First Week

Hey Friends and Family!

I'm now completely moved into my new place, and it's so much nicer than the one before. First of all, no mold! (Or "no moss" as my landlady says. haha) It also has room separate rooms! I have a bedroom, a living space/kitchen, a small "office" type room... and best of all a bathroom with a shower! The faucet is still really low, but at least now I can wash my hair with both hands. haha.

Moving day was pretty interesting. My landlady showed me my new apt, then took me up to her "office"/place where she "sometimes sleeps" and asked if I wanted her TV or microwave... Needless to say, I was confused. Then she kept insisting that I take one (or both)? After a bit of a difficult interchange, we sort of communicated: I would rather have the microwave if I had to choose one. So I think I traded my supposed TV for her microwave. lol. However, I came to find out later that my Director has already paid for me to have a TV!? Very confusing. But I don't regret my decision. It's more difficult than you think to live without a microwave.

She was very helpful though! And very kind and patient with me and the language barrier. She also told me that she bought me a new mattress and frame, a new washer, and a new gas burner! (Not sure why though...) The only thing I'm missing now is a dresser... I'm getting a little tired of living out of my suitcase!

My coworkers have been so helpful though! They've taken me shopping, showed me what a few different foods were, and helped me find my way around a bit. Now all I have to do is remember these things... I'm planning on hiking Mt. "Pogwonsan" this weekend with a few of them. Apparently the mountain we're going to has the tallest standing Buddha at the top holding a lotus, along with one of the oldest medicine Buddha with a stone on it's head. I'm excited for the hike! Finally some outdoor events. There's also salsa dancing, taught by a foreign teacher, and Korean classes at the local YMCA (within walking distance from me!), so I have plenty of options for things to do.

Also: praise God, I've found a church! I actually haven't been there yet, but I do believe this is the one that God wants me to be involved with. It's only a few subway stops away, and has an English service. It's called Dongshin Presbyterian Church. I called the contact number, talked to Karl (an Austrailian), and told him a little about myself and asked about the church... and found that the pastor when to Moody as well!!! I am definitely going there this Sunday and am very excited to meet the congregation. Apparently the church itself is pretty large, but the English service has only 20 foreigners and 40 Koreans. I think that's a good amount for me. :)

So a few interesting cultural differences I've found:

1. They wallpaper everything. The ceiling. The walls. Every corner and crag. I think they would wallpaper the floor if they could. lol.

2. They have something called PC rooms and DVD rooms.

PC rooms are exactly what they sound like-- large rooms full of computers with games and Internet on them. They're generally dark, and smokey (you can smoke inside here)--kinda like a bar. Yuck. But apparently Koreans (especially Korean teenagers) spend hours upon hours here! They have really comfy computer chairs and they serve food (generally snacks like fried squid and octopus).

DVD rooms are a little more sketchy. They are what they sound like and a little bit more. Since Koreans live with their parents until they're married, and even somtimes after, they don't get much "alone time" with their significant other. So, they'll go to a DVD room, rent a movie, lay/sit on the bed/couch and spend some "quality time" together. I was actually a little shocked when I heard about that... I mean, they're everywhere! So it's a pretty common thing.

3. They're not kidding about taking off your shoes before you enter a house. They have something called "shoe closets" next to the entrance, and the rest of the floor is raised except for the "shoe area."

4. They have these delicious rice patty pancakes that they fill with a brown sugar and cinnomin combindation and fry called hodduck (pronounced ho-duck...except really fast and like a Korean. haha). Yum!

5. Street vendors sell everything and usually sell the best things. i.e. Strawberries, socks, hodduck, chamwae (pronounced cham-b-way. it's a Korean melon -it's yellow), blankets, cell phones, subway cards, etc.

A few especially good things: Today I got my physical in order to get my Alien Registration card, which I should be getting in a few weeks. And I also got internet today! Yay! That means I have a landline, too. Still working on the cell phone... but should have that in the next few days. Yay for communication skill!

Skype is up and running for sure now.