Landed!

So, after a rather hectic last few weeks - waiting for contracts, finishing work, packing up our home, selling the car, getting Visas in London, weekends away – we finally boarded the plane (there were some minor issues regarding the weight of our bags, I need name no names as to who packed too much – we all know that was me!) and after two 8 hour flights we landed in Incheon Airport, South Korea! Needless to say we were a bit tired but no rest for the wicked – we had to register with EPIK (English Program in Korea) at the airport and then board a bus with many other sleep deprived Westerners and take a 4 hour bus journey to Jeonju (pronounced Chonju) for our 10 day orientation.




So, after a rather hectic last few weeks - waiting for contracts, finishing work, packing up our home, selling the car, getting Visas in London, weekends away – we finally boarded the plane (there were some minor issues regarding the weight of our bags, I need name no names as to who packed too much – we all know that was me!) and after two 8 hour flights we landed in Incheon Airport, South Korea! Needless to say we were a bit tired but no rest for the wicked – we had to register with EPIK (English Program in Korea) at the airport and then board a bus with many other sleep deprived Westerners and take a 4 hour bus journey to Jeonju (pronounced Chonju) for our 10 day orientation.

We arrived at Jeonju University Student Halls at about 2am – and it was snowing! We had a quick medical check (large thermometer thingmy stuck deeply into ear canal), got a hoodie, name tag and some fruit and headed up to our room on the 15th floor. Twin beds I hear you say! Nice. But it was clean, new and had huge glass windows so we could see out over the city. Every morning we awoke to the sunrise over the mountains behind the city which was beautiful – but also very bright. This did not help the jet lag.




For the next 10 days we would be staying in the Uni Halls with another 350 new EPIK teachers from the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and America. We had a very tight schedule of lectures, breakfasts, lunches, Korean class (taught by a Chinese lady with a Mongolian assistant – really???), Korean movies and occasionally sleeping.

On the first night we had a Welcoming Ceremony where we were shown some traditional Korean dancing and then shepherded into a large tent (remember, at this point there is snow outside and we are in a tent – warm it was not) where we were greeted with a large array of Korean “delicacies”. Any of you who know me, know that strange and unusual food is not my foray. Needless to say I did not eat much. One rumour did start at this meal that one type of food (a sort of brownish jelly type item) was made of ducks blood. We learned a few weeks after that its actually made from walnut. Idiot Westerners!