becoming oriented

In the middle of orientation, approximately 4 days into my Korean life, I feel ready to dive into my own apartment. I want to nest; I long to settle. I don't like summer camps, and the more I think about it, the more realize that the reason I never cared for them is that I like to sleep where home is. Unless I'm traveling through a place, and in the mindset of a "traveler," I don't like to settle in temporary homes. Home doesn't have to be a certain person or a certain place, just me is fine. Me with myself in a place that I have nested into a home -- full of routines and color and comfort and worked into the grooves of my rhythm, much like the way I've now seen chopsticks just slide into the crease of a ring finger.

Korea is going to be home, and that's really hitting me. During my limited opportunities to wander beyond the walls of Kyung He, I have seen glimpses of a place that will embrace me as soon as I'm able to move in. Today, on our group field trip to a Korean folk village, one storekeeper was so tickled by my Korean "excuse me" and "thank you" that she gifted me a set of handmade clay spoons to accompany my newly purchased onggi bowl. I look forward to cooking some delicious curry on my own, using local ingredients, and filling that bowl with the color and comfort I've mentioned. That bowl will slide into the cup of my hands as I sit in my new apartment, reflecting on the day's lesson and attempting to make sense of this new life.

the girls' dorm (left) Kyung He University

This week has been exhausting, revealing frustrations and considerations for the year to come. But more importantly, full of charming gifts much like the one in the village store. Korean lessons are fantastic, and I'm really feeling energized to learn this language. I'm already reading hangul on my own (I mean, not perfectly of course, but even so!), and I can't wait to get to a level of more intuitive writing. The more I learn it, the more I understand what a beautifully crafted language it is. Earlier in the week, we were welcomed onto the EPIK team with a presentation by a local children's Taekwondo team.

And as I mentioned, the visit to the folk village was extremely interesting, even if was the hottest I think I've ever been in my life. It was fantastic to see this old culture, so connected to its roots and thriving in its solidarity. We were able to witness some incredible performances by folk chanters (below first) and performance artists (below second, if you can spot him). Even if we did have to wear matching t-shirts the whole day (the worst days at summer camp didn't even involve that), and even though I sweated completely through it, it was well worth the heat exhaustion to experience this pocket of traditional village life.



So what's next? Many of you have asked for the details of my future, and I wish I could give them. All I know is that I will definitely be teaching in a high school (location and stats TBA) and that I get to move into my new apartment on Wednesday. That will be a huge day because not only will I meet my head co-teacher (super duper important relationship to maintain this year), but I'll see my apartment and learn the details of my school placement (schedule, students, neighborhood, etc). Wednesday and I cannot meet soon enough. Wednesday is on my mind. Wednesday is coming...