Ambling Over Rocks and Clods of Earth

Sorry for the long delay on this post, and sorry in advance for its length! Its been a busy week in Korea, and this post may seem a little scattered brained. The title is a refernce to my favorite Neruda poem, which ahs been running through my mind a lot lately. You can find the rest fo the poem

First of all, I moved into my apartment! Yay! Its not perfect, although from what I have heard it is quite spacious as far as Korean apartments go. It has two bedrooms (one is for the next instructor who will arrive in November) with a kitchen/living area (there is room for a table and to move around, but no couch) and a Korean style bathroom (which simply means it is one tiled room where everything gets wet, but not a squat toilet!). I'm still cleaning and setting everything up, but it feels great to have my own space. I live in a residential neighborhood, right next to a park and a middle school. It takes less than 5 minutes to get to the restaurant/late night area and a quick bus ride to both work and the Seoul Metro.

Wednesday night I went to a basketball game with the Anyang Meetup group. While I'm not really a basketball fan, it was nice to get out and show some Anyang pride for our championship team KGC. The fans are really intense and it was fun shouting cheers and jumping up and down. After we went for "chicken and hof" or fried chicken and beer. Fried chicken if big over here, but you DO NOT eat it with your hands, or even a knife. You take two forks and kind of pull at the chicken until a mouthful comes off the bone. It was harder than learning to use Korean style chopsticks. (In case you were wondering, there is a difference between chopsticks, this explains it all.)

Part of the Anyang group at the basketball game.

We won!

We started having some "open classes" on Friday and Saturday in advance of our Grand Opening on Tuesday. It was great to finally be around children and goof off and have a blast! So far, the kids have been awesome, but I have to say that 5 year old Korean boys have about twice the energy as American ones. They were bouncing off the walls and working up a sweat! After they finished playing their moms were wiping them all down with baby wipes. I have learned that Korean really dislike sweat.

My next adventure was hiking again with the Climbing in Korea group. We went to Buramsan mountain just outside Seoul to celebrate one of the organizers birthdays. This hike was way different than last weekend, which was really just walking a paved path up a hill. This weekend was Korean style hiking, which basically means taking the most direct path to the summit, climbing whatever rocks are in your way. After some google searches, I have determined we were scrambling, a mix between hill walking and rock climbing. I have never done hiking like this before, and I had so much fun! It was all about trusting your instincts and committing to every move you made. You simply had to trust that the person holding your foot in place wasn't going to falter, and you couldn't hesitate when you were helping some one else.

Typical Korean hiking adventures.

Taking a rest and enjoying the view. We were about halfway to the summit.

A little higher up, catching our breath.

The final part of the climb to the summit, no ropes involved.

At the summit with some new friends!

I accidentally looked down halfway up this rock. That was a bad idea.

I'm really thankful I was able to do this hike. Its something I never could have managed a year ago, and something I never would have never tried on my own. I now know that I am strong and I can crawl and climb and pull myself up a mountain. It was completely exhilarating (and slightly terrifying) to look down once I finished each section and see how high I was. I'm really proud of myself for choosing to stay with the hard group and I felt even more accomplished at the summit.

After taking a much easier route down, my shaking legs were thankful for some delicious Korean barbecue and some (not so delicious) soju consumed sitting on a toasty warm ondol. The food was delicious and the company even better. After dinner we enjoyed some Korean game that is some kind of mix between volleyball and soccer where I discovered my 5th grade goalie punting skills are still in good shape. All in all, it was probably the best day I've had in Korea so far and I'm looking forward to many more hikes to come!

This week we open our first center and begin our preview classes! Can't wait to meet all the Korean kiddos!

xo Julie

Mungyeong Sae Gae and Apples

This weekend I was able to get out of Anyang and see a little bit of South Korea. Friday night I finally purchased my T-Money Card, which works similarly to London's Oyster Card. The great thing about the T-card is that it works in cities all over South Korea, not just Seoul. It also gives you a discount on the regular fare and allows you to transfer between the subway and the bus on the same trip for no extra cost! Equipped with my handy card, I left my apartment at 5:45 AM ready for my journey. The subway system in Seoul is widespread and efficient and even though I live in a separate city, I am really as close to many parts of city as if I lived in the Seoul proper.

I met up with the Meetup group Climbing in Korea to hike the Mungyeong Sae Gae pass and visit an apple festival. I am really thankful I found out about Meetup so early on because it lets me meet so many other expats (and English speaking Koreans) that I can't meet because I am not with a program. I sat next to a wonderful lady named Miae and we chatted the entire bus ride. Funnily enough, there was a recent UVA grad on the trip as well! We got to spend some time together on the hike and figured out which friends we had in common! I met so many wonderful people from all over the globe who are in Korea for various reasons. Some were new like me, and other had been there for 5 or 6 years. Everyone was so welcoming and gave me tons of advice on living and working in Korea. I will definitely be taking another trip with them soon. It felt great to get out in the country side and hike some beautiful mountains! Not to mention the bushel of apples I brought home! If only I could bake something tasty with them...alas I have no oven. (Side note, I did hear about the possibility of baking in a rice cooker and found this recipe, so here's hoping!)

We hiked through 3 gates that used to mark the ancient road from Seoul to Busan.

 The leaves are just starting to turn so you get a great mix of red, yellow, and green

Hanging out in an Apple Pagoda!

Crazy designs on the apples

I move into my apartment this week! Yay for my own space!

xo Julie

Observations, Frustrations, and Jubilations

I've been mentally developing this post for a few days now and I think it is ready to be solidified. Sometimes I notice that blogs, especially travel ones, can easily veer into the negative side of things. Its not surprising as I think people generally share those negative experience that stick out to them more often than everyday acts of kindness and positivity. It is really important to me that I share both with you all, so here are a few things I have experienced while here in Korea

Observations (these are neither positive of negative, just unique things I have noticed about Korea)
-Parking: Everyone backs into spaces here, even in crowded garages. It takes so much skill and I doubt I could ever master it.
-Elevators: Koreans always seem to take elevators, even if it is just down one floor.
-Bathroom Shoes: They wear different shoes in the bathroom than in the rest of the office. There is a communal pair of sandals left outside for you to use.
-Garbage: They seem to produce so little. I feel like a trash producing machine sometimes!
-Exercise: People seem to really enjoy walking, biking, hiking etc. They always make some excuse to go outside and get fresh air.

Frustrations (no explanations need)
-The packs of older women who stop walking and simply stare at me as I walk past. No amount of smiling or waving on my part changes their expression and I feel a bit like an animal at the zoo.
-I find that I am often laughed at for things I do differently, which on its own I can deal with, but some days it happens every hour and it can wear you down. Examples are: forgetting to take my shoes off at work, putting soy sauce on rice, drinking lots of water, not speaking Korean perfectly etc
-I also find that I have to defend myself a lot, mostly in the work place. I am making a lot of decisions regarding supplies and art curriculum, and am meeting more resistance than I expected. Its not anything that my coworkers are doing wrong, just an adjustment I need to make in my expectations.
-Being left out of the loop. I am often told what I am to do right before it needs to be done (for example, I was told to head to the cafe with my boss and upon arriving found out I was interviewing a translator). I like to know my schedule for the day and prepare accordingly for it, so it has been difficult to just jump into whatever activity is going on without any notice.

Jubilations (to end on a positive note)
-The kindness of the people around me never seizes to amaze me. Some examples:
      -The coworker who always seems to have a treat for me, be it clementines or cookies or simply a smile and good morning.
      -The mother who nudges her child to smile and say hello when I pass by on the road.
      -The hospitality of my boss, who has let me stay in his apartment and always insists on paying for everything, from meals to hiking trips.
      -The coworker who noticed I was cold and brought me a warm cup of coffee.
      -My co-teacher/translator who never hesitates to help me learn Korean words.
      -The waitress at the restaurant I go to for lunch who likes to practice her English with me as I practice my Korean with her. The interaction will always end with a laugh or smile.
      -And many more daily jokes and smiles I can't begin to list

The more time I spend here the more I fall in love with the people, the culture, the food, and the scenery of Korea. I know that some days I'll be frustrated and angry, but that is true anywhere you live. The more I focus on the things that truly bring me joy each day, the easier it is to adjust to life in Korea.

xo Julie

Adjusting

Now that I have been here almost a full week, I feel I can finally update you all on what I'm up to over here. The answer is: not all that much.

I arrived on a weekend, and the first couple days were pretty much devoted to curing my jet lag. My boss showed me around the city on Saturday. I am actually living in Anyang, which is much larger that Gunpo and has much more to do. I was able to explore a bit on Sunday and took a run (albeit much longer than I originally intended due to my utter lack of knowledge of where I was going) along beautiful streams with giant fish in them. I haven't had a chance to take any pictures yet but they will come!

I have spent the past few days delving into all the work I have to do, and let me tell you, there is A LOT. So many aspects of Romp n' Roll that I took for granted (supplies, organization, etc) I am now setting up. I definitely have a lot to accomplish before we open in 3 weeks!

However, I can tell you that working 9:30-6:30 in an office in Korea is just as boring as it is in America. You still get that weird tingling/pain sensation in your upper back and shoulders and I can't stop looking at my watch and thinking "one more hour!"

I'm still apartment-less and the search is going slowly. I can't tell if my boss is sincerely looking or trying to discourage me from choosing to have an apartment (the other option is to live with him, his wife, and his two children). While his offer is really generous and I don't mind staying there for a little while, I feel I won't really be settled and feel at home until I have my own place and can go about my business without feeling watched all the time.

On happier notes, I have been trying some AMAZING food and I decided I definitely like Korean food. I also am finally getting to know some of my coworkers. Only about 5 people in an office of 30 people speak English, and they were a little shy at first. We have now established friendships on the love of coffee, wine, and my ability to do the Gangnam Style dance. I knew that would be useful.

I have a bunch of fun plans for the next few weeks, including hiking the Mungyeong Saejae Trail, going to an apple festival, and attending a basketball game for Anyang's Team! Soon to come: a post on my observations of unique Korean behavior.

xo Julie

99.5

That's how many pounds of luggage I schlepped halfway around the world. Dropping my bags off Thursday morning I was ecstatic. "Yes I made it! No charges for me!" Picking the bags up Thursday evening I was in pain. "How could I have possibly packed so much stuff??"

The flight was uneventful and quite painless, despite the slightly crotchety older Korean man next to me who refused to get up any time I had to go to the restroom which resulted in many awkward lap crawls across three seats. I do have to say the food on Korean Air is probably the best airplane food I've ever had. Customs and immigration was truly uneventful and remarkably quick, although the Korean government now has my photo and fingerprints on file in case I actually carry through on all those crimes I was planning to commit. The real adventure began next.

First, let me just talk about these luggage carts. I knew from my travels in Europe that luggage carts are free and widely used (something America should really catch up on). But the Korean carts were something else. I couldn't use the damn things at all!! After about 15 minutes of playing Tetris with my luggage and the cart, I figured it out. But I felt a bit like an American idiot as all these Koreans mastered them easily and then just started at me.

Now I was a bit worried about being able to find my boss once I arrived. He assured me not to worry and that he would find me. About an hour later, I began to think that wasn't true. So I'm alone at the airport in Korea with 100+ pounds of stuff, what to do? After walking up and down the terminal for a while, peering at various groups of people with hopeful smiles, I decided to page them over the intercom. Still no luck. By now it is 7:00 pm and i have been at the airport for 2 hours. I found a computer to use the Internet and sent my boss and email letting him know where I was and asking for his phone number. He responded immediately saying he thought my flight was arriving the next day and he would be there in two hours. TWO MORE HOURS HERE?? No way. He then decided I should go find the taxi stand, ask them to call my boss, and then he told them where to go. As I slid into the back of the cab, I finally relaxed.

About 10 minutes later the cab driver starts saying something, getting more and more urgent every time he repeated himself. "CHUN! CHUN!" I frantically said "mo-na-ra-dut-kke-sso-yo" or "I don't understand" and he kept yelling "CHUN BLAHBLAHBLAH CHUN!!). Let me tell you, getting yelled at by a Korean cab driver when you have been awake for more than 28 hours is not a pleasant experience. I figured out what he meant eventually (there was a toll booth and he needed the money to pay for it) but it was an experience.

Finally I arrived at my boss's apartment where I will be staying for a little bit while we search for an apartment. I blissfully slept for about 5 hours until the time difference hit me and I ended up wide awake at 1:00 in the morning. An eventual first day in Korea to say the least.

xo Julie

The Final Countdown

So in about 58 hours or so I will board my plane in Richmond to begin my 22 hour journey to South Korea. Finally.

I was supposed to leave in June. And then July. And then August. Who knew background checks and visas were SO complicated?! Nevertheless, I am equipped with a visa, a plane ticket, and (hopefully) an apartment to stay in and am ready (as I'll ever be) to head off. It's actually been quite nice to have been able to enjoy this summer. I got to spend time with my amazing friends and family and have proper goodbyes. I also feel more prepared for the role I am about to take on.

For those who don't know, I am headed to Gunpo, South Korea (a suburb of Seoul) to serve as the Education Manger for Romp n' Roll Korea for the next 2 years or so. Romp n' Roll is a Richmond based education enrichment facility providing gym, art, and music classes for kids between 3 months and 6 years. I began working at Romp n' Roll in high school and have loved the past five years full of summer camps, birthday parties, and classes. Romp n' Roll focuses on play based education, so everyday work feels more like playtime. The company expanded into China a few years ago where it has been hugely successful and now we are venturing into South Korea!

I wavered on the idea of keeping a blog during my time in Korea. I've never been very good at keeping a diary (although my 9th grader journal did last an impressive 27 days), but perhaps knowing someone out there in the vast Internet universe is reading this will make me slightly more dedicated. I'm hoping this will serve as a way to keep people up to date on what I'm doing, from travels to misadventures and more.

Anywho, I should probably get back to packing as I have already filled one suitcase and still have about 8 million things to somehow stuff into the other. I keep adding things to my "DO NOT FORGET TO PACK" list which currently contains 63 items, including my beloved Cookie Monster, who I could not possibly make this journey without.

xo Julie