Melissa's arrival in Korea

One of our clients, Melissa S. who recently arrived in Korea was kind enough to share a blog entry about her first few weeks in Korea. It is a great description of what it is like to arrive in Korea for the first time. Thanks for sharing Melissa!

Hey Access Now team!

I've been in Gangneung Si for three weeks now thanks to your help. My placement is wonderful and my host amazing! She's someone I'd be lucky to have as a friend where ever in the world. I've been posting notes about my experiences in South Korea every four days or so on Facebook. I thought you might like to read the first post and if you like, add it to your web page for interested candidates to peruse. Thank you for facilitating this experience and please read the following note:

Saturday October 18th through Tuesday October 21st:

I arrived at Incheon/Seoul airport at 5:40 p.m. Though I'd hoped to get a view of Seoul as my bus limosuine (they call it) carried me the four hours to Gang Neung Si (City) it was too late and too foggy to see anything. So I slept. I'd read that South Korea was very conservative and so traded all of my slinky tops and tight jeans for fifties inspired slim waisted skirts and prim blouses. The first woman I noticed before passing out, my head slung sideways into a "neck" pillow was a beautiful Korean woman in a fitted white tee-shirt, tight jeans, hoops and high heel boots. Damn I thought... I woke up later to slob on the side of my face. So much for glamour.

My apartment is tiny. Well appointed. But tiny. My small place in Culver City was no preparation. But this place is beyond cozy. I have heated wood floors, a full kitchen, washing machine, air conditioning, an enclosed tiled balcony, satellite tv and wifi. Come to find out, Gang Neung is the most popular beach destination in the country. The number of restaraunts located in this tiny city is mind-boggling. I can even get nachos two blocks down. Of course it's advertised next to a restaraunt exhibiting live squid swimming in huge tanks out front alongside the upstairs residents laundry -- underwear and all.

Early this morning I walked onto my balcony to look at the garden outside. Across the street from there, "Nekenhouse." You got it, a Heineken bar! Seems the town went through a boom time not so long ago. So while grandma and pa continue to grow pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes and radishes... Dunkin' Donuts, Heineken, Sushi of every kind and SK Telecom go about their business. I'm amazed at how large these gardens are (they're all over the city) and the fact that no one steals from them. These vegetables are huge and look very tastey. I asked Lindsey (she owns the school I work for) if I could pick some flowers since they had grown beyond the city curb that butts up against the garden. She frowned and said it was not such a good idea. The old people won't like that very much she said.

*Lindsey studied English in Seattle for six months about seven years ago. Her two girls were 4 and 6 at the time. Lindsey and her husband Patrick thought it was now or ever for her education abroad. After returning to Korea, she invested all of her money into The Queen's English Academy. It is one of three remaining franchises and she's been in business seven years. They are a delightful family. Actually, so far, I've not met an unpleasant person. It's a funny thing. In some ways, I feel like I'm in K-Town it's so americanized here. But without the car exhaust and stress. Lindsey says Koreans call South Korea Little America and yet, for all of the "things" there are to buy here... no one seems pressed. Lindsey told me today that Korean's pride themselves on efficiency and that she thought America was slow. I couldn't help but laugh since she'd just finished taking me through the fastest, friendliest most efficient health check I've ever experienced. Granted I had to take my pee test squatting over a porcelin floor toilet and pull a chain overhead to flush.

The students at the school are delightful. Typical 7 to 12 year olds. Happy, shy, funny, smart, interested and mischevious. I marvel at their English, they fall over laughing at my Korean. We're off to a good start I think. Tuesday was my first full day teaching. I had enough energy to survive, but not enough to report anything other than they're great. I've got lots to learn.

* Lindsey, Patrick and their daughters Kirsten and Kathy of course have Korean names but insist I use their English names. I do not believe my Korean pronunciation has anything to do with this request.