Tuesday, November 06, 2007. One down...51 more to go...The end of my first week.

Hey all! My first week is officially over. I survived relatively unscathed. I am in love with Korea now. That's not to say I haven't had my share of second thoughts since I've been here. I have never had to know myself outside the context of my friends and family. Its a real experience seeing who I am on my own. I live alone. I eat alone. I sleep alone. That's a whole lot of alone and I fancy myself quite the social person so this is taking a little getting used to. I'm going on a sort of retreat this weekend with all the other teachers from my province. We're headed to JeJu Island which is off the Southernmost tip of Korea and is supposed to look like Hawaii. Its a free trip and English will be spoken...I am sooo there. One of the teachers here is from Texas too and she found me on Facebook. We're going to be looking for each other this weekend on Jeju so wish me luck. All of the teachers in the city closest to me live in the same apartment complex and travel together and hang out and stuff. I'm hoping to find Meagon and meet these people to see where the fun for people my age is hiding. I am trying my damnedest to learn Korean. We're up to...

Please

Thank You

How are you?

I am fine.

Hello.

You're Welcome.

You're pretty.

....Not bad for a few days of study. I ride to school with the security guard from the school next to my apartment and yesterday he presented me with a book he bought me to help learn Korean. He was so impressed with himself and the gift he got for me. Could've been the cutest thing I have ever seen. I officially start teaching next week. This week I've just been hanging out and observing. I've co-taught with a few of the teachers to help with pronunciation and syntax. I am officially the coolest kid on the block because I speak English. Everyone here LOVES America and all things to do with it. Everyday when I come to school that look at my clothes and make-up. When I listed to music the all come and ask what it is and how they can get it. They've all been soooo nice. More on my Korean adventure later!