It is hard to believe that we have already been in South
Korea for a little over three weeks. The transition has over all been a
smooth one; we are adjusting to our new routine of life rather quickly.
Busan is a place full of
energy. People are constantly going, there are coffee shops on EVERY
corner, and every Korean woman has on the shortest shorts/skirt you could
imagine. (Ok, not every woman, just
every woman under the age of 30 or maybe 40….they all look so young!)
And when you think smiling at that cute old lady (aka: adjama) is a good idea, think again.
Because she will give you a “why in the hell are you smiling at me” look
back. It will just warm your heart!
At the Bujon market near our apartment.
I must say it feels good to be in another country again, to
be uncomfortable and awkward for most of the day! To constantly be thinking and unsure of
things is good for me! Don't get
me wrong, I have had my "this
is dumb" moments along the way,
but overall I think South Korea will be a good fit for the Hanes’!
The first week in Busan was spent being jet lagged and
finding a place to live, along with the occasional class observation and Korean
cuisine. Unfortunately, in the first week we ate more Dunkin’ Donuts and
McDonalds than we have in our entire life.
Oh, comfort food you hate to eat
at home and crave when you are not!
An all you can eat raw tuna restaurant, complete with hot saké.
The next two weeks were busy with work. We had to
prepare for our new classes, teach students of a new culture, and adjust to our
crazy work schedule. We work mornings,
afternoons, and evenings. With random
breaks in-between. Not the best set up.
About to go back to work one evening.
We are already looking forward to having a vacation during the
18-22 of September. It is the South
Korean equivalent to Thanksgiving. It will be nice to rest, catch our breath and
then maybe go to the beach.
Some fun facts about Korean/Busan we have
learned in the first three weeks:
- Korean’s have a Korean Age, which basically added a year to my life as soon as I got here. Hello 30!
- My name has been many different things through the years and here in Busan it is “Teppany.” (Korean’s in general have a hard time with the F sound.)
- As if there are not enough people on the sidewalks, motor bikes feel that they are pedestrians too, so they drive on the sidewalks. Yikes.
- I will never lose my keys again. Everything in Busan has a key code, so to get into work and our apartment we just need the 4 digit code! I love this!
- The emergency number is 119. Tricky.
- They make you recycle every single thing, which is a hassle. But, I guess if you can’t beat ’em, join ‘em!
Mistakes some students have made that will make
you blush. See if you can guess the
pronunciation mistakes. Here are the
correct sentences….I will highlight the mispronounced word…..have fun….
I love coke.
I really like the beach!
