7 / Changes

Hi everyone. Still alive! The past few days have been so busy, it's unbelievable.
I finished up my Orientation and finally moved out to where I'll be teaching and living
for the next few months. Really don't even know where to begin telling about it.

I met a lot of the teachers from my school... Everyone seems very very friendly
and very interested in me. Lol. But all so nice. I can't even believe how wonderful my
mentor teacher and Chenney's have been to us so far. I feel very lucky.

My school is very small, but very nice. I'll hopefully be able to get some pictures or
film of it in a few weeks after I've kind of settled in, but I have an English room
where I'm going to teach specifically. (: It's so cute!

I am getting used to being a foreigner, for the most
part. I'm lucky because sometimes people don't notice I'm not Korean until they really
look into my face, so sometimes I can avoid the awkwardness. Walking around Gunsan
though, people definitely realised pretty quickly that I look different. Hear a lot of
"waygook, waygook" (foreigner, foreigner) when I pass. Though honestly, the people here
are very nice. I have not had a bad experience yet. I'm hoping to learn Korean and
have been trying to use what I know when I'm out, but everyone seems to really dig down
deep to try to speak English to me in the stores. I am not sure if they are trying to be
considerate or just have a little practise, but I don't mind either way. (:

My mentor teacher took myself and Chenney out shopping at the giant Lotte Mart...
Which is like... A store for EVERYTHING. Bought all our apartment supplies & settled
in. Buying groceries here has been a wake-up call. Fruit is outrageously OUTRAGEOUSLY
expensive. Example: A thing of grapes? Eight bucks. Meat is also pretty expensive,
and Western products too. All cereal is around five dollars. I mean, I don't really miss
cereal so it's all right, but I think I know a few people back home who would find that
horrific.

PHOTO BREAK --- Here are some pictures I didn't take from various moments during Orientation. c: Thanks everyone for being such good photographers.

Group 6 being awesome at the talent show. Huge picture, omg.

Giant jajangmyun C: mmm

I believe we were singing Spice Girls.
Ba da ba baaa, ba da ba baaaa, ba da baa, always be togetherrrrrr.
Amy is the best.

In line to kick the crap out of that padded thing.
Look at Justina, she's so fierce.

Steven took a picture of me on the bus, being "reminiscent".
In all likelihood, I was probably just nauseous.

We went to a wax museum.

Me & Che.

My favorite Communist. (:

In lectures, looking surprisingly awake.

Doing the Nut Bush. The Nut Bush, oh yeeahh.

Singing at the Talent Show, accompanied by Daniel.

Being attacked by an Irishman.

Apples to Apples, the Game of Champions.

---


Back to what I was talking about.

I was told peanut butter was going to be ridiculously expensive, too, but I wasn't
prepared for the reality of it. I'm trying not to want it. :c Lol. It's hard. as much
as I enjoy Korean food and really have no problem eating it all the time, when I see
something that reminds me of home I tend to stare a little too long. I wouldn't say that
I'm homesick yet, but every day there are small reminders of how different my life in
Ann Arbor really is. I miss all my friends. I have met a lot of people here that I like
a lot, but you know it's not ever really the same. :p I had my first night alone in my own place
yesterday... I made it through, but I realised how special it is to me to have people I care about share a living space with me. I am a pack animal!

I also miss titi's cooking, oatmeal, No Thai, cuddling, etc. I would probably pay money for someone to cuddle with me right now. So if that sounds appealing to you, come on down to Gunsan. I'll cook for you, too, on my little gas range. You won't be sorry. PS I've been told I sound a little too serious, so here's a disclaimer: I'm kidding. Though there are several people I can think who'd I love to visit anyway. (:

I don't know how I could ever thank Dr. Koh enough for having us make so many lesson plans before we left. I by no means feel ready to teach, but at least I've got an idea of what I want
to do tomorrow! (: Can't believe it's already beginning. I have a feeling that from now on,
my time here is going to be passing even more quickly than it was.

Anyway,
here's an awkward tour of my apartment.