Departure Ceremony | Saying Goodbye & Heading to Meet Our Homestays

The day has finally arrived! We packed up the last of our belongings, cleared our rooms, and headed for the designated areas, where Mrs. Shim and the OCs would say a few words before our departure. 

Mrs. Shim's Departing Address was held in the TKD room, after which we spent an hour or so saying goodbye to each other. The OCs gave us our settling-in allowance to help us pay for expenses right when we arrive at our placements, and envelopes containing copies of our contracts and of the letters we were to give to our homestay families.

This is my envelope. The first line reads "Busan," the second "Yeongdo Yeoja Kodeunghakgyo," my high school's name, and, of course, my name. 

Left: With Coco, this young woman has a vision! Top: With Elaine, OC and Renewee in Daegu (close to Busan), and Bottom Right: With Tara, my beautiful roommate who will also be in Daegu!

Silliness in front of the camera with the first male ETA I saw at the airport on the way to South Korea!

There was silliness and there was a bit of sadness, too. Way to make her cry, Ray...

After a bit of time together, we finally headed up to the 11th floor auditorium where the Departure Ceremony would take place. All the ETAs lined up in special order and created a horseshoe around the auditorium enclosing an audience of Korean school administrators among staff from KAEC and the State Department.

I was doing well, smiling and embracing the pained cheeks, until they called Busan, and then my name. For some reason, I nearly forgot how to step forward. And bow. These simple tasks suddenly became very hard to perform and I was shaking a bit from nerves when a woman ran up to me from the audience and handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers! She quickly retreated back into the audience as more names were called.

Most of the ETAs received some sort of flower arrangement from a [couple of] school official(s). There were one or two Fulbright co-teachers who, upon hearing the name of their ETA called, shouted, ran up to the auditorium, gave their bouquet to the half-stunned ETA, and proceeded to shout, and give them hearty hugs and kisses.

It was hilarious! There was one man who even showered his ETA with party poppers! I was glad to see that teachers had a sense of humor, and even more so to experience a tiny break from the formality of the whole ceremony.

My bouquet resting alongside my blazer back in the TKD room. 

After the ceremony, we had a very special lunch in a part of Jungwon University we had never been to before. We sat with our school officials (mine was my Fulbright co-teacher, my school's principal, and a man who worked for the school and was the day's driver).

We were told that awkwardness from this point on should be expected. Knowing that this would be normal helped me enjoy my meal and even emboldened me to make conversation. My Fulbright co-teacher speaks very well in English, though I do have to slow down my speech a little (which I have to do anyway even with people back in the States).

My principal, however, hardly speaks any English and was quick to express to me her desire to see me grow in my Korean language ability so that we could talk and have conversations.

I could feel my list of priorities shifting already.

I was able to gauge many life-story-type information from both my co-teacher and my principal, but later switched to asking more business/school-type information as we left Goesan and headed for Busan.

My school had rented a very spacious van for the day, and so there was plenty of room for my belongings. 

As our conversations continued, I briefly glanced to my side of the window and saw Goesan grow smaller and smaller. My school officials were very nice and accommodating. Besides the flowers, they had prepared a bag of snacks in the car and offered me things to eat all throughout the ride.

I was so glad that we had our own van and did not have to use public transportation or, worse, lug all my bags using public transportation. As it was, the man who drove us today took care of all of my bags, and even offered to carry my bouquet for me. Like I said, they were super accommodating!

A view of Yeongdo, an island in southeastern Busan, from our car. I woke up just in time to take this photo.

The ride to Busan took approximately four hours with traffic. My co-teacher was kind enough to stay with me a while longer as I met up with my host family and gave them the letter from Mrs. Shim, describing various things about the living arrangement.

My host mom prepared snacks and drinks for us to enjoy in their living room. The house was immaculately clean. It was small, but well-organized. It was easy to see that this was a Christian household, judging from the big wooden cross hanging on their wall, as well as various Bible verses in cool frames.

My host mom and my co-teacher spoke in rapid-sounding Korean as I self-consciously ate and drank sitting on the floor with both feet tucked in under me. The girls were initially shy, but quickly warmed up to me as my co-teacher told them a little bit more about me and, I'm sure, the Fulbright program, etc. The women laughed, and I laughed along with them, not knowing what it was that was amusing.

By the time my co-teacher excused herself for the evening, I was no longer nervous to be left alone with my host family. The girls - my host sisters - do not speak English very well, but can still communicate with me through miming, acting, facial expressions, etc. This was enough for me to feel more at ease with them.

In no time, we were side-by-side on their tiny piano bench playing something very basic they wanted me to learn how to play.

The girls teaming up on the piano. This reminded me a bit of my sister Christy and me and how we basically did/do everything together.

The girls Romanized their names for me, and told me that, since I was now part of the family, I was now "Mimi Kim." 

Adorable.

I was very tired from a very long day, but I found the energy to talk with my host family pretty late into the night. There was host mom, host dad, and two younger host sisters - all telling me that I look beautiful, that they like my big eyes and "small head/face" (this is a compliment in Korea, apparently). Their energy and curiosity helped me mirror the same qualities and carry on disjointed, funny conversations about, basically, anything that came to mind.

Not an easy thing, but something which we accomplished with the help of the girls, who were good at translating back and forth.

My huge bed in what I suspect is my sisters' former bedroom

I went to bed feeling very pampered by my host family, and very blessed by God for preparing such a warm and welcoming family to host me for the year in Yeongdo.

The value that Koreans place not only on education but also on family is a huge plus in my book!

How a Simple Letter-Writing Activity Partially & Temporarily Immobilized Me

Time has really sped up since we got back from Seoul. It seems the activities we have done this past week have just been fillers as we all anxiously await heading to our various placements this Friday. 

RUN THROUGH OF TOMORROW'S CLOSING CEREMONY

This morning we went over tomorrow's schedule - most importantly how we will meet the school officials from our schools. Basically, the process is very similar to the one we went through when we were given our school placements: dress up, line up, wait for name to be called, step forward, and deliver a 90-degree bow towards Mrs. Shim. 

After our names are called, we are to prolong giving our bows until we have scanned the audience in the auditorium and noted who waved, stood up, or otherwise signaled that they were our people. This is to make it easy for us to find them post-ceremony and make our introductions.

The OCs giving us a thorough run-down. Also, they had us write letters addressing our future selves!

DEAR MIMI, I HOPE THAT BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS LETTER...
Before the run-through, the OCs had us write letters to ourselves.

I got really excited when they began to hand out stationary paper and envelopes. But after writing down the date and the words "Dear Mimi," I froze up. It really hit me that, for better or worse, this letter would find its way back into my hands a few months from now.

Why was the thought of this a bit immobilizing? Because it reminded me of my goal to grow into a better human being, and it, in a way, gave me a timeline for beginning to accomplish such a task. In short, the letter asked me to be accountable to myself.

I froze because I thought of what future Mimi who hadn't grown might need to hear in a letter, and what future Mimi who had grown would want to hear. The two versions would need a different talking to, and I couldn't decide which one of me to address so I did a bit of both. As a result, my letter sounds half-chiding and half self-congratulatory!

We will see which Mimi opens this letter in the coming months...dundundun.

For our last dinner in Jungwon, they had us sit on the other side of the cafeteria, where we ate extra delicious food. 

This is the last evening we will spend in Jungwon. All of us were still dressed up from the afternoon's workshop by Tim Marshall from the State Department and basically sweated through our outfits because the entire place got so hot from our cooking!

Right after dinner, we had Trivia Night, where House Kwon finished last. The OCs still gave us a prize though thus Christina's very excited face.

Letters from Emily and Mama that I will savour reading in the coming days!

LETTERS FROM HOME

In a way, today began and ended with letters. Anthony tapped me on the shoulder during dinner and quickly deposited two envelopes on my lap. They were from Mama and Emily! This was super unexpected and, thus, all the more joy-inducing. I was so happy, I squealed - and I hardly squeal over anything! 

It's been a very good day and night, especially since these precious letters arrived just before I left for Busan. 

Nearing the End | Writing Our Thank Yous to Our Wonderful OCs and RAs!

A few ETAs "secretly" writing their Thank You notes in the lounge. A few other ETAs spearheaded this project, so kudos to them!

We're definitely nearing the end of Orientation. It feels like we've been here for years when it has only been a month. Sitting down to write these notes helped remind me of how short of a time I have actually spent in Korea. Without the OCs and RAs, I would not be going out to my school and homestay placements with the knowledge and confidence I have gained during orientation.

They have done a remarkable job. Any of the ETAs will tell you this!

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU
What are some of the most memorable/nicest/warmest notes you have received? Who were they from? Have you taken the time to write someone a thank you note recently?

2013 Talent Show | Most Likely to Become a Professional Blogger Award

It's official, folks. My blog has received the very-official stamp of approval from the Fulbright Talent Show Committee. And now I would like to thank...

We basically never stop around here. 

The OCs always have something planned. And if they don't have something planned, they have other ETAs plan an event for us just like tonight's Talent Show! I went to Goesan earlier today to get 8x10 prints of some of my photos, which I have decided is how I will make my contributions for the event. (Times like these really make me wish I had a performable talent!). 

There were great performances in song and dance and instrument-playing, and there were cool exhibits on origami and drawings - among many other things. Sitting back on my chair, feeling slightly feverish, my amazement over the caliber of talent we have as a group was renewed and compounded with each new act! 

I almost wished they had arranged this event earlier but, then again, maybe not as many people would have signed up, and we would certainly not have witnessed most of the dynamic pairings and groupings that showcased their talents on the stage! 

A night of fun and entertainment and bonding :)

Just a few of the handful of ETAs who shared their talents! I was so entertained and inspired by the different ways each and every one of them expressed themselves!

My way of contributing to the talent show; also a mini advertisement to the natural beauty of the Philippines!

Once I get more time, I will post the photos on my photography website since I edited a few more photos from the 2011 trip to the Philippines for the event!

After everyone's performances and exhibits, the OC Team surprised us by dancing as a group on stage. It was one of the best, most entertaining things I have seen during Orientation! With all the work they do, I have no idea how they found the time to also learn a dance!

Anthony said that they got the steps down the night before. Uh-huh...

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU
Do you have a performable talent? What is it? How have you shared it with others?
If you don't have a "performable" talent, what have you done to showcase talents/abilities/skills not easily performed on the stage?

Seoul Day 4 | 2013 ETA Graduation Ceremony at Korea University

Today is the official culmination of our Korean language courses. It was wake up early, pack up, check out of our hotel rooms, board the buses, and drive to Korea University, where our graduation ceremony would be held. 

Here is our day in photos.

2013-2014 ETAs and our Korean language instructors posing for photos at the end of the ceremony

A couple of very important people said a few words to open the ceremony. It began with the granting of certificates, and was followed up by students performing skits or sharing their class videos.

The 90-degree bow as modeled by Mr. Tarnowsky

Class photo on stage with our certificates and gifts from Korea University

The mart scene

The whole skit may or may not have centered around the idea of Brendan here looking like Hugh Jackman (class inside joke) 

So many cameras at the event

After the ceremony, we ate a light lunch. Then, our final grades were given to us by our instructors.

Seonsaengnim handing out papers containing our grades

 We all passed! (Of course).

Class Photo: Classy Edition

Class Photo 2: With both seonsaengnims!

I will miss my teachers, but what a huge relief to be done with Korean classes! Many ETAs plan on continuing their language acquisition by signing up for more classes throughout the year. I am still undecided whether or not I want to go this route. We'll see in the coming days. Hopefully the little that I know now will suffice as far as self-introductions at my school placement goes, and will continue to grow as I begin to interact with my host family!

A Tour of Jungwon University on a Rare Sunny Day!

Very uncharacteristically of me, I have not taken too many photos in the two weeks that I have been here. Everything I have shared so far on this blog have been taken using my iPhone. The DSLR is still tucked away, just waiting to come out at the right moment. Until then, here are some photos of Jungwon taken by my trusty iPhone.

The light streaming in through these glass doors drew me outside

I immediately went from cool to hot, and from I-want-to-appreciate-the-world to I-can-hardly-see-anything-the-world-is-so-bright!

I believe there are 11 floors, not including many secret underground floors

Signage in English

Something about this tree really impressed me

This is a map of Jungwon. You can see the pool to the left, and the site where I am wandering around taking pictures to the right

Jungwon looks so luscious and pretty when it is bathed in sunlight!

Fountain and rock formations across the bleachers and field

A clearer view of the fountain

The bleachers. From what I've heard, Jungwon is a school with many student-athletes

More lusciousness to the right of the bleachers

And this is the sight that will greet you if you turn to the left of the bleachers

Apparently framing photos using trees/tree branches is something I like to do a lot

This creature looks like a lion to me. What do you think?

This is only one side of the campus but I hope you enjoyed the tour!

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU
What do you think of Jungwon, the "Marble Mansion"? Do you like reading/viewing blog posts made up of more photos or with more words?

Arriving At Jungwon University in Goesan

The huge welcome sign that greeted us on our way to Jungwon University. Those who saw the sign outside their
bus windows started cheering and clapping. 

I arrived in Korea at 5 this morning with no incident!

MY YEAR AS A U.S. AMBASSADOR STARTS NOW (AKA ON AN ALASKAN AIRLINE PLANE)
Except for one small episode on my flight to LA which involved a Spanish-speaking mother of two who had taken my assigned seat and was refusing to look at my boarding pass as proof. I tried to see if I could then switch seats with her, but she was also refusing to let me see her boarding pass for some reason. Thus, I was the awkward person standing right in the middle of the aisle, apologetic in barring everyone else's way to their seats as I attempted to explain the situation to her in Spanish. A woman sitting behind the lady tried to help me help her understand but in vain. As more and more passengers came on board, I had less and less room and became more and more stuck. At this point, I was sweating in my gray UW sweatshirt, and growing panicky and indignant. It took the flight attendants a while to notice my dilemma. I was able to flag one of them and, luckily, he was able to more assertively plead my case with the lady. Because of her two children, the lady still wouldn't give up my aisle seat, which I had quickly gathered. I explained to the flight attendant that I was willing to switch seats early on, but she refused to let me see her boarding pass, thus, preventing me from making the switch. The flight attendant nearly had to pry her boarding pass from her before she gave it to him. By the time she understood that the seat really was assigned to me, and that I was willing to make the switch, I had been standing for nearly 20 minutes, with every other passenger on board seated, and just looking on. A few gave me sympathetic glances, which actually helped me keep my composure and remember the reason why I was on the plane in the first place.

I stomped all over my frustration when I remembered where I was headed and what my future role was going to be. I was very glad I did.

The flight attendant offered me "free drinks" during the flight as an apology for the inconvenience. There was no where else to stow my carry-on but some folks promptly rearranged their luggage to make room for mine. Once we arrived in LA, a man quickly got up and started a chain made up of folks who ensured that I got my luggage handed to me from the back of the plane. Unexpected acts of kindness like these really helped pump me up for the rest of my journey!

THE FULBRIGHT ORIENTATION COORDINATORS GREETING US AT THE AIRPORT
I flew with Alaska Airlines from Seattle, WA to LA, CA and then switched to Asiana Airlines to fly out from LA to Seoul. Once in Seoul, a team of Orientation Coordinators (OCs) met me along with 77 other ETAs at Incheon Airport and bused us to Jungwon University in Goesan, a county in North Chungcheong Province. The OCs wore neon green Fulbright T-shirts at the airport and were strategically placed throughout the place to help welcome us and guide our exit out of the building.

I believe there are a total of 7 Orientation Coordinators, including Ashlee, who is the Chief Orientation Coordinator.

They were a very organized bunch. Immediately we were given name tags and ETA numbers (I'm ETA #5 out of 80), room keys, an electronic card that allows us access to food in the cafeteria and entrance into the building, as well as our first weekly stipend of 70,000 won (roughly $70). From reading the ETA Handbook they had given us, I was actually expecting around $49, but I suppose cost of living has increased between now and then.

Either way, I was quite pleased.

Two buses took 40 ETAs each and two big trucks hauled our stuff right behind us to Goesan, where we would be staying for the 6-week Orientation.

JUNGWON UNIVERSITY, THE MARBLE MANSION
Once in Goesan, the sight of Jungwon University loomed over us, and many were quite impressed with the big school. Compared to the UW-Seattle campus, however, Jungwon is very small.

Jungwon University in Goesan, (aka the "Marble Mansion"). Taken during a campus tour with one of our RAs

Jungwon University sits in the middle of nowhere. This is a view of the field, hills, and mountains that surround it.

By a quick estimate, it is probably the same size as the Health and Sciences building. The university is a neat stack of mostly gray buildings and is immediately surrounded by a wide field, and by nature and mountains off in the distance. The grayness of the building matched the sky. I have been describing the weather here to friends and family back home as being a cross between Seattle's norm of overcast and rainy and the Philippines' humidity.

MEETING MY ROOMMATE AND MOVING TO OUR ROOM
My roommate is a very sweet young lady named Tara. We settled into our new home, which is a very small but cozy triplet.

Jungwon University, Room #1017. I share a small and narrow triple bedroom with one other Fulbright ETA. 

So far, everything looks good except the fact that our air-conditioner doesn't work. Several other rooms have the same problem so the OCs and RAs have assured us that everything will be fixed soon.

We unpacked, took turns taking a shower, changed from our sweaty attires, and went downstairs for our first meeting as a group. To help combat jetlag, the OCs had set up activities designed to prevent us from crawling to our new beds and sleeping our first day away in Korea.

This is Anthony, the OC that I corresponded with the most regarding all things of concern while I was still in the States.
Thank you for your prompt and thorough responses, and for your patience with me!

JUNGWON CAMPUS TOUR
One of these activities was a campus tour with our RAs. We practically circled this vast building, got lost in its many halls (our tour guide/RA got lost with us), and saw where the mart and pool were. Here are some photos I took:

More of Jungwon University!

The full schedule on our first day in Korea worked. I was exhausted by the end of today! Imagine me sleeping as early as 9 p.m. That's how utterly beat I was. My roommate a wall away from me was out, too.