New, New, New ... reflections

     One teaching position for which I interviewed was in Pohang, a city on the east coast of South Korea.  I knew nothing about South Korea.  Before the interview, I searched on the internet for information about Pohang.  That was when I learned a few things about POSCO steel.  I didn't get the position in Pohang, but the town to where I was going was located about an hour away by car, bus, or train.  It turned out that my boss's family enjoyed going to Pohang on occasions to enjoy eating raw fish.  So, after a few days in my new town, Yeongcheon, the family took me to Pohang.  Also, they took me to Daegu, which is about an hour away (car, bus, train) from Yeongcheon, but in the other direction.  More about my ventures in Pohang and Daegu later!

      Besides changing planes at the international airport in Incheon (near Seoul), I had never been to South Korea.  My boss took care of the plane fare to get me there, but I had to travel the cheapest way that could be found.  So, I had to stop in Michigan and Japan (to change planes) on the way.  It was all exciting and almost unbelievable to me, so I didn't mind.  Michigan's airport was quite busy, but Japan's (Tokyo) seemed near dead (well, it was late).  From Japan, I flew to Busan, a port city on the southeast coast of South Korea.
     "Wow!  I'm in another country to LIVE for at least a year!" I thought over and over again to myself.  

    My plane landed shortly after 8 pm (Monday, October 13, 2008), but it was a workday, so my boss could not come to fetch me until her workday was done.  So, I had to wait in the airport lobby for about two hours.  I later learned that Busan was one of the largest cities in South Korea and that it was a seaport city.  But, judging from the small and near empty airport lobby, I could tell none of that.  All I could tell you was that every place, every person I would meet, so many words I would hear, so much food I would eat would be NEW to me. Within hours, I would be inside my new home. Wow!   

     My boss (Harry) was a young man (in his early 30's), but his sister (Sunny) spoke English fluently and was the head teacher at the school, so I began referring to her as my boss.  Both of them arrived at the airport at around 10 pm.  After exchanging our greetings they asked, "Are you hungry?"  I wasn't really hungry, but I didn't want to decline their hospitality, and I was very open to trying a new food, so I said something like, "If a restaurant is open, I'll be glad to eat something.  If not, I'll be okay."  

      If there was a big city out there, I sure could not tell.  It was so dark in every direction.  After we loaded my luggage into the school van, we were on our way riding and talking.  Within fifteen minutes, I learned he smoked but she didn't, they were Christians and attended a Presbyterian church, they liked to drink (alcohol), and that everyone at the school was excited about my arrival.   

     Yeongcheon (my new home town) seemed like a ghost town as we entered and drove through it.  Obviously, to my mind, it was the kind of town where everything closed and all lights were turned off before midnight.  Our first stop was at a convenience store where they bought me some food and drink items.  The school, they pointed out, was above the convenience store.  Next, my apartment only a short distance away. 

      The apartment was small.  I knew it would be.  But the colors were warm and peaceful to me.  For nearly a year, I had been transitioning from one life to another.  The old was passing away.  All things were becoming new.  It was a welcomed relief!  One burner on which to cook food, a rice cooker, a microwave oven, a small refrigerator, some utensils, dishes and cookware, a small sink, washing machine, bed, and a bathroom.  It was home to me.

      They had told me to rest and not worry about working the next day, but I wanted to go outside, explore and get to know the neighborhood for a bit.  Within ten minutes, I had walked to the school, so I stopped for a visit.  But, they told me to not stay long, but to enjoy the day and not come too early the next day.

     Imagine yourself being in a place where no one you met spoke your language and you didn't speak theirs!  Imagine yourself being the only one around with blue eyes.  Imagine yourself being a foreigner somewhere looking all around for another foreigner and not ever seeing one.  That's the way it was, and really, for me, it was very comforting.  I really was in my own peaceful, quiet world.  I loved it!   

     Within a few days, I was going to a gym every morning with my boss (Sunny) and her mother (Grace).  However, they went to go swimming.  I went to work out with weights.  After a few weeks, I was able to begin walking (or riding a bus) to the gym on my own.

     Within a few days, we took care of some immigration matters, and I was able to set up a bank account.  Also, they took me to a university hospital where I could have my regular check ups.

     Within a couple of weeks, we visited Daegu and Pohang.

     Day by day, I was getting to know my neighborhood a bit.  If it was to be, it was up to me to get out and about.

     Before venturing into other parts of Korea on my own, I wanted to become more settled with my job and more familiar with Korean language and restaurants, so I spent all my time in Yeongcheon.  For several weeks, I walked everywhere.  I visited bakeries and restaurants as I walked to and from the gym everyday.  I found and visited a supermarket.  On one day, I rode the complete routes of bus #1 and #2.  I learned that both were loop services around the city.  #1 went in one direction.  #2 went in the other, and that was that.

     My first venture outside of Yeongcheon was my first train ride to Seoul to catch a limo-bus to Incheon where I would catch a plane for Manila in December, 2008, for my first Christmas vacation.  I had no idea how soon, prior to departure, I should have shown up at the train station.  So, to be on the safe side, I showed up two hours before.  It was my first time at the station, it was so small and quiet, and it was about 3 a.m.  I could have shown up five minutes before departure and caught my train just as well.  It was all good though!  Everything was so new to me, and the station personnel, who spoke so little basic English, did their best to be helpful.  My boss had provided me with some note cards with instructions in Korean and English that I could show to taxi drivers and train personnel, but I only needed them for taxi drivers.

     All the way to Seoul, the train ride was quiet and charming.  I couldn't resist looking out the window.  Every station stop, every mountain, every tunnel, every  country side, every town, every person fascinated me.  After arriving at Seoul Station, about four hours later, a crew member walked me to the limo-bus stop from where I would ride to the airport in Incheon.

     After spending a week in the Philippines, I returned to Yeongcheon without a glitch.