"Half the fun of travel is the aesthetic of lostness."
- Ray Bradbury
... I think my friend Kela will appreciate this one.
September 2, 2010
August 31, 2010
I'm in Ulsan... Kind of.
Hi everyone!! I'm so sorry for the very delayed updates. I have a few posts to put up soon. EPIK orientation went well and now I'm actually at my school in Eonyang (a suburb of the city of Ulsan). I'm teaching English at Eonyang Middle School (all grades).
Please be patient with me. I'll have some more posts up soon enough. Once I have internet in my apartment, posts will definitely come more frequently.
Best,
Thomas
Please be patient with me. I'll have some more posts up soon enough. Once I have internet in my apartment, posts will definitely come more frequently.
Best,
Thomas
August 26, 2010
Quote of the Day.
"There are no foreign lands.
It is the traveler only who is foreign."
- Robert Louis Stevenson
August 22, 2010
EPIK Orientation - Part 1
After making it safely to Jeonju University for EPIK Orientation, the days seem to have been flying by. Orientation has been great so far. Not too taxing and not too boring. It has definitely proved to be a rather rewarding experience thus far. My only complaint: the humidity + heat. You can't walk outside without feeling like you're taking a shower. Aside from that one complaint, things have been positive. I've met my Ulsan bunch and have already found (from California and England) a great group of friends. We're quickly becoming a second family here in Korea. We're already making future plans for our time in Ulsan.
As for the actually learning part of orientation, things are going smoothly. The Korean government has done a tremendous job putting this program together. Everything has been running quite well. No telling how much money they've invested into this program. We've heard lectures from several top notch speakers. Some have been questionable, but they've mostly been very informative and enlightening. The information provided has helped soothed my nerves. My lack of teaching experience keeps causing me to doubt my ability. However, my passion for the job is keeping my going. Helps to have some new friends with teaching experience and lots of advice (Thanks Neil and Christine!). On top of the lectures, we've been treated to some performances of traditional Korean fan dance, taekwondo, and Korean drums. We also got to go on a great field trip today... but I'll blog about that in a separate post later.
All of our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners have consisted of kimchi, rice, some sort of meat, some sort of vegetable, and soup. Oh... and salad. For every meal. With thousand island dressing. Sometimes with cereal... in the salad. I have photographic evidence to prove it.
The most bizarre part of orientation was the medical exam required by the government. Basically it checked height, weight, vision, hearing, color blindness, x-ray, blood, and urine (for anything illegal). The whole process was kind of out there. We weren't allowed to eat or drink anything (including water) for six hours before the early morning checkup. Basically, everyone was incredibly thirsty throughout the process. Then, their urine collection methods were... unorthodox? You get a cup, fill the cup, and then put the up on a spot on table with your cups' assigned number on it... this table is just sitting out in the middle of the hallway. Yeah... Oh! The best part was when the nurse realized I was color blind (something I've known for years). In a very concerned manner she said, "Oh, you color blind! Oh my! Oh, my my..." My response, "So, can I still work in Korea?" Without responding, she quickly directed me onto the next station. However, I keep waiting to find out I can't work here because of my inability to see certain shades of red and green.
It's been interesting keeping in touch with family and friends back home. My morning is their night and their morning is my night. Still a little confusing at times. Once I've settled into my apartment in Ulsan, things should become slightly easier.
As for the actually learning part of orientation, things are going smoothly. The Korean government has done a tremendous job putting this program together. Everything has been running quite well. No telling how much money they've invested into this program. We've heard lectures from several top notch speakers. Some have been questionable, but they've mostly been very informative and enlightening. The information provided has helped soothed my nerves. My lack of teaching experience keeps causing me to doubt my ability. However, my passion for the job is keeping my going. Helps to have some new friends with teaching experience and lots of advice (Thanks Neil and Christine!). On top of the lectures, we've been treated to some performances of traditional Korean fan dance, taekwondo, and Korean drums. We also got to go on a great field trip today... but I'll blog about that in a separate post later.
All of our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners have consisted of kimchi, rice, some sort of meat, some sort of vegetable, and soup. Oh... and salad. For every meal. With thousand island dressing. Sometimes with cereal... in the salad. I have photographic evidence to prove it.
The most bizarre part of orientation was the medical exam required by the government. Basically it checked height, weight, vision, hearing, color blindness, x-ray, blood, and urine (for anything illegal). The whole process was kind of out there. We weren't allowed to eat or drink anything (including water) for six hours before the early morning checkup. Basically, everyone was incredibly thirsty throughout the process. Then, their urine collection methods were... unorthodox? You get a cup, fill the cup, and then put the up on a spot on table with your cups' assigned number on it... this table is just sitting out in the middle of the hallway. Yeah... Oh! The best part was when the nurse realized I was color blind (something I've known for years). In a very concerned manner she said, "Oh, you color blind! Oh my! Oh, my my..." My response, "So, can I still work in Korea?" Without responding, she quickly directed me onto the next station. However, I keep waiting to find out I can't work here because of my inability to see certain shades of red and green.
It's been interesting keeping in touch with family and friends back home. My morning is their night and their morning is my night. Still a little confusing at times. Once I've settled into my apartment in Ulsan, things should become slightly easier.
August 19, 2010
Random Tidbits about Korea - Part 1
This will be part one of many random tidbits of information about Korea, Korean society, culture, and anything else Korean. Please don't take offense to anything below. These are simply my observations and realizations as an American living in Korea.
- Never drink barley soda! It is gross. Even if it is free, it is still incredibly gross.
- Never drink any kind of drink with an ear of corn printed on the container. Corn "tea" or "juice" is not your friend.
- Koreans don't really pay attention to any traffic laws they might actually have. For example, my bus driver made a complete U-turn in the middle of heavy, oncoming traffic. They should save money and not install turn signals too. Ironically, there are relatively few accidents due to such aggressive driving.
- Koreans (living in Korea) don't seem to sweat. While I'm melting in the heat and intense humidity, all of the Koreans are leisurely walking around completely dry. There isn't even a glisten on their forehead.
That's all for now... :)
Quote of the Day.
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."
- St. Augustine
August 18, 2010
First Days in Seoul.
So... I'm actually already in Jeonju, South Korea. It is about a four hour drive south of Seoul. However, I need to catch everyone up on how my first fews days have gone since arriving. Here we go... (I apologize ahead of time for any spelling or grammatical errors. This will be long and won't be checked.)
The flight was fairly long (14 hours) and uneventful. Overall, it was pleasant... just very long. I was able to watch several movies (Shrek Ever After, How to Train Your Dragon, Clash of the Titans, Bounty Hunter, and a Korean movie called Wedding Dress). I also talked to the lady sitting next to me for a while. She has been living in Houston working on her graduate studies, but is from Seoul. Definitely gave me some great advice about places to visit. We had lunch served shortly after take off. I choose the traditional Korean option of bibimbap. Then we also had dinner served about 5 hours before take off. They served pasta with tomato sauce and it actually tasted pretty good considering it was airline food.
After landing, I easily made my way through customs (nothing to declare!) and out to the waiting area. My only problem was all of my luggage (it was difficult packing for a year). Once in the waiting area, taxi drivers swarmed me and tried to give me a ridiculous rate. Being the smart individual that I am, I had already looked up the going rate and knew that Seoul has specific International Taxis for tourists. The taxi ride from Incheon to Seoul was nice. The scenery made me feel like I was definitely in Asia. Lots of mountains, trees, and plenty of high rise apartments crammed closely together.
My hotel room was actually quite nice. It was an older building that had been renovated to look fairly modern. Once I was securely in my room, my first priority was to contact my mom and Lynn. My phone doesn't work here, but Lynn was actually online and able to call my mom for me. After talking to both of them via the webcam, it was finally time for sleep. I hadn't slept since leaving Dallas the day before. Honestly, it was a very strange experience not seeing the sun set for a whole day.
The first full day in Seoul was alright. It was basically full of getting my bearings and scoping out the area around my hotel. My hotel was located in Yeouido (one of the many districts in Seoul) near the Korean National Assembly building. The area was very business oriented. I walked about 6 miles and even went down by the Han River and the 63 Building. That was once the tallest building in Korea until 2003. I came back to my hotel by noon and felt exhausted... and stayed in my room for the rest of the day.
Day two was much more productive and filled with lots of touristy sightseeing. I took the Seoul City Tour bus (the best way to spend $10 in Seoul!!!) and went all around the city. Before doing that, I had to get to the place by taking the subway (my first time) from Yeouido into central Seoul. After asking a few people for help in Korean, I successfully managed to get my ticket and make my way to the bus location. The bus takes you to ALL of the major attractions in Seoul: the National Museum of Korea, N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain, all of the palaces, the Blue House (like our White House), the two major markets (Namdaemun and Dongdaemun), the Korean War Memorial Museum, U.S. Army Base, Itaewon (the international district), and many other places. If you're in Korea, GO ON THIS TOUR!
I'll blog more later!!
The flight was fairly long (14 hours) and uneventful. Overall, it was pleasant... just very long. I was able to watch several movies (Shrek Ever After, How to Train Your Dragon, Clash of the Titans, Bounty Hunter, and a Korean movie called Wedding Dress). I also talked to the lady sitting next to me for a while. She has been living in Houston working on her graduate studies, but is from Seoul. Definitely gave me some great advice about places to visit. We had lunch served shortly after take off. I choose the traditional Korean option of bibimbap. Then we also had dinner served about 5 hours before take off. They served pasta with tomato sauce and it actually tasted pretty good considering it was airline food.
After landing, I easily made my way through customs (nothing to declare!) and out to the waiting area. My only problem was all of my luggage (it was difficult packing for a year). Once in the waiting area, taxi drivers swarmed me and tried to give me a ridiculous rate. Being the smart individual that I am, I had already looked up the going rate and knew that Seoul has specific International Taxis for tourists. The taxi ride from Incheon to Seoul was nice. The scenery made me feel like I was definitely in Asia. Lots of mountains, trees, and plenty of high rise apartments crammed closely together.
My hotel room was actually quite nice. It was an older building that had been renovated to look fairly modern. Once I was securely in my room, my first priority was to contact my mom and Lynn. My phone doesn't work here, but Lynn was actually online and able to call my mom for me. After talking to both of them via the webcam, it was finally time for sleep. I hadn't slept since leaving Dallas the day before. Honestly, it was a very strange experience not seeing the sun set for a whole day.
The first full day in Seoul was alright. It was basically full of getting my bearings and scoping out the area around my hotel. My hotel was located in Yeouido (one of the many districts in Seoul) near the Korean National Assembly building. The area was very business oriented. I walked about 6 miles and even went down by the Han River and the 63 Building. That was once the tallest building in Korea until 2003. I came back to my hotel by noon and felt exhausted... and stayed in my room for the rest of the day.
Day two was much more productive and filled with lots of touristy sightseeing. I took the Seoul City Tour bus (the best way to spend $10 in Seoul!!!) and went all around the city. Before doing that, I had to get to the place by taking the subway (my first time) from Yeouido into central Seoul. After asking a few people for help in Korean, I successfully managed to get my ticket and make my way to the bus location. The bus takes you to ALL of the major attractions in Seoul: the National Museum of Korea, N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain, all of the palaces, the Blue House (like our White House), the two major markets (Namdaemun and Dongdaemun), the Korean War Memorial Museum, U.S. Army Base, Itaewon (the international district), and many other places. If you're in Korea, GO ON THIS TOUR!
I'll blog more later!!
The EPIK Week Ahead.
After spending three nights and two days in Seoul, it is time for my journey in Korea to continue. Here's a brief overview of my week ahead during EPIK orientation:
Wednesday, August 18
I'll be waking up bright and early to check out of my hotel and find my way back to the airport. Once at the airport, I'm getting on the free shuttle provided by EPIK to take us south to Jeonju University (about a 4 hour trip) where orientation is being held. We'll be staying in the dorms on campus. Since it will be earlier in the day, I'll be able to explore the city of Jeonju some. They're supposedly known for their bibimbap.
Thursday, August 19
The schedule says we'll have a campus tour, opening ceremony, and welcoming dinner.
Friday, August 20
The morning is reserved for our medical check-up and assessment. I'm not entirely sure what is all included in this check-up, but I know they're very serious about it.
Saturday, August 21
The day (9a-5:30p) is going to be filled with all sorts of educational lectures designed to help me succeed as a teacher in Korea. I'll definitely be taking notes!! There will also be a screening of a popular Korean movie at night.
Sunday, August 22
On the schedule for today: Korean Cultural Experience. That means... FIELD TRIP!! We should get see some traditional Korean folk villages and have some good food.
Monday, August 23
More lectures and learning to be a teacher...
Tuesday, August 24
...More lectures and learning to be a teacher.
Wednesday, August 25
The day will start out with the new teachers doing a lesson demonstration incorporating information we've learned during orientation. This should be interesting. Hopefully I won't make a fool out of myself. After that, we're scheduled to finally meet with our respective Office of Education supervisors (and find out our school/grade assignments!!). Wednesday night will conclude with a farewell dinner.
Thursday, August 26
After the closing ceremony and lunch, everyone gets on the various buses and we're escorted to our respective cities across Korea.
Wednesday, August 18
I'll be waking up bright and early to check out of my hotel and find my way back to the airport. Once at the airport, I'm getting on the free shuttle provided by EPIK to take us south to Jeonju University (about a 4 hour trip) where orientation is being held. We'll be staying in the dorms on campus. Since it will be earlier in the day, I'll be able to explore the city of Jeonju some. They're supposedly known for their bibimbap.
Thursday, August 19
The schedule says we'll have a campus tour, opening ceremony, and welcoming dinner.
Friday, August 20
The morning is reserved for our medical check-up and assessment. I'm not entirely sure what is all included in this check-up, but I know they're very serious about it.
Saturday, August 21
The day (9a-5:30p) is going to be filled with all sorts of educational lectures designed to help me succeed as a teacher in Korea. I'll definitely be taking notes!! There will also be a screening of a popular Korean movie at night.
Sunday, August 22
On the schedule for today: Korean Cultural Experience. That means... FIELD TRIP!! We should get see some traditional Korean folk villages and have some good food.
Monday, August 23
More lectures and learning to be a teacher...
Tuesday, August 24
...More lectures and learning to be a teacher.
Wednesday, August 25
The day will start out with the new teachers doing a lesson demonstration incorporating information we've learned during orientation. This should be interesting. Hopefully I won't make a fool out of myself. After that, we're scheduled to finally meet with our respective Office of Education supervisors (and find out our school/grade assignments!!). Wednesday night will conclude with a farewell dinner.
Thursday, August 26
After the closing ceremony and lunch, everyone gets on the various buses and we're escorted to our respective cities across Korea.
August 14, 2010
I'm leaving on a jet plane!
Today is the day! After months of preparation and anticipation, I am finally embarking on the journey of a lifetime. The last few weeks have been filled with visiting and spending time with the people who are most important in my life. A year away from home will be difficult, but will totally be worth the incredible experiences that await me.
At noon today, my flight will depart from DFW airport and will touch down fourteen hours later in South Korea at Incheon International Airport. Hopefully there won't be too much turbulence. Fortunately, Korean Air is supposed to be a really nice airline.
Time to turn off my electronics for now. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted after I get to my hotel in Seoul.
At noon today, my flight will depart from DFW airport and will touch down fourteen hours later in South Korea at Incheon International Airport. Hopefully there won't be too much turbulence. Fortunately, Korean Air is supposed to be a really nice airline.
Time to turn off my electronics for now. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted after I get to my hotel in Seoul.
Time until I arrive in Korea: 14 hours!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)