Hello from tomorrow...

This is one cool place! And we're always a day ahead of you guys back home =)

After getting to the school after dark last night, I was led to my studio apartment (I'll try to include pictures as soon as my personal internet connection is set up) and had just enough steam left explore the corners of my new digs and liberate my pillow from the depths of a box. So far, I've had no problem being awake when I should be and sleepy when it's time for that-- like now!

The school has gone to great lengths to make us feel welcome from an international calling card in our packets to baby bannanas on the counter and a new toothbrush in the bathroom. I'll really be unpacking and moving in tomorrow. Somehow, my room has double furniture (2 vanities, 2 freestanding cupboards, 2 wardrobes, 2 coffee tables [only a foot off the floor], 2 short drawers...) Now all I need is a desk and I'll be set!

We took a trip into town today; my school is actually between Seoul and Uijeongbu, but not rural by U.S. standards at all! The neighborhood area has everything a person needs within walking distance; but better deals and more variety calls for a trip on the subway! We discovered Seoul and Uijeongbu today and it was amazing! We all spent our moving-in allowance at this incredible 3 level department/grocery store(100,000 won = $100 usd) and shopped till we dropped =)

Well, actually, we didn't get a chance to drop because we had a dinner outing to Uijeongbu for some "duk"-something: spicy chicken stirfry cooked at the table on a big griddle. So far, there are 7 new teachers and some have families, so it was a fun group experience. We went the long way around to the subway after cooling our burning lips with 7-up, Pepsi, and soju. (Yes, I tried the famous Korean liquor and my untrained alcoholic pallet simply registered NyQuil without the licorice =) Taking the long way brought us into the crazy-busy streets with neon lights, vendors, and people.people.people-- So crowded that a car actually brushed against my leg as we were waiting to get through an intersection.

The funny thing is that even though there are people everywhere, and they all have places they need to go, it's not a hurried/bustling/harried kind of crowding. Hard to explain, but people still have time to be kind to the foreigners =) Usually when I find myself in a sea of people, there seems to be a general sense of urgency and impatience that is contageous even to tourists and innocent bystanders-- not so here. It may have been because it's Saturday, or maybe I'm in a jet-lagged brain oblivion, or maybe it's just that calm; only time will tell.

Many more things to write, but it's just before midnight and I'm feeling the need to plop into bed.

Have a good tomorrow!