Warning – This post will probably be my longest because there is so much to say about my first few days of traveling to Korea.
'Life is a journey filled with new possibilities everyday...and sometimes you find yourself in just the right place at just the right time'
This was a quote from one of my goodbye cards from family and friends and I think it says it all in how these past few days have been for me in leaving Oregon and arriving in South Korea.
I began my journey on Saturday September 10th waking up at 4:30am to shower and do the last minute packing before my flight from Portland to Seattle. My mom and Aaryn took me to the airport around 6:00am so I could have plenty of time to check-in and deal with any hiccups that might occur, which tend to happen frequently on international excursions. I was particularly worried about my baggage weights, because you were only allowed two checked pieces and they could not weigh over 50lbs. Packing my life up for an entire life into those two bags was an incredibly difficult feat, and I was certain I had gone over the limit. Well, in true honey badger(inside joke) fashion, my first bag (blue backpacking backpack) was only 32 lbs., and my purple suitcase was exactly 50.0lbs!! I was feeling pretty good after reading the scale on that one...to me it was a sign that everything was happening how it was supposed to.
My flight from Portland to Seattle didn't phase me at all, because it was only 50 minutes and I knew I had a few hour layover in Seattle before I headed to South Korea, so I didn't really think much of it. Corey met me at the airport in Seattle and hung out with me until I had to go through security. His mom also met up for a bit which was wonderful to have them there before I took off for real.
I remember everything was going fine and I was in a good place, until about 15 minutes before I went to go through the security line. I was sitting on a bench with Corey and talking to Clyde on the phone and tears just started coming down my face. I hung up with Clyde and then Corey and I went to say goodbye before I went through security. Let's just say there were lots of hugs, kisses, and tears (both happy and sad). Corey left, and there I was with all my carry-on baggage ready for my new adventure. As I was going through security, the TSA guards were so worried and concerned for me because my face was all red and splotchy from crying. They felt bad for me and didn't make me go through the invasive full body scanner out of sure pity. I then kept moving on to my final gate where I would be leaving an hour and a half later from Seattle straight through to Seoul, South Korea.
Sitting in the waiting area at gate S15 I remember feeling totally numb. It was such a weird feeling, because I'm just thinking to myself, I have no phone or way to contact people right now, I only have the stuff on my back and who knows if my luggage will actually make it to Korea. It was in some ways a very freeing feeling to feel so disconnected and uncertain of what lies ahead, but let's be honest...I was still scared out of my mind.
During my waiting time in the gate area I felt compelled to read through all the goodbye cards and letters I received and look at the pictures I brought with me of friends and family. It made me feel a lot better and have comfort knowing how many people support and love me back home. So here's my shout out to all of you!! I love you all so much and I can't begin to describe how much it means to me to have you all in my life :)
Alright....time to board flight 271 on Asiana Airlines headed to Incheon Airport in South Korea only about 5,200 miles and 11 ½ hours of flying time..no big deal. Well, definitely the longest flight I've ever been on, but I thought it was really great overall and the airline treated us all like kings and queens. We received slippers to put on instead of wearing our shoes the whole time, hot towels to wipe down with, and plenty of food and water and anything else we wanted. The food btw was the best airplane food I've ever had. Also, there was a big movie screen on the back of every chair that was loaded with a lot of great movies, short films, music, etc. I watched many movies....Something Borrowed, Midnight in Paris, part of Harry Potter #7 part 1. I didn't sleep much on the plane because I was so anxious and nervous. I did however sit next to a great guy named Young-Chan Park who is 25 years old and is a native Korean who was flying back from Calgary, Canada from visiting his girlfriend. . He spoke pretty broken English, but was really nice to talk with during the flight. It was kind of funny because during one of our conversations he was asking me why I came to Korea to teach English. I told him how I was an accountant back home and just needed a change of scenery for a bit, so I just quit and decided to come. That answer received a very sad look, because Young-Chan is apparently studying to be an accountant and is very excited about it. I reassured him that he was making a good choice, and that because I left didn't mean I completely disliked accounting. I mean, what are the odds I sit next to an aspiring Korean accountant....thought it was humorous.
We landed in Korea at about 6:45 pm Korean time which is 2:45 am PST. I went through customs and all that jazz and went down to baggage claim to get my bags which were there spinning around the carousel in all their glory!! At this point, I'm feeling pretty good, survived the flight, met a Korean friend, have all my bags, I'm doing good. However, there was still a few more steps I had to take until I was safe and sound in my apartment. The recruiting company I went through to get my job in Korea told me a driver would be waiting for me at the airport. I walked out of baggage claim into the visitor waiting area and there it was....a beautiful sign that said 'Mr. Briana Crider'....at this point, Mr. versus Miss...who gives a crap...it had my name on it!! Sigh of relief and it was time to get moving. My Korean driver didn't speak to me much and was a man on mission. He walked extremely fast to the car and drove like a complete crazy person and was texting/talking on his cell phone the entire time, but that's all part of the fun I guess. It was about an hour drive from the airport to my apartment building. I just sat back and enjoyed the view and tried to take it all in. The city of Seoul and surrounding areas were all lit up because it was night time. It was absolutely beautiful.
We arrive at what looks like an apartment building, and the driver is on the phone talking a mile a minute to who I assume to be a Korean teacher who is coming to pick me up and help me to my apartment. It's kind of crazy how trusting you have to be in just knowing that everything will work out, and even if it doesn't you can figure it out. A few minutes later a car pulled up and a young girl about my age got out, her name is Jun, along with her boyfriend (I don't remember his name). Jin is a Korean teacher at the school I'm working at (Worwick Institute) and she spoke really good English. Her and her boyfriend helped me haul all my bags up to the apartment. (I'm going to post a separate blog about my apartment with pictures, etc. after this one).
Jin and her boyfriend then took me out to dinner at none other than the Outback Steakhouse!! Haha, at this point, I was so hungry and tired I didn't care where we went and Jin told me she didn't want to subject me to Korean food on my first night for fear of getting a stomach ache or something. So American grilled chicken mango salad here I come. Jin and her boyfriend were so awesome and so friendly. I had a great time with them at dinner and it made me feel so relieved and comfortable. At this point I'm so over stimulated and tired and just blurry to it all, and to have someone help me out and take me to dinner was just amazing. We then went back to my apartment where Jin left me her wireless internet modem thingy so I could get on my email and let everyone know I was ok! Then I met a couple who lives in my apartment building and works at the school as well, named Kelly and Andy. Kelly is from Ireland and Andy is from the U.K. (insert awesome accents here!) They were so nice and right away asked me if I wanted to go to a theme park called Everland (another blog post to come) with them on Monday as it's a national Holiday in Korea right now called Chuseok. It's the equivalent of America's Thanksgiving. Jin and them also offered to take me grocery shopping and to get some stuff for my apartment. They all left, because it was about 10:00pm at this point and I was absolutely exhausted. I got on my computer and sent some emails and then popped a few melatonin for help to fall asleep and that was the end of my first night in Korea.
Here's some pictures of what's to come...Everland..apartment..etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment