Of Orientation and Placement! The big day!!
Sorry about the crazy amount of blog posts in the last few hours. I’ve been working really hard to get closer to my time in Daegu so I keep a “what is Janella up to now” blog. No one likes to play catch up. So here in another grand installment in my journey to finally get to my school, my job, and my life for the next year.
After landing in Seoul, which we got there in the middle of the day, us EPIK teachers were all sorts of discombobulated, some more than others. This was my second walk in the park, so I knew where to go and knew roughly the layout of the airport. Many of the teachers didn’t know that Incheon and Seoul are two different places and that we have to take a train or bus into Seoul proper. EPIK was super nice and had buses waiting for us to take us to Jeonju University (Where Stars Are Made! ~ super cute logo) for orientation.
I’m kind of glad no one sat next to me on the bus. I wanted space, since one) my ears were so plugged and hurting I was miserable (as I normally am after landing till the next morning) and two) my phone wasn’t working that I got for while I was over here. Long story short on that, I finally got it to start working about a week later and a million angry phone calls/emails after. So I slept on the bus and enjoyed the quiet ride to Jeonju, which was about 5 hours away, give or take.
I moved into my room, met me roomie, WHO IS AN AWESOME CANADIAN AND LIKES ALL THE THINGS I DO!! EVEN CLASSICS!! So Katharina and I had a great roomie situation. I later met more CANADIANS (let’s just face it, I am one) and a few Americans (and a couple Aussies, too!). There is also another person who is likewise from the Dakotas! South one though, haha! We were so excited that we both brought big cameras. Her photography skills are awesome! I hope to learn a lot from her.
Orientation felt like any old orientation, that is, it felt like summer camp. The fact I was in Korea and the world around me was operating in Korean didn’t phase me until we were all huddled into a room to meet our DMOE officials and get our school assignments. I liked getting to meet new people, but after awhile, you can only take so much “Hello, I’m _____.” before your mind is fried. I made a solid group of friends at orientation and a few more who have become my good friends here in Daegu, now that we’re away from the clutter of orientation and 500 other EPIK teachers.
During orientation, we attended lectures, mini language classes, field trips, and other things that would help us prepare for living and working in Korea. All in all though, I don’t think I’ve been terribly influenced by any of the lectures. The only website I use that I learned about in orientation is Waygook.org and I would have found out about it pretty quickly had I not. Don’t get me wrong, orientation was great, it helped prepare us and let us create support circles for when we would be tossed out into the big, scary Korea. I really enjoyed it, and absolutely loved my group leaders; they were complete opposites and that’s what really made them charming, I think.
After one health test, 45 hours of lectures, a rainy field trip, several melon ice cream bars, a performance lesson plan, and a few trips to a 노 래 방 (singing room), my stay at Jeonju University drew to an end and the day of placement drew near.
Placement made me feel like I was at Hogwarts sitting at the long tables, waiting, patient and terrified for my turn to come up to the Sorting Hat. Never before had I been so nervous, but, as I would find out the next day, I can indeed be more nervous, but I’ll talk about that soon. We were all filed into an amphitheater-type room where our DMOE officers addressed us formally and quickly through a microphone at a podium. We were told to open the packages we had received at the doors with our names on them, and were quickly bombarded with information, things to ask, things to do, what to do and when to do it by, and what happens if you don’t. It was all rather a flounder-fest for me as I tried to write down EVERY WORD. In the end, it turned out okay. I was in the same area as a lot of my friends I had made and I’m so happy for that. They have been my lifelines.
Once we all did the “Where did you get placed?” “What grade are you teaching” scramble, we were quickly bustled back to our rooms to pack and get our luggage downstairs to put them on giant trucks in the morning to meet us at the drop off points. It was all really strict, “you must stand here” “you will sit here” type ordeal. The bus ride to Daegu was forever long and we got there midday, to be shepherded into another amphitheater-type room (déjà vu?).
Suddenly, things got real.
In front of us, in the first few sections, were the co-teachers, the people our lives would literally cling to for the first few months here and be in constant contact with for next year. It was a moment of panic for me because I was terrified by co-teacher was going to be a guy. I was uneasy enough talking to a complete stranger about everything in my life and my well-being, let alone a guy stranger! Thankfully, when my sector got called forward and my school was announced along with my name, the co-teacher that stood up was a woman.
Quickly, she bustled me out of the school/drop off point and called the gym teacher from our elementary school to bring his SUV and come get my bags. He was really kind and wouldn’t let me help him with the bags. I found out he’s talented at drawing!
After dropping me off, my co-teacher had me go to the school and meet the principal (a kind, super Korean, elderly chap) and the vice principal (a very overbearing (or over-caring if you choose to take that perspective) auntie, who is turning out to be the coolest person ever!) and then dragged me in the direction of getting my ARC and setting up a bank account. The whole way there, she kept saying that I was not like the other Americans she’s met. I blamed it on being from “basically Canada” (I found it really funny that my friend circle for the first few days of orientation consisted of 6 Canadians).
Once we finished all of that business, we went to Homeplus (a megastore in Korea, kind of like a cooler Walmart), and got me groceries. I was then wished a good evening and told to come to the school at 8:30am the next day to start co-teaching. Nothing like the sink or swim method, I guess.
After putting my groceries away, I looked around my apartment, frowned a few things, smiled at others, and realized that this will be my home for the next year, whether I like it or not. I like more than I dislike, so that’s a plus. It’s still not home though, but I do enjoy the neighborhood (I’m 2 minutes from school), my neighbors (for all their quirks. I might have to do a separate blog on just them.), and the layout of my apartment.
It was good to finally collapse onto a bed and get some sleep.
Oh, and did I mention that I did all this in heels? Haha!
More to come about my neighborhood and teaching.
Stay cools, cats! ^^
After landing in Seoul, which we got there in the middle of the day, us EPIK teachers were all sorts of discombobulated, some more than others. This was my second walk in the park, so I knew where to go and knew roughly the layout of the airport. Many of the teachers didn’t know that Incheon and Seoul are two different places and that we have to take a train or bus into Seoul proper. EPIK was super nice and had buses waiting for us to take us to Jeonju University (Where Stars Are Made! ~ super cute logo) for orientation.
I’m kind of glad no one sat next to me on the bus. I wanted space, since one) my ears were so plugged and hurting I was miserable (as I normally am after landing till the next morning) and two) my phone wasn’t working that I got for while I was over here. Long story short on that, I finally got it to start working about a week later and a million angry phone calls/emails after. So I slept on the bus and enjoyed the quiet ride to Jeonju, which was about 5 hours away, give or take.
I moved into my room, met me roomie, WHO IS AN AWESOME CANADIAN AND LIKES ALL THE THINGS I DO!! EVEN CLASSICS!! So Katharina and I had a great roomie situation. I later met more CANADIANS (let’s just face it, I am one) and a few Americans (and a couple Aussies, too!). There is also another person who is likewise from the Dakotas! South one though, haha! We were so excited that we both brought big cameras. Her photography skills are awesome! I hope to learn a lot from her.
Orientation felt like any old orientation, that is, it felt like summer camp. The fact I was in Korea and the world around me was operating in Korean didn’t phase me until we were all huddled into a room to meet our DMOE officials and get our school assignments. I liked getting to meet new people, but after awhile, you can only take so much “Hello, I’m _____.” before your mind is fried. I made a solid group of friends at orientation and a few more who have become my good friends here in Daegu, now that we’re away from the clutter of orientation and 500 other EPIK teachers.
During orientation, we attended lectures, mini language classes, field trips, and other things that would help us prepare for living and working in Korea. All in all though, I don’t think I’ve been terribly influenced by any of the lectures. The only website I use that I learned about in orientation is Waygook.org and I would have found out about it pretty quickly had I not. Don’t get me wrong, orientation was great, it helped prepare us and let us create support circles for when we would be tossed out into the big, scary Korea. I really enjoyed it, and absolutely loved my group leaders; they were complete opposites and that’s what really made them charming, I think.
After one health test, 45 hours of lectures, a rainy field trip, several melon ice cream bars, a performance lesson plan, and a few trips to a 노 래 방 (singing room), my stay at Jeonju University drew to an end and the day of placement drew near.
Placement made me feel like I was at Hogwarts sitting at the long tables, waiting, patient and terrified for my turn to come up to the Sorting Hat. Never before had I been so nervous, but, as I would find out the next day, I can indeed be more nervous, but I’ll talk about that soon. We were all filed into an amphitheater-type room where our DMOE officers addressed us formally and quickly through a microphone at a podium. We were told to open the packages we had received at the doors with our names on them, and were quickly bombarded with information, things to ask, things to do, what to do and when to do it by, and what happens if you don’t. It was all rather a flounder-fest for me as I tried to write down EVERY WORD. In the end, it turned out okay. I was in the same area as a lot of my friends I had made and I’m so happy for that. They have been my lifelines.
Once we all did the “Where did you get placed?” “What grade are you teaching” scramble, we were quickly bustled back to our rooms to pack and get our luggage downstairs to put them on giant trucks in the morning to meet us at the drop off points. It was all really strict, “you must stand here” “you will sit here” type ordeal. The bus ride to Daegu was forever long and we got there midday, to be shepherded into another amphitheater-type room (déjà vu?).
Suddenly, things got real.
In front of us, in the first few sections, were the co-teachers, the people our lives would literally cling to for the first few months here and be in constant contact with for next year. It was a moment of panic for me because I was terrified by co-teacher was going to be a guy. I was uneasy enough talking to a complete stranger about everything in my life and my well-being, let alone a guy stranger! Thankfully, when my sector got called forward and my school was announced along with my name, the co-teacher that stood up was a woman.
Quickly, she bustled me out of the school/drop off point and called the gym teacher from our elementary school to bring his SUV and come get my bags. He was really kind and wouldn’t let me help him with the bags. I found out he’s talented at drawing!
After dropping me off, my co-teacher had me go to the school and meet the principal (a kind, super Korean, elderly chap) and the vice principal (a very overbearing (or over-caring if you choose to take that perspective) auntie, who is turning out to be the coolest person ever!) and then dragged me in the direction of getting my ARC and setting up a bank account. The whole way there, she kept saying that I was not like the other Americans she’s met. I blamed it on being from “basically Canada” (I found it really funny that my friend circle for the first few days of orientation consisted of 6 Canadians).
Once we finished all of that business, we went to Homeplus (a megastore in Korea, kind of like a cooler Walmart), and got me groceries. I was then wished a good evening and told to come to the school at 8:30am the next day to start co-teaching. Nothing like the sink or swim method, I guess.
After putting my groceries away, I looked around my apartment, frowned a few things, smiled at others, and realized that this will be my home for the next year, whether I like it or not. I like more than I dislike, so that’s a plus. It’s still not home though, but I do enjoy the neighborhood (I’m 2 minutes from school), my neighbors (for all their quirks. I might have to do a separate blog on just them.), and the layout of my apartment.
It was good to finally collapse onto a bed and get some sleep.
Oh, and did I mention that I did all this in heels? Haha!
More to come about my neighborhood and teaching.
Stay cools, cats! ^^