Some karaoke, some ancient houses, and a tower..

On Sat my neighbor Liz had a BBQ and she had some of her Hagwon friends over. (A hagwon is an “English school”) We all decided to go to Hongdai (one of the top hangouts here in Seoul) post-BBQ. We went to this hole-in-the-wall bar then went to a Noraebung (an all-night karaoke bar).

The noraebung we went to was actually quite “posh and upscale” for noraebung standards, but it was pretty cool.

You get this individual room with couches and a big tv then you select the music you want and everybody sings and dances.

There’s tambourines and other instruments.. it’s quite fun!

We did get in trouble for having alcohol, b.c. it was a “posh” noraebung so for some reason they didn’t want you to have any. (I think it was b.c. ppl drink enough before and after that we were seeing ppl get sick left and right on the way outta there!)

Sunday, Berengere and I took the subway to Deoksugung palace (just one of the 5 palaces in Seoul alone!) which was the residence of the last empire and the last emperor/King prior to Japanese occupation. It's a perfect symbol of Seoul.. a mixture of the ancient + modern:

There is a changing of the guard- like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in DC.. but it seemed like more of an historical reenactment to me...

It reminded me a lot of the Chinese palaces I saw last summer.. same architecture, same layout, just some minor differences.

Things like:

They both have “Gates” which lead to walkways that then give entrance to a “main hall”...

They both have huge buildings just for “receiving” people from foreign lands....

They both have intricate artwork on the ceilings of their buildings...

They both separate the sexes for sleeping.. so there is a house for the Emperor and a whole different one for his wife (this is also similar to Europe’s royalty at the time)...

They both imprison their women... for instance, the last guy that lived in this palace b4 the Japanese took over Korea killed all his brothers in order to secure his throne (another similarity) and then imprisoned his stepmother for 10 years in one building of the entire palace.. imagine that!! (It’d REALLY suck!!)

and...

Being INSANELY HOTT!!!!

... Just goes to show how similar their cultures are and how much the Chinese had an influence on Korea... such as...

The other cool thing about it is that it's the place where one of the 1st water clocks is housed! (Water clocks are basically one of the very first forms of clock in the world... and, yes, it was invented in China so naturally it was brought to Korea and Japan)

After the historical lesson...

We got back on the subway and headed to Hanok village- a place with very traditional Korean housing from ancient times. Hangban (Korean aristocrats) lived in these houses (again very similar to Chinese style). They are shaped in a square with a courtyard area in the center and all the rooms surrounding it on 4 sides.

Next we went to Seoul tower and took the cable car up to the base of the tower.

It was UH-mazing!! I couldn’t believe that I LIVE in the city... I kept feeling like I was looking at a mural or something.. DEF not the city that I now LIVE in...

Well, as luck would have it.. both of our cameras died!! blech. BUT we at least got 1 pic.. :)

It was a real nice day touring the city right before we had to go to work with the kids on the 1st day! Agh! Can’t believe my summer is over..

The flood!!!

A rainy day in Seoul.

We had this retreat today at this restaurant on the river. I don't know why we left our nice campus to go sit in tables on the other side of the city- but that's what was planned.

Now I live on the northside of the river and the restaurant was just over the bridge on the left side- not that bad, right?! Wrong. It took us 45min-1hr to get there!!! That's how insane the traffic gets here in the big city.

So we get there. It's raining but not too bad and we all walk over this bridge to get onto the restaurant on the river.

2 hrs later we get a break and we notice that the river has started to rise a bit...

1 hr after that we notice that not only has the river now risen even more but that the current is moving insanely fast...

Pretty much the Han River has flooded to the point where the restaurant had to build a makeshift bridge for ppl to get over.

Above & Below: notice how the railing is now below the water compared to the last pic?!

Below: These ropes below had been 4 feet above the water level...

Dr. Engstrom (the Headmaster) makes the call to "Get off the floating restaurant and go back to our campus on the hill"..

We all trudge our way across the moving makeshift bridge (made of I don't even know what)

and clammer onto the buses and hurry on home.

So we realize "Oh! That's right! There was just a typhoon that was in Taiwan that wiped out whole buildings.. then it went to China and this is clearly the aftermath."

The Han River was flooded so high and so quickly that a bridge saw on the way there- wasn't there on the way home!!

Good thing we live on a hill.

Week #1- shopping, the subway, and drunk Korean men with shots!

I've been so absolutely busy that it isn't even funny....

We've gone shopping to many different places to outfit our apartments and each time I feel like I'm taking home the entire store (which is evident by the amount of money I have left at this point!! egads!!)

We went to a traditional Korean music/play on Saturday night. It was loud but rather interesting. They are quite talented, no doubt. I had a pretty good time.

Also,

I've found "my people" (which just so happen to be foreigners to me as well... frenchies and a brit :) ... and also a fellow American) and we've gone to a traditional Korean BBQ restaurant for dinner and had drinks afterwards... good times, good times.

My new friend Berengere has had me over the last few nights to her apartment which feels like I'm going to visit my rich friend's penthouse suite b.c. of the amazing view outside of her apartment!! So nice...

Berengere and I went on our own little excursion yesterday to HomePlus (our equivalent of Walmart). We got a taxi, communicated to him where we wanted to go and got there rather successfully.. but then I tried returning the crappy straightener I'd purchased the time before and naturally, that was an ordeal. Eventually I got thru to them however, thank goodness. We then went across town via the subway to the COEX mall (aka the largest mall in Asia, supposedly... which I totally believe b.c. I had NO clue where I was going the majority of the time. lol) ... we went to find the Apple store so that I could get an adapter for my computer. Naturally the entire trip took HOURS!! Like anything here. Crazy.

We finally got home from our "errands" at like 1030 pm!! lol.

Today we went to a market for fruits/veggies/etc... after shopping- Berengere and Megan and I sat down at a little stand to have dinner. It was scary. There was no real meat but instead hogs feet and pig body parts!!! (and for those of you familiar with my China experience, you know how I felt about this..) We sat down and dared to request some of the hog's feet!! We ate Kimchi and something else weird and spicy then the hog's feet came and it was RI-DIC-ulous!! it was not meat, it was pure fat and blech!! but we ate at least a piece and it was quite the experience. We sat there drinking Cass (the popular beer) and trying to learn simple Korean phrases from the old drunk Korean men eating beside us. It's common for Koreans to share their drink with you and it's very rude to turn down the offer so when the old men next to us offered each of us like 4 shots of the equivalent of vodka each, we couldn't turn it down!! lol. it was crazy bad. but it was fun! Everyone was laughing at us caucasian women trying to learn random Korean phrases and drinking.. but they loved it! (as did we!)

We somehow found our way home successfully.. which is good b.c. we don't feel as touristy that way.

I like it here so far. Looking forward to experiencing Seoul and it's neighboring areas.

ALSO-- I finally found out what I'm going to be doing for my job. lol. (it's weird to say that b.c. I keep forgetting I'm here to work b.c. I have yet to do it!) I'll be the Head Coach for the 1) High school swim team, 2) Middle school swim team, 3) Instructional swimming (aka teaching kids to swim but not competitively), and 4) Swim Squad, which is the hardcore swim team that travels lots!!! So... yea... I have a LOT LOT LOT on my plate and I can't believe they want me to do all that I'm going to be doing.. I mean, I will be IN CHARGE of taking kids INTERNATIONALLY!!! that's insane. I mean... I know I can do it but wow- kinda scary! Can't believe all the responsibility that has been thrown my way-- I just hope that I can fill the shoes they've created for me :) whew. We will see soon. (Below is my swimming pool!!!)

Orientation day #2: Just a buncha business...

This morning started out with a rather emotional devotional by our new headmaster- something new and different at a job-- Christian devotions!! We had some ice breakers, I had like 5 mini-cups of coffee b.c. I DEF did not want to wake up this am, and then we went over the nitty gritty business type stuff....

I got my Local Korean bank acct., set up my pension plan (which, BTW!!, they contribute 13% to IN ADDITION to my salary! nice!).. We also went over IT stuff. blah blah blah. nothing too exciting- well, except for me b.c. it involves the $$ I'm gonna get :)

We went on a 2 hr tour of the school @ 3pm!! Now...

#1. It was a great tour and really nice and all, but...

#2. WHY oh WHY was it @ 3pm on an EXTREMELY hot day in Seoul??? AND,

#3. WHY oh WHY don't these ppl believe in AC?!?! AND,

#4. WHY oh WHY doesn't this school have elevators in 4 story building?!?!

lol. It wasn't all too bad, but #s 1-4 def. posed an issue.

Also- this school campus is ridiculous... It's state of the art, I mean, it's just got it going on. (with the exception to issue #s 1-4, of course!)

I saw the pool which was pretty neat- it's not as big as I'd pictured but still really nice. There are locker rooms, a nice office for us Aquatics ppl, a 2nd story observance area (kinda like @ FSU-for those of my cool readers who've been there!)

I look forward to getting to know my way around the place soon...

Tonight we had dinner at the headmasters house which is NICE NICE NICE!

The board members were there so I met a few of the ppl who essentially gave me my job.

I've also been getting the feeling that ppl have been waiting with dire anticipation for me... every time I tell someone "I'm the new aquatics instructor" they go "OHHHH!!!! That's SOOOO great!!! We've been looking forward to you coming!" so.. I hope I can fill the imaginary shoes that have been created in my stead.

Tomorrow I get to go shopping for household goods!! Wahoo!! then my house can start looking like a house and it'll be nice. :)

I'm here!!! Crazy!!

(View of part of Seoul from the SFS campus)

So Saturday- I stayed up all nite b.c. if you know me then you're aware of my amazing procrastination abilities :) and I had to be @ the airport @ 430am!!

I flew to Chicago (didn't sleep) was there for about 4hrs waiting for the dreadful long flight.. Left OHare @ 1230pm and arrived in Tokyo about 12ish hrs later!! It wasn't as long as I thought it was gonna be, DEF not as long as my flight to China last summer... but of course- I didn't sleep!! ugh. I WAS lucky enuf, however, to meet up with my coworker Buffie and she got me into the United Airlines lounge during the layover in Tokyo- which was quite nice! I'm glad that I'll be bankin' lotsa miles with United so then I'll become a VIP member and get those perks on my own :)

I left Tokyo for Incheon at about 530pm (430am Jax time) and I finally slept a little but as it was only an hr 1/2 long flight- didn't get much rest.

I flew thru immigration once I said "I'm a teacher at SFS".. the guy was like "Oh? Teacher?... Have fun!" (They really like teachers here, it's all part of that Confucian respect thing that Americans don't have!!)

I still wasn't freaking out yet.. everything was insanely surreal and it just seemed as if I was going on vacay. Strange.

My SFS people were awaiting my cart full of belongings with big smiles on their faces. We piled onto a "school bus" which is more like a charter bus than a school bus!! lol. Then we started making the journey from Incheon to Seoul- about 30-45 minutes?!

Still wasn't really freaking out..

Now- the people are all SOO nice, kinda too nice! Mostly people are married couples w. or w.o kids and then some single women.. I have yet to meet 1 single male on staff (that's not a complaint, simply an observation that I'm sharing w. my readers).. :)

Ok.. only freaked out a little by this point...

My apartment is RI-DIC-ulous!!! It's way huge and I feel like I'm living in a flat in Notting Hill or something like that. There's two apartments per spot- the top floor one has 3 bedrooms,

a living space, kitchen, and 1 bath (I don't have that one! lol) the bottom floor one has

2 bedrooms & a living space,

a kitchen,

and 1 bathroom

still way too huge! then they are on top of a basement with garage and each apartment has a balcony or porch.

(I've got the porch which has a playground right next to it! pretty nice... Also- since I live at the back of Yunhee Manor (the little housing area owned by the Baptist Misison just off campus) there are no kids in my section so no one will ever use it... BUT those of you who have kids aka Mike and Elise, ehem, there will be lots for them to do! :)

Anywho..

Today started orientation and we went to the hospital to have all our medical stuff checked out to make sure I'm not going to infect a Korean with some crazy disease I brought in with me.. the hospital looked nothing like a hospital- I actually asked my HR guy Barry if it was a mall or the subway station that we were at, Lol. It was in fact the hospital which they were quite efficient.

We then went to Starbucks (nice lil reminder of home) and checked out the area with all the action. Barry calls it the "Neon lights town".

After lunch, we took a walk of the Yonhi-Dong area which is our area.. SFS is up on this humongously steep hill- pretty much a mountain- and so the area of town we go to is at the bottom of our mountain.

We went grocery shopping for things to hold us over b4 our big shopping trip on Friday. It was interesting looking at things to buy b.c. not everything has english in it. Like- I can't tell the difference b.n my shampoo and conditioner that I bought b.c. there's no indicator! Also- trying to figure out calories when they use kilos is interesting. But I made it through rather successfully and I may starve while I'm here, but that's ok... I could use some of that!

We then went to a BBQ where the heads of the different schools cooked for us then we all sat around 4th of July-style and chilled and ate.

I met these 2 french girls that I think I will get along with quite nicely- they're real laid back and fun- I told them that if I just hang out with them while they are speaking French I will improve my understanding of the language! lol. There's so many nice people here.. pretty much everyone has lived overseas b4 and most are coming from other international schools. There's only one girl (Tricia) that it's her first time living overseas, like me, and she's from Louisiana so we hit it off pretty quickly too. I'm looking forward to working with all these people- it should be interesting.

I still don't believe I'm really here and I don't know when I'll realize it but it's (yes, I'm going to say it again) insanely surreal. lol.

More later.

1 week left!!! AHHHH!!!!

1 week left before my big trip over the Pacific!! CRAZY!! I can't believe it-it's insanely surreal. I'm packed with all my belongings in 3 footlockers.. egads! I mean, it's really scary to think about how all the clothes and things I will have from home for the next year are enclosed in these things. FrEaKy! (esp. considering how I'm a clothes hoarder.. lol) I've pretty much had a month long panic attack about leaving.. everything I did I kept thinking "this is prolly the last time I'll get to do this" :( This panicky anxiousness has pretty much subsided at this point and has made way for immediate nervousness.. I don't think I'm insanely nervous right now just b.c. I've been keeping myself really busy since I'm queen procrastinator and have a million zillion things to do before I leave in 6 days! AHHH!!!

Anyways.. I know that things will be great, I know I'll have the time of my life, I know I'll never 4get the amazing experiences I will have- but still- it's insane! I still can't believe this humongous change in my life and I know that in 6 days it will def. be hitting home. I'll just hafta see what awaits me... :)

Work visa at last= nervousness...

So... I FINALLY got my work visa today from the Korean Consulate!!! YAY!!! After months of craziness trying to get this special thing, I have it and really can't believe it.. So- now I'm DEFINITELY going, no doubt.. no pulling out or pulling back or anything- In exactly one month from today- I'm there!! Egads! My nervousness has been ever-increasing and my insanity about Korea is arising and staying ever present. To be real honest= I'm getting pretty nervous and anxious about going.. almost to the point where I'm like "I don't want to go anymore"- like I'm getting sad and with everything I do now it's like "this might be the last time I do this for a few years" which makes me even sadder ... but I know that I really do still wanna go-- it's just my nerves talking. I know that the nerves will go away but not until I get there so the fact that they've already started and continue to increase in severity is really annoying b.c. I have a month left of this increasingly painful feeling in my gut. blech. oh well- I'm excited, nervous, anxious- every possible adjective you can think of but I know it'll all be worth it and I'll have an amazing time. (at least that's what everyone keeps telling me and what I keep telling myself.)