On wednesday, while everyone else went on some buses to get dropped off (I guess?) to their schools, the high school teachers stayed at the dorms to get picked up from their co-teachers. There were two ladies who came and got me, and since I wanted to make a good impression, I greeted them in korean--like really basic stuff. But they both looked at each other with big eyes, then started talking to me in korean, which at that point I had to point out that a greeting was the best I could do in korean haha. They complimented my accent & kept asking where I was from. We talked about kdramas^^
We piled in ALL of my stuff, which turned out to be much more than what I had arrived with, because in the 10 days I had been there, I accumulated more & I felt bad because they had to help me move it all. They drove me to my apartment, which wasnt terribly far from the orientation site, and they gave me the option of whether I wanted to go to the high school to meet the vice principal since we were going to pass by the school anyway. apparently, the vice principal was really excited to meet me. so I thought, why not?
We approached the school. I had looked it up online & had seen some pictures of it, and I have to say its a really nice looking school. The buildings are pretty new & theres a middle school attached to the high school.
I had heard & read & understood about the hierarchy that exists in korean culture, but its one thing to know about it & one thing to see it happen in front of you/to slightly be in it. The vice principal is this middle aged man who looks stern & intimidating, but when he smiles, his eyes wrinkle in just the right way that lets you know he's a nice guy too.
We entered the principal's office (the principal wasn't at school that day), and sat down in the seating area where someone came and brought us coffee. In the midst of trying to speak very simple english sentences to my VP, I was also trying to remember all the things about proper etiquette that we had been briefed about. When it was all over, I breathed a sigh of relief. I'm sure I probably made some missteps in that meeting, but I was so happy to have that out of the way.
I was really nervous about how people would see me, what they expected of me, and how to meet those expectations, and while I don't think I'm quite in the clear yet, at least they have now my face to go with my name, english teacher.
Then, my coteachers brought me to my apartment. I didn't have any expectations of my apartment, mostly because I know that the cost of an apartment in seoul is crazy expensive, and that most of them are tiny little closets. I also knew that there was verrry little chance that it could be worse than the apartment I was living at in Philadelphia, and if I lived there, I could live in whatever the school had got for me.
Turns out I'm in this really nice building, on the 11th floor of a 21 floor high rise, and on a clear day, from my window you can see the mountain in the near distance! Its a studio, sort of small, but big enough for me, and I have nothing to complain about. The apartment was a bit dirty, because its considered good luck to move into a dirty apartment. My co-teachers were so sweet, they stayed and helped me clean, and THEN took me out to get a few groceries & to get some sheets for my bed. They were very, very kind & really helpful.
Afterwards I met up with Chrissy, who gave me her phone and a bunch of other stuff for my apartment (the previous english teacher had my apartment & left me lots too, so I have more silverware and chopsticks than I know what to do with!) & I'm really grateful to her. She helped me out so much! We went to eat meat, it was yummy. I'm sad she had to go--my one friend in seoul!
The next day, my first day, I was told that I wouldn't be teaching classes until the follow monday, to help me settle in. This also meant I had like nothing to do. The internet on my computer wasn't even working so I literally sat there reading from the textbooks for like 5 hours. haha. However, I got to go early because I needed to get back to immigration so I could apply for my Alien Registration card.
Immigration is such a pain, lemme just say. The first day I went, I didn't have the right paper work, so I got turned away--get your school's business registration number! Luckily, I wasn't the only one, since a bunch of other EPIK teachers got turned away also, so we just decided to go out and eat haha. One of the girl's had her co-teacher with her, so she brought us to a traditional korean restaurant. If you know kpop, she looked like taeyeon from SNSD. She was really nice & fun & I'm finding that a lot of younger co-teachers are the same age as me. same age friends! Also, it was great seeing familiar faces again.
Because I got rejected the first day, I had to go to immigration the next day, Friday, which was crap because EVERYONE and their mothers was there on that day too. I couldn't even get a number, they stopped giving them out early in the day. But I was determined to wait it out, so I stuck it out in the overly crowded waiting area. Luckily for me, I found another EPIK teacher from orientation, and she had an EXTRA number, which she gave me. Instead of waiting 3 hours, I waited 1.5 hours, and got my paperwork in, yay!
On the whole, I really enjoy the community of teachers, both "native/foreign" and Korean. Everyone has been great and just really lovely. Everyone comes from different places and has different backgrounds and experience, but most of us are new to seoul and everything korean, so we all go through the same struggle.
I've found it comforting that in my most nervous of circumstances, I think about how I'm not alone, and that the other EPIK teachers are going through the same awkwardness that I am going through, and that alone is calming. Because if they can get through it, I can too.
where I am:
I'm not too far from the city center, its a 25-30 min walk to my school, but like a 10 walk to the closest subway station. I'm not complaining though, because I made friends with the downstairs security/doorman, Mr. Kim, who was boasting to my co-teachers about his english ability. He likes to practice his english with me, and I in turn, get someone to take care of my ish! its great. I hope we can be great friends^^
It's great to hear from you michelle! And it sounds like things are going pretty well, which is comforting to me :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear more!!! (:
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