Returning to Korea

Has felt surprisingly familiar in some ways, but still quite foreign and unknown in many others. This trip, I sense, will be an entirely different experience than last time.

I have already spent quite a bit of time by myself this trip, which is weird for me because I'm always surrounded by friends. In fact, for the first time ever, I live by myself...in a very cute, stylish, clean, new but expensive studio, might I add. At 900,000 Won per month ($900 a month) I have to remind myself that I live in the "rich, posh" neighborhood of one of the largest cities in the world.

My business is much like Vail, in that the hagwons(after-school schools) make all their money in one season; the summertime. I think it will be a very very busy summer. My boss is already talking about potentially working 6-8 hours in the classroom six days a week. I will be teaching college prep English with a focus on speaking and writing to students whom are or desire to study in America's fabulous Ivy League. So far though, I have confidence that I've signed onto a good school and it's encouraging that my boss has been extremely kind and helpful.

In my free time, I would like to learn some Korean language (I get so excited when I can sound out the characters of a store name, or survive a normal everyday transation at the convenience store), join a martial arts class like Taekwondo (so I can participate in something Korean and keep in shape), and of course, have some new experiences and meet new people.

So, many of my friends like you are asking me, "Jules, what's it like to be back in Korea?" Well...
I had forgotten how strange it is to look at a street and be unable to tell it from the 100 other streets I've been to in Korea. The pattern of Dunkin Doughnuts and 7-Elevens and many other stores with signs I cannot read make it difficult for me to tell streets apart. And, the--dare I use a fake advertising term from school-"adnosium" of the overwhelming number of ads filling my views from top to bottom of the tall buildings certainly bring no clairty. I can find my way around, I just cannot distinguish one place from the other yet. It's very strange.

I forgot how the jungled electrical wires flow through the streets and how popular it is to drive in the small alley-like roads without sidewalks and I pray that my feet don't get run over by a large car wheel one day.

The food, however, has been better a second time through. The tastes and flavors I had been so unfamiliar with last time now go down so much smoother. There almost no tense crinkle in my face as I swallow kimchi. The food is not as spicy as I remember. I haven't felt the urge to shovel in tons of rice to hide the burn in my mouth yet. And, thinking about bulgogi, Korean barbeque, galby, mandu, kimbap, ramyun...and oh yes, TOSTORE (they make a Western breakfast sandwich) ...yeah, I'd say that I'm very much looking forward to eating more Korean food. I actually proclaimed out loud how much I like Korean food last time I went out to eat with my coworkers.

And, the weather has also been surprisingly pleasant. I was really expecting to arrive to the hot, sticky, humid, wet summer that made me hate cotton last time. I guess that difference between May and July here. Oh, so much to look forward too. Regardless, I'm excited to wear my feminine skirts and tops around with a romantic Asian spirit.