I was going to do all of these big blog posts on my apartment, my job, the food, etc. but I got lazy and busy... I started my online class on Monday so free time is spent studying and I'm exhausted by the time I get home from work around 7pm. So I thought it would be best to do a simple Q&A blog post so I don't have to keep answering the same questions over and over...not that I don't love talking to all of you back in the States. But skype and facebook time is limited until the end of July due to my class : (
1. What was your first impression of Korea?
All of my students ask me this. I wrote this before. I bawled my eyes out. Seeing the place I was born for the first time was extremely emotional. I really really wanted my parents to be here with me or another adoptee for this momentand I felt like a complete idiot crying alone on the airplane. So first impression - emotional. Other first impressions... There's a gazillion neon lights. The air smells weird, almost like fish. It's odd to be surrounded by Asians. The weather is way too hot. I could never drive here. The landscaping for the most part is absolutely gorgeous. And overall...it's scary and surreal.
2. How is your apartment?
I am, for the most part, happy. I've experienced living in a crappy college house and I expected a lot worse than what I got. I'm not in a tiny one room studio like most teachers. The apartment is pretty big - a 3 bedroom with 1.5 bathrooms, a kitchen, big living room, and my room is bigger than the average college apt bedroom. It was furnished with everything but bedding and cable but using other people's blankets are kinda creepy and I don't watch TV anyway. The weirdest things are that I don't have an oven and they don't use shower curtains here very often. My favorite part is the rooftop with a view of the whole city. I also have a roommate named Liz who is the other English teacher at Samsung. I've never lived with a complete stranger but it has been working out great and it is good to have someone to hang out with.
3. How do you like your job?
I LOVE IT. Plain and simple. I am no longer an Applebee's bitch working for 8% tips in a dirty and stressful environment. The worst part of my job is waking up at 5am to be to work for my 6:30 class and don't get home until almost 7pm but ehhh, I can make the most of my day by waking up early. I teach strictly conversational English to adults. My youngest student is 22 and my oldest...maybe in his 50's? My students are very helpful and kind and make me laugh everday. I can talk about anything and have real conversations. I can follow a book, develop my own lessons, whatever I want. No grading papers,exams. Best ESL job EVER.
The campus is gorgeous. Picture a really nice college campus with coffee shops, convienince store, bookstore, cafeteria, library, and big buildings. Add in a super high tech gym for $40/3 months, water fountains, exquistite landscaping, airport-like security, really really good food and a ton of Koreans and you've got Samsung.
4. Wait, you work for Samsung?
Yes...Samsung as in the electronics companies that make your TV's, cell phones, cameras, etc. Samsung as in Korea's #1 corporation. Yes, it's fricken sweet.
5. Did you get jet lag?
Nope....stay up 24+ hours straight and sleep when it's night at your destination and you can successfully avoid jet lag. Well, at least I did.
6. How is the food?
As many of you know, I have developed my love for Korean food a long time ago when I started going to Korean churches. Is it weird eating rice at every meal? Yes. Do I crave American food? Definitely. But it's nice not eating greasy fried food and Korean food has tons of veggies which I love too. I made it to try (almost) every food thrown at me with the exception of live things and so far I only spit one thing out. Fermented raw fish. Just. Don't. Do. It. But sighhhh, I just want some cheese and Downtown Brown.
7. Do people try to speak to you in Korean?
Conversations normally go something like this:
Real Korean Person (RKP): blah blah blah blah Korean stuff I don't understand...
Me: Hangook mal mo tayo (butchering of "I don't speak Korean" in Korean)
RKP: look of confusion and not understanding
Me: I'm sorry but I can't speak Korean.
RKP: But you looks Korean???!!?
Me: Uhhhh ...adopted.
RKP: Indonesia?? Phillipine??
Me: Uhh...Miguk saram. (American) mm...gyopo (Korean who doesn't live in Korea)
RKP: ahhh ha ha ha
8. Have you met any cute guys?
I've adopted the American view point. All us Asians look the same. Kidding kidding...of course there are cute guys but do I have the A.Ability, B. Time, C. Balls to talk to them? Heck no.
9. Are you going to search for you birthfamily while you're there?
This is answered in-depth in a previous post. Short answer: Maybe. I'll try but it's not my biggest priority for multiple reasons. Again, if you are bored enough to go back and read...I think it's in a blog post about the movie Tangled.
10. What's the weirdest thing about Korea?
Almost all of the guys carry some version of the man purse, which are often nicer than the purses I own, and I look like a freak of nature carrying around my Northface backpack at work because it looks "heavy and big." Really people...what else am I supossed to carry textbooks in??
11. What are some things you want to do while you're in Korea?
-Hang out with Hyunwoo lots
-Volunteer at an orphanage
-Mud Festival (tickets already booked ^ ^ )
-See a Korean drumming performance
-Korean fan dancing lesson
-Beach!!!!
-Explore my birthplace, Incheon
-See a K-pop concert
-Watch a pro Korean baseball game
-Learn Korean
-Get my hair permed again
-Apply for grad schools
and the list goes on...
Any more questions? Comment, facebook me, skype me... but I think these are the most general questions I get asked the most.
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