Backtrack: excerpts from diary starting the trip to South Korea, Friday, November 4/05
...So much has happened in the last few days/week that I cant even begin to cover. After moving out of my house by the 31 Oct, I had no idea what was about to happen. I've been thinkng about going to Korea for a while, but it didnt seem to be happening. Then all of a sudden, I had to choose once again from 2 contracts. I ended up choosing the one where I'm at right now....but that's going far ahead. It was the most difficult decision in my life....but I have been really praying about it, and everything directed me to go. So, I decided to do it, to take a year of my life, and get this travel-lust out of my system; pay a chunk of student loans, and learn to live in another country with another language and lifestyle. Then it would put me into a situation where I could think about proceeding with the rest of my life plans of hopefully being with someone who means the world to me, an dhaving a family, and being able to financially get ahead to take care of my parents someday when they need it.
How on earth do you pack for moving to another CONTINENT for a YEAR?!!!
So....now I'm on the plane...to KOREA!!! I left on the plane from Vancouver that left at 7:20 pm, and arrives in Los Angeles at 10:00pm. I met Jacob, the guy who coordinated and recruited me, and his friend Andy. They were quite nice and Jacob was very organized in giving me directions when I get to Incheon Airport in Seoul. He bought me ice cream at Haagen Daas and that was all the time we had. Went to check-in, and that was that. LAX is a bit dirtier than I remembered, but still has some funky elements to it. (Pictures to follow).
I am questioning a few things that Jacob told me about the school here. Apparently I am the 12th teacher ever here...Hmmm. I thought there were 12 teachers here or something. nope... well I'm here now, and i'll make the best of it. I dont think it will be that bad...just a bit unexpected.
On to the big 747 Boeing Jet. Huge! How can those things even get off the ground let alone fly?!! NUTS! I didnt even really feel it taking off in a way. Man I love taking off. All that power, the sounds, the lift off....that it actually happens!
I wasnt so sure aobut my seat on this ride though. When Jacob booked by tickets I forgot to say window seat. Crappy. So i ended up in the middle and right behind a wall with the tv screen on it. I thought I would feel claustrophobic, but in the end it was just fine, and actually nice that i could put my feet up against the wall and stretch out a bit. I asked if I could get another seat but the flight was completely full. ( The stewardesses are so beautiful! and their 'costumes' are exquisite. Pale blue and cream. Their hair is perfectly in a bun and everyone has a blue bow that I thought at first was chopsticks. And I SWEAR that they changed their lipsticks for the dinner and breakfast. All of them! Ha ha)
I was sleeping on the flight anyway, and it was night the whole time. So there. I cant believe I actually slept travelling...but i did! Ha! (Hi mom!) Thankyou to Michael who gave me his neck pillow...I didnt even think of it, and man, it would have been HOrrid without it! Muchas gracias....oh wait a min...kamsa hamnida. That's Korean and I'd better use it! I already have! I'm already getting the bow happening. That's fun.
The meals were really quite good. I had pasta with tomato sauce, dinner roll, cheesecake, green tea....and a few other things I forget. Breakfast was a big chunk of egg with 'sweet' beans and tomato paste on top...and a hot half of tomato...that was awesome! And tea of course.
And the best part was in the 'morning' when they brought by the hot face cloths...oh man that was awesome. And the hand cream in the bathrooms (called Odyssey) was so awesome. And some 'face spray' I'm assuming. Smelled amazing and I gotta get me some of that. That's strange because usually I cant take those smells too much..but that was good.
I hope I'm making sense here...
THe most interesting part was when the map came up of where we were in the world. Wowzers. Seeing our plane cross the Pacific ocean, and then realizing that I was flying over JAPAN, and then into Seoul. Crazy!
Landed in Seoul to the most beautiful airport I've ever seen. So very clean lines and the finishes were amazing. I'm trying to remember the wood exactly that were the panels everywhere, and the lighting! the ceiling panels! The carpets and flooring...oh man...Gorgeous! Pictures as well will follow...hopefully, if i can figure out how to download them here.
Oh...on the flight...for you information buffs....we were flying 525 mph or 842 kph at a height of 36000 feet or 11000 m. The temperature in Seoul is 16 degrees celcius...i cant spell anymore! and I'm here to teach English! Haaaa! I've got a traveling time of 24 hours for an excuse right now. and still going.
Oh yah...I stopped by a window at the emergency exit on the plane, and looked out for anything. And there were the stars...and they looked different. I can hardly wait to study them to see if and what are the differences. WIERD! And I saw a falling star when I looked...and at that height...I wonder if that was ..um...forgot ....ha....it looked 3D when it fell. wow.
so back to Incheon airport...that cracks me up that name. In fact I like it cuz it reminds me of my mum..and cute inch worms!
We landed at 1:25 pm Saturday Pacific time, and 6:20 am Sunday, Seoul time! How do you comprehend that anyway?
to be continued...
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