After much work and worry and wondering, I am finally moved to my new home in South Korea. Just two weeks ago I got word of my new teaching position in Hoedong Elementary School in Busan (Pusan), South Korea.
Busan is probably third favorite city on the planet (so far), tertiary to Hong Kong and Chicago. Though I imagine it may contend for a higher spot on that list over the next year. I can already tell that this year in Busan will be incredible and exciting in a way that may even surpass last year's adventure!
Not to say that it won't still be the hardest job I've ever entertained in my young life. My new position is with one elementary school on the poorer edge of Busan. However, in spite of being an urban city, it is still modestly sized (composing of little more than 100 students). Hoedong elementary school reminds me much of my former elementary schools, bright colors, lots of energy, and cute kids. However, I am excited to see that despite being considered poor for Busan, this school has a considerable investment in English education. Not only is it investing in my employment in teaching English, but it also employes one full time Korean English teacher as well as another part-time English teacher! This is very exciting and I am pleased to be working with these new colleagues. They are not only warm and inviting, but also eager to help me create a program that benefits my students. I just wish I knew better where to start!
More shop talk as it develops. Needless to say, it's going to be a challenging year, what with me teaching first grade everyday after school! Like I said, they're cute, energetic, and I have no idea where to start with them! However, I'm trying my best to keep my head above water, the kids happy and active, and hopefully they'll be less running around and screaming while we're trying to sing "London Bridge is Falling Down" in the future.
My new home is nearly double the size of my old apartment, including a kitchen I can actually work with! With three gas burners, a refrigerator and an oven left by the previous owner, I'm very pleased to have already spent many a night at home cooking!
Not that I haven't gone out into by grand new city. In fact, I've been mucking about the streets quite a lot lately. My apartment is near the subway station Onchanjang, right next to PNU (Pusan National University), one of my favorite sections of the city! In fact, I went out for supper with some new friends the other night and was very pleased to take the two minute subway ride back to my neighborhood. Only two weeks in and I often find myself walking up the university area. It's a grand spot, not quite as tall and overwhelming as Seomyeon or other popular parts of the city. PNU has a great college town feel, but is still a part of Korea's second largest metropolis. The university itself is quite a pleasure to walk around on, but more on PNU as I explore it over the next year.
The main point of this new blog is not simply to revive my long neglected love of writing (and informing my family of my activities), but simply to express that... I'm happy! Excited, and eager to get into the swing of my new life. I've recently joined a gym to get back into lifting (I've taken up a fitness challenge with my best friend, one in which I aim to win), and I'm happy exploring my new city and learning how best to serve my new students. I'm still green with the whole elementary school thing, but I certainly believe my time in Gangwon-do is invaluable to what I'm doing here. I can't imagine I'd be as ready or comfortable teaching children in Busan as I am without last year's adventure. Though I do miss being in Gangwon, and mostly miss my northern friends, I am happy to finally have a home here that I feel comfortable, if not excited, to host guests! With such an incredible place to live, I'm sure to have visitors soon! In the mean time I'm exploring and enjoying myself. Learning all I can to occupy little kids (especially with the language barrier). I can't say I'm successfully leading them in any way, buuuuut... each day gets a little better I think. I can only hope that trend continues!
Photos of my new home are coming as soon as I work up the will to clean my place! Apparently settling in involves sufficiently mussing up the place to make me feel at home!
