Some First Thoughts from Jodi Teacher

Now that I have internet and I have bought Febreze that is the same scent that I used back home, I am a very happy girl. Seriously, those two things have been what are missing to make this apartment feel like home, and I didn’t even know it until I had them. Life is good now.

There is so much to tell after living in Daejeon for five days, but I promised some people I wouldn’t write long blogs and that I would post lots of pictures. Well, I don’t have any pictures yet because I’ve been busy doing things and you’re not going to see my apartment until I have enough hangers to put all my clothes away and I have some pictures up on the wall. As for a long blog, I will keep that promise- I will control myself and stick to feeding you information about my daily life throughout many future blogs. Otherwise, if you care to hear my often random and possibly mundane ramblings, you may talk to me (listen to me?) on Skype.

For now, some DYK/FYI about Korea:

Koreans believe in fan death-that leaving a fan (this includes air conditioning) running while you are sleeping in a closed room can cause you to die. This is supported by research and the Korean government. Oh, and one of the explanations is that the fan cuts up all the oxygen molecules so that they can’t be breathed in.

Many Korean students are enrolled in multiple hagwons (private schools that specialize areas such as tae kwon do, ESL, art, science, music, sport, math. . .you get the idea) over and above attending public school (and during summer “vacation”!!). They attend these various schools often until late at night – as late as midnight for high school students- and then go home to do homework. I know a 5 year old who attends hagwons for ESL, art, and science, and has music, swimming, and dance lessons! Last year, the Korean government attempted an education reform that would prevent hagwons from being open past 10pm. It never went through.

In Korea you can park anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE, and double parking is not uncommon. People simply leave their cars in neutral so that they can be pushed out of the way when necessary, or leave their cell number taped to a window so they can be called to move their car.

We have been STRONGLY advised not to drink the tap water here in Korea. This warning is back up by the fact that every store is well stocked up on bottled water and it is sold in large quantities- a six pack of 2-litres anyone?

Korea used to be spelled with a “C”, but during the Japanese colonial rule of Corea, Japan decided that it wouldn’t do to have the colony precede its ruler’s name alphabetically.

The whole South Korea blaming North Korea for torpedoing a warship and North Korea’s response à la the threat of war was a huge scary deal in Canada and the rest of the West, but was kind of a non-event in South Korea - just another day.

That’s it for now. I’m off to vacation for a week!