So here I am...

... waking up my second morning in Korea. It is extremely hot and muggy here - I guess I arrived at the beginning of monsoon season. It is already 68 out (at 7:30am) and it is predicted to reach 85. It has rained almost nonstop since I arrived - so much for getting away from it all. =)

My schedule so far has been extremely laid back - I arrived at the village on Saturday evening around 6:45, was given a short tour and shown my room (picture a small motel room with studio apartment-ish appliances added), and began to unpack. I was tired so I called it a night around 10 pm. The only disappointing part of Saturday was that I could not get the internet to work, nor could I find anyone to help me.

I woke yesterday (Sunday) morning to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I quickly threw my contacts in and answered the call - it was my "tour guide," Mike, from the night before - offering to show me around and get me lunch. Wow - it was 11:00 and he woke me up. I told him I'd be ready in half an hour.

First, we went to a Korean version of Starbucks. Maybe this is a bad sign, but it is right across the road from my house. =) I believe the owner may become my new best friend =) Mike introduced me to me Josh - another new teacher who arrived shortly after I did. The three of us went out for lunch about a five minute drive away. Mike and I had tuna kimbab, while our vegetarian friend, Josh, had a large bowl of bibimbap.

After lunch we strolled along the road, stopped inside a bakery and bought bread, and checked out the local "Mom and Pop" store. Fruit here? RIDICULOUSLY expensive! One watermelon? 15,000 won - approximately $15 US dollars. And this is in season. Apples are a buck a piece, tomatoes cost over a buck a piece - ughh! After freaking out about the prices, Mike told Josh and I that it is much cheaper to eat out in Korea. No kidding.

After our mini-excursion, we returned to the village, I finished unpacking and began a list of the items I needed to buy - dish soap, laundry detergent, paper towels, windex, food, toaster oven? (there is no oven in the room - only a hot plate), tape, clock, fan ...

At six, I met about 25 other people from English Village (EV) and we went to a local restaurant. This time we had a different Korean dish - I cannot remember the name. It is like a three course meal. First you start out with a community pot filled with broth, random greens (no kidding - it looks like the servers ran outside and chopped up some of the weeds along the road), mushrooms, and potatoes. We were also given a plate of raw, thinly sliced, beef. The pot was so hot that upon dipping the meat in the water, it cooked instantly. Round two - noodles were added to the pot. Round three - rice and spices were cooked in the pot. fun. Oh yeah - we ate sitting on the floor, cross-legged, with chopsticks. I am really in Korea.

I came home, walked a bit around EV, and spent a couple of hours in my next door neighbor's room (Melissa). She is leaving in a month or so.

I went to bed around 11:30 and here I am this morning. Today, those of us who are new will go to the hospital to get a medical check to officially release us from quarantine. We will then exchange money, set up a bank account, and stop at the local "Walmart" (Emart) for shopping. I then report to work tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1:00. I believe I am on the 1-9pm shift right now.

There you have it - my first couple of days here. It is different. It is hard. It is intimidating. But it is also filled with peace as I know it is God's will.