Thus It Begins

Much missed family and friends, I welcome you to South Korea!!, that is...through my perspective. I am unendingly sorry that this is but my first blogging attempt, but in my defense I continue to transition here in Seoul. After three days, Jasmine and I haven't even been given the opportunity to move into our own apartment space, if that is any indication. Presently we stomach living in the smallest of studio apartments, with all the coziness of a discarded sardine tin. It's not all that bad, but assuredly we reside within feet of each other at all times. "Hakunamatata" (I apologize to those of you who aren't used to hearing my lame "elementary-school teacher talk" and subsequent reciprocal quotes, though they will probably reveal themselves more and more now that I finally am one...rockin'!!), for we seem to be a fairly tolerant people, us Wisconsinites...Jasmine and I. So here's to us, and here's to you, You-Ra-Ra-Wis-con-sin!

Aaand moving forward, before you decide never to read what this awkward mind has in store for the next year to come :) Let us commence at the beginning, with a concise history of sorts:

Almost a year's time has passed since Jasmine and I had the fated drunken conversation in, what I would consider, one of Merrill's finest pubs - The Arena (oy oy!!). "Can you really picture yourself settling for a long-term teaching position here in the United States so soon after graduation?", I inquired, though with speech substantially more slurred. "Not a snowball's chance in hell...let's go forth and teach in South Korea!!", concludes Jasmine, with a tone of intoxicated elation. I'm probably making this up, but that being the short and skinny of it all, we then searched out job opportunities and recruiting companies since that time. We were originally offered a position at an English Village named Paju, one of a few others, all part of a 97 billion dollar governmental effort to educate children within the environs of South Korea, rather than having them travel abroad (ridiculous insanity, I know). Fortunately we were eventually denied this offer due to budget cuts. We were fortunate in this regard because language camps in South Korea focus majoritively on the idea that learning English can be achieved through amusement park-esque "dance whitey dance" spectacles. This was all back in September. Throughout the months of autumn, we patiently posted our teaching resumes on online ESL websites, knowing that many would respond to our inquiries (there are literally thousands of "hogwons", privately owned language schools, in South Korea...sadly, many of very poor quality). We turned down many offers, and in the end were given an opportunity to teach at a school called the Sullivan School in Seoul, South Korea. We were very lucky to have gotten this job (not kidding)...we've only recently discovered this. Apparently there were hundreds of applications, many of them repeat attempts. Sullivan School offers one of the highest salaries with all of the usual amenities (round-trip airfare, health insurance, room & board), but focuses largely on education rather than profit, like so many others. I am unequivocally thrilled to have landed this job!

Now that you understand a little about the events leading up to where I am, an explanation quite abridged in fact (it was a long road...), thus it begins.

There is no doubt I feel like a stranger in this country. One of the most difficult things I've encountered is the lack of social acknowledgment here. From what I understand, it is traditionally a very hierarchical culture, and by being a foreigner I've not yet established my status within society. What this means is that when I walk down the street in a city of 10 million people, I am briefly stared at, but otherwise ignored entirely. I've often daydreamed of strolling down the street nude, in the hopes that someone would pay attention to me...if only a friendly nod (however, in this make-believe situation they'd probably be politely nodding at me as an attempt to get me to cover my unmentionables...) This is not to say that South Koreans are not a friendly people, it's just that they've been raised to ignore outsiders until they've established some kind of relationship with you. I've met many fantastic Koreans so far, number one being my boss (Marie). She's an astounding woman with a huge heart.

Another doozy of a surprise is the way in which Koreans compose themselves in traffic. I think I've concluded that they're just handed a driver's license at a certain age without further questioning or examining. It's really just mass chaos on the streets of Seoul...not to mention the sidewalks. Automobiles definitely have the right of way over pedestrians. Motorcycles and mopeds have free-reign anywhere and everywhere in the city, and they honestly don't give a shit where you're standing - you had better move. It's frightening!, but I think I'll grow used to it quickly.

OK, it's late...I'm still jet-lagged, and I need to prep for orientation and first day on Friday. The parents will be arriving with students, and then will dutifully observe as I teach their children who speak little or no English. Did I go to school for this?! Yeah, who cares...this is going to be amazing!!

I'm looking forward to a stupefying year. Much love to all of you...