Arriving, moving and teaching

I got into Incheon last night around 6pm, and was ready to collapse into a heap. While waiting to go through immigration I noticed something odd--community reading glasses attached to the desk by the forms. I was amused and then went back to being tired.

I got picked up by a driver who spoke a few words of English, so I was still in the dark as to what was going on and what was expected of me on my first day (let alone the second, which is when my contract started). We got to the Seo-gu Global Education Center (GEC) and waited for the person with the key to my temporary housing (I didn't know it was temporary at the time, so I was freaking out inside my head when I saw that it was nothing like the pictures). Julie, one of the people I had interviewed with, took me to dinner and gave me a rough overview of the next few days--I move into my actual apartment on Wednesday or Thursday depending on class schedules.

Still a little in the dark as to what I was expected to do on my first official day of work, I was dropped at the dorms and started looking for someone to help me figure out the internet situation. I met some cool folks from various places (Canada, Illinois and Tucson). I was less worried now that I had a way to contact folks and people who are willing to show me around the area I'm temporarily housed. I'm nervous about figuring out the buses and subway system, but I'll latch onto someone who lives in the same apartment building and make it work.

This morning I got to meet the teachers at the public school I'm working in, they hire teachers through the GEC, but I'm not working in the hagwon (privately owned schools). They're all pretty chill as far as I can tell, a couple folks from California, so that was nice. I share the GEC public school teaching office with two Aussies, both are pretty nice guys in their 30s.

I taught my first class this morning at 10am, it's an adult class of beginners. A whopping two people showed up today and I was told one more will be joining in later. The students have English names and the book reminds me of the kind of lessons I received in the foreign language classes. The books for the kids anger me a little since they drill minimal pairs (rhyming), which isn't the best way to become conversationally fluent. I'm looking forward to my Friday kindy class, which starts September 10th (which just happens to be pay day).

Pictures to follow.

~Sarah