Beginning by Letter

Dear Justin,
I've only been here a month, but I'm thankful that I've been able to keep up with people back home. You know me-- people addict that I am -- but video chat makes it seem like they're not far away.

Korea's stunning fall weather and foliage has not been lost on me. Here are a few highlights and things I've noticed:

--I apparently look like all the American movie stars because I'm white.

--Koreans love Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins

--School discipline does not exclude corporal punishment

--Korean women wear heels or boots at all times

--Persimmons are the choice fall fruit

--I now bow to everyone all the time, even if I'm not sure I should

--The people here are actually very affectionate

--I'm glad it's not so Westernized that chopsticks and floor tables are gone.
--A good word for a lot of things here is whimsical. And some of the marketing firms must think that if they slap on English words like love or happy, it'll sell.

--Most churches have daily early morning prayer services.
--There ARE fat Asians.
--I'm now intimately aquainted with what you meant when you told me "not to come back looking like an Asian hooker." Haha.

Yep. I could go on, but you get the picture. I live in an apartment building with a bunch of other English-speaking teachers about an hour away from Seoul. I'm not out in Mayberry by any means, but it's not quite as hoppin' as the big city. My school has 1,300 kids, and I teach 21 classes a week at around 30 kids a pop for grades 4, 5 and 6. It's great! They love me, I love them. With eight younger siblings, teaching and disciplining didn't phase me at all. I'll post teaching pictures soon.

Gail