No Longer a "Lost Girl!"

I'm too excited to build up to this: I went to the Coatel and back all by myself!!! People who are confused by this excitement should know that I am *terrible* about finding my way around - and I've been especially self conscious since being in Korea. It took me a bit to find the subway station near Suji - I got to the building okay, but had a hard time locating the entrance. Still not sure I could do it again without having to look around first; however, the station map itself is really easy to follow. I'm especially grateful that the signs indicate not only the station name, but which station is next (and which one the train is coming from).

I'm so glad I struck out on my own - I had so much fun with Anna, Christi, and the rest of the small percentage of that GINORMO training group! I've decided that it should be a rite of passage for training groups to go to Dr. Fish - yes, that means I even found *that* (shocking, I know - I had help from Anna :)). It's a great bonding experience, plus it's so much fun. Didn't eat a fish this time =p But I did experience the "other pond" - I like that the fish are bigger, but they didn't attack my heels the way the smaller ones did. If I had to go back, I think I'd return to the pool with the smaller fish since they seem to be able to read my mind and tell where I most want them to attack.

We also went back to that bibimbap cafe - after eating in Suji for a month, I've decided that place is expensive! We can get good bibimbap here for like 4000 KRW, whereas my mushroom bulgogi bibimbap was 8500 at the place in Seoul. So glad I wasn't placed there - everything is so much more expensive.

This week flew for me, but I can imagine that it crawled for everyone at the Coatel. So glad that Anna and Christi made it through :). I'm not sure if training really is that stressful, or if we build it up too much in our minds. If it's the latter, then do we do that to ourselves, or is it something we've inherited from those who have already been through training? Did I make Anna and Christi's week harder because I went on about how awful training was? I also noticed that males and females attack training differently. We get all stressed out and blow things up (see above ;)), whereas guys take it in stride - or, if they do stress, they stress much more hardcore than we do. I just remember the males at our training acting like it was no big deal, and not even seeming to prep. The guys we have here were confused as to how people didn't sleep that week. Maybe they are right - maybe training isn't that big of a deal (well, not that you shouldn't blow it off, but that you shouldn't make too big of a deal of it all).

The whole "If I knew then what I knew now" concept is quite dizzying. As stated in previous entries, this is a *really* easy teaching job. This semester will be especially awesome for me - I have mostly English Chip and Bridge (odd because I was told upon hiring that I'd be teaching more higher level classes). I'm excited about my Alba+ class because the topics seem to be more open for discussion than what was presented in Alba (sidenote: can anyone explain to me how "Albatross" fits in with the golf terms?).

Goodbye Training....

I should probably write entries as things happen, or at least make a list of what to write about later, because time goes by and I completely forget about what That Moment was like.

I did have my first experience of American food in Korea. Near the training center was a McDonalds, and I went with one guy (Andrew, actually - he seems to feature in the adventure that was training). I was really curious as to how they serve American food, as I know that we tend to botch dishes from other cultures (New York style Chinese - that's all I have to say ;)). I had a bulgogi burger, which was a lot like moist pork. Definitely something that is missing from the Mickey's menu in America. It smelled just as bad as American McDonald's though. The other days, I stuck to the kimbop and dumplings place a few blocks down.

The rest of training was a blur. Tuesday night was definitely the worst (well, not counting my breakdown on Thursday night, but thanks to people named Andrew and Ed, it didn't end in tragedy (tragedy in this case being failing training and having to move back to America - yes, I know there are worse things)). Wednesday night, we went through this huge moment of "Screw it," and went to Lotte Mart for Korean bbq supplies. That was the first night I've actually made it to dinner - usually, I was either too busy or done with food for the day. I think all training groups go through that - the first night of complete anxiety because we have no clue what to prep, and then the second night of going, "Eh, we got this".

Fortunately, a group of April teachers cornered their trainer who admitted that unless Chungdahm had a Talk with you, you were in good shape to pass - bar any instances of showing up to final mock day inebriated, or just saying, "Yeah, I didn't prep this - let's talk about bunnies". I imagine that this moment involved a dark corner and boards with nails driven through - if I'm wrong, please don't correct me.

For those who are coming to Chungdahm later this year: the last day just involves being tested on a few class schedules they give you on the last day, and mock teaching the lessons you've been mock teaching all week. Pretty much, I think they're just looking to see if you've learned anything. I'll reassure you now, if you make a huge mistake (like if you do something like not prep the in-class quiz for answer justification.........no, that wasn't me at all ;)) but pretty much show that you have improved from your worst moments earlier in the week, you've got it. The fine-tuning is something that'll happen at your actual school - I've already been over with my Head Instructor the things I need to work on, and from what I've gotten from my coworkers, everyone pretty much sucks their first week, but it's easy to pick up on the stuff and improve.

The actual contract signing was very anti-climactic. My Chungdahm recruiter (who is different from my Aclipse recruiter) sat me down and asked how I thought training went. I was pretty honest (I even said that I wish Aclipse knew more about the training materials so I was better prepared - a small shoutout to Sean :)). Pretty much, I signed the same contract that they issued a month ago, and was told that my taxi would be there in 40 mins. We were all busy signing contracts during that last hour, so there was really no big goodbye.... I was actually the first one to realize it was time to leave..

Long cab ride later, and.....Suji.

Unlike previous promises of annotated picture posts, my day one in Suji post will actually come soon..

"Eat My Foot, Fish!"

Day one of training brought together sixteen of us! I had no clue there were this many CDI teachers in the hotel - I guess we're all just really good at hiding from each other. Training was short - just an introduction to how the rest of training will go, and the taking of The Big Scary Test. Totally passed - despite my panic attack when I realized that I hadn't studied *anything* about the history. Definitely don't blow off that part! The reading portion made me realize why my students hate the FCAT so much - the questions do seem "trick" and you're constantly second guessing yourself. My test looked like a weather map when I was done with all of the circles and arrows all over the place.

That first day is also the day trainees go to the health center for screening. Whomever told me that they didn't have to give blood - well, that has definitely changed! They have an awesome system at the center: there are color coded lines on the floor, and you follow one of the lines to your respective part of the hospital. It made getting lost insanely hard (I still managed to do it, but just once...you know, as opposed to each time I had to go to a different station). I won't call him out too much in this blog, but if you're in my training group - all I've got to say is, Brian with his sample cup. ;)

Typed like a madwoman to get to this part. We all went out to lunch (more like "linner" as it was so late) with each other afterwards. A native Korean in our group took us to this Bibimbap place. I think the waiter was insanely relieved to know that a few in the group did speak Korean (I've given up for now - I'm way too overwhelmed with all of the newness). The food here keeps getting better. Not only do they really showcase the flavors to their best advantage, but also the presentation is so nice. The mushroom and bulgogi dish that I got came in this bowl where all of the different vegetables were arranged like a color wheel with the meat in this neat little circle in the center. Didn't get a picture - at that point, I wasn't comfortable enough with the group to admit that I am definitely *that person* who wants to photograph everything ;)

Afterward, eight of us went to see Dr. Fish. If you're also stalking my gallery, this is where I brought out the camera. The coffee was just as overpriced as in America, but "the rest" ;) was just 2000 won (equivalent of $2). After coffee and a long wait, we were taken up to this platform, washed our feet, and then stuck them into the best foot spa EVER. Well, I make that sound much less eventful than it actually was: after washing their feet, the guys stuck theirs right in - the girls, however, sat for a bit in this awkward position with our feet poised above the water as if we were never going to see our feet again.

Imagine those old gangster movies in which a body is dangled above a piranha tank - the fish swarm around, gnashing at each other as they wait for their meal. Well, replace those scary piranha with a bunch of fish that looked like minnows' relatives, and that's about what it was like. Yes, we were afraid of minnows - I'll say it =p. After sticking in our feet with some awesome facial expressions (totally captured Lydia's and Steve's on camera), these tiny doctor fish swarm around and chow down on all of the dead skin. They were like monsters - and definitely couldn't get enough of our nasty heel crusts. I experienced both tanks and definitely liked the one with a ton of tiny fish better than the one with the bigger fish - the tickling sensation was more pleasant than "ahhh!!". Anna, you will be glad to know that afterwards, we did wash our feet again and treat them with an anti-bacterial rub. For the rest of the night, we were all so incredibly aware of our feet. Totally doing this again :)

Fashion / Hello From Home

Everyone who advised to bring trendy clothes were so right: Korean ladies are so freaking chic. Walking around here is like being treated to a constant fashion plate - with as efficient as these people are, I'm so not surprised that the girls get up an hour early to be sure they look slammin' on the streets. Their hair is always perfect, and Korean ladies have the most beautiful shoes. The guys are pretty trendy, too - especially with their haircuts. Totally puts a shame to the way American guys style their hair: either clippers, or totally forget to use the scissors/soap period..

Someone on the Aclipse forum made a pretty snooty comment about how Korean women don't wear purple. Being the snot that I am, I'm keeping tally, and have officially reached the double digits. These women totally rock the purple - which they should, with their pretty white skin and dark hair. Wearing purple today to Training, Day 1 just to savor the moment.

I've been digging to the bottom of my suitcase each day to find my trendiest looking clothing so I "fit in" as well as I can with my short haircut and completely un-Asian features. Saturday was this cute little red dress with black leggings and boots; yesterday, I completely rebelled against the whole dark-clothing thing and wore blue jeans and a white sweater. At one point last night, I stood up and one of the rocks from my windowsill back home fell out of my shirt. It was awesome - like a little "Hello!" from home, or a bit of good luck for today's tests. The rock is now sitting on my bedside table, and I think it's going to spend training in my pocket.

I've Survived....So Far..

Hello from Seoul, South Korea! Unlike previously feared, I am not the only person in training. To borrow words from a fellow trainee, we are the most mismatched, eclectic group of people, but somehow it works. My hotel roommate is from Canada, and we've bonded over Degrassi and their awesome healthcare system. The two boys are both from the northeast and have bonded over the supporting opposing baseball teams. My only experience with northeastern baseball is the episode of Sex and the City in which Carrie dated the "new Yankee". But I think I'll keep that contribution to myself.

We'll get the obvious out of the way: Seoul is GIGANTIC. It is also insanely quiet and very clean for a city of this size - which I'm sure is due not only to the diligent street workers, but also the general politeness of the people...I bet Koreans just don't litter. I still haven't figured out the whole politeness/insane road rage connection with Koreans, but am sure it must relate to the whole big-city life. I think what makes traffic work in Korea is that after they get cut off by someone, or almost rear end another, they move on and don't hold a grudge. This would never happen in America - we're famous for following people back to their houses and letting them know just how much we don't appreciate their changing lanes without signaling. If Americans drove like Koreans, there would be many many more vehicular homicides.

One of my training buddies became an exploring buddy when we ventured out twice to get the lay of the land (and by "the land", we mean "the block around the hotel"). We got lost twice - the first time, I tried asking directions using my Pimselur-gained Korean, but I think all that resulted from that conversation was both of us understanding that the hotel was not at that particular restaurant, and that I speak awful Korean. There are American-restaurants EVERYWHERE. Despite being in a foreign country and feeling obligated to experience the food that this culture offers, I am kind of curious as to what they consider "American" food and kind of want to try it. I bet they are much closer than we are at our attempts at ethnic food. I did watch a commercial for a local Outback and saw that their shrimp were completely shell-intact. I'm kind of wary of that - do you cut off the heads and peel off the shell, or do you eat it whole? My only experience in a restaurant here tells me that Koreans have no problem explaining how the food works. Exploring buddy and I went to this Vietnamese place and needed a bit of instruction as to what to do with all of the various spices and sauces served with our Pho. The waiter flat out told me not to put the spicy peppers into my soup, which I totally appreciated. I did try a bit of the red pepper sauce and made a totally fantastic face. Thank goodness for rice noodles.

Posted some new stuff in my gallery - will make a post later explaining some of the shots (although, some do a good job of that on their own)..