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Hello, All!
Most importantly, you all should know that I found Peanut butter and Frosted Flakes (a normal-sized box!), so I am not going to starve. :-)
I can't think of a better way to organize this apart from chronologically, so here we go...
June 2-3:
I left 12 of my favorite people on the planet behind as I passed through security in the Columbus Airport. I boarded my plane bound for Chicago... then I had to get back off the plane. A bird flew into the wing, causing damage, and they needed to change a tire. The entire passenger list was rerouted. My flight, apparently, was especially difficult to reroute, and I waited patiently as the woman called about 25 people to get me a new itinerary. She figured it out and I sat and waited for another 1.5 hours, thinking of the people I love who are probably only a few hundred yards away and worrying about my luggage that may or may not be coming with me. I boarded another plane bound for Chicago, landed safely, and sprinted with half my body weight in carry-on luggage for my next plane, bound for Tokyo. No check-in necessary. I sat amongst a large Phillippino family. The oldest child, an 18-year-old girl (JoJo) who had just graduated, was making her first trip to the Philippines. She talked to me for a while, asking me questions and telling me about her family and her trip.
I boarded and helped the people around me get their luggage into the overheads. Then I settled in. Just as I was about to get my book out, a girl tapped my shoulder and said, "I think you're in my seat."
I asked her what seat she was assigned to, and she responded, "36 C." Well, that's what was on my ticket. We had the exact same ticket, just different names. Great. So we told an attendant. Since she was flying with family and I was flying solo, I was yanked off the plane and told to wait while they decided if the plane was going to be too full to reassign me. Finally, the gave me a new boarding ticket that put me in seat 25B, an aisle seat on the edge of the plane. "Cool, I won't have 5 other people trying to push past me to use the restroom for 13 hours. When I found my seat, I was pleased to see that I was across the aisle from JoJo and her family. I was glad to have someone nearby that I wouldn't have to awkwardly introduce myself to with all the usual, obligatory information people seem to ask of a young person traveling alone. "Hello, my name is Megan. I'm going to South Korea, I'll be there for a year on a teaching visa, yes I will miss my family, and I apologize in advance if I talk in my sleep."
Sleep wasn't an issue, though, since JoJo talked most of the 13-hour plane ride about anime and how cute Japanese boys are. We exchanged myspace names and email addresses. The flight wasn't miserable, but it certainly isn't easy to stay comfortable in those seats. The food was okay - better than I expected at any rate. Most surprisingly, I was one row in front of a mom and dad with 2-year-old triplet boys... who were the cutest, best behaved kids I've ever seen in my life. The most I heard from them the entire way from Chicago to Tokyo was "Here we go!!!" upon take off and landing and "Old MacDonald" one time randomly as a meal was served. Absolutely precious.
At the Tokyo airport, we all had to turn in health statements before getting off the plane stating that we don't have symptoms of H1N1 and we feel great after a cramped and lengthy flight. Then I had to go through security again and headed to the AA counter for check-in. They sent me to the JAL counter, who sent me to Korean Air in Terminal 1. As I was waiting for the tram, I was hunted down by the woman from the AA counter who told me to go to JAL. She asked for my itinerary, looked at it, and told me I would never make it with only 45 minutes until takeoff. The tram takes too long. So she dragged me back to AA and my flight was rescheduled again. Then she took me to JAL and stood in line with me to get my boarding pass for my new flight. She and the man at JAL spoke and she told me I would be fine. After she walked away, his computer stopped working. He checked another computer and then told me that in the time that his computer was down, someone took the reservation he was getting for me and the flight was full. He put me on standby.
Half an hour later, I went back to see if I had made the standby cut. I had, and he told me I was going to be in premium economy, in an aisle seat. I had 20% more leg room for my last 2 hours. Woot! Again, though, I was concerned about my luggage and whether it would make it to my final destination. The flight was fine, although Deanna would have tossed her cookies if she saw the meal they served us. Fish balls on a stick, roe, sesame and bean paste dumplings, pickled plum salad... it was interesting. I tried it all, but I mostly stuck to the rice.
After I landed in Incheon, I made it through H1N1 screening. They took our temperatures in addition to a health statement this time, and I was the only non-Asian on the flight. They all think that only foreigners get H1N1, so I got a lot of dirty looks until I was scanned for temp and allowed through. Then we all flocked through the labyrinth that is Incheon International to the luggage claim. I was totally shocked to see both of my bags there and in tact. YAY!!! I went to the arrivals area and immediately saw a man holding up a big sign with my name on it, just like in the movies. He drove me the hour back to the English Village and my new boss, Mike, let me into my new apartment. I unpacked a little and then passed out. I didn't make it here until 10pm June 3, so I was completely exhausted.
June 4:
5 doctors and 9 nurses told me I don't have swine flu, so I am officially out of quarantine and can actually shake hands with people and the like. Yay! I went to a little tiny grocery store and bought some bananas and snack foods to hold me over until I can go to E-Mart and pick up the essentials for much less money. I was introduced to about 20 people and remembered some of their names.
June 5:
I had my first day of work at 9am. I watched some classes, helped with out-processing, and went to a few meetings, including that of my department, the Drama and Music Zone (DMZ for short - LOL!!!). That meeting was a little intense since I guess some of the members are at odds. It literally felt like I was in the DMZ. Well, maybe not that intense, but still...
That night, a group of about 12 of us went out for dinner to welcome me and the 2 other new people. We got some Dok golbi (spicy chicken, rice noodle, and cabbage) and had a great time. They all decided from there that we should head to Ilsan and meet some of the other EVers at a bar. We were there for a few hours, playing foosball, air hockey, darts, and ring toss. Around midnight, I got up to use the restroom and when I came back... everyone was gone! I was left alone in a city about 30 minutes outside Paju that looked like Korean Las Vegas, I don't have a cell phone, I don't speak the language, and I don't really even know where I am. Awesome. Apparently they had just forgotten about me and left, so I clearly don't feel like much of a part of the group yet.
In any case, I found a cab with a sign in the window that said "free interpretation" (a complete lie, by the way) and asked if the driver knew how to find "Paju Englishy Billage?" (That's how they say it.) He nodded emphatically and said "Ne, ne, ne" which is yes. The poor guy tried to talk to me the entire way, but I didn't understand anything he said apart from "Englishy Teacher?" and "You eyes bery pretty. Beautipul!" It was that point that we arrived at GEV and I jumped out and went to bed.
(side note: all of those people feel really bad about leaving and have sent several messengers to apologize for them.)
June 6: A couple of girls asked if I would like to go with them to Seoul to get manicures. I need a haircut, so I went with them, but I couldn't get in because it is the weekend and they were booked. No big though, because I got to wander and check out the shops and so forth. We went to Itaewon for lunch (essentially the foreigner district) and they took me to The Wolfhound, an Irish pub where I got a delicious bacon cheeseburger and fries. :-) I familiarized myself with the subway system a little and picked up some tourist information. I also was stopped outside an ice cream shop and asked if I would be okay with taking a picture with some people. Having blonde hair and blue eyes here is the equivalent of being a celebrity, so I'm told I should get used to this. Still, it was flattering. Korean culture is very much focused on physical appearance, so among the questions I get from students are "how tall are you?" "how much do you weigh?" and "are you wearing color contacts?"
Last night I passed out at around 8pm. It's been an exhausting couple of days. I woke up at about 5am today, though. It's only 11:30 right now, but it feels much later. I'll be taking a trip to E-Mart around 5 this evening to pick up some stuff like cleaning supplies, conditioner, and a comforter. The one provided for me is pretty shady looking and stained.
My apartment is not what we expected, of course, and I don't get a turtle. It's very small with no living room. I do have a TV, though, and a kitchen, which is next to my desk, which is next to my bed. It smells kinda funny and the carpet is gross. I'm signing up for carpet and mattress cleaning tomorrow. I look forward to that. The apartment above me is empty. It's also bigger, nicer, has a balcony, and the hordes of people that wander by everyday can't see into the window. I'm going to ask for a switch if at all possible. I don't want to sound too demanding or anything, but I figure it can't hurt to ask, even if they can't/won't switch me.
My address is as follows:
Meg Maynard
Gyeonggi English Village, Saturn 104
Paju City, Gyeonggi Province,
1779 Beopheung-ri, Tanhyeon-myeon,
Republic of Korea, 413-780
... I think I've covered a lot here. If I left anything out that you wanted to know about or if you have any questions at all.
I love you all very, very much!
-Meg
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Kevin Kerr
Great post !
I hope you find your camera cable. I would love to see some pictures. Miss you.