Mok-Dong!

Sorry for the few day dry spell. I have lots of news though. 

First and most recent I had my first day teaching today! It was awesome! Honestly I was pretty nervous, considering I have never taught a class before let alone teach a class in a language that isn't native to the students. It went so well! 

My school assignment is with a sect of the company called CDI April. The company is called CDI Holdings and is the largest English teaching company in South Korea. CDI April teaches children between kindergarten and 5th grade. It is an afterschool program so my hours are from 2:30 - 8:30 at night. AKA the perfect schedule.... go out after work and have time to sleep it off before work the next day... repeat. 

The kids are really well behaved, nothing like we were at the same age. They think I'm wonderful in every way because I my hair and my accent. The kept shouting "USA, USA" today when I was introducing myself. They also love that I'm from Detroit because the Tigers have a Korean baseball player(or did.... I really never pay attention) and they are obsessed. Every corner you turn people have Detroit Tiger hats, Chicago white Sox, NYC anything, and Boston Red Sox hats. It's bizarre. 

Back up slightly to when I moved into my apartment... Friday. It was a marathon day because it being our last day of orientation we had to give our final mock teaching presentations and if we passed we moved out of the hotel to our new apt and school. My group of buddies and I woke up pretty early to practice our presentations with each other. Everyone passed(whew! thank god! We would have been sent home at our own expense if we hadn't!!!) so we all had to head back to the hotel, pack and get to our new home. My school is in  an area of Seoul called Mok-Dong. It's on the west side of the city in a really new, up and coming area south of the Han river that bisects the city. Although I was going from the East side of Seoul and the south side of the river to the west, it still took 2 hours because of the friday traffic and the sheer size of the city. 

Once I got there I was taken to my new school where every teacher was waiting for me to take me out for a welcome dinner. It was about 12 of us and we went to a traditional Korean restaurant... aka sit on the floor. That's where is gets hilarious because I was wearing this kindof of tight business style dress that gave no room for sitting cross legged like they all do. The whole table was girls except for one older man in management. Of course he was seated across from me... thus got a straight up view of my underwear for the majority of the meal until our head instructor(She is Amazing!!! and soooo sooo nice) noticed and gave me some apron style thing to put over my lap. Everyone was crazy nice to me at dinner but I was one of only two Americans and the only American who was not of Korean descent. I stuck out like a sore thumb. But even after I knocked over my beer and seared my elbow on a hot plate, they still wanted me to teach there. 

My apartment is gorgeous (compared to the crap other people got in different areas). My building is called the Hyundai Dream Tower and is maybe 3 years old. My whole area is really new but really clean and nice. I have two grocery stores within a block, a huge store called Homever, similar to Target, only a block away, a park across the street, bike paths everywhere and tons of good food and shopping within a stones throw. Because I am very cultural I tried out the place in my back alley called Joe's Sandwiches. Best club sammy I have ever tasted in my entire life and was the size of my face. I almost cried I was so happy. 

My apartment had nothing in it. I mean literally a bed, tv, kitchen, washer, and thats it. I had to spend a hefty chunk of change just to get myself started with the basics(plates, cups, sheets, soap, a table, etc. ) but it's shaping up. The funny thing is that 3 people needed to crash at my place after we went out on Saturday night although i told them I had nothing for them to sleep on. They were drunk and really tired so they didn't care that I put them to bed lying on my down north face jacket, three of my sweatshirts and my bath towel. 

Going out on saturday was a trip. I met up with all the kids I talked about before from my orientation group in an area called Hongik. It's a university area only about 4 subway stops from my apartment(lucky me:) ). I think if I had a heart condition I would have died just walking down the street there. It is about 6 square blocks of intense neon lights, people, music, cig smoke, and korean food smell. Every building has a minimum of three floors of at least 2 bars and restaurants. Picking a place for 8 kids to go when only 2 people could read Korean was in crazy. At one point Blake and I left the bar we were at to pick up April at got so lost I thought we would have to give up and take a taxi home. Every corner looks the same. It's awesome, don't get me wrong, but very difficult to navigate. I give myself a few weeks and I'll be a pro. Aka by the time any of you come visit......hint hint!!!!

OK time for random Korean fun facts.

- Blowing your nose on the street is completely taboo here, yet every Korean spits like they've been chomping on chew the whole day. Literally men in business suits to little old korean ladies hack up spit that could put my little brother to shame. 

- There is a whole age of women that have a name( I can't pronounce or spell it) that means rude. They are all pushing 60 and don't give a crap about anyone. They will push grown men and little kids alike on the subway. None of them come up above my shoulder but they have the strength of line backers. Maybe it was the time they grew up(Korean war) or something along those lines that gives them the idea that they can be bitches to everyone... no one is quite sure. 

-Korean men don't typically have any facial hair or hair on their arms/legs so the little kids think that some of the guy teachers I work with are freaks of nature and they reach out and pet their arms and legs... pretty funny to watch. 

- Korean's have the best style I have ever seen in my entire life. Especially in the area I live because the people are much wealthier, the sidewalk is like a fashion show. But with everyone. This country does it right. I'm just impressed every where I go. It doesn't look to good for my bank account though...... I'm trying really I am! I haven't bought anything yet. Promise!

- I have learned two words in Korean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thus I use them at every chance I get to make myself not look like such an American. They love it though. You would have thought I had a whole conversation with them, but nope it was just two very poorly pronounced Hello, How are you, and Thank yous.

Ok my brain hurts from teaching all night... give me dirt and feed back! I love and miss everyone. 

xoxo