Moving is Settled.

We're settled! We're moving!

So, we do think that we will be moving ultimately. Our co-teachers and principles seem to think it's a better choice. Especially because S.M.O.E (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) will be paying for the fees to make that happen. While we'd probably be fine with the set up it is true that one apartment will be cheaper. We looked at an apartment today. Still within walking distance, infact we walked there today. It's three rooms, the kitchen is fairly large (at least larger than our old kitchen on Grant Ave), and the bathroom is HUGE (comparatively). There's a real tub! Anyway, we need to wait for those people to move out and for people to rent our current rooms. We'll let you know how that goes.

In the meantime we've both been going to school everyday. Jamie has actually been able to be in his classrooms, saying hello to students and introducing himself to them. Shannon on the other hand has been relegated to a desk to make lesson plans. A particularly difficult task considering she's never met the students. However, both of us eat lunch at school in the Teacher's Restaurant/cafeteria (a room or section with no students). Korean food of course. Everyone keeps asking if we like it so we've learned the word for Delicious (No idea about spelling, in either Hangul or English). It's seemed to keep people appeased. It's funny how worried they are about us and eating. We certainly haven't started losing any weight. (doubtful shannon will considering her 30 second walk to school).

Thursday we went for our medical check-up for the Alien Registration Card. Jamie's co-teacher came with us so we didn't even have to mime the phrase, “Pee in a cup” and while that would have been an exciting time, maybe it's better we didn't have to. On Monday we're going to try and go get our alien registration card. Yay! The excitement of bureaucracy! Our poor co-teachers! These women are dealing with all of the logistics of having a foreign english teacher for the first time. But really, thank god for them! We imagine it wouldn't have been as fruitful as calling all the government offices ourselves.

Today at Shannon's school was Foundation day - essentially the school's birthday. The foundation that funds the school is a cosmetics foundation so all the teachers got these huge gift bags with everything from perfume to toothpaste to towels. Later, there was a ceremony acknowledging all the teachers who've worked there for 10, 20 and 30 years and afterward there was teacher “sport day.” We played volleyball. Sort of. The men played the first set of volleyball, the second set was a relay race for the women and then the third set went back to volleyball. However, the third set they had Shannon play on the team. It was fun (albiet awkard). There were no other women playing so not only was everyone staring at me because she's a westerner, but also the only woman playing. Of course she hit the ball and it went completely backwards (you know, she never won ONCE when she played in High School). Anyway, the ball goes completely backward but goes into the basketball net! Hilarious. Everyone clapped. Incidentally we lost the game. (She's got a record to keep)

So, after the game we had to go see the apartment but we came back in time for the dinner. It was hilarious. We walked in (it had been going for about an hour already) and everyone started clapping and cheering for us. There was lots of beer and soju (although we missed both of those things) and raffles. Apparently Shannon won while we were away but they gave her a second chance. She won (again) a gift certificate to the movie theater!

So here we are at the end of week one. We've successfully completed a week of school, made it away and back on the subway, visited our new friend Dave and then our old friend Christina and have potential new housing. Highly productive!

Exciting things about Korea:

For the most part people don't drink things with their meals. As least not when it's korean food. For example, both at the university and at our schools, it's rare to get a beverage when your getting your food. Instead you eat and then when you return your tray you stop and get a drink of water or tea-finish it before leaving the Cafeteria-and then head out. It's not such a bad system-you don't get full drinking soda, but Korean food is Spicy!

In Korea-we're teenage stars! Almost every time we go out there's at least one teenager that nonchalantly walks over to us to say “hi.” Usually the conversation doesn't go much farther as they burst into giggles or laughter and run/walk away. Of course it happens all day at our schools here, but it's a little funnier on the street.