Week 1 of Orientation: I survived

(Group C. We da best.)

Okay, So I haven't been updating about my week, but I have a good reason. A very good one. I have been so busy! Every  day we were grinding, orienting, learning about teaching and learning the actual Korean language. Like really, I was tired.

On Tuesday, it wasn't so bad. Except for the part that I had to get up early for a medical examination and they had us pee in a cup. That shit's just uncomfortable, and the cups didn't have tops. I don't want no one seeing that! Anyway, the basically were checking if we were doing drugs or alcoholics. I am not. Clearly.



But what upset me the most was when I got my blood pressure checked. It was a little low, and they were worried I couldn't handle getting my blood drawn for a test. They asked me if I was lightheaded and made me drink water and the nurse even considered not letting me get my blood drawn. I felt fine! She asked me if I was lightheaded but I wasn't. I could tell she didn't believe me. the things was, they completely threw off my normal morning routine. I usually drink a ton of water (more like 2 cups) and I eat breakfast. I was denied food since 10 at night and it was about 9:30 in the morning. Of course I would be a little different. It wasn't normal.

(This is me waiting to get my blood pressure checked the second time. I was not happy.)

I understand why they were worried though. Public health is taken much more seriously in S. Korea than in the States. Anyway, I was cleared for drawing my blood and I found I was an O+ for blood type, so I'm the universal donor. Which would be great if I were heavy enough to donate. Even in S. Korea, I'm a tiny bit underweight. But I'm still healthy, people. I'm healthy.

Anyway, after that it was all good. i went to lunch and stuffed myself because the Chef is amazing and he hooked it up for us. Afterwards we went into lecture for all 116 scholars. We had 2 lectures in the big room in Trinity Hall, and then we got out and almost literally ran to he cafeteria for dinner. Chef though. Chef is amazing. After dinner, we went to a department store called E-Mart that is basically JC Penny's with a food section and much cheaper. It was awesome, really.

On Wednesday the schedule was much the same, Except in the after dinner (which was amazing. Chef is Bae. I hate the word bae, but for Chef, it's appropriate) we had Korean classes. I was up from 6:30 to 11 at night. For anyone who knows me, that is not normal. I don't function like that. I usually take a nap in the afternoon and I am always in bed between 9:30 and 10:00. I was tired. This went on for Wednesday as well. Four 90-minute classes a day and an additional class after school, and we have things we HAVE to finish in the breaks in between? I never even felt that way during college. I must be getting old. lol~

On Friday, Chef hooked us up with the best stone-bowl sizzling bibimbap I've had in forever.

This is why I gave Chef a Valentine. He gets us. Food is the way to my heart.

We had no classes after dinner, but we had to work on our lessons plans for our first practicum, our first teaching demonstration, on Tuesday. So last night, I sat my but down in the study room in the dorm we're staying in and typed up a practice lesson on prepositions. If people like it, I'm keeping it for future lessons and tweaking it. Yes. Anyway, I went to bed tired AGAIN because I've been sleeping less than normal with no naps. Not cool. And I have to get used to it.

Anyway, today, Valentine's day, we had a field trip around Busan. I found out that Koreans call Busan the California of Korea. I don't see it, but Busan is indeed beautiful. It's freaking gorgeous. First we went to this tiny little neighborhood and died cloths. I died a single dread at the same time. It now shines yellow in the sunlight. We then went into the building next door to make ceramic cups. I seem to have lost a lot of my ceramic ability in these years of absence in visual and creative arts. I ended up making a cup-bowl hybrid. It will be delivered to us on Tuesday.

Our little scarfs look like bodies in contaminated water.

After that we went to the beach and had lunch, we had deep-dish pizzas. One was called a "Chicago" pizza, and it was delicious, but my heart belongs to the Bulgogi pizza. It's basically Korean cooked meat on pizza, and it tasted like they had something similar to barbecue sauce and it was AMAZING. I was satisfied.

After the beach, we went to a Buddhist temple high in the mountains. I think I would have been more excited if I wasn't so tired. The beach has a way of draining you and I was already tired. I'm still tired. Damn. Anyway, the temple was beautiful, but we only had 20 minutes to see it before we got home and had dinner.

That was my dinner. If y'all want photos, please look to the left of this post and find the link that says "Photo Gallery" and enjoy. There are too many photos to put on this blog, so all my photos will be added there. I'm out, I'm sleepy, and we're having Karaoke time unofficially in this study room.

Cheers~!

For those who don't know, "bae" in this case is used as "before anything/anyone else." AKA, awesome or jjang.