Travel & Orientation Day 1

My journey to Korea began at 4:30 a.m. on August 19 and ended at 10:00 p.m. on August 21, Korean time. All in all, I was in transit or in waiting for a grand total of about 32 hours.

Nothing incredibly eventful happened in the States. In Chicago, I met a graphic design student, and we had a good conversation until we went our separate ways at boarding.

The most exciting part of the journey was flying to Korea on a Thai Airways International Boeing 747. American airlines cannot even begin to compare to this Asian airline! We were warmly greeted at the entrance of the plane by friendly and respectful stewards and stewardesses who bowed to us with their hands folded. The crew wore traditional, bright-colored Thai clothing. The plane decor included beautiful seats, varying between pink, purple, and yellow, and blankets and headphones were provided. We ate well, were encouraged to walk around, and were constantly provided with beverages to keep us hydrated. The cabin was roomy and kept at the perfect temperature. Free entertainment was even provided. Because those who booked my flight did not request a vegetarian meal for me, I told the crew while I was on board, willing to just eat what I could, but they made every effort to accommodate me at the last minute. One of the stewards asked me if I liked soup and shortly thereafter returned with a vegetarian vegetable noodle soup. A stewardess offered me extra bread. There were no pointless announcements, we weren't rudely awakened if we were sleeping, and the flight was smooth. I also met a girl on board who graduated from college a year ago and is going to be teaching English through another program called EPIC. We ended up sitting across from each other and talked for a while.

After landing, we had to go through customs, which was perhaps the most simple customs experience that I have ever had. At last, I exited the terminal and, as I looked around, heard someone yell my name. It was Ruthie! I had no idea that she would be picking me up. We played volleyball together at Southern, so I was so happy to see someone that I knew. Even better, my friend Sarah had already arrived. We had roomed together in Israel, so I was even more excited to see her two years later.

God has really worked things out for me. I initially thought that I would be coming here alone, but I have discovered that I know a fair amount of people who currently work here. I met another one today--Rachel, who I sat next to in archaeology class for a year.

Today orientation began, and it was wonderful. A worship thought by Pastor Choi reminded us why we are here, a trip to the bank allowed us to exchange money and open up an account, a culture class educated us about the most common dos and don'ts, a introduction to the All-Day Club allowed us to practice our teaching skills, and a brief Korean lesson by the All-Day Club members allowed me to learn some of the basics of Hangul.

I think I'm really going to like it here! :)