Adjustments

Erin again with another update...we're alive and well in our new city. I think this year is going to be very very different from last year. We've had a few bumps to work out as we get set up, but nothing too big. We are thinking that our landlady went through the Korean war and has become a pack-rat because of it. (Yes Amy, I think she would even beat your pack-rat tendancies) Our one room apartment had a piano in it and was full of horrible plastic-like blankets and broken pots and pans. The blankets took up the limited closet space and while a piano is nice, it is highly impractical when it is such a little room. We asked her to move it along with all the other junk (perhaps to her own apartment?)...to which she said that there was no other room. Our contact at school was kind enough to reason with her and we now only have a few of her storage items in our place. Apparently this is quite typical in Korea.

The other hiccup that I'm dealing with is getting lost. Blake and I worked at the same school last year and our classes were beside each other. This year I have to take the bus and he walks to school. I know it's pathetic because so many other couples never even have the chance to work together, but I really miss him. I rely on him in so many ways, but his gift for direction entirely compensates for my incompetence in this area. I can never tell you which way is north or south and I constantly get turned around and confused. I follow Blake like a puppydog as we navigate around the city. Now I'm on my own and I hate it! I got lost going home from school last night and couldn't find my way to school this morning. I still don't know how to get home! I'll have to sit down with google earth once we get internet hooked up at home and try to make sense of it. Last night when I was trying to get home it was pouring rain and I had no umbrella. I knew I was really close to home and probably could have made it had I searched a little longer, but Blake had felt prompted to come look for me in the pouring rain. I can't express the relief it was to see my man come to rescue me! I felt like such a damsel in distress awaiting my knight in shining armour to rescue me. I am so thankful for him!

Teaching is going pretty well. The students are very low level English and nothing like what we experienced last year. I am the only foreign teacher at school and the other Korean teachers seem nice and friendly, but many are hesitant to talk to me. The kids are pretty funny and some are just so desperate to interact with me, but can't figure out what to say so they just bang their hands on their heads (which is typical when you're frustrated). Other kids will just yell out any English words they know like 'hamburger' and 'hi!' Hilarious at this point. I think we're getting the true 'ESL' experience now.

Jenn and Jordan are still stuck at home in Canada because of the visa situation. They have another flight booked for Wednesday and are hoping the visa will come through by then. We are eagerly anticipating their arrival!