The first weeks

Almost two weeks have passed since our arrival here in Seoul, and in that time we have certainly made a lot of progress. We have gone from feeling new and culture shocked to feeling more comfortable and settled.

uIn our first few days we ventured out to explore the city. As we were Unsure of how the subway system functioned, we felt that this may be a difficult task. Sure enough, the subway map we initially saw looked like a confusing system of lines and tracks (and Korean). As we stood and struggled to find our way, we were luckily approached by two teachers from the United States. They were happy to show us the ropes, and gave us a good break down of how the subway system worked. It is actually quite simple, and we have been taking advantage of the subway on a near daily basis.

So far we have travalled to Itaewon, the COEX center, Olympic Park and Meyongdong.

Itaewon is known in Korea as the foreigner district. There are many quaint shops and markets to be found in this area. The store owners are fairly aggressive in their sales approach, as one shop keeper physically pulled us into his store to look at his suits. As well, the night life in this area is very busy. We visited a pub named `The Rocky Mountain`, which is a Canadian themed bar. They had everything from wings and budweiser, to the Leafs game being played on the big screen. (although the game had been pre-recorded).

The COEX center is the largest underground mall in all of Asia. It is certainly a place where you could find anything. Along with all the shops and restaurants, there is a movie theatre, a casino, and an aquarium. We got to visit the aquarium, and see all the different animals (they had more than just fish, so the title was a tad misleading).

Olympic park was also very interesting to see. The venue had been kept in excellent condition, and the original signs from the 1988 olympics were still found all around. Although it was fun to see, we couldn`t help but feel shame for Canada, as this was the site of Ben Johnson`s famous 100 Metre race.

Meyongdong was a large outdoor shopping market. Sales were everywhere, and so were the people! The street was shoulder to shoulder, no matter where you turned. The locals refer to it as their own version of `time square`. Although it was fun to see, it`s not a place you can spend too much time without getting frustrated by the crowds.

School has been going well. We have began teaching, and are finding the days a bit long, but we know that in time we will adapt. The children aren`t that different from those we see in North America. They are cute, and full of energy, but still require a lot of attention. It is difficult sometimes to communicate with the students, since the younger ones know very little English. However, we hope in time this will get easier, and we will be successful in improving their English.

As far as shopping goes, grocery stores are very expensive for most items. Fruit and vegtables are exceptionally expensive, as we have found some items 4-5 times the price we would pay in Canada. In fact, we saw a watermelon for $40, so we wonder if they ever sell any of those...

Yesterday we ate out at an authentic Korean restaurant. We were accompanied by our school`s new director, whom is fluent in both Korean and English. It was very different, as we sat on the floor, cross legged, and ate with chopsticks. We had a dish called `kalbi`, which we cooked ourselves on a hotplate. We then wrapped the meat in a lettuce leaf, and garnished it with whichever toppings we pleased. It wasn`t too bad, although I`m sure it`s not for everyone.

Well we aren`t sure what we will be doing this weekend, but check out our pictures, hope you enjoy them!!