The Beginning

So I've never really done this blogging thing before, but when somebody suggested starting one while I'm in Korea, I thought it'd be a good idea to keep everyone updated on what I'm doing/ where I'm going! (And I can be lazy about e-mailing everyone separately...)

Two days ago (not including the day lost from flying through time zones), I flew from Allentown airport to Chicago O'Hare, and, after a 6 hour layover, connected to the 14-hour flight that took me to Incheon airport in Korea. We arrived a little after 4am yesterday and pretty much immediately took a 3-hour bus ride to Chuncheon.

this is what everyone looked like right after a 12-14 hour plane ride

Then, I began my first steps into the "real world" with (what else?) orientation. Right after lunch on the day we arrived.

We're staying at a dormitory in Kangwon University. It's pretty much hot and humid and by the end of the day I feel like I'm swimming in my own sweat.. We've been having our meals at the cafeteria mostly (not a very good representation of Korean food I don't think). The university's KEY Club gave us a little tour of the campus.

Yesterday was such a long day, I passed out at the end of it at 9pm and woke up this morning at 6am thanks to jet lag. We jumped right into things after breakfast with a language placement test (reminded me of orientation at Kansai Gaidai in Japan). Although the Japanese language placement test would have been a lot easier if all we had to do was a 自己紹介 (self-introduction) and an interview which is what we did for the Korean placement test. (*I don't know any Korean besides the hangeul we were obligated to study before we got here.) I got placed in the beginner class, no surprise, along with 80% of everyone else.

In the afternoon, we went on a photo scavenger hunt, looking for things such as a couple wearing "couple tees," a foreign car (which was surprisingly hard to find), a normal (American-sized) can of Coke and a woman smoking in public (which we didn't find at all).

a delivery vehicle

doing push-ups in Future Square

in front of E-Mart

We already have homework too: Cultural Adjustment Checks, which we turn in weekly (one due tomorrow). And in proper college procrastination style, I started this blog instead of my homework..