So far, my experience in Korea has been quite exciting. I've made quite a few friends, although so far, all English speaking, TaLK associated people. I'm sure the experience will be very different once I'm in rural Korea, surrounded by those with whom I do not share a language. Still, I'm very optimistic. We've been sightseeing in Seoul, and done a full day of lectures, with another one ahead of me in half an hour.
Haven't had much time to do anything but socialize and do orientation activities and lessons, but I imagine I will have plenty of time to learn the language, and they are definitely making an effort to teach us the culture. Ideally, I'll come home fluent. If I only stay six months, I can't realistically imagine I'd accomplish that, but I am going to need to be able to communicate. I suppose I hope to have solid command of broken Korean so that at least I can communicate roughly.
Orientation is very much a protective blanket, where we are all surrounded by other English speaking Westerners. It's getting me excited for living and teaching in rural Korea, but I don't think anything can really prepare me for that that's going to be like.
For a sense of where I will be living, the location of the local TaLK office (not necessarily where I will be staying, but close) is on the attached map, with Seoul on the map for a sense of location. It's located in Jincheon, in Chungbuk province. If anyone knows about that area, I'd be very thankful to hear what you know!
That's it for now. Its a chaotic update, but between an already busy schedule, social time, and trying to sleep occasionally , I'm just happy to be updating at all.
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