Land of the Morning Calm

I finally made it to Korea! I've been here a few days but I will document the first few days that I was here. These were taken from my facebook blog/emails.

May 23, 2009
I am finally here in the Land of the Morning Calm. I left yesterday, or whenever on May 22. I left the airport and said goodbye to my family and left for Chicago. Being a holiday, it was pretty crowded but I was able to make my way around. I boarded the plane, which was very crowded and was on my way to Korea. The flight was really, really, really...long. I sustained myself by sleeping, watching two or five movies and eating the meals. I flew Korean Air, so the flight attendants were really good about bringing hot towels, food and drinks. The only thing is, that it was really hot, but maybe Koreans have less body heat or something. The two girls next to me had on blankets. I arrived at Incheon Int'l Airport and had to fill out a Quarantine Form as well as get a scan. There is a huge paranoia about the epidemic formerly known as "Swine Flu", which is called Influenza A or something here or H1N1. I think the paranoia is even bigger in Japan because Japanese tourists came wearing masks. I'm not kidding either. So I had to go through immigration and then I met Eun Ju, Theresa and her husdband Tony. It was really good to see them and they were there to meet me and give me a ride to the hotel. I called my recruiter and as it turns out, there was a change of plans. I tried to search through my brain for the emotion called surprised but couldn't find it. Korea is a lot different than say, Germany, where people's days are planned to the leather. So we came to a different hotel. It actually works out spifftacular because I have a room to myself and I don't have to have a roommate! Thank God! Or as Madea would say, "Hallelujer" I took a shower and then the four of us went to a Traditional Korean Restaraunt to eat. I had some spicy soup. For desert there is this cider drink that is traditional in Korea I think. Then afterwards Eun Ju and I went to "play" around the town. Being downtown in the chic district of Gangnam, the nightlife was bustling. Like, I mean I really couldn't believe it. Whereas in other places of the world, everything is closed by 9 or 10, things are still busy then. It felt like it was the middle of the afternoon because there were so many people. Nightlife in Korea isn't just necessarily bars and nightclubs. People here shop, shop, shop. Stores are super crowded and the movie theaters are even more packed. In fact, you sometimes may have to make reservations for hot movies a day in advance. Eun Ju and I went to a cafe, Paris Baguette to have PatBingSu, which is a delicious Korean dessert. We said goodbyes and then I slept. I think I have handled jetlag really well! I got up once at three and just layed there and was up again at around 6 or 7. I had breakfast (Eun Ju and I bought my breakfast while shopping the night before) and cleaned a little as well as took care of some emails.

May 24, 2009
I am in my hotel room right now. The hotel room has a tv, fridge, bathroom, bed and a bunch of nice free things. It is super small, but that's okay. I am doing some work right now, I have to look over a bunch of grammer things to prep for tomorrow before training. Its interesting because I find that I don't understand a lot of the rules, because English is my first language. But once I translate some of the English words to German, (because the grammar of English and German is similar) the lightbulb in my brain turns on! I will go shopping today with Eun Ju. I will look around for cell phones and take my cell phone with and ask. (I got a call that day from my recruiter saying that training was canceled and to sit tight. Luckily I know people here or I might've gone crazy!) I went to Eun Ju's house for dinner and to spend time with her and her sister and mom. Btw, Eun Ju is my host sister from 10 years ago. It's hard to believe that its been 10 years (1999) since I was in Korea for the first time.

May 25, 2009
Hi Dad,
No, I don't think the flu is actually spreading, but I am not 100% sure. There is a huge concern and I was called by the central office asking about my health. I told them that I was fine. We all have to get a physical tomorrow, as policy of the company. As for today, I went hiking with Eun Ju's mom and Eun Ju's dad came home. He was very kind and most hospitable and told me that his home was mine. He told me to come back later that evening to spend the night. I thanked him a lot. Eun Ju's mom and I then went to the hotel to wait for Soon Oak. I met Soon Oak and her husdband. She told me that she just got married last November. I was really surprised and thought that she was just kidding. We went to her and her husdband's place and it was really nice. Afterwards we headed for a place to have dinner with her and her family. FYI: I videotaped a little bit of it, but I had to be discreet in naming the sisters. Although the sisters all know, their husdbands are unaware of E's (my sister) existence. I will have to show you a picture of them, we took a picture later. When I saw the youngest sister, I thought it really looked like E. Not a carbon copy, necessarily, but really, really similar. Her personality though, is not like E's. We then went home and waited for the second oldest sister to come home. I'm really , really tire so I'll teld more tomorrw. Btw, is North Korea on the news? Its been the only thing on the news today, as well as the Japanese news and I saw that it was on a bit of the American news, but I don't have full access to the news back home?

Write tomrorw more,

Andrew

NOTE: I waited that day for E's second bio-sister to come home. She seemed a little quiet and was a little hard to talk to, unlike the other siblings. I was so tired that night I came back to the hotel and crashed.

May 26, 2009
I got a new phone!! I went with Soon Oak to get a phone. It's a really, really sweet phone. Companies here give there phones names like April or Autumn, Icecream or Lollipop. I got the icecream phone. It lights up in the front and makes sounds that are funny and not unlike those heard at the casino. It can write in both Korean and English and I think that Rubie would really love this phone. Two words to describe it: Colorful and Cheerful. The model is LG-LU1600. It can make international phone calls. Oh and it allows me to watch tv too, listen to radio, look at a subway map and go on the internet. It takes pictures and video. I guess the only thing it doesn't do is cook! lol. I will send pics of it once my computer has access to the internet. Also, here is my phone number if you are in Korea: 010-2475-xxxx. And now about me. Yesterday I went with Soon Oak to the doctor. We are required by the company to get a physical. Even though I got one in the U.S. and many others had to pass one to get their teaching visas, the company only trusts the Korean doctors' word, I guess. The process actually went fast. I had to do a blood test, urine test, interview, blood pressure/weight measurement, and xray. I was literally in and out for each of my stops. Its really efficient and I was probably out within a half hour. Afterwards I went to dinner with Soon Oak and her friends. We had Korean BBQ. Then I went home. Btw, Korean phones here are really advanced.

May 27, 2009
So far I've taken it easy today. It's really hot, so I've stayed in my room and read and watched t.v. I will go to dinner with Soon Oak later. We will meet at the Coex Mall. There is this map, that's an interactive map. It's like an iPhone, where you touch the screen and you can get directions that way. The Koreans thought it was normal, but I'm like, "whoa". Tomorrow I'm supposed to see the rest of the host family and spend some time with them.