Oh What a Weekend!

I don't know if I'll be able to give a quick run-down of what 's all happened in the past 3 days, but I'm sure going to try, so hang on.

Friday afternoon we (the other Native English Teachers) left the Hyundai Learning Center to go meet our co-teachers, visit our school, and move into our apartments. I was so excited to FINALLY get out of the dang learning center and do something productive that I completely forgot to make arrangements with Jessica in case we didn't live in the same place or near each other.

So, after I meet my co-teacher, I wave a feeble "bye" to Jess and I take off with Lee (my co-teacher). She speakes very good English so I have no problem communicating with her and letting her know what I want and so on. She takes me to the school, introduces me to some teachers, shows me my classroom, introduces me to the Vice-principal and the Principal, and then takes me to my apartment.

I live in what they call an Offistle. I think they call it that because it's a cross between an office and a hostle. It's basically one big room. I have a desk, a stove top, a refrigerator, a tv, a little tiny table, a bed that's a little bigger than a twin, a washing machine, and a closet. There are drawers and shelves all over the place and, overall, the place is just enough for what I need, no more!

Then, my co-teacher takes me shopping so that I can buy some necessities. I bought toothpaste, milk, water (they don't drink their tap water here), toilet paper, cereal, and some soap. After this, my co-teacher took me out to dinner and we were able to talk a little more about what I was expected to do (right now I am at school on a down period and it's still pretty unclear about what I am supposed to be doing and how to do it... but I'll get there). Then, my co-teacher took me back to my apartment so that I could start unpacking.

Meanwhile, I'm panicing in my head. I live quite a ways away from my school and I don't know how to get to my school and then back home. I'm not sure if I know how to negotiate the bus system or the subway system here. I have no idea where Jessica is and I have no way of finding out, and I don't speak Korean.... at all!

So now what do I do? I figured out how to call home and was able to talk to my mom. I was so happy to hear her. And, brilliantly I told her my phone number and asked her to email it to Jessica through my email address. When my mom logged into my email address... Jessica had already sent me and email with her address, phone number and directions to her apartment on them. God is SO good! What is even better, her apartment is right across the street from my school. So, with the directions Lee gave me, I was able to meet Jessica at her apartment. It was so easy, it was if I were walking to my own home.

All this weekend Jessica and I explored our area of Seoul. We were able to buy T-money cards (cards that hold money for bus tickets and subway tickets) we bought groceries, we found out that you have to PUSH and SHOVE to get onto the subway and busses and you have to have an almost heroic attitude when you go to catch a bus... the bus drivers will just keep going unless you're serious about getting on that bus! I learned how to say a few phrases in Korean and have had so much fun trying to get people at the grocery store to understand that I want "Dish soap.... Soap? Wash..." act out washing dishes... "Soap... dishes..." act out squirting soap on dishes and scrubbing... the woman takes me to the towels... "No no no... .soap!"...point to liquids... We finally got there!

Today there are and will be all new adventures to encounter. I'm learning just a few of the politics at the school. And, I'm learning that not all of the teachers like each other and want to do the same things.... we'll see how things go!

Until next time!

Hil