The First Day - Post Nap

Eyes open.
It's 11:30am and I have been sleeping for about 3 and a half hours. Time to shower and get ready to meet a few of my fellow teachers.
At 12:30 the doorbell rings and it's Meghan. My lifeline to understanding the role I'm about to take on. Amanda, a seasoned veteran and Kelly, another new teacher complete the crew for the day's outing.

First, it's time for food. We find a small Korean restaurant and Amanda helps us order our first meal. In the US it would probably cost around $10 for the amount of food on the plate, but luckily it's only about $4.50. Very nice! And it's a fabulous pork dish which unfortunately at the time of posting I can't remember the name, it starts with a d. I try kimchi. Hmm...they say it's an acquired taste...time will tell.
Meghan and Amanda give Kelly and I a crash course in Korean living from how people react to North Americans to the school to nightlife. It's a lot of information, but it's great to know up front.

Next it's time to conquer the complex subway system. Google the Seoul Metropolitan Subway and you'll see what I mean. Luckily with my previous european adventure, I have some experience navigating the subway and with Meghan and Amanda's help, Kelly and I feel comfortable finding our way to the school tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.

After riding the subway, we got off in an area with a small marketplace that was packed with people. As we perused the pedestrian avenue we were pulled aside by a news crew that wanted to film us answering questions about world conditions etc. We're not sure what station they work for but it seems pretty amazing that Kelly and I are in Korea for less than 24 hours and already making the news...he he he.

Other highlights from the walk include 4 guys entertaining us by explaining the process of turning honey into this hairlike material that is a wonderful snack. The process can be explained in English or Korean and each worker knows the speech so they even say it in unison and are quite charming. They know Meghan pretty well as they told her repeatedly that they love her.

The walk has come to an end and it's time to reconquer the subway, take a quick detour to see where the school is, and head back to the hotel.
At this point, I feel like it may not be that hard to adjust to the time difference as I am ready to head back to sleep at what seems to be a normal time. It's been a fantastic first day in Korea and I am more than excited to learn the streets, the language, and the people of this country.