Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Welcome to Korea

The past 3 days have gone by so quickly!!!  My flight was not nearly as bad as I expected, and the food was very good!
This picture didn't turn out as well as I had hoped but it was my lunch on the plane...yes those are instructions that came with it!

Once I got off the plane I was welcomed to Korea by Paul and a Korean driver who spoke no English!  Little did I know that the next few days would be filled with many more people would speak just as little English...  But we were dropped off at an apartment (where I will live until March 9th).  This apartment is equivalent to what I was living in in College, but the director of the school seemed to think it is terrible.  I can't wait to see what my new apartment is like! 
My first day in Seoul Paul and I walked around for a few hours just looking at everything.  There are PLENTY of coffee shops here!  I am so grateful for all of them, there is something about drinking a cup of coffee that is very comforting to me!
Yep, the menu is in Korean... if you look really confused they give you an English one from behind the counter!

Now, about the school I am working at...OMG it is the nicest school I have ever seen!!!!  Even knowing that I was going to be living in one of the most affluent parts of Korea, I NEVER would have dreamed of anything like this!  I won't be able to convey how nice the school is without pictures but I will try.  You walk into a gate where a sign is posted that reads "Little Ivy A School For Trilingual Children," then go up child sized stairs.  Once up these stairs you are in a green lawn area with exotic birds in cages.  You go in the door and take your shoes off in the mud room, here there are all kinds of flowering plants and a HUGE orchid bush.  The floors are a light colored wood and all of the walls are very cheery, pastel green.  The corners of the doors are padded so the kids won't slam their fingers in the door, the tables and chairs are also a light colored wood and the perfect size for young kids.  All of the doors have windows with a big, playful star in the middle.  There is a library with over 100 English books, plus books in Chinese and Korean!  In between the library and a classroom is the Directors Office (she is always dressed perfectly!).  Past her office are the stairs to the second floor.  My office is towards the back of the school right before you get to the kitchen.  I have a lovely white desk with plenty of draws and cabinets.  In the kitchen there is always coffee and green tea ready to be made (no paper cups either, the tea cups are clear glass, and don't forget the saucer!).  The school provides lunch and dinner for the teachers.  Today we ordered food...I don't remember what everyone got, but I had bulgogi soup.  Everyone shares the sides.  I also learned the sauce on Kimchi is used on many other foods as well...if it is red it is the same sauce!  It was so delicious.  I have got to learn how to use chopsticks, because the forks here are tiny!
We got done with work early today and I have been studying lesson planning all evening.  I have successfully (I hope) planned 3 lessons for the two and three year olds, and 3 lessons for the four year olds.  Oh, here is something that can confuse a person like me, Korean age and American age are different!  My American age is 20, my Korean age is 22, this is because when you are born in Korea you are already 1...not sure where the other year comes from though.  
Back to lesson planning for me!
    

1 comment:

  1. Love it! I am so excited to hear more about your school...it sounds wonderful! Keep writing! :)

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