Korean Job Discussion Forums

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Now this is interesting...cast your mind back...
I felt pretty freaked out. In fact its the last time I really sobbed uncontrollably for an hour or more!! I just wondered what on earth I'd done to myself!!
My apartment was still dusty, it was winter, I couldn't figure out how the heating worked...
Venturing out the door, I managed around the block, because I didn't want to get lost...what I saw was an alien landscape..exciting, but I understood nothing. The high rise apartments were striking, gigantic to me..weird looking. the snow on the ground appeared all dirty and different to any snow I'd ever seen.. Looking in a couple shops, I found myself unable to buy anything, because I didn't understand the money..the food looked wierd, different.A million problems crowded in on me: I started to call my only friend repeatedly for advice until she got a bit annoyed...Then I realised I was alone..totally alone. It was awesome, actually.

oneiros · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Location: Villa Straylight

Hung-over. Curse that free alcohol on international flights. Laughing

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

Hungry. And I had no idea what to do about it.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

It was kinda like what you described but for me it was like 'Man, this is cool!' I didnt' sob at all. I was ready for adventure.

I did get over that strangeness of it all basically in the first week or so.

After a few weeks I could speak some Korean, imagine that.

I still don't miss my family. I'm pretty independent.

My hagwon owners were pretty good about making sure that I had food, supplies and everything I needed.

I love Korean delivery!

Very Happy

theatrelily · Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Location: Haeundae-gu, Busan

panicked. I had the biggest case of buyer's remorse...

...then I figured if so many other people had pulled through, be darned if I was going to be the one who couldn't...

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Highly freaked out. It was the height of Summer so there was a golden glow to all the strange characteristics of Kwangju (four million pop). I hid my money in the wall and went out and there was no end to the strangeness. No point where things started to look like home after the funworld stopped. The people persisted in their delusions that they had another alphabet and strange sounding language as if they lived on one giant, extended 'Koreatown'. Where was my old neighbourhood? Old women sitting on the sidewalk beside shining, whole fish the likes of which I'd never seen staring back (the fish I mean). The alien details kept collecting as time passed.

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Wondering if I was ever going to get used to the cars right outside my window. And thinking how new my apartment smelled.

I had worse days later. The first few weeks weren't that bad actually.

lush72 · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Location: I am Penalty Kick!

hmmm, the first time I came (mid 90's) here I was in the army Shocked

and my army buddies took me out and got me rip roaring drunk the night I arrived. The next day I was supposed to go get "in processed" at caseys "turtle farm" but I was still way too wrecked for that- luckily for me my 1sgt was a friend, so i spent most of that day passed out in his hooch till that evening- when it started again! Shocked

First time I came here as a civilian I did almost the same thing- but this time at the infamous "monkey cave hotel" Shocked

Those were some good times....

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

When I arrived about 7 years ago after 2 days travel into another world and time zone, I slep a good 15 hours solid. When I woke up I felt fine. It was Sat or Sunday and the roommates dudes showed me around a bit in Ulsan. It was fun and such a novelty for months!

Novelty now... not as much... but sometimes it is still there as this place is so weird!

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

I felt like I was in a psychedelic movie every day for the first six months, loved it ...

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I was picked up on a Friday evening by a non-English speaking boss, driven to Taejon and deposited in a motel. I took a walk around the block, afraid of getting lost. Had trouble getting to sleep, but when I did I woke up to the sound of a loud speaker outside my window at the crack of dawn, blaring something in a language I didn't understand. I looked out and the streets were deserted. My natural paranoia asserted itself and I was sure the North had invaded again.

For at least a week I was afraid to deviate from the known trail between my apt and the school. I survived on pizza until someone told me there was a grocery store in the basement of a 'big building' near where I lived. Hunger drove me to explore several basements before I located the right one. I was ecstatic when I found the word 'tuna' written in English.

marista99 · Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Location: Incheon

These stories are so helpful. Keep them coming! I'm looking forward to adding my own in a couple of weeks when I arrive in Incheon Smile

flip ant · Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Location: He's got high hopes!

skinhead · Joined: 11 Jun 2004

canuckistan · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 3:54 pm Post subject:

I arrived in Seoul at night, woke up the next day to take it all in. I won't forget the first look out that hotel window. Hungry, lousy coffee. The first couple of days all I knew was that I was living under the Maxwell House sign. Took a while to get used to all the new sights, sounds and most of all, smells Confused