After an early morning wake up (thank you jet lag), Kel and I head off to snag some coffee. My initial impressions of this new land are: cleanliness, Korean signage, and its busyness. Everyone seems to be scurrying off somewhere accomplishing some highly imprtant business. It is lovely that time is not wasted, however coming from the Thailand mentality of sabai, sabai (relax, relax), this is going to take some getting used to.
Kel and I part, for she must journey to schoo. A few prescious moments of serenity and some time with Jah is graciously embraced before I am off to meet Soojung. Soojung, 22, works in partnership with Adventure Teaching; she also has her own business as a recruiter. We arrive at the hospital where I am to get my health physical. (Anyone who is working with children or the elderly in Korea must get a physical before commencing at a new post.) The hospital is just as busy as outside. Scads of patients in seafoam green attire mill the floors alongside crisply clad nurses in pale yellow. Yes, it has that aroma of hospital bleach and presence of bad memories. But we are quickly through with the place after the usual dental, weight/height/bust (huh?). urine analysis and chest x-ray (what is this going to help?).
Next Soojung takes me to my school. Of course the time would happen to be lunchtime and the menu is Korean food! Now after all of the stories I have heard I am quite skeptical, however it was good! (Although nothing is ever truly bad compared to the intestine, eye, and coagulated blood soup that Tori, Brad and I had in Ecuador.)
After lunch we headed to the principals office (this time I wasn't in trouble), with my coteacher Emma. The principal is a kindly older woman who has a great heart. She translated through Emmat that our school, Mabuk Elementary is to be an example of distinguished students. She waxed eloquent for quite some time and then stated that i was simply too skinny. She informed Soojung to make sure that I can prepare my own meals so that I may "become more healthy". We kindly thanked her for her time and made our way to my new place.
Now when I say new place, I really mean "gently used" (for years) place. Sure the garbage from the last tennant, the expired food in the fridge and the dead plants were easy enough to get out but the mold... Well that is another story. It was quite for lack thereof a better word, DISGUSTING. Even Soojung was taken back by how dirty it was and called the school staff asap. By the time we returned from supply shopping the staff had arrived to help clean up. (I am forever grateful to them.)
When all was a bit more spruced up, we said our goodbyes and I was left to enjoy my new buttercup yellow apt.
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