Busan Korea Day 3....

Hello Everyone!

So I have offically decided that Korea is crazy. Nuts.... the city that I live is is actually very beautiful. We are surrounded by the sea, and there are mountains everywhere! They surround my apartment and school- i can not wait to hike up one. Apparently they have outdoor free gyms at the top where old Korean men like to workout. lol. So after arriving to Busan, a Korean teacher from the school I work at picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at our apartments. His name is Bill. He is older with a wife and 2 little girls but he is so kind. He doesn't speak much English, but I can tell he  has a really beautiful and gentle soul. I am happy that I met him! Andrew and my apartment is located in a more downtown area, but not the main downtown where all the other western teachers go. I feel safe that we have 24 our security on our apartments, but I think our manager "Mr. Park" is kind of a jerk. He doesn't speak a lick of English and has a lot of trouble communicating. We wrote both of our names down on a paper for him, but apparently he can not say "Danielle" so he has decided to call me "Gainer" lol. It is funny when he calls us becuase it is "Andrew and Gainer!" ....I really don't think he likes me very much because he yelled at me three different times on the first day to lower my voice. I would be talking in the hall way (on the 7th floor!) to other English teachers and he would appear out of no where frantically whispering "GAINER GAINER lower down!!!!" I am the only one he says this too....which is shocking becuase I am dating one of the loudest people on earth. lol I think Andrew scares Korean's yet they are obsessed with him and think he is "very handsome!".... I agree ;-).

So my apartment is on the 7th floor and Andrew's is on the 11th. Our apartments pretty much are the exact same. It is a studio apartment with a burner on the counter (for cooking), a dish sink, a small fridge, a washer (for clothes) under the burner, a bathroom, one double bed, a small dresser and a TV. We have two closets and yes I will post the pictures as soon as my laptop arrives! The beds are really hard but comfortable. I have a window and the vew is amazing. I see the city that surrounds me and also the close mountains!!! I also have a deck/ledge that I can climb out of my window to sit on. We get our heat from the floors which is actually cozy and kind of cool. I still can not get used to the showering system...... apparently bathrooms in Korea are strickly used for showering and pooping lol. The shower head is right above the sink and water gets EVERYWHERE when i shower....all over the toilet, floor, mirrors.... I cant really store anything because everything gets wet! I also can't do my hair, makeup or go to the bathroom after I shower :-/ I really hate it lol. It doesn't help that Andrew and I have nothing yet. We have to buy towels, a new bed spread, shampoo/soap, EVERYTHING! We are going shopping to lot mark and costco (yes, I will take pictures for you dad!) this weekend. Andrew's apartment had a nat (like the bug) problem, but I believe that has been resolved.

We haven't really had the opportunity to shop or explore because we seriously started working THE SAME DAY that we arrived to Korea. THANKS SCHOOL!!! I feel a bit like a slave, but I guess that's ok lol. We got to school around 3pm on Wednesday and met everyone and observed 2 classes, did paperwork and prepared to teach BY OURSELVES the next day! Everyone at my school seems nice. The school is owned by a husband and wife. The wife bought us some food for our first night- so that was nice. The husband pretty much insulted me to my face but from what I have heard this was actually meant to be a compliment. They speak zero English so one of the Korean teachers has to translate for them. When I met the husband the first thing he said was "OH, you are a lot prettier than we expected you to be, from the picuture you gave us! This is very good!"..... almost like a "THANK GOSH you are not too ugly! I am SO relieved!" lol oh well! Every kid at the school (and Korean teacher lol) is OBSESSED with Andrew! Apparently having a shaved head is a very big deal in Korea since none of them do that. The kids all talk about it and try to feel his head lol. They also go NUTS for his height! They are so cute! When they figured out that Andrew and I are dating the entire class actually screamed and fell off of thier seats!

The kids are really cute and active!! The love talking about my eyes.... apparently I have "cat" eyes because they are blue? Yesturday I tought 6 classes by myself!! YIKES! Most of them went ok. I just have to learn to relax and come up with more games. I teach 9-15 year olds. I have learned that Korean kids are obsessed with death. It is brought up in each class at least once. I had my eight year olds draw me a picture of themselves and their favorite thing as an icebreaker..... cute Taylor drew her and her puppy....Jordon and Mike drew them and their gold fish....and little Cole drew himself laying dead on the floor, next to his dead dog who had a knief sticking threw his heart! wow, how do i even deal with that? lol

The kids like to give me lots of gifts and love games! Most of my classes are really well behaved...except for one! Of course it is my biggest class (about 15 kids). They are mostly 11 years old. They are SOOO loud, and naughty. Korean kids are also VERY physical. They hit, pull eachother hair, and fight constantly! This class fought for 40 mins straight and actually ended up knocking over my stand! I thought I was going to get kicked out from screaming at them so much lol...this is saying a lot since I did have Brian growing up as a brother. I dislike teaching this class. I also have a class teaching four 15 year old boys. Only one showed up yesturday and he refuses to talk (apparently they are all like that) and doesn't really understand what I am saying....great he is completely at the wrong level but the school will not change his class becuase of his age. He kept sighing and slamming his head on the desk becuase he hating talking to me that much lol.

Our school also has a really embarrssing bathroom situation. Although we have a nice large bathroom down the hall, with four stalls and 3 sinks ....the bathroom doesn't have any toilet paper, soap or hand towels! A roll of T.P. is kept at the front desk... so everytime we have to go you have to take however much TP you think you will need! yeah...............

OH before I forget- I forgot to mention that the plane had FREE beer and wine! That did help a little :-)

So I would have been teaching my second day of class today BUT I was really sick all morning. Korea definitely has a smell. I can't really explain it....it is like a fishy/farty smell. It makes me sick. I guess over time I will get used to it. Getting food has been a challenge. I obviously can't read or speak korean and most dishes has meat, fish, or egg in it. I have gotten a few fish suprises in my dishes! I have been living off of Bibimbop with no egg in it. It is a rice dish with lots of veggies. Last night we went out with some ENG teachers from our area- one of them is a vegetarian! So she will probably become my new BFF and guide me along my way! lol. I guess my body is acclimating to a new culture... so yesturday moring I threw up once and was fine...today I could not stop throwing up!! It sucks because finding Korean food I can eat is so hard, but finding anything that resembles food from back home is almost impossible. I think there are more places in the city, but I don't really know too many dinners yet so I haven't been eating too much (but don't worry mom I can still always manage to find food! :-) ). Andrew is my blessing and hero! He is taking care of me just like he promised Dad! :-) He held my hair when I vomited, went out and found me fruit and bagels, handeled the school today for me and is constatly worring about feeding me. Actually so is Jason lol its really cute. I am SO happy that I am here with Andrew and Jason!! They are my family, best friends and life line in Korea!!!!

Oh! I also peed in my first hole last night! We went out to a traditional Korean BBQ (I ate salad and rice) and the public bathroom was basically a hold in the floor. It had a flusher and everything. Shockingly enough it wasn't bad! I actually pee better in the hole than trying to squat on a toilet! HA! Just thought I would share that with everyone!

Drinking in public is awesome. Everything here is cheap. Korea's are seriously nuts. I will have many more stories and pictures SOON! I LOVE EVERYONE....and I miss everyone more more more than you all know. I cry everyday on the inside for you, but even in three days this has been a life chanaging experience that I am happy/lucky to have!!

LOVE YOU! xxoxoxoxoxooxx