Three days in Los Angeles, 13 hours on a plane, and we’ve made it to the hermit kingdom. We arrived at 6:30 am to a gray day, and stepped off the plane into the cleanest airport I have ever been in. Customs was easy, we didn’t get asked any questions because we have the right visas. We spotted our bags immediately on the carousel, and no one was around so we didn’t have to wait for our position to get our bags. With bags in tow we found the man that was to take us to our apartments. It was all amazingly easy.
The first day was so long. I was shown my apartment and devil boy was whisked away to see his school and see his apartment. I was left in a barren room, a bed with a rock hard mattress still wrapped in plastic. I rested and stared out my window. I am really here!!
sneak peak of my place, when I first arrived
my apartment building. I live on the 3rd floor. I have a view of that lovely power line.
Devil Boys apartment building, he is also on the 3rd floor yet has a sweet mountain view and corner deck/clothes drying room.
I don’t think apartments in Korea are made with much care. Nothing is level, hideous wallpaper is unevenly spaced, cabinet doors are too snug. In spite of these things, I am making the best of it. These past 3 days I have acquired items that make the space more cheerful. It already feels like mine, a place I can feel comfortable and safe in.
The city itself is amazing. It blows my mind how easy it is to get around. Anything I could want is in walking distance. And if it isn’t walking distance, taxis are so cheap if you can manage to flag one down. Apparently taxi drivers don’t like picking up foreigners because the American military people stationed here have left a bad impression. So when DevilBoy was wearing his military style hat, the cab drivers would honk and wave. This is their signal for “no way am I stopping for you”
So far I have been to a pedestrian street lined with bars, shops, and restaurants, an underground mall with clothes and cell phones galore, an open air market with strange produce and new smells, and Home Plus!
home plus is the one with the red sign on the right side
Home Plus is huge. It is like a Target Greatlands plus a Fry's Marketplace plus a Macys. You can get clothes in all price ranges (clothes are found on all 4 floors of this place), books in Korean and English (very small English section, but it is there!), groceries, furniture, appliances, camping supplies, you name it it is at home plus. The ground floor even has a food court with food ranging from Burger King to fresh Sushi. Home Plus is a major landmark in Uijeongbu.
on a ramp in home plus. the wheels of the shopping carts have groves on them that match the groves on the ramp so the cart can not slide down while you are riding it up or down
get your heated toilet seat at home plus!
a coloring book about different cultures. awesome.
i found a hula hoop! but it is too heavy and costs around 45 bucks.
I am looking forward to starting my job tomorrow. I can’t wait to meet all the little kids who I will be teaching for the next year!
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