I have been in Korea for about a month at this point and it seems appropriate to start my digital journal of the experience. I hope you enjoy my recaps of days spent teaching, eating, shopping and wandering.
I made it through a week of training that could be equated to boot camp. Long hours, sleep deprivation and tests, lots of tests were given to me and 150 of my peers. After graduation I hauled off to Incheon, a suburb of Seoul, to get settled and start my first official teaching gig.
At school I teach eight, three hour classes a week to kids ranging from 3rd to 10th grade at varying levels of English ability. The education system in Korea is rather intense and even with school being six days a week and year round, children attend after school academies to accelerate their studies. It is not uncommon for a Korean kid to attend four of more of these after school academies that come all with their own homework and demanding schedules. It's a bit insane to an American, but it's what they do.
As for the seeing the sights, I haven't been out to see as much as I would have liked. Last weekend my friend Lauren, who journeyed with me from WSU, and I went to the Namsan Tower (Seoul Tower). It's a lot like the Space Needle and I will have to go back during the day to really see the city. Next weekend we are going to a Philipino market that takes place every Sunday. We also have a trip to the night market in Dongdaemun on the calendar, where shopping can keep going until 4 or 5 in the morning! How can you not love a city like that?
The shopping here is pretty fantastic. There is nothing I have needed so far that I couldn't find with some determination. A simple trip to the grocery store can be overwhelming though. On a busy Saturday you may have 10 sample girls competing for your attention and trying sell you their specific brand of tofu. It's nuts! Outside of the necessary apartment swag I scored a pair of shoes that fit (no one was as surprised as me), makeup and tights. Many pairs of tights.
As much as I would love to say more I am starting a new book in class tomorrow and would like to get a start on some of the reading. I hope to update this every week or so with pictures and what I have been up to. Now that I have internet at home it shouldn't be as difficult.
I made it through a week of training that could be equated to boot camp. Long hours, sleep deprivation and tests, lots of tests were given to me and 150 of my peers. After graduation I hauled off to Incheon, a suburb of Seoul, to get settled and start my first official teaching gig.
At school I teach eight, three hour classes a week to kids ranging from 3rd to 10th grade at varying levels of English ability. The education system in Korea is rather intense and even with school being six days a week and year round, children attend after school academies to accelerate their studies. It is not uncommon for a Korean kid to attend four of more of these after school academies that come all with their own homework and demanding schedules. It's a bit insane to an American, but it's what they do.
As for the seeing the sights, I haven't been out to see as much as I would have liked. Last weekend my friend Lauren, who journeyed with me from WSU, and I went to the Namsan Tower (Seoul Tower). It's a lot like the Space Needle and I will have to go back during the day to really see the city. Next weekend we are going to a Philipino market that takes place every Sunday. We also have a trip to the night market in Dongdaemun on the calendar, where shopping can keep going until 4 or 5 in the morning! How can you not love a city like that?
The shopping here is pretty fantastic. There is nothing I have needed so far that I couldn't find with some determination. A simple trip to the grocery store can be overwhelming though. On a busy Saturday you may have 10 sample girls competing for your attention and trying sell you their specific brand of tofu. It's nuts! Outside of the necessary apartment swag I scored a pair of shoes that fit (no one was as surprised as me), makeup and tights. Many pairs of tights.
As much as I would love to say more I am starting a new book in class tomorrow and would like to get a start on some of the reading. I hope to update this every week or so with pictures and what I have been up to. Now that I have internet at home it shouldn't be as difficult.
