Seoul Love

I have been in Seoul for a week today and this place is incredible. Honestly, much better than I was expecting. Unfortunately, I am in the middle of training for teaching (the reason I am here...) this week and its a royal pain - especially because I am supposedly not "energetic" enough but I am trying harder. Maybe after a few espresso shots today I'll be better.

Seoul is HUGE. I mean, ginormous. 11 million people. I was under the impression most if not all spoke at least some English - FALSE. Every menu/sign is in Korean - I don't know what I am ordering 90% of the time, but everything has been delicious so far. The food will take some getting used to, its all pickled and covered in red pepper paste/powder.

Since arriving last Wednesday, I have been "quarantined" for swine flu - living in a nice hotel with a few other American kids. I guess if one of us has it, we all get it, but at least we won't infect the children. We are forced to wear masks every day for training, like it's Outbreak or something (we can't speak to other training groups or drink from the water fountain).

I love the majority of the other teachers, with one exception. She was adopted from Korea and she is essentially here to find her Korean parents. Honey, if they haven't contacted you in 24 years, I have a feeling you are going to have a hard time finding them in a country of 50 million. As she is 100% Korean, all the Koreans in the restaurants/convenience stores address her first. Instead of saying "I don't speak Korean" her first response is "I AM AN AMERICAN" and if they don't understand that, she just repeats it slower and louder "I AM AN AMERICAN!!!!" Who'd have thought the American who gave Americans a bad wrap in Korea would actually be Korean.

Well, pending I get through this training...I will be in Seoul for a year, teaching elementary school kids and exploring Korea and the rest of Asia. This will mostly be a photo blog but I'll write every now and again. Love and miss you all.