Two weeks in a nutshell

Welcome to what seems like a tame post, but is actually quite insane in fact. This is the Winter 2012 Orientation group during the first day of orientation, what feels like forever ago. We've become so close in the short time we've been here that it really felt like a huge blow when we had to part ways at the end of our too-short orientation. Luckily, it's not like we're that far away from each other, but some of us live a little further away so that it's not that convenient to meet up whenever -- although I've been trying to keep in contact as much as possible before school's in.

 

Ulgi Lighthouse. A day or two into the orientation we were taken on a city tour of Ulsan, pretty much from one end to the other. Unfortunately it was too short and we weren't given maps so it was way too confusing that day. But this quaint little lighthouse is Ulsan's oldest, and sits next to a spectacular craggy shore that I really, really want to visit again. By the way, there were cats, of all earthly things, lapping up the sun on the cliffs that day. Things making sense in Korea? How dare you! ;)

We visited a museum a couple days into the orientation. This is the kids' section that we invaded like a bunch of tourists haha. Here you could take a picture with masks or hats on (obviously the masks were too small) and the blue wall behind acted as a green screen so they replaced the background with a temple or something. It was very cute.

On the bus, enjoying the trip... somewhere. This must be a few days into the orientation so we weren't going anywhere special. Just, you know, having fun on a boring ride from the university dorms where we were staying, to the English Centre where the orientation took place all week.

 

The little Oprah "clique". Or something. Long story. One of those "you had to be there" things. Yup, my lips are sealed!

I... the food here is either really, really good or really, really weird. These are some of the really, really good instances. The first picture is actually of a trip downtown that we weren't supposed to do since apparently we were supposed to be confined to our dorms during the weekend but were never told so, so we (most of the girls, that is) decided to hit the city on our own (most of the guys went to Busan) and try this yummy traditional Korean restaurant called Moeseumgol where you can choose to eat at normal "Western" tables or on small Asian-sized tables on an elevated (and heated!) floor.

I discovered there that drinking soju helps turn down the burn a notch if you're eating something especially spicy (I'm still not fond of super spicy things).

The other two photos are some of the lunches we had at the English Centre during orientation. They had take-out delivered to the centre and yummmy...

 

What you can expect during orientation: teaching grown kids.

This is the kind of housing you can expect when you arrive in your Korean home. My apartment is very small and I'm still trying to get used to it. I mean, it's not like I'm not used to small living quarters: for most of my growing years my bedroom was small and my bed was a retractable bed. At age 9 I could do handstands in there; by age 11, not so much. So, yeah, I'm not complaining at how small it is. But I've got to get used to this new space and it's going to take some time.

Most of my complaints, actually, originally had to do with how dusty it was and with the dead ladybugs on the floor. Now they're focused on the non-existent counter space in my kitchen. Oh, and the effing cooking pan, which the previous tenant left and which is impossible to wash. But I'll stop here. I mean, I'll just need to buy a new pan. Period.

What you can expect after orientation: "OMG we're free!" That includes going to bars, Korean restaurants, and noraebangs (karaoke bars).

But, between all that, you still have to make lesson plans and Powerpoints. 'Scuse me while I stop procrastinating.