Saturday, September 10, 2011

Settling in Suwon...

Less than two weeks ago, I made the move to my new city...Suwon, South Korea, and embarked on another chapter of my life in Korea. I have a new apartment (with no furniture at the moment), a new job (which I am completely happy with), and a new city to explore (which is MUCH bigger than my sweet little town of Uljin!).  

Here are just a few things I have experienced in the past few weeks.

Renting an Apartment: It sucks! Housing in the city is very difficult to acquire...well, decent housing. I think I should do an entire blog post on renting in Korea, but I must say here that it is a challenge not meant for the weak-minded. Everything from the deposit to the actual rent is negotiable and can change on a moments notice. Oh, the things I could say! Regardless, I did find a very, very nice place in the center of the city close to shopping and other amenities. Ok, so finding the apartment sucks, but the actual apartment is FABULOUS!!!

Moving: It sucks! That's about all I can say about that. I moved from Uljin to my friend's apartment while waiting for mine to be ready, then moved into mine. Additionally, I still had stuff in Uljin that had to be moved to Suwon. This is NOT an easy feat! Through another friend, I was able to secure a mover and got all of my belongings in one place. Whew! While challenging, it was managed and now all of my things are in my new apartment. I just have to unpack...

Driving in the City: It sucks! The traffic in Suwon is insanely busy and not at all like my sleepy Uljin town. It is going to take some getting used to, but I think I may be a bit too scared to actually drive my scooter here. Oh, how I love my little scooter, but I love living more and don't want to find myself plastered to the pavement. I am considering selling him to a new, less-afraid, driver, but I must think on this some more. Regardless, traffic is insane, but still nothing compared to Seoul!

Purchasing Appliances and Furniture: It sucks! Not being able to speak Korean can make this a bit challenging. Even if one manages to find a good deal on something, a truck of some sort must be procured in order to move said items to new abode. Ugh. However, it has been kind of fun scouring the second-had stores and looking for good items. I also managed to find a lovely Korean high school girl who has been acting as a translator for me. Oh, Katy! I am soooo happy you are here!

Riding buses and subways and cabs-Oh my! It doesn't totally suck, but it can be frustrating to get on the wrong bus going the wrong way at the wrong time...ugh!! On a positive note, I have discovered many useful places and things on my little mishaps including a Goodwill and good restaurants. See, it's not all bad~

This transition has been a bit more challenging than my initial transition to Korea. I think it is because of two things. One, I was scheduled to fly home this weekend after completing my one year contract. I was looking forward to seeing family and friends, especially my oldest son, Brandon, but I could not secure a job in the States. Second, I have had to do many more things on my own, such as finding an apartment, securing furnishings, finding my way around a big city. Overall, I cannot complain. I have a great job in a beautiful city. I'm living in a three bedroom/two bath apartment near a gorgeous park for the same price as I would pay for a studio back home. I have my youngest son here with me and friends across the country and around the world. This is one wild ride, but at least it is an awesome adventure! :-)


Saturday, September 3, 2011

Saying Farewell to Uljin

It is hard to believe a year has passed since I first began preparations to come to Korea. Now, the time has come to bid farewell to my little seaside town and the precious friends I have made here. 

To process the thought of leaving my comfortable place, knowing I will never live here again, I began reflecting on the past year and what it has brought to me.There have been times of emotional highs as well as times of devastating, overwhelming sadness. Never will I forget the late nights of noraebang with my friends or the thought provoking trivia nights. The drives on my scooter up and down the east coast brought me so much joy with the warm sun on my face and the incredible scenery to take in! Walking to the market from my little apartment to get fresh fruits and veggies as well as the best chicken in town or taking my hot pink bicycle out for a spin were just little joys that put a smile on my face. Walking to work and having children shout, "Angela Teachuh", then running up to me so we could share some time as we walked to school together is simply priceless. Having a great job with a fabulous boss was icing on the cake. So many of my expat friends had difficult working conditions. My school was excellent! 


I also had the privilege of having one of my friends, Jen, come to Korea and visit me in April! That trip did wonders for me! It was so nice to have a little slice of home here with me and sharing my little joys of Korea was so much fun! The arrival of my 16 year old son, Bryan, to Korea in June brought me unspeakable joy! Sharing my simple life here with him brings me joy that is beyond words. Watching my friends accept my son and embrace him as the "little brother" of our tight-knit group brought on feelings I cannot even describe. They are wonderful people and memories will be forever cherished.


Being alone in a foreign country can also be quite sad at times. There are days where homesickness is overwhelming and just thinking about the distance separating you from your family and friends back home is exasperating and terrifying. The time sometimes seems to go fast and other times it seems to crawl. However, I have to admit, the good times over the past year far exceed the sad.


Though it is hard for me to say "farewell" to my little seaside town, I am excited about my next adventure as a university professor. It has been a dream of mine to teach on the university level and now I will. The good thing is that I will still be in Korea and can visit Uljin any time I want. I must remember that this is not "goodbye"; it is only "until we meet again". So long, Uljin. You will forever have a special place in my heart and will never be forgotten.