Public speaking.

My school had this orientation for new student's parents. I have to go in front of this audience and introduce myself. The whole thing is in Korean. My boss just waves to me to come up to the microphone, when she's ready for me. I say all the normal bullshit like,"I like your country, I love working with the students, bla bla bla", and then everyone starts laughing at me. I have no idea why, but it is just perpetuating my fear of public speaking.

Food.

Steamed pork bun. It's ridiculously delicious.

The best sweet potato ever. Some guys sells them out of a grill by my house. A whole bag for about $3. He calls me beautiful in broken Korean. I think that's why I keep going back there.

My typical breakfast. Scrambled eggs on bread. All there bread is made fresh at the grocery stores, it's unbelievably good. Notice my children's fork. I couldn't find any regular adult forks.

The bedroom .

This is the biggest and softest pillow I could find. All Korean pillows tend to be small and extremely firm.

My bed.

My kitchen continued/ TV room/office. My refrigerator smells like a tiny asian person lives in it and every time I open it the smell of kimchi lingers. I actually get a decent amount of English TV, probably because of the US military base.

Connor, thanks for the meat magnets!

Koreans do not have dryers. Everyone hangs there clothes and the floors are all heated. There are no vents or radiators.

Inside my korean jail cell.

Door that separates my apartment from the bedroom.

Shower/bathroom. Oh and in Korea towels larger then hand towel size don't exsist.

Stove.

Kitchen/laundry room/entrance way.

Where the shoes come off. Even if you are carry something like a 50lb suit case or a tv, you slide off your shoes. My boss corrected me for walking around in my own apartment with shoes. Now I where socks all the time... its probably going to be the one thing I do always in the rest of my life... enforce a strict no shoe policy in my future apartments and home.

I am here.

My asian cellphone that they provided me with. It has tons of options and buttons, that I have no idea what they do. Everyone in Korea has a cellphone. Most of them have movie/tv capabilites and everyone on the subway will be watching there phone.

My keys.

The trash pile with chairs, drawers, beds, etc. next to my apartment.

After spending 18 hours in the sky, I finally landed in Seoul around 7:00 pm Monday night. I went through customs, got my package and then went to go find the man that was sent to meet me at the airport. I saw him with a "Welcome Tori McNally" sign and then started having the first of many anxiety attacks. I am about to get in the car with a complete stranger 10,000 miles away from home and he is probably going to sell me into sex slavery. My fears increase when I get to this gold van, with fuzzy leopard print seat covers, light and dark green stripe carpeted floor and leather button-tuffed ceiling. Not to mention the air is moist and there is a thick fog. It is the perfect weather to be murdered in. We start the drive to the school. He puts on the radio and the first song comes on with the hook, "Baby hit me one more time, let me blow your mind", then it quickly changes to Korean lyrics (all Korean pop music tends to be set up that way). I thought he might of put this on for me thinking I am young and I would like it, but  he starts humming along to it, this tiny late 40ish Korean man. We don't talk he just gives me a piece of Korean Juicy Fruit and we drive. All the highway signs in Korea, are flickering and flashing lights and the highway is full of horrible asian drivers causing many near death experiences. I finally get to the school and the directors welcome me and take me on a quick tour before driving me to my apartment. As soon as we get there I meet my co-worker and then we are rushing to the grocery store to buy me anything I may need. It's nearing 9:00pm and I am exhausted and emotionally drained.  By the time I get everyone out of my apartment, it's late and I try to sleep, but my tooth is bothering me from biting in to a piece of disgusting pasta on the plane.

Just discovered...

James Nares (www.jamesnares.com) and I am kinda of obsessed with his paintings.

Seoul, South Korea

This is my new home, come end of January. I'll be gone for over a year. I don't know any Korean or anyone there, but it should be a good time.