Finally settling in..

This will not be the usual long ol' blog post. This is just a quick update to let you all know that I am ok, well emotionally at least. My health would beg to differ..Over the past week or so I have been really ill with a toothache. Not just any toothache per se, but the WISDOM tooth. It needs to be extracted but because I just started work, like only a month or so, I cant afford to take time off work. So I just got some prescription meds and taking those for a while..

apart from the toothache, all is well. Im settling in much better than when I first got here. I find something to love about this experience each and every day. Well I try to at least :-)

School is great. Im surprised at how good a teacher I am :-) And that is just me having an ego, but the students have been telling my boss great things about me..Hearing things like makes me feel so good and appreciated. Like Im worth something and my days o feeling homesick etc are not going in vain..The kids are amazing. I know I keep saying that, but they are..I have been able to connect with ALMOST all of my students ona personal level, but there are 1 or 2 who are tough nuts to crack..But with time, i'll get there...

Church is great. every week that I attend, I meet more and more wonderful people and new friends...even the kids at church are adorable..There is a picture of them attached at the bottom..

This week is PAYDAY. My 1st one since I got here, so as you can imagine, Im elated, and over the moon...

Anyway will write later this week. I celebrate a milestone later this week and I promise to write about it..

Whichever part of the world you are reading this, I hope all is well with you and yours..

Hugs..Xoxo

Always guided by a higher power..

I have always tried to live my life on the straight and narrow. I must admit, that I have made LOADS of mistakes but I have come to terms with alot of things along the way, and throughout my life's journey, I have lawya felt like my path has been uided by someone upstairs.

I often think to myself, "Wow, someone up there must really like for this to be happening", and needless to say, this experience of being in this strange, weird and wacky land, is no different.
My 1st week here, was horrible to say the least. I kept praying and asking HIM whether I have made the correct decision, or whether HIm guiding me was a mistake..
But something on the inside always knew, that Id soon hear HIS answer. I also felt very lonely and empty. Sure I have made some good friends, but something was just missing..

On sunday, I found it. The 1st time ever since I got here, I felt welcome and I felt like I could be myself. I hooked up with an American couple(Husband and wife teaching here, living only 5 minutes away from me)
I met them via facebook cos I was at the time searching for a church. So she met me at a bus stop close to ur houses on sunday. We hopped on a bus, and we were on our way. The church is a Presbyterian church and about 15 minutes away from us. The 2pm service is one designed mainly for foreigners. It was SO good to just be in church and with other foreigners. We had small group bible study around 2. And the service began at 2 30pm. It lasted for an hour, and the minister is a korean lady, who studied in the US for a while, so her English was much better than the average Korean

Needlesss to say, I was shocked at how I was led to worship in that particular church
I met a South african guy, Hennie, who has been living in Korea for 2 and a half years. We became friends instantly and were very happy to be in the company of another South African...

I got home that afternoon, and was just amazed at how changed I felt. I couldnt beleive that 1 hour can change your whole outlook on things. I felt so ready and prepared for the week ahead

Later that evening Hennie skyped me to invite me to Lunch the next day. Since I only gotta be at school at 1pm, we met around 11am and did coffeee, then we had Japanese for lunch. He also introduced me to anohter foreign teacher(American) who works at the school he is at. The 3 of us had a good ol' time over lunch,a nd yet again, I felt ready for the week ahead
The very next day I had planned on going to Uijeongbu to get my Alien Registeration card, something that all foreigners with a work permit, need to have. Hennie was kind enough to offer to come with me to show me around, as it gets a bit tricky for a 1st timer..

We spent the morning together. I sorted out my ARC, and should recieve it sometime next week.

As I look back on the weekend and week that is almost over, I am amazed at how loved I feel. at certain stages in my life, I have always thought that things couldnt get any worse, but Im always proven wrong..
These past few weeks have been so tough, but I feel so blessed to have been led to meet certain people..Im also glad that Im not alone, for a silent companion is with me at all times..

This ones dedicated to all the wonderful people I have met in Seoul thus far and all the people who have been led onto my path of life, along the years. You know who you are..This one goes out to you all..

Love and hugs..XOXO

2nd weekend in SK..Are u kidding me??

Ok so if you are reading this, i made it through yet another week. and this week I feel like I deserved a medal or something.

This week was a rough week. The kids and the teaching bit is still great but the working hours are like really getting to me.. I gotta be at work at like 1 pm and official work times are like 2 30pm till 8 30pm, but once i arrive at 1 pm, I sometimes only have my 1st class at like 4 30 or sometimes even 5 30pm..

So I was getting totoally p'd off about that..
Other than that, all is well

Tonight was the 1st time in like 3 weeks I ate red meat. And might i add, it was the best steak I've eaten in a a while. I went out with my friend Anneshia, and another American teacher called Omega. Was so great hanging out and catching up..

Anyway gota get to bed..Write soon..Xoxo

Outlook for the 1st Weekend

I must admit that there were moments that I was very homesick over this past weekend, but on a day like sunday, all that was a thing of the past

I met my cousin Vanishree and her fiance Paul. We took the subway downtown to a place called Itaewon. A big FOREIGNER area, so it was great seeing NON KOREANS. Nice every once a a while to be surrounded by only English speakers, rather than by people staring at you like you from outer space or something...

The subway was like totally packed to capacity and it was insanely hot. So w didnt stay out too long, just had lunch at a nice American style burger place and thereafter Van took me to a foreign food store where I managed to get a few odds and ends which the local grocer doesnt carry..

Anyway the day turned out preety good and thanks to them both, I feel like I can get through this week and maybe even this experience cos a big part of me thinks otherwise...

Hugs..CJ

Biggest Scare of my life...

So this entire week ever since arriving here, I have been getting up from bed around 11 00am. The gives me enough time to do what I need to and be at school at 1 00pm. So this morning I woke up a bit early around 10 00am and could hear this weird buzzing sound. I realised that my intercom was being buzzed. Now who would want to buzz me?
When I picked up, he spoke in Korean, and I just said, “ENGLISH”? He said “Aircon”..And he said the name of my school so I quickly put on some decent clothes and began to open the door. There are 3 lock attachments on my door (I will attach a picture below). As I tried to open the door, I realised I couldn’t. Somehow it was stuck. Panic then started to set in. I tried with everything I had but the door wouldn’t budge. It began to feel as though my chest was closing in and I wanted to scream.
I then realised I didn’t even know the Korean name of my teacher, I only know my principal by her English name, as they all have English and Korean names. I opened the mesh covering on my window and told him via sign Language to phone my school. I then realised my principal had sent him to sort my aircon out because he said the name of my school, which for the purposes of this blog I will not mention the name because if someone had to Google the school name. This blog would come up on their Google search, and we wouldn’t want that now, would we???
Anyway he tried calling the offices, but then He signalled to me that the offices were closed so no luck.
At that moment I started swearing myself and the principal for me not asking her phone number and for her not having the decency to give her number to me. And I was even more pissed at that fact that I didn’t even have internet access yet so I was like basically stuck. Eventually through the window the kind Korean man was able to show me what I need to do on the lock. Apparently there was a security feature not he lock that I had mistakenly pulled so that it wouldn’t be opened. After sorting that out he came inside and sorted out my aircon, which I didn’t even know was troubling me.
I know you probably sitting there thinking, what is she going on about. But for that moment, it was the biggest shock of my life. I really thought I’d be stuck here. I actually felt the walls were closing in on me. Laugh all you want, but you try living in a foreign place alone and not having the best and most helpful principal. Lets how you would react. Anyway gotta run. Need to get ready for school. Pictures of the lock to follow....Till next time..
XOXO..CJ..

My 1st Weekend in SK

So its ealry Saturday morning. Today I had to be up early because my principal was kind enough to get the internet guy to come set up things for me at home. as you can imagine, I was like totally excited. I never been so excited for something that seems so trivial in a long time. While the guy was here sorting stuff out, she came over and brought me some Korean energy drinks and came to make sure all was in order..

Now this whole week that went by, I also didnt have my gas working, so I was unable to make even a cup of tea. so while she was over today, she managed to sort even that out..
So I sit here at my desk, with a cup of 5 roses in hand and just surfing the net, downloading whatever I need to..

For those of you reading this that have SKYPE, please add me on the name, Cassandra-Seoul.
Would love to chat and catch up soon

Today Im just going to chill and take some time off. Nothing really planned for the day

Tomorrow, my cousin Vanishree, who's fiance is visiting her from SA, will come and visit me in my city. We are probably just going to meet for lunch and chat a bit..

Then its the start of the new week
Its aamzing how something small can change your mood.. With me getting connected up today, I feel so much beeter and I know that in time, things will get even better..

Well till next time..Keep well

God's little angels

So I got to work today and was all prepped up to confront my director about a few issues. When I spoke to her about my internet connection (When I decided to connect wirelessly at home, it asks for a password), she tells me, “Cassandra, it is already set up. It has been from the 1st day you arrived here. I was like WTF, are you like kidding me?? SO I told her about the password thing, and she said she’d get back to me. I kinda figured that was not going to happen today. There were also a few other things I needed, but when I asked her, I didn’t get much help.
Just yesterday one of my Facebook friends I should go to a 7/11 (American store for those of you who don’t know) and buy a 10000 Won(roughly $10) international calling card. The cards can be used on a pay phone or landline or cell phone. The only problem is, because I don’t have cell phone as yet, I cant seem to find a pay phone anywhere. I don’t know what I expected of the principal, but a little understanding would have been great. When I asked her about this little issue of finding a payphone, cos like it’s been 3 days and I haven’t spoken to my parents yet, she directs me to a payphone which is like way outta my way. Here’s to me being understanding and thinking tha she’d allow me to use the office line..
Anyway I was on my last class at about 7 15pm, almost working out, when I saw this familiar face sitting in the principal’s office. I realised then that it was my Facebook friend, Anneshia. She had been reading the blogs and facebook posts of me being way sad and totally homesick and hating it here, that she decided to ask someone for directions to my school and come surprise me. I really couldn’t believe my eyes. I was so ecstatic. I then thought because I had finished class early, my principal would understand and let me go early, only to find out that was wrong. Even tho I had no class for an hour or so, I had to wait around till official finishing time of 8 30pm. Soon as it arrived, Anneshia and I left school and she decided to show me around. Turns out we live not too far from each other. She lives very close to my school and closer to the subway station than I do. Her apartment is so awesome. I keep telling her to be grateful for what she has. She treated me to dinner, my 1st official one since getting here. It was KFC, and yet the best ever since I remember eating KFC. She then took me back to her apartment and let me use her internet access and her cell phone so I could call mum. After leaving her apartment, she told me she is away this weekend so if I want, I am more than welcome to stay over at her place cos she’s hooked with cable tv and internet. As I walked back to my place, I thanked God for allowing me to meet someone as amazing as Anneshia. I am so glad to have met her and her gestures today, are something I will never ever forget. Love you girl....

The dreaded apartment...

.. And here I assumed that all the stories I read by all the other ESL teachers, were exaggerated. Little did I know what I was getting myself into? When the principal dropped me off, the look on my face was priceless to say the least. The flippin’ tiniest thing I ever saw in my life. The shower is typical for Asian homes I’m told. I was mortified when I saw it. I had seen that dreaded picture of that thing they a shower on many Facebook ESL teachers, but had been praying that I wouldn’t get it. Well as you know, I always have the worst luck. For those of you who don’t have the faintest idea what I’m talking about, I’ve attached some pics of the shower and the apartment. In fact it is not even worthy to be called a shower but hey, I guess that’s how these people live. It just has a shower nozzle thingy attached to the bathroom sink, and when you switch it on, the entire bathroom gets flooded. The water goes all over, including the toilet seat and the bathroom cabinet. To you guys reading this, it may be a small thing, and you may be saying, “What the heck is this chick going on about”, but to be honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this kinda living space.
I have been told by all the other ESL teachers who are in my shoes, that the trick is to just make it my own, which is exactly what I intend dong over the next few weeks.. With absolutely no exaggeration on my part, it was everything that I had hoped it would not be. The guy that lived there before was obviously a slob and as you can imagine things were a mess.
The only good thing about him was that he had left a few cleaning supplies behind so I had a little of that to start. The first thing I did was try to clean the bathroom and kitchen. It made a tiny bit of difference but not much as it needs a through clean up. Im told by some teachers that in your first month, it is very possible to spend every cent you have on cleaning materials. There was also a few other things that the place didnt have, which I desperately need to get. A kettle, toaster, pot and wet wipes are a must..
At the moment I totally dread this experience and the dreaded apartment. I really do hope things get better and from what Im told, what Im feeling about now is totally normal and expected. Im also still waiting for the principal to hook me up with internet connection and cell phone. I really believe once I get that, it wont be that bad. But for the moment, lets just say it isn’t what I had expected.
Will update you tomorrow on how the teaching is going, the kids and the staff

Finally..The start of the long awaited journey....

Where Do I even begin..Lets start with the horrid first. Whilst I was back in South Africa, I kept reading blogs and facebook statuses about how disgusting some Korean people can be when it comes to certain PERSONAL HYGIENE issues, but yet again I just brushed it off and hoped for the best. Well little did I know.. It always amazes me how filthy and sickening some people, but let me just say I think some of the Korean men take the cake. You’d be standing right next to them or in front of them or alongside them, and right in front of everyone, not even discreetly, they make these weird noises and spit. And when I say spit, I mean it. I cant even bring myself to write about it.

When I eventually cleared through customs etc, I went to meet my driver, who I thought would be driving me to school, but instead he made me buy a bus ticket and put me on a bus to Guri City. He liaised with driver and told me that when I get off at my stop, someone from the school would be waiting for me. After flying almost 23 hours(with the time change), I had to take another 90minute bus ride. Eventually once I got off, the school secretary got us a cab and in a few minutes we arrived at the school.
I was dog tired at that stage so I prayed that the principal would just introduce herself to me and to the other teachers and thereafter be taken to my apartment. Yet again, I was wrong. She made me sit in her office and began to explain how things work. Then she introduced me to the kids. I was quite surprised that the 1st thing they asked me was my age. Their aged between 8 to 15 years so they do have a basic knowledge of English, which helps. When I got back to her office, she told me I should try out my skills and teach a 30 minute lesson, very impromptu. I guess she was testing me. Anyway, tired as I was, I just smiled and did the best I could, She was very happy about it and not long after that, at about 8 20pm, she took me to my new home...
I am keeping the apartment story and pictures for my next blog post. Stay tuned...

In transit..1 step closer!!!

Well let me just start off by saying that I really don’t know how I can love travelling so much and yet hate the flying bit.. the motion sickness always makes me doubt whether I’ve done the right to make the trip and yet once I’ve arrived, I then realise why I decided to take the journey
This time around things were not so easy..I have been on numerous flights throughout my lifetime but I have to admit that the flight from JHB to Hong Kong was one of the worst yet, for many reasons, all of which I don’t want to get into. On the flight form JHB, I was bombarded with all sorts of Asian people. My 1st impression of them was that they were very aloof. Not very friendly either especially to us foreigners. I had brushed it off, cos I was hoping that not all of them were that way.
Eventually I arrived In HK, and had an hour or so before my connecting flight. I decided to take in the sights and take opportunity of the free wifi. I was not amazed at the way in which the airport was designed or at how clean it was..
Im still feeling pretty out of it and anxiously expecting to see what awaits me in Seoul...