a very full day

this morning, i ran a bit behind schedule and feared being late for my last day of training. (which, paradoxically covered orientation materials, things that should've been my first day's goods.) all week, i've been a big fan of bus route 146, which takes about 25-40 minutes, depending on traffic. (have i mentioned yet how terrible--terrrrrrrrrible!--seoul traffic can be? it can be so bad, so ridonkulous!) i was waiting for the bus, but with only 15 minutes on the clock, (i didn't want to make a bad impression on the final day.) i hailed a cab. (have i mentioned that cab fares are quite reasonable in seoul--it's very nice!) i asked the older cabbie driver to take me to the the training center. luckily for me, i had a business card with the training center's address written in korean and i handed it to him. but he didn't know where it was and i sure as hell didn't think i would've been able to direct him, so the grace of technology, in the form of his gps system, came in handy dandy.

while waiting at a red light, the cabbie noticed a bmw aboard a tow truck to our right, noted it a very expensive car and asked if i'd want to drive one. uh, how i do i tell him that 1) i entertain no thoughts of owning a car in korea, let a lone a bmw. and 2) i would never want to drive in korea, people here drive like maniacs! i politely apologized to him for my lack of korean and instead of the usual response of, "yes, your korean is awful!" he became curious and we had quite a nice exchange. he asked me why i was in korea when i could be in america? (my answer, to live and work in korea and to learn korean!), didn't i miss my mother (yes, very much so), do you eat out? (yes and i cook too!), what! you cook? (yes!), how old are you? (28), you should get married, soon! (uh...sure!) i made it to the center with 5 minutes to spare! i paid my fare and after i received my change, the cabbie told me that i was very pretty and gave me a really sweet smile. not the creepy mccreepy old nasty man smile, but the really genuine kind. a smile that made me want to ask him if he'd be my friend kind of smile. it'd been a while since i was told that i was pretty. i had forgotten how nice it is to hear those words...

training was a bit tedious. we went over company policies and basic grammar skills, and took tests of both. phew, i passed all my exams! the training was over! afterwards, the housing overview presentation took place and after that, i signed my contract and after that, i went with three other newbie instructors to meet a realtor who would show us a few housing options in pyeongchun, the area of seoul where i'll be working and most likely living.

my fellow pyeongchun coworkers--we were in different training groups so we didn't meet until the housing presentation today--david and chris are really cool, really young--as in graduated '07 young!--solid quality people. i'm excited to meet the rest of the crew...i spoke with the faculty manager today to introduce myself and he let me in on the in, anyone who's anyone, calls pyeongchun, "p-town." hollaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

we were on the subway for about an hour from the training center to pyeongchun--looong ride--and there, we met michael, the realtor. he seemed alright, and we walked from the train stop about 7 minutes to our first of three housing visits. it was a nice place. it even has a little room, which can be used as a sleeping room--literally, only a bed might fit there--or a nice study area. all of us immediately liked it. the next places were very similar in layout, but, didn't have quite as nice a feel. and with each visit, i felt myself growing both 1) tired, as in wiped out. 2) anxious about finding a place that feels right and making a commitment to it. finding housing is different in korea, that's for sure, and there's quite a lot of fees. damn you fees!

michael is supposed to call me tomorrow to let me know when we'll see other apts in a different area, different area but still relatively close to work. i'm starting to feel confused. do i want to be closer to the friends i know and have made that live in the gangnam area or do i want to be closer to work? do i want a quieter pace of life at pyeongchun or do i want to be in the center of activity? what are the most important aspects? hmmm...things to ponder.
monkey gets his burger on:

guess what this one says? co-ca-colr-ra.

and this one? cuh-rean tah-ruhr (clean towel!)