with board games or PCs), sports/activities, karaoke (noraebang) rooms, apple picking events, a German and American Village, cherry blossoms in spring and colorful foliage in the fall. You have to not like to go out and be a hermit if you can't find something to do here. 

Culture

There is Korean culture in every corner. I guess that happens when you have a country and people that go back longer than a couple of hundred years. You can see rebuilt structures from hundreds of years ago and occasionally original ones that are hundreds of years old. You can see the traditional Korean style dress either at tourist sites or in shop windows. You will see people bowing to each other in greeting or leaving. If you are open to it, you will learn more Korean history and culture than you would ever really want to know. If it's your thing, then yay. Otherwise, it could be a boring and repetitive experience. 

I do believe at the end of the day, these are the things that I really do enjoy about being here and definitely things that I will miss when I leave. I did the good first because I don't want to sound like I am complaining and because I wanted to focus on this "merry" time of year. At another date and time, I will fill you in on the things that I really dislike here. 

Until then - Find the things in life that make you smile. Toodles!

Constructive Feedback

March 21

So, Wednesday my boss surprised me and came in to observe one of my classes - NOT the class she said she would. Ugh! I was trying out a new game in this class today though so I was feeling ok. This class speaks pretty good English and I was feeling semi confident about it. This class was also giving memorized speeches today and even they were really weirded out that the boss was there.

So time came to play the game.  It's rock paper scissors race. There are vocab words on the wall and two teams will start at each side saying them until they meet at the same word and then they do rock paper scissors. The winner keeps advancing towards the other side like chess. The goal is to reach the other side for a point.

The kids played the game, even enjoyed it, although one kept hitting the wall as he said the words. I was thinking to myself, "she should think this is good". She gave me feedback after the class saying that the game was good but not advanced enough for these students' level - which I understand,  but neither is playing Uno which we do. Again, I was feeling a little defeated. I wished she had come into one of the other classes that day.

Then, she came into the class with the two students also!!! Good news is that this class only has one book and their level is way lower. So I taught them a game I call English pong which is pretty similar to beer pong lol - just no drinking. This class I received good feedback on. She said the energy was up, the kids were exited and engaged, and the right level for their understanding. So I was finally feeling better. Good news is my student hasn't dropped my class yet and will come back again.

But I definitely needed a drink with K after this week. I kept repeating inspirational quotes to myself about how everything is a learning lesson and not to give up or get too discouraged. Maybe it worked. I'll be going to Jindo on a tour group tomorrow (Friday night after work). Hopefully, it's a blast and I meet lots of new people.

One of those days...

March 19

So apparently I need to stop staying out so late. K and I were out late again playing darts. The downfall to that is that I don't get a good night's sleep and it makes it hard to want to wake up the next morning. But our day starts so late and ends late that is nice to have some play/fun time also during the week.

Then at school I must've made 4 different kids cry. Two because they didn't win a game, one because her mom forgot to give her the correct book, and another because goodness even knows the reason. I've never made so many kids cry in my life in such a short time. And the kids that aren't crying are simply getting out of control.  Some try jumping on the furniture, running wildly during games, even hitting/kicking the walls. When I try to correct them they act like they either don't understand or that can't hear me. These are the days when I start thinking about an adult beverage after work. I'm used to being able to manage kids pretty well so this is a little aggravating to me and some days I feel like a failure.

It didn't help that after my classes today I was pulled aside to be asked about one of my students. I guess he was saying my class wasn't fun and he wanted to quit my class. This is kind of a big deal as that's money to the school. The sad thing is that it's one of the kids I really like too. Unfortunately, there is one kid in this class that gives me the hardest time of all my students. She always pretends like she doesn't understand and never pays attention. Sometimes, class time is wasted by her so if things aren't fun I tend to point fingers. This girl also gave the previous teacher the same challenges. Not sure why she keeps coming if she really hates being there so badly.

Anyway, since I received feedback to make classes more fun, I decided I would go home and research new games to teach my students but first, food. K and I grabbed dinner together at Mom's Touch but I still couldn't help but think how frustrated I was. I don't like making easy mistakes. My boss was going to come in and observe my class with the 2 students so I needed to fix my style. As much as I wanted to cry and question what the heck I'm doing, I knew better - that I couldn't let it get to me and that I had to find a new way of thinking.

I was online from about 10pm-2am looking up ESL and kids' teaching games. I came up with a few that I will try out tomorrow. So I will be getting up early to go to my money pit,  Daiso, so I can prep some new games. Wish me luck.

Making Kids Cry...

March 10, 2019

So, yes, it's been a spell since I wrote but it's been a little busy and hectic. First off, I made a kid cry my first week while observing. I guess this 10 year old's mother forcefully entered her son into an English speaking contest where he has to memorize this absolutely mundane introductory speech and mother wanted us to go over it with him. Now, let me point out that the last week of February was the last week of these poor kid's freedom from public school and the little fellow really doesn't English well. Since I was the only "available" teacher who didn't have a class, I was asked to keep this adorably round little guy after class to work on this horrific task. He just wanted to go home like his classmates and thought I was being so mean to make him do this English and memorizing.

Well, when he broke out into tears, I ran to the office because honestly what else could this wicked witch from the west do?? So he was released from the building, but not before I was able to ask him in Korean if he was okay. His demeanor changed a little. I was hoping we'd be all buddy buddy when I saw him again but I didn't recall seeing him this past week in classes. Rumor has it that the other teachers recommended against him doing this to the uppers so that it could be passed on to mom, but these parents are just adamant about some things. Oh well, things happen.

So I completed my first week observing and they would be releasing me into the wild on Monday, the 4th. Sadly, this was also the week all of the kids started back to public school so being tired and a lot less interested was definitely on the agenda. I feel like the week went okay but I can honestly say that I did not feel like I was ready to be on my own yet. I could have used a second week observing.

Anyway, it was time to celebrate a 3 day weekend. I was going to meet everyone a town over but I decided to get out of the house early to avoid being offered dinner so I walked to the HomePlus (similar to a Walmart except it's 2 stories). This way I had an idea what it was like and where to find things once I was moved in and ready to shop.

After a bit of a cluster-flunk trying to find the correct bus to get to Ingye-dong where everyone was meeting, a nice lady and gentleman hailed a taxi for me and told the driver kindly where to shuttle me off to. We were meeting up for Indian food which I was looking forward to - something other than Korean already. Bear in mind, if you visit here, the cabs do not like to take cash. I believe you can pay with Samsung Pay but they all take cards. I've heard horror stories of foreigners trying to get a taxi and them not even stopping because they don't want to deal with the non-Korean language. Luckily, I made it to my destination good and in one piece ~ not a scary experience like it was in Rome.

I met up with two teachers from our school and their friends (other teachers they knew, 2 from South Africa and one from the states). The food was really good. Honestly, I enjoyed the naan the most (ironically the name of the place). Bread is my weakness next to a hearty slab of beef. Once dinner was done, we were going to head to a bar where we would meet up with some of the other teachers and make a night of it. Foreign teachers really have their own little clique in this country. One bar was the Cocky Pub where were met up with probably 7 more people, played beer pong, and Battleshots (which I can honestly say that I had never done until this night). Then we meandered towards a place called Thursday Party but it was busy and some of us older farts weren't feeling the crowd, so we went upstairs for karaoke (or norebang) which we proceeded to do until sometime after 4am. Another thing to remember is that buses and trains do not run after 12:30am so I had to take a taxi back to my foster residence and hope not to wake the owners.

Keep in mind, I probably didn't get to sleep until after 5am and had to wake up, pack, shower/get ready, and take everything downstairs to the car so that I could finally move into my own place. It would be the last time that I would see the teacher I was replacing. I think I was almost as sad to see her go as the people she had worked with the past year. I had been occasionally talking to her about the apartment, the school, what I should bring, etc, and when I finally met her I just felt like I really connected with her. But I couldn't let anything psych me out. I had to unpack, get groceries, and somehow plan for teaching on my own in 2 days.

Sunday I did my first load of laundry in my leaky washer (I was told it did this but I'll be damned if I wasn't going to bring it up and expect it fixed). No dryer though so this girl had to go old school and hang everything up to dry. The apartment come equipped with a rack from floor to ceiling in order to hang clothes. I turned a fan on them in hopes they would dry more quickly.

Now, I knew from the start that this place was a little older and run down, so to say. I had been warned not only by the director upon being hired but also by the previous tenant. I was lucky that one of the days before school, she met up with me and showed me how to get "home" and how to use everything. I was not impressed with the place but I knew I had some work ahead of me. One of the first things I did was unpack and try to find a place for everything in this rinky dink little abode. I had brought only a few items for decor since my bags were already overweight.

In putting everything up, it created a shopping list of all the things I still needed or wanted from the the HomePlus so I started over towards the big store only to see a freaking hole-in-my-pocket Daiso store first. I think I spent about $70 this night on things to decorate and lighten up the place some. It seemed so dark and dismal - especially the bathroom. The teacher that lived here had put up a shower curtain in the very gray ugly bathroom, and bless her heart, she used .... more gray to decorate. I purchased a cherry blossom shower curtain, some things to go on the walls, and things to just make my space more efficient (and then some BS stuff that I'm sure I didn't need but it's stinkin' cute).

After that trip I didn't feel like dragging my tired feet back the same direction (probably a mile and a half) just to get groceries. I had stopped at the Burger King for chicken so luckily I wasn't in need of food anyway. But Sunday.... yep, time to go BACK that tiring walk.... past that cursed Daiso.... and finally into the grocery section of the store.

Let me just say, Koreans are amazing engineers at some things, like grocery carts. The wheels on these things are multi-directional. There's never a reason to not be able to move out of someone's way. Also, since these carts can be taken down into the parking garage and also up to the 2nd floor, they have escalator-like sidewalks that have a slight incline/decline and the carts wheels will automatically lock once they pass onto the walkway. Other things like plumbing... well, there is a lot of room for improvement there.

I knew I'd have to carry all of the groceries that I bought so I had attempted a list. To eat a fairly Americanized lifestyle here literally cost me 3 times more money to buy most of the food I would have at home. $143 later and I had to stuff everything in my backpack and 2 reusable bags that I brought with me from Daiso in California (the Japanese branch... shhh...). That was a long and hellish walk, let me tell you. But I made it, hands crumpled painfully into half fists still as I unloaded my treasures. Sadly, it barely looks like I shopped.

I sat down for a few minutes proud of my feats. Not only did I survive the Korean market shopping experience, I made it home with everything in one piece. But then as I looked around, the apartment looked even more dull. So I mustered my tired butt back to the freaking Daiso for another round of "take Julie's money". I must say that I am fairly pleased with the way things look in here now. Even the other teacher complimented me after I sent her pictures to show her what I had done. So THAT was my weekend... before being kicked out of the nest.

I could honestly start a new post for that but I'm running short on time. So in a nutshell, first day went well and got gradually more disorganized. Half the time I didn't know what book the kids were in and the other half of the time I was just lost somehow. I felt like a hot mess and a half. I even came to school 2 hours early to prepare but that seemed to do very little.

As the week progressed I managed to find a method where mostly I can keep track of the 20 different classes and their homework/daily lessons. I even offered the students no tests if they actually do all of their homework but if one kid forgets, they still get tested. I've been told that I have this power and the kids definitely seem to like this aspect of my class. The week was long and it wasn't until I was walking home Friday night that I realized I haven't had a 5 day a week job in a very very long time. The moral is, I survived. I don't recall seeing my crier so I hope I didn't scare him out of the school.

Literally, I sat at home and did nothing but bills, watch Netflix, and laundry on Saturday. I had been debating on attempting to navigate my way to Pyeongtaek to check out a wrestling promotion that I stumbled across and the promoter offered to allow me to come crash their training. So I got plenty of rest so I could make my way there. After getting on one train that took me to a dead end stop, going backwards, and then onto the other train that went all the way there, I was delightfully giddy to see an Outback Steakhouse and a Starbucks!! But then I had to take a cab to the warehouse where training was at.

They do Western style wrestling mostly and some Lucha and Japanese style (I am familiar with all of these). I know it's not usually my thing but it's something familiar that transcends the language barrier. I was amazed that the promoter speaks such great English (his full time job is a translator). Honestly, some things about the indie scene are the same no matter what country or culture you're in. Struggling to pay costs, finding sponsors, drawing a crowd, a lot of proprietary mumbo jumbo that I couldn't disclose to the average person... but it's good to know that all of his workers are paid and it's better than most indie scenes back home. I was even asked to help out with some of my skills lol. Even though there was very little English used and we ate Korean food as a group, it felt as close to home as I'd felt since I got here. :)

And that, my friends, is where I will leave you for now. I will try to keep up better. So much coming up soon..... Have a good week and enjoy your daylight savings changes. Anyeong (bye)!

Greetings!

Today was an interesting experience. It was the day to get some of the necessary things taken care of before I actually start the job. So for those of you who may not know, I chose to bring 2 phones with me to Korea. This is probably a little different than what the typical foreigner does, but I kept my phone with T-Mobile active on my iPhone 6S and I am using a Samsung Note 9 for my Korean number. I don't suggest it for anyone that is doing this for long term but I have very specific reasons for this crazy methodology, of which I will not get into.

Anyway, my director took me to a store operated by one of her school friends so that I could get a Korean number and data plan for my Samsung. Anyone who is planning on staying here for any length of time, I highly recommend this - especially the Note 9. The phone being designed and manufactured here really just works best with all of the available services like Kakao (messaging and maps/services), you can use Samsung Pay instead of get the transit card (also known as a T-money card which requires you to provide cash at a convenience store to refill), the pen/stylus/remote comes in very handy as you can translate Korean to English better than Google translate - it's just native here and everything is very user friendly in this land LOL. For about 57,000 Korean won (KW or just under $57 USD) I got set up with my new phone number, a new screen protector, and about 5 GB of data for a temporary plan until I can acquire my Alien Residency Card (ARC) which is needed in order to do most business here.

The fun part is that in order to obtain your ARC along with your national health coverage, you have to have a medical exam completed at a government hospital (this part is VERY important). In the US, such a checkup could easily cost 100s of dollars but one thing I can say already by day 2 is that their healthcare is much more efficient and cost friendly than anything I have ever been privy to. Let me elaborate on this unique experience before I state the cost (yes, these are costs that are paid by the teacher-to-be, so racking up more costs for this new job - thankfully in my research I already knew about).

After we drove through the tight streets that, even though they were 2-way but often felt 1-way because of street parking, our second stop was the hospital. I am pretty sure that I would never want to drive here mostly because of the very tight spaces. Imagine New York city driving and parking, and then reduce that by half. Watching people park in these tiny spots is just as amazing as watching the trapeze artists do tricks at a carnival. I am thankful that my director took me to these places since she is fluent in both English and Korean so that these tasks could be done since I have heard and read so many stories where incoming teachers had to do these tasks on their own without speaking any Korean. Check-in literally was only as long as it took me to fill out my information onto a form and pay for the services in advance - and that was with maybe 5 other patients in the waiting area.

We went down a hallway where I was told that I would be getting an x-ray done (more or less a breast exam) and that I would have to put a tied top on in place of my clothing. I think the most awkward part about this was that once I changed and I had my lady bits flying free, I had to walk into the hallway where all of the other patients were casually strolling. This led to the x-ray room. The Doctor spoke quite a bit of English which definitely helped ease some of my anxieties thinking I was going to have a breast exam like in the US. Well ladies, this was not the case. They had me press up against a machine (not like a mammogram at all). I had to put my chin in a curved slot, breasts firmly pressed, and shoulders also pressed against this plate while I was standing there... which became even more uncomfortable when they raised the machine my chin was resting in so now I was trying to balance in this awkward position nearly on my toes. Luckily, I was able to leave the medical wardrobe on the whole time.

After the x-ray was complete, I was allowed to go back and change into my normal clothes. However, then it was time for more tests. So the interesting thing is that the hospital workers apparently go to lunch at 12:30p so we were speed walking up to the 2nd level for the remaining tests before they closed down for lunch (this is a concept I still cannot grasp LOL). We made it to the next room where it was time to retrieve bodily fluids. They handed me a fairly simple Dixie looking cup with a hand-drawn line on it where I needed to fill with urine - no lid - no plastic - not the form of security and sanitation that we are used to in the US, but I did my business and got back for the ever dreaded blood draw. I absolutely hate needles and having blood drawn is the worst. My heart started to race a little, I began to get hot and a little lightheaded so I turned my attention to a sad attempt to read the Korean papers to my right. I did well; I did not pass out or vomit so I think it was successful and I was pushed onto the last room for final tests.

In this room, they checked my weight and height. First of all, this fairly normal looking scale talks to you, not that I know what it said, but it sounds so sweet. The nurse never left her desk that was probably a good 5 feet away from me. Then, as if possessed by some unseen force, the scale to measure my height came down onto my head. I'm still not so sure why this "automated" scale was so impressive to me but I just know I think we need these all over the US - haha. She had me do an eye exam, of which they were extremely impressed with my vision. My director says that she has never had one of her teachers read as far down the scale as I did. Yay me. Oddly, they also checked me for color blindness. I have done these on my own but never once have I had a doctor/nurse check for it. Lastly, it was time for blood pressure. The machine clamped down so hard on my arm that I was sure all the blood in my arm would burst out from my hand. Doctors need to stop taking blood pressure AFTER taking blood. That already makes my heart rate increase. So, then I had to take a moment to meditate so that she could make an attempt manually to ensure that my heart rate wasn't at a crazy risk for a heart attack.

A couple of questions later and all was complete. I think from the time we walked in the front door until the time we left, the whole experience was about 45 minutes max. The most remarkable part about this was that all of the services listed above were paid for out of packet without insurance and the whole thing came to a total of 79,000 KW (or less than $79 USD). I couldn't even sneeze into a tissue at a doctor's office in the US for that cost with no insurance. So, now I wait until after 3pm tomorrow for all of my results. Seriously, just over 24 hours for results to all of that. Makes you think how much our doctors really do a number on our pockets and patience. Once I receive hopefully passing results, I can put in for my ARC so I can become a legal temporary citizen.

From there, we went to the school or hagwon (private tutoring school) so that I could meet some of the fellow teachers and become familiar with the area where the school is located. Starting tomorrow I have to walk to work so that I can observe classes for 5 days in order to be able to take over the classes from the teacher that is leaving. Seemingly sweet ladies who were ready to fill me with lots of information and ask many questions. The best part is that you can tell that they enjoy their job and are happy with the boss as much as one will be. Very refreshing since I have read so many horror stories and shady practices from other schools to the teachers coming to Korea. From there, it was time to just explore the neighborhood around the school and eventually make my way back to the apartment, SOLO. I am so grateful that I am blessed with impeccable directional skills. I could look at the tall apartment buildings around the area and was able to find the hospital and apartment building from the outside deck. Definitely one of my more desirable skills.

I took a stroll around where I found a little dessert shop where I had some ice cream and shaved ice milk (bing su) with chocolate powder and strawberries. Amazing! Not sweet like desserts in the US, and yes - although it is still cold outside, I was happy to have the cold treat for keeping myself collected and making it this far. While sitting on the second floor cafe, I could see a Daiso store where I was dying to hit up next. If you haven't been so blessed to know what a Daiso is, I'm sorry that your are lacking so much happiness in your life. It is basically like a dollar store although some things are more than the "dollar" amount but their items are all so absolutely adorable and you can find such a wide range of items there. For instance, I found a computer cable (not the right one for mine apparently), an extension cord, earphones, stationary, and a pen for about $12 USD. I am pretty sure that store will be the death of me as I have already seen so many items that I would like to purchase as gifts for my family and friends.

After maintaining some amazing self control and not handing over my whole bank account, I decided to start the walk back home. It's probably only a 15 minute walk and today was a pretty nice day overall. I am one of the only blond people that I have seen in this area - minus the one teacher that goes back home next week - so imagine that I stand out like a sore thumb. I've noticed that the children stare more at me than the adults but you can see the side glimpses from people as you pass by probably wondering if I'm lost or even just some crazed k-pop fan looking for a cute Korean guy. Luckily, judgement like that doesn't really bother me but instead I tend to laugh about it. I can only imagine how strange it is to them. In my very American way, I just flash a friendly smile their way knowing I will likely not receive any response because that is the culture that we grew up in but it is strange to them. Only once has a stranger even responded and they were younger girls goofing around in the store. They noticed that I was giggling about them having a good time and reciprocated. Oddly, it's those small and rare moments that I feel that I have made a little difference and my heart is lifted a little more.

Now I'm home, computer charging, two phones receiving and sending texts (oh boy), and still fighting off some jet lag. Earlier I received an emergency alert on both phones while I was typing this. Again, so glad I have that Samsung phone because the emergency message was ALL in Korean. It was only a notification about there being fine dust in the air tomorrow and recommended to wear masks. Not hungry, already a little tired, but the adorable little halmoni from my earlier post climbed up the steep staircase to ask me if I was hungry. I found out that she had broke a bone in her back recently and feel horrible that she even came upstairs. I attempted to tell her I wasn't hungry but a few attempts later she still brought me up a bowl of spicy ramyeon (ramen). One can't help but eat just because she tries so hard to make her guests comfortable. It's nice to have this type of attentiveness and concern when in an unfamiliar new place - even with the language barrier.

This is a long post and I apologize but I wanted to record these events for those that may be thinking about coming to Korea to work as well as let everyone know the experiences I have had here. I am sure my posts will become shorter and fewer as time begins to pass and things begin to feel somewhat normal.

I'm going to finish my ramyeon, put on my PJs, and settle into a warm heated bed early tonight since tomorrow I have my first class sit-in and I get to meet some of my students. Wish me luck and I hope that all is well on the other side of the globe. Hugs!!

Jewels
2-21-2019

Getting Started with a New Chapter...

     So, here it is, January 1st of 2019 - another year come and gone as time tends to go. Trying to take advantage of as much of it as I possibly can while I am still breathing ~ after all, isn't that what life is all about?

     I decided Time was asking me to make some changes. In September of 2018 I opted to leave a job that I had been working at for 20 years. I've had many people question why I would do this. Well, first of all, I graciously fell into this job when I was merely a young single mother at the age of 21. I needed the work. I think I probably somewhat enjoyed the job every once in awhile but occasionally found that some of the people that I worked with were the only reason I could tolerate the job (in some cases despise it more) - often both a blessing and a curse. However, this was never the job that I dreamt of doing. It rarely did anything to fulfill me; it just kept a roof over our head and food in our bellies (most days). And no, there was no pension - no perks - no great send off... I got a pen and a business card holder for all of the absurdity I had been privy to all those years, but I felt a massive weight lifted from me.

    I have always wanted to travel more but parenthood, money, and the infamous employer seemed to dislike this desire. With the kids gown up I just had to figure out my way around the other two hurdles. I had been "encouraged" to return to college which I had finally completed my Bachelor of Science in Human Services March of 2018 and got a certification to teach English as a second language (ESL/TEFL/TESOL). So now what to actually do with it.

     I honestly could not stomach staying at that soul sucking company that I had been with since what felt like the beginning of time. It was one of the most difficult things I ever did on a weekly basis. I had finally just got comfortable in my financial situation. However, leaving my job and starting in the Human Services field here would cut my livable salary in half making it not so livable. I had to find a solution that would allow me to afford to live yet use my degree while building my resume some. And without a vivid moment of thought, the idea of teaching English in a foreign country presented itself. Not only did this option fulfill my wanderlust, I could leave my job and someone else would pay me to work abroad. Haha and someone once told me I'd spend all that money on a degree and never be able to use it. (*sending raspberries*)

    Up, I left, without a glance behind. I had so much paperwork and other things to complete before I could get a job abroad. Some countries offered paid housing and a minimal salary. This was definitely an enticing perk. I could save money (or have money to travel) while doing something new. Due to my upbringing, family history, and recent language interest I chose Korea - SOUTH - for all of those that ask, it's difficult to refrain from smacking the nonsense out of you. Luckily for everyone, I have surprisingly impeccable restraint ;).

     To work abroad as an English teacher requires certain documents which can vary by country and surprisingly more money than most future jobs. I had to complete an FBI background, have that and my BS processed through a special international notary called an apostille, resumes, Skype interviews, Fed Ex-ing paperwork overseas, visa processes ... and on top of still having some monthly expenses and other things to do before leaving the country for awhile. Writing it all out doesn't really feel like so much but the whole process of just paperwork took nearly 3 months and $1,100. Luckily, I saved a little money by already having a valid passport with enough time before it expires.

     After a ridiculous amount of emails from recruiters from China, Thailand, and Korea that I had to sort through often and respond to regularly for interviews while keeping in mind the time/date differences, I finally found a school in Suwon that didn't seem to be trying to scam me into some unreasonably sketchy contract. For those looking into this as an option, keep in mind most of these schools are in this business for the money that they charge the students' families and less into your satisfaction and happiness as an employer. If you are from an English speaking country and "look the part" they want to use you mostly as a marketing aspect and less for your qualifications (or lack thereof) and satisfaction. Fortunately, due to many years of researching family court processes and board of labor violations, I have become pretty well versed in a lot of legalese. Keep an eye out specifically for words like "employer/employee" (you want these in your contract), anything that may require additional stipulations once you reach your said country for the contract to be valid (red flag), and most importantly recruiters that bully or "threaten" that they can find anyone. While this is likely true, they probably have difficulties keeping teachers. You may be walking into a hot mess.

     So now, with a one-way ticket in hand to Korea as of February 2019, I wait, impatiently, eagerly, terrified to some extent, yet excited. Many people are supportive in my choice and adventurous plans and some quietly say nothing. What is most challenging is the time while I wait to leave. All of this free time gives me that much more time to question "what the hell am I doing?" and for all of the fearful thoughts to flood in. I know that every day will not be superb and there is a lot that I will have to get accustomed to. After visiting for one week in 2018 I realized many of the things that will make it hard for me on a daily basis such as: where all of the trashcans are, bottled water, air drying my clothes, absurd humidity, language barriers, real Mexican food, 4 seasons, no car/using public transportation for everything, deodorant, paying bills in the US like car/insurance/storage/etc, starting a completely new career, being away from friends and family, and more. We never really realize how much we take for granted. On many levels it is similar to life here but with many differences and the best internet around.

     Pardon me if I need a lot of quiet time to myself before I go as everyday this becomes more and more real and until I am fully into it with no way to back out or run, I will need to find ways to maintain my courage and stay centered. I have noticed that I can get more easily aggravated having to explain myself or a situation, also by any negativity - as small as someone saying "things are crap for me" or "that's stupid". I can only think to myself, "THEN CHANGE SOMETHING". The universe gives you so many roads to choose and it is up to you which ones to take. At any time, you can reroute just like Google maps.... A lot of people I don't even think realize that they are chronic complainers sometimes. It really makes things harder to stay positive and driven at times.

     So, please, don't be upset with me when I seclude myself or seem to shutdown so that I can continue on this amazing journey and experience. I know I will be basically alone when I arrive. I will struggle with many new changes and a very small handful of people will even begin to understand what it is that I am going through - sometimes even myself. So, I have chosen to use this blog to chronicle what I will be and have gone through to get to this point. I hope you will follow with me and continue to be supportive and understanding. This is the beginning of a new chapter and every moment will help determine how this story progresses and eventually ends. Here's to changing everything that you are comfortable with....Cheers!