Although I have been in Korea for just over two days, it is truly hard to believe that this is really happening--I have just moved 7,000 miles away from home and I think I'm going to LOVE it! The flight from San Francisco took over eleven hours, which left me lots of time to ponder what things would be like in Seoul and at SFS. From the moment my 747 touched down at Incheon Airport, my brain has been working overtime as it tries to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of my new home. I breathed a sigh of relief as I cleared customs and was promptly met by an excited group of administrators and volunteers from SFS. The ride into the city from the airport revealed lush green hillsides, stretches of sand scattered with boats waiting for the tide to come back in, and lots of buildings. My first impressions told me that any ideas I previously had about Korea were probably going to be challenged and replaced.
That first night I saw little of the campus and was relieved to get to my apartment. Minutes after dropping my suitcases on the floor, the emotions that I had skillfully avoided at the airport decided to unleash. There I was, standing in the middle of my new apartment, crying my eyes out. This place is quite different from my posh, bright, new apartment in Spokane. None-the-less, it won't take long for me to make my mark on the space. Here are a few photos of my new home...D21:
My kitchen...What to fill all of those cupboards with?!
Cozy living room
Teeny, tiny bathroom...I couldn't even fit in there to photograph the rest! Yes, that is a periodic table shower curtain:).
The "study" equipped with LOTS of closet space!
The bedroom is separated from the study by rice paper sliders. Asian chic!
Since that first night, those wicked emotions have not returned and I'm finding myself having an absolute blast here. Yesterday saw us walking down the backside of the hill to Severance Hospital for our check-ups. We passed through Yonsei University on our way, and all I can say is WOW! The university is old, beautiful, and charming...unfortunately no photos yet but I plan to go exploring there again soon. Later in the afternoon we grouped up with some veterans and wandered around the Yonhi Dong neighborhood that surrounds the campus. Here are a few of the neighborhood sights...
Buildings in Seoul
This is what you get for approximately $120 at the grocery store. Ouch!
Today we finally got to tour the campus (sure, wait until AFTER I've wandered around aimlessly trying to find building X or room Y!!). While a bit confusing at first, the campus is lovely. Take a look...
One of two Korean gates on campus
Several of the school buildings
View of Seoul from the rooftop of the F building.
Playing field and high school building from above
Second Korean gate...pretty cool huh?!
Inside the main gym
What you've all been waiting for...the inside of a science classroom. Awesome!
While the campus itself is impressive, the best part hands down are the people I've met so far. Today I sat with a Frenchman who is married to a South African woman (they married just days before arriving in Seoul), two ladies from London (one of which was born in Korea), a Parisian who has taught in Korea for the last two years, and several girls from the States who are also embarking on their first teach abroad adventure. Some couples have taught in all corners of the world--Venezuela, Turkey, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bolivia, Mumbai...the list could go on and on! Tonight as I attended a dinner at the headmaster's home I could see how easily this group has begun to form into a community and it is so exciting to see how we'll all grow over the course of our time here. More from Korea soon...
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