One of the best things about teaching abroad is getting to celebrate the holidays that are unique to the foreign country you’re living in. China certainly celebrates some interesting traditions. Since it’s September, I’m thinking about the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, which is typically observed in mid to late September, depending on the Chinese calendar, followed by a nation-wide one week vacation that all public schools take in early October. It’s wonderful to celebrate a holiday with a “mandatory” week off. 

Even after two years living in China, I still couldn’t quite figure out exactly what I was celebrating during the festival. Part of the problem is that the holiday is based on a myth that has been re-told many times, so that now there are 5 accepted versions, none of which contain much historical fact. Each myth (all long, slightly complicated tales) involve a charming young woman, a savior disguised as a handsome mortal, some magic elixir, an emperor and a wicked merciless man, of course, right? Like any good fairy tale, the main theme is love. And the end result is that the Autumn Festival remembers the charming young woman’s move to the moon to remember the handsome young man (or savior) whom she loved deeply. Thus, the whole night is meant to be spent staring at the full, round autumn moon, while eating mooncakes. Mooncakes are round pastries, usually 10cm in diameter and 4 cm thick (and VERY dense). They have a thick filling, usually made from lotus seed paste or yolks from salted duck eggs. My friend Caleb, a fellow ESL teacher, once ate an entire package (20 or so) of mooncakes and slept for an entire day-they’re that dense. If you don’t enjoy a lot of salt with your sweets, skip the duck egg version and go for the lotus seed. 

The mooncakes may even hold a significant role in ancient Chinese history. According to legend, the festival commemorates the Ming Dynasty’s victory over Mongol rulers in the 14th century. As group gatherings were banned by the Mongol Dynasty, it was impossible for the rebel leaders to make a plan for rebellion. Noting the Mongols didn’t eat the dense mooncakes that the rest of the Chinese people enjoyed, they came up with a plan to carry messages inside the mooncakes to the rest of the Chinese people, with a message for attack to be carried out on the night of the Mid-Autumn festival. Like a very dense and rich fortune cookie, inside each cake, there was a paper with the message, “Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month.” On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival hence forth was celebrated (and still is) with the eating of mooncakes! 

Another food the Chinese enjoy during the festival are pomelos; they’re like smaller and sweeter grapefruits that originated in Asia. Even though pomelos look just like mini grapefruits, they actually have no botanical relationship. Sometimes people put pomelo rinds on their heads during the festival, and I have yet to figure out why other than it’s a silly thing to do that gets a laugh!

Carrying brightly lit lanterns is also a tradition-a beautiful one. Burning incense for Chang’e (the charming young woman who moves to the moon), planting trees and collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them to your family members are also some of the common traditions associated with this holiday.

Besides eating mooncakes (which are everywhere from August-October throughout each Chinese city and suburb), just looking at the moon and celebrating the start of fall is what I heard about the most while I was there. I was lucky enough to be invited to a fellow Chinese teacher’s home for dinner on the Autumn Moon Festival. I managed to eat half a salted duck mooncake (considered the best because they are more expensive) and was happy to have a view of the very full moon from her beautiful high-rise apartment. Just like any American holiday, it was an excuse to be with family and eat special foods. It was also a way to give thanks to “the gods” for changing the season. With fall being my favorite season, I’ll definitely be looking at the moon this week and thinking of that country across the world that I love so much. I just might skip the mooncakes though…

Want to see a picture of some mooncakes? Check out: www.teachchinawithaclipse.wordpress.com 

There are many unique, cool and perfectly practical reasons to teach English in China, particularly in Beijing, China’s capital city. I loved my experience in Beijing and can think of many reasons why other people should live there too. But one highlight that I suppose is not entirely unique but none the less cool and historically interesting is the chance to visit the Great Wall. Teaching English in Beijing grants you access to many interesting site seeing opportunities, but the Great Wall, no pun intended, may be the greatest of them all. Here are the top 5 reasons I came up with to climb the Great Wall.

1. It’s still here! 

The wall’s construction began in 403 to 201 BC (yes, BC). Although, much of it was extended and reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty, which began in circa 1368 AD, some of it still dates back to that BC date. At it’s peak the “Ming Wall” was guarded by 1 million men; reading about the history is a must before you go. When so much of Beijing is now being reconstructed, torn down and modernized, the wall is still here. The history alone makes it a worthy destination. And if you’re interested in Chinese history, you can’t miss it. Oh and it’s estimated that 2-3 million Chinese died building it. So how can you not see something people gave their lives for that’s filled with history? The answer-you can’t. 

2. Beautiful Views

Did I say beautiful? I meant spectacular. Just google panoramic tour of the Great Wall of China, and you’ll see what I mean. The mountains…The greenery or the snowy landscape, depending on when you’re there, stretches on forever. No wonder it’s rated the 2nd most phenomenal man-made wonder in the world by the top travel writer Howard Hillman (2nd only to the pyramids). People are still arguing over whether it’s the one man-made structure that can be seen from space, but who cares? What’s important is what you’ll see what you climb it and that’s a beautiful view.

3. Fresh air! 

Who says China’s polluted? Ok, just like any industrialized, densely populated country, it does have pollution. But the Great Wall offers an escape to that dirty air. A 4 hour bus ride outside of the city center of Beijing, The Great Wall is a breath of fresh air. 

4. Space

Personal space that is. If you can handle walking a few miles, you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by only a handful of tourists and no large hoards. The more you walk the fewer people you’ll see-so just keep going! In a city of almost 12 million people (with the municipality at 17 million), it’s nice get away for a few hours from the crowds!

5. Exercise

As mentioned in the previous reason, keep walking and you’ll soon find yourself with spectacular views minus the large crowds. But in doing so, you’ll get great exercise and enjoy more fresh air. The great wall is around 4,000 miles long and stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east all the way to Lop Nur in the west and even touches the southern edge of Inner Mongolia! The wall is open to groups of tourists in section, but even those open sections are quite long, making it a healthy walking distance for anyone. 

There are plenty more reasons, but I think some of those you’ll have to discover for yourself. Seeing the Great Wall of China shouldn’t be the reason to teach English in Beijing or any other Chinese city (think of the travel, lifelong friends you’ll make, the kids you’ll connect with and help, and more importantly The Food) BUT it’s certainly one of many exciting and enticing reasons to go teach English in China! 

To see pictures go to www.teachchinawithaclipse.wordpress.com! 

By Dan Jacobson

There were a few lessons that I really loved doing and feel my students in Japan got a lot out of.  Japan has at least three forms to express politeness.  Keigo is about showing that you respect to other people and can be heard frequently in stores and restaurants (though younger people are using it less and less).  Kenjyogo is language you use to make yourself humble.  Teinei represents politeness.  Korean is very similar. 

So why not talk about politeness in English?

A word of warning - this is usually done with pretty advanced students. 

45:00

I usually being by asking which language is more polite - English or Japanese.  Break up the class into two or three small groups to discuss.  Come back as a large group and be ready to hear that Japanese is the more polite language, with the polite forms above mentioned.  “Oh really…” you can say ominously because you know you will change their minds by the end of the lesson.

40:00

 I ask to brainstorm some relationships that will change your level of politeness.  The most obvious “teacher and student” is a good example to get out of the way.  Students will always mention relationships that require more politeness (”employee and boss” “customer and salesperson”), you can hit them with “best friends” and “husband and wife” as examples where we are less polite.   If you have a place to write this down, it is useful at the end of the lesson.

30:00

Small group work again.  For advanced students, ask them to come up with 5 different ways to ask someone to borrow a book.  For less advanced, brainstorm some standard polite language to help them along.  Things like “Excuse me, would you mind…” “Could you…” “I hate to ask, but would it be possible…” before asking them to come up with 5 ways to borrow a book.  It’s an interesting reaction to see in students as they realize how many different ways there are to ask and how much polite language  English has.

20:00

Write out anywhere from 5 to 10 responses on your blackboard.  If time is a factor, you can make a hand out with the requests already written.  Give students a couple of minutes to rank the different ways of asking from more polite to less polite.  Give feedback and see if anyone is way off base.  A simple rule is generally, the longer the response the more polite it is.  Talk about using softeners like “I know it’s a lot to ask…” Make sure they understand that the more difficult the request, the more polite it should be (asking a friend for $1.00 is much easier than asking a friend for $100).  Don’t forget an opportunity for them to ask some questions.

10:00

It’s their turn to practice.  In pairs set a situation and a relationship.  For example “best friends” and “borrow money”.  Student take turns asking.  Repeat with a new relationship (you can use the examples you wrote on the board) so the request becomes more polite: “student to teacher” and “borrow money”.   For high school students, asking to borrow a car is fun.  The career minded can ask a boss for one day off, then change it to ask for 10 days off.  Give some positive feedback.

2:00

Ask the same question about which language is more polite - you will have changed a few minds.

I have been in Korea for five weeks and I speak more of the language and have more Korean friends than most of my Western friends who have been here six months or more, and in one case more than my friend who has been here four years.  How did I manage this?  It’s simple, really.  You just have to be outgoing and have a positive personality.  A ready smile might be the most important thing I have in this country.

Let me explain one aspect of Korean society.  It’s a kind of closed, homogenous society.  I’m from the U.S., where pretty much anyone who wants to become a citizen can eventually reach that goal.  No matter how long I stay in Korea, I can never become a citizen - the closest I could come would be to marry a Korean girl, but even then I can’t vote.  Koreans aren’t used to incorporating foreigners into their society.  This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a different perspective on immigration policy.  When you’re dealing with the younger generation, it means you are a bit of a celebrity.  My Korean friends get asked by their other friends - “Wow, you have a foreign friend?” or “Are you bringing your foreign friend?” However, there is a bit of prejudice among the older generation - just like in America or, I would imagine, anywhere else in the world.  I can even understand some of their feelings - I know a lot of foreign teachers who make no attempt to learn the language or culture and just spend a lot of time drinking.  A lot of new teachers face this kind of prejudice for the first time and it really turns them off to Korea.  There’s a simple solution: be extremely polite, use the little head bow often and smile a lot.  If you show them a little respect, they will usually warm up to you very quickly.  One consequence of being a nationalistic, proud country is that they want you to love it as much as they do.

So that’s how to survive, but how can you thrive and make great Korean friends?  The recipe is essentially the same: be outgoing and smile a lot.  The Korean staff at your school is a great place to start.  Just talk to them, ask them if they are going out to dinner after work, etc.  Ask if there are any interesting things to see nearby and they will usually volunteer to be your tour guide, which is a great way to see the country from a different angle.  It doesn’t matter if their English is limited like at my school.  People learning English love getting a chance to use it, and people who aren’t still want to try and are interested in learning.  In fact, there is another chance to make friends: language exchanges.  Be warned that teaching English for money outside of your school can get you deported, but an exchange is fine and you will usually get a free lunch as well.  Not only will your Korean friends help you learn more of the language, but they also help you navigate life in a foreign country.  Need to book a flight or a bus ticket for a vacation or just having a hard time finding something in the store?  They’re usually happy to help out with that kind of stuff.

While it’s certainly possible to get by in Korea without speaking the language or having any Korean friends (I know people who have done it for several years), life here is much more enjoyable with them.  I have found Koreans to be much more generous, kind-hearted and warm than most people back home.  It may be a consequence of living in such a densely populated country.  In any case, a ready smile, a positive attitude and a little initiative is all you need to make friends and put down some roots in Korea.

I taught children for four years in Japan.  I started thinking it would be a breeze, quickly realized it was way more work than I expected, and ended up finding it my favorite part of the day.  I learned a lot.  Here are five lessons that helped me immensely:

5.  Set expectations.  This means you have to think about what your expectations are before you go into class.  Is it acceptable for them to run around or do you want to discourage that?  What kinds of rewards do they get for finishing their work?  For helping other students? For cleaning up?  As clear as it might seem to us teachers that certain behaviors merit certain results, we can’t assume our students understand that.  At first it felt unfriendly of me to go in explaining the rules, but I realized that when the kids understood their parameters they started to really trust me and feel comfortable with me.  Think about a ten year old who sees his friend get in trouble for throwing something across the class.  Then another classmate gets away with it on a different day because the teacher is in Friday mode.  For that kid, the ground seems to shift unpredictably under his/her feet.  Our students want to please their teacher.  It’s scary to predict what kind of teacher you’ll have each day when expectations are not laid out and followed consistently.  Things go much more smoothly when everyone in the room knows what is happening and why. 

4.  Kids get embarrassed!  They can be so cute or so challenging that it can be easy to forget children have the same emotions as adults.  Kids have good and bad days.  They have things happening in their lives that affect them, even if they can’t vocalize this.  Once I started keeping this in mind, it was easier to be patient with whatever behavior a kid exhibited.  You also have to consider the age of your students.  Kindergartners really like singing, but the same type of activity will make a 13 year old really shy.  Remember how unsure you felt when you were 12 and had to be in the spotlight.  Remember when you were a kid and your parents reprimanded you, or you didn’t feel well.  You probably weren’t an ace in school that day.  An understanding teacher makes all the difference.  Teachers are in a unique position to provide a kid with the second chance to have a great day. 

3.  Alternate activities.  Imagine an energetic kid who has to sit and write for 20 minutes.  Imagine yourself trying to make this happen.  Getting kids involved can be much easier when you alternate the types of activities you use: active, quiet, active, quiet.  Have them do something sitting for a few minutes, then something that requires movement, then back to sitting.  With middle school aged children, switch it up by giving them quiet work for 7 minutes, then fun conversational stuff for a while.  Have them lead the class for 10 minutes, and then bring it back to you.  This keeps kids focused and keeps the dreaded yawns away.

2. Praise them!  Yes, it’s obvious, but how often do you do it?  Children need things stated very directly.  Kids don’t understand compliments in the form of jokes.  They need to hear concrete achievements.  Think about how you praise them.  Let’s say you look at some sentences and you say they are perfect.  It’s not realistic or specific.  The kids don’t know how to respond and they know it’s not true.  Choose something specific and real.  Maybe one girl remembered all the vocabulary without looking; maybe she has great handwriting.  This also gives you the freedom to point out the areas they can improve.  Giving realistic and pointed praise will help your students develop their English and trust you.

1. Write things down.  This goes for everything: praise for your students, lesson goals for that day, notes for yourself.  It’s one of those things that seems to take too much time at first, but if you write down two things that went well and two things that could have been better at the end of each class or the end of each day, you’ll start to think about what you are doing right and what can be improved.  It only takes a minute.  These are things that will stand out to you in class: a skit that had everyone in stiches, a game that had everyone staring at the clock.  After a week of this, you’ll start seeing patterns while you teach.  You’ll start pondering the ways to maximize the activities everyone loves, and alter the ones that are bumpy.  It also helps you remember what is going well and keeps your spirits up on those days when things are challenging.

Teaching children runs the gamut from very demanding to really rewarding.  I hope these lessons I learned will help you have as many rewarding experiences as I’ve had.

About six months before leaving for Korea, I was working temporary jobs doing administrative work for several companies.  At the time, I couldn’t really find a permanent job that I thought I would really enjoy for a long period of time.  Temporary seemed just enough, because I didn’t really have to stay on the jobs for long and in the meantime I could look for something else.  After applying for job after job and waiting endlessly for potential employers to call back I became exhausted with the job search.

So I needed a trip.  I went to Jerusalem for 8 days.  It was my first trip abroad.  While there I discovered that there was so much I was missing just sitting at home waiting for interviews and agencies to call me back after long periods of waiting.  Then I saw an ad that read “If you spend time working at something you enjoy, you never really have to work at all”.  I knew that my employment search hit a dead-end and I had to do something different.  I took one last chance at searching the internet for something I knew I was good at and really enjoyed - teaching.

I wanted to take my teaching experience to another level.  After working many years in customer service, training and management and completing my BA, MA and Doctorate I decided to search for opportunities that would allow me to take my teaching talents to another country.  I searched and stumbled upon the Aclipse website and became interested in Korea.  The Aclipse website was thorough and explained the process of applying to teach abroad very clearly.  So I sent an e-mail and thought to myself if this doesn’t work out or they don’t e-mail me back soon, I am going to give up.  I received an e-mail 24 hours later requesting a resume and photo.  I became a little leery, I had heard a few horror stories.  I was reassured that I didn’t have anything to worry about and that everything was above board in their hiring process.  Indeed, I had many questions for Dan, who was my Aclipse contact.  I wondered where I would live, about my accommodation and the job.  He was patient with me and answered all my questions to the best of his ability.  When he discovered something new, he notified me immediately.  I got my application to Aclipse, they got it to Korea for me and arranged my second interview.  Due to their efforts I was hired as an English teacher for SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education).  It was time to book my flight.

While in Atlanta I met several people, to my surprise, who were flying to Korea to teach.  I could not believe it!  Some of them had taught in Korea and were going back to teach for the second or third time.  Many of them were talking to first-timers (like me) telling them about their past experiences in Korea.  While I was excited about seeing others who left their homes to live in Korea, I didn’t want to hear anything negative.  Luckily, nobody said anything negative enough to make me go racing back to the ticket agent to buy a ticket home.  The flight was good.  I was given the choice between American and Korean food.  Knowing that I would have plenty of time to explore Korean food, I chose American.  The flight was 14 hours, but landing and being in Korea was an amazing experience.  People everywhere walking, cell phone in hand or headphones in ears.

We were escorted to the training center for foreign teachers.  We arrived at the center on Saturday with training to start that Monday.  In training, we learned several ways to approach teach to a wide range of ages, from elementary to high school.  The training was helpful and gave us the start we needed to begin our lessons.  We left the training center on Saturday to meet up with our co-teachers Saturday afternoon. 

As a SMOE (Seoul MOE) instructor I was met by my co-teacher and taken to my studio apartment.  My apartment had everything that I needed in it.  I exhaled a sigh of relief!  It was simply unbelievable.  I got everything I wanted and more.  In my apartment, my co-teacher had arranged for me to have a washing machine, a wide screen TV, a refrigerator, a queen sized bed, a dresser, a desk and linens for my bed - including a pillow.  Also provided was a toaster, vacuum cleaner, microwave and a phone.  Because there were no dryers, my co-teacher provided me with what I call a “Korean dryer”.  It sits about 3 feet high and you hang your wet, clean clothes on it to dry in your room.  Yes, the place is small, but there is enough room to place your “dryer” in the middle of the floor.  My co-teacher also provided me with a fan, so sometimes I use the fan to keep me cool while also drying the clothes  It’s win-win!  The clothes almost always dry overnight. 

After seeing my space, my co-teacher took me on a tour of the school where I would be teaching.  It is a Christian school with male and female students.  I am responsible for teaching 2nd grade students, which is the U.S. equivalent to 11th grade.  They are high schools students in their second year of education.  I walk to school everyday.  It only takes about 10-15 minutes to walk.  I am so glad because it allows me to get the exercise that I don’t normally get driving to work everyday.

My first day of school was great, I even found out that I have more than one co-teacher.  They took me out for dinner the first night of school and all they asked in return is that I indulge in English conversation with them.  Koreans place a high value on English conversation with foreign English teachers - we are like celebrities here.

In my first few days, my co-teacher drove me to the Seoul Medical Center to get my physical.  For this process, I had to pay $50, provide my passport and a separate picture (which I took in the subway station at a photo booth).  There was other paperwork, provided by my school, which I needed to fill out.  The physical included them gathering height, weight, and blood pressure.  They check your hearing, sight, blood and urine.  They also do a chest examination to check for tuberculosis.  The process is pretty much the same as any physical check-up.  I had to wait a couple days for results.  After a few days, my co-teacher also accompanied me to the hospital to pick up my results. 

We then took my results, my passport, $10 (the price of a non-multi entry alien registration card) and another picture to the Immigration Office.  The cost of a multi entry alien registration card is $60, necessary if you want to travel to other countries within the school year, while your main residency is in Korea.  The application process was short, however the Immigration office keeps your hospital results, your passport, and your picture for one week.  Then you can opt to pick up everything or have them mail everything to you, the choice is yours.  I chose to pick everything up.  My co-teachers are so nice, one of them offered to have her son pick everything up and deliver it to me at the school.  Their generosity has been amazing.  The alien registration card is necessary for health insurance, getting a cell phone and travel to other countries.

The year is starting out great.  I have received positive feedback from school officials.  One student asked if I could sing, I said “yes” and sang a bit.  Word got aroung the school and the minister of the school has asked me to sing for the October school mass.  I have another co-teacher who has offered to take me to church on Sundays.  I have experienced the last two church services with her and her family.  I really like my principal, my co-teachers and kids - they are so full of energy and fun and a willingness to learn.  I didn’t believe my experience in Korea would begin like this.

Some days are lonely, but I think about the depression I had in trying to find a job in my city and my spirits lift almost immediately.  Traveling to Korea and teaching is one of the BEST decisions I have ever made.  I am now a very proud employee of SMOE and a proud teacher of Youngnak High School in Bongchung-dung, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea.  I thank God for the idea, Aclipse for the guidance, Dan for his help and SMOE for the opportunity!

You’ve heard all the advice, you’re going to bring extra deodorant.  You know what to pack, you’ve had a goodbye party and have all your flight arrangements done.

But are you really ready?  Have you thought about how to mentally prepare to teach overseas?  Maybe, maybe not.

5.) Seek out, be open to and act on feedback.  Different employers have different expectations.  There are those that want you to be a leader in the classroom and others who will see you as more of a “cultural advisor” and might keep your participation to a minimum.  You might run the spectrum in one day.  So seek out some feedback.  It can be a quick word after class (”What could I have done better there?”) or a discussion over drinks after school.  It does two things - shows you want to improve and you have the school’s best interest at heart and starts you down the path to improving.  I used to take feedback on my lessons kind of personally, until I realized it was less about me and more about getting better.  Through feedback I also got a better idea of what was expected of me and it led to me actually having to work less instead of more.

4.) Be open to change.  This is easier said (or typed) than done, but it’s so important.  I think the initial knee-jerk reaction is to go and seek out the familiar.  I was guilty of it - eating McDonald’s instead of trying something new or avoiding Japanese friends for the easier option of hanging out with English-speaking ones.  I got angry at myself over this, it was pure laziness.  So everytime I chose something easy over exploring something new I started to see it as a defeat.  Avoid the familiar, enjoy the alien and don’t be defeated.  You’re stronger and better than that.

3.) Buy a phrase book.  OK, not really a mental preparation, but…I’ve written a whole entry on why you don’t need to know the language to do this, and it’s still true.  Think of the phrase book as a prop.  It’ll distract the person you are talking to and help with basic communication.  It will help get past that initial nervousness that comes with trying to use another language.  I’m a visual learner and absolutely couldn’t remember any language unless I saw it first.  You might be the same.  My favorite one (I couldn’t find it online) was 30 slim pages with stick figures having mini conversations.  It was really cartoon-y so I could trick myself that I wasn’t really learning anything at all.  Girls thought it was cute.

2.) Not much happens in a year.  Worried about homesickness?  I’m close to my family, they are all great people.  On rare instances I called my brother (over e-mail) while in Japan, the conversation went like this:

Dan: “Hey Andy!”

Andy: “Hey Dan.”

Dan: “What’s new in DC?”

Andy: “Nothing.  What’s new in Japan?”

Dan: “Nothing.”

OK, I’m exaggerating, but not by much.  Every time I thought I was homesick, I thought back to these conversations and realized with a little luck I’d go back and pick up where I left off.

1.) Make a list.  At the point of departure you’ve done a lot of research.  Do a little more.  Look for things to do in your host country and make a list of things you want to do.  Start with things in your immediate area and branch out from there.  I made a list of things I wanted to do in Japan.  I did most of them in the first six weeks.  They ranged from being as easy as going to a baseball game to as hard as climbing Mount Fuji.  This gave me something long-term to look forward to.  I had a co-worker who took it to the next level.  He made sure he had some sort of small trip planned every quarter and that way he always had something to look forward to.  There are ups and downs at any job and having a trip or a plan to do something fun can get you through the down times and make good times even better.  Also, there is just something about crossing something off a list…

(This is Part 2. Read Part 1 here.)

Upon finding my bus I purchased a ticket and waited in line.  The bus came less than five minutes later.  CO-EX is short for City Terminal Exchange.  It’s like a mini airport terminal right in the heart of Seoul.  The bus ride, it was explained to me, took between 45 and 60 minutes depending on traffic.  Well, by the time we got on the road it was about 7:30 on a Friday night.  It was bumper to bumper, seemingly the whole way.  At this point I’d been either sitting on an airplane or in an air terminal for almost 16 hours.  The last thing I wanted was to be on a bus idling in traffic.  What can you do?  It did tax my patience and for the first time since starting my trip I felt a bubble of frustration inside like lava looking for that tube to surface.  Not only had I been en route for 16 hours, but what I had to do before I left meant I’d had no more than 3 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours.  Thank God for hope, it was one thing I clung to.  That and the hand rail next to me.  As a comparison, for those that remember me with my ‘71 fire-engine red MGB and everything I ever did (or was accused of), well, nothing in my driving history can compare to what these people take for granted and expect to navigate every inch or mile.  U-turns on major boulevards? No problem.  Too impatient to wait in line to make a left turn?  Check for an opening, enter on-coming traffic and gun it before the opportunity disappears.  A felony hit and run would seem like a prerequisite to become a driver’s ed instructor here.

Finally, the city terminal.  Here’s where the first hiccup occurs.  It was a little confusing knowing if we were at my end destination.  However I learned that while Korean’s might be the most dangerous drivers I’ve ever seen, they are also the most generous and helpful people at the same time.  My first introduction to this was when I asked the bus driver where we were.  He spoke absolutely no English.  One of the passengers, who spoke some, introduced himself to me and assisted with my questions.  This is just the first example I have of their gracious nature.

The city terminal was a ghost town when I entered.  I was to find a taxi company called KAT.  It’s the company CDI uses and they were supposed to have both my destination and fare already provided.  Where all before was clear and straightforward, I was now confronted with zero reference points.  Fortunately I came across a young lady who was finishing work.  She worked at a booth for a collection of hotels and was there to assist patrons of those hotels.  Of course, mine wasn’t one of them.  Once again, though, that gracious Korean nature took control.  She pointed me in the right direction.  I had to go down some stairs to a lower level, cross a parking area and out onto a main street.  She accompanied me almost the whole way.  I still couldn’t find the KAT taxi and the young woman was gone.

So I went to a cab driver, one with a sign that said “Translation Services” and with my paperwork and itinerary we eventually puzzled through it.  At his point I just want to get to the hotel, take a shower and maybe have a beer.  So I asked how long it would take and how much.  20 minutes and about 10 bucks.  I jumped on it, thinking it was the best 10 bucks I’d ever spend.  Then I came face to face with Seoul drivers (see above).  We made it.  Check-in was flawless but the hotel nothing special.

I don’t care.  I’m here and I haven’t even started to tell you about my first restaurant experience.  I’ll save that for another time.

Hello Everyone:

To say I feel a little bit like Pee Wee Herman looking for his stolen bike is an understatement.  Things here are a little surreal and unbelievable.  I have never been so overwhelmed or excited in my life.  I am definitely the one who is different here.  Since I’ve gotten to my hotel I’ve wandered the streets some and seen only one other Caucasian.  It’s 5:00 AM Saturday my time, I can’t sleep anymore - I feel like there is just too much to do.   I start training at at 3:00 PM later today.

The flight from SFO to SEL on Singapore Airlines was a dream.  If any of you ever get the chance, don’t travel on any other carrier.  Remember, I flew coach, but we were afforded hot towels to help us settle in once we were seated.  The food service was quick and efficient.  I wasn’t drinking (okay, everyone, you can blink your eyes twice more and believe me - I just figured I have enough stuff going on without getting loopy) but others were:  beer, wine, liquor, even champagne for those with grander tastes.  The Givenchy bag with soft socks and toothbrush made it more than bearable, all for the ticket price of about $650.  The stewardesses were beautiful, cheerful, and helpful.

The flight was great.  The twelve hours it took felt shorter than the two hour bus ride into Seoul from the airport, but I’ll get to that.  I had been provided an Orientation and Welcome Pack prior by my new employer: CDI.  It was informative and gave me all the necessary information needed to navigate the change of terminals via a connecting train that took you from the landing gate to the main terminal, where you picked up baggage and went through customs (which was a breeze) and had access to taxis, buses, subways and a train.  My instructions told me to contact my recruiter, who I’ve been working with throughout the process.  Per her recommendation I picked up a phone card to call her on the many easy to use public pay phones.  She explained I could get a cell phone at the airport right then, but there were better options available if I waited until getting to Seoul.  Thus I spent my first 10,000 KRW (about 10 bucks) on a phone card.  Whoo-hoo!  We spoke and confirmed my hotel and training schedule.

Next: The Challenges Begin