"Bambi Stage"

Whelp, I have survived my first weekend, in an apartment, in a completely foreign city, without getting lost once! I say I should get some sort of award...no? This weekend was spent unpacking, getting some laundry done, and finally grocery shopping!

I went a little over-the-top I know, I should really calm down with the groceries, I just couldn't help my self. No but really, this was just a small shop to grab things to last me until I stop by a little corner shop to get fresh fruit and veggies! On the way to the grocery store (I wish I had my camera or phone with me to take pictures) there was a guy selling fresh clams out of giant buckets on the side walk and then 10 feet away a lady was selling the cutest puppies ever (besides Henry and Lucy of course...sorry guys...)! Once we got to the grocery store, Home Plus, it was so crowded (a norm for the weekends). It is basically a Walmart-Costco-Department store combination with anything and everything you could ever need or want in your entire life all in one place. Needless to say I was a tad overwhelmed. Thank goodness Katrina was with me to guide me through!

So grocery shopping was actually adventure number two today. The first adventure was me trekking around the city a bit on my own after Amanda showed me the park nearby. She gave me directions to the bank to get some money out (preparation for previously explained grocery adventure) and I went on my way. Now...I didn't ever find the bank- However! The journey was not wasted because I now have a much better feel of where I live in this crazy neon-sign-covered-building-filled place.

My third and final adventure was running to the park nearby! Around the corner from my apartment complex (pictures will be added as soon as I take some!) there is a park with running/bike paths, exercise equipment, fountains, and a lake. It is so convenient and a very enjoyable place to jog around! I am looking forward to heading over there to run until the weather turns absolutely freezing! While I was running I kept getting strange looks from people, I suppose jogging is not really a normal thing? I kept checking to see if I had something on my face or if I had toilet paper stuck to my shoe, but no I looked relatively normal so I'm not really sure what that was about. Crazy American running away from nothing, we are so weird.

Anywhoooooo This is when I explain the title of the post "Bambi Stage". We went out to a bar called Cheap Shots the other night and met a couple other friends of the teachers I work with. Being the newbie in the group I was naturally asked what I thought so far and whether I like it. To answer those- Yes! I really am enjoying it so far! I am just a bit over-stimulated still with the city in general. All the neon signs everywhere are hard to get used to.

So that's when the other teachers said I am still in the Bambi phase, learning to walk with wobbly legs and falling over a couple times- which I thought was a pretty clever comparison! Hopefully no one dies, and I don't make friends with any skunks, but who knows what can happen...

For now- I am preparing for my first week starting tomorrow morning! I'm getting that nervous and exciting feeling (or that could be the yogurt...). When I was introduced to the students over the first few days the Korean teachers told them to be "gentle" with the new teacher- I'm hoping that is just a common saying and that this isn't some secret Korean children's fight club that I have just walked into.

I'll let you know how everything goes!

Korean word of the post: 주세요 (joo seh yo)= please

Bye!