Why hello, Korea

And so begins another edition of gaijin no nikki. Except I'm technically not gaijin anymore. I'm woeguk samram.

There are several obvious disadvantages to moving to a country where you don't speak a word of the language. Communication can be hard to come by, especially in Asia where the language is so different from anything you're used to. The simplest things can be difficult--like getting a domestic phone card from a convenience store, trying to find a payphone that accepts said phone card, and eventually navigating yourself an hour away from where you were told to go when you got off the plane (did that sound too much like whining?). You have to shop by pictures for the first couple weeks until you learn what that round shape on each of the yogurt containers is (it could be an orange, a tangerine, or a peach, but you have no idea which. You have to get used to the occasional stares of passersby (though this does depend on where you go; some places are used to having lots of foreigners around). And unless you have a handy local around who does speak both English and Korean, you might end up getting in a taxi that you shouldn't and end up several miles from where you want to be with a hole in your pocket from where the driver took all your cash just because he could (hasn't happened to me yet, but apparently it is common).

All that being said, Korea is pretty easy on the foreigners, as Asian countries go. Everyone is very friendly and willing to help you out if you get lost or need to figure out how to use that damn calling card. In most places, there are also lots of woeguk samram who are willing to lend a hand to their comrades. And the general quality of the English spoken by Koreans is good. Most will understand basic words and phrases if you are in a pinch and need help. There is also a myriad of familiar businesses and services that cater to foreign clientele. McDonald's, Starbucks, and Burger King are common in a lot of the modern Asian nations, but I was surprised to find out that there is a Costco in Seoul, and that my American Costco card works fine here. The crown jewel of these, of course, is the illustrious Taco Bell, situated on the American Army bases inside the commissary. If there is anyone who knows anyone who is stationed in Korea and would like to invite some friendly but hungry woeguk samram on a lunch date, please let me know. You will be compensated for your trouble.

On a personal note, I am currently staying at the house of another teacher in Seoul, rather than in Bundang in an apartment provided by the school. Due to unforeseen difficulties with the apartment, I have been temporarily relocated here while they try to find me somewhere else to live. I am not worried about this. You should not be either. It simply means that until further notice, I'm going to be stealing internet from someone downstairs and that I will be unable to use large amounts of internet connectivity until I moved to my permanent location. I will, however, try to update a little more frequently, while all this is still new and exciting. I did sit down with the intention of writing about my first couple of days, but, on second thought, they were pretty boring and involved a lot of me dragging around heavy luggage and spacing out while trying not to fall asleep on a stranger's couch. I'm still a little sleep deprived, but now it's more of my own doing and less of the dramatic change in location relative to the international date line. Wii Fit is a terrible, wonderful use of my time.

I'll leave you with a short list of things that surprised/delighted/scared me in these first 48 hours. Enjoy, gentle readers.

1. McDonald's is delivered by ninjas on crappy little motor bikes. I have seen their mad ninja skills as they weave through crowded sidewalks at fast speeds. It is amazing.
2. Koreans drive on the same side of the road as we do. Who knew?!
3. Winter sets in overnight. Literally. When I arrived Sunday it was 50 degrees. The next day at the same time, it was 20.
4. You can take a tour of North Korea for a couple hundred dollars. I think this is what I am getting myself for Christmas, provided that having a North Korean stamp in my passport doesn't get me detained at immigration later. And even if it does, I will still strongly consider it.
5. It is relatively easy to take animals from Korea to the United States. It is relatively impossible to take animals from the United States to Korea. The opposite goes for small children.