MKJ Part three: Settling in

Everything, needless to say, looked better in the morning. Granted – I had still only had two hours sleep (five since Saturday morning, if you add the three I managed to get on the plane), and granted I hardly felt at home but suddenly I started to see a few positives. For a start the view from my apartment is spectacular – the balcony overlooks the sea, and from the twentieth floor this really does look quite amazing. Secondly, though my apartment IS a little grubby, there's nothing that a little sprucing up wouldn't solve (note: still to be spruced) and it is far bigger than most people's – in that it has six, as opposed to one, room!) And anyway, no time to think about this – it's time for school!

Now this was probably the turner – this was the point where all thoughts of leaving within days all but disappeared. To those that know me, I have a complete love-hate relationship with teaching. I hate the fact that I do it so often, and in so many respects, and the connotations that surround it, but I generally love my students, and there is no better feeling than a lesson in which you can see they genuinely learn – or than earning respect from them because they know this.

Well it's early days for that, but the school seemed brilliant – as I walked up to it, everyone (teachers and students alike) stopped and stared in apparent wonderment. The students would all bow as I approached, and would come running just to get a glimpse of me, or for the braver – to say hi (a response would result in a flurry of excitement, stifled giggles and inevitably their running off to tell some of their other friends to try it as well). I came into the teacher's room and to my desk to find my timetable. I counted the lessons – eighteen forty-five minute lessons a week. But I'm contracted for twenty two hours, I thought – I must have some extras.

'Mrs Jang. Is this my entire timetable?'

'Yes, why?'

'Oh nothing, just wanted to check' YES!!!

'Oh by the way Kirk, one of the teachers will speak with you later – the third graders won't be having lessons from you for the first few months, as they have important exams coming up, and they need the extra time to study'

I looked down, furtively at the timetable. 1,2,3,4,5,6….six third grade classes….

I'm sure the skies parted at that point – I have twelve forty five minute classes a week to teach, I am being paid a grand a month for it, with free accommodation (plus various benefits that get thrown wantonly at teachers from time to time), and no marking, little planning and NO PAPERWORK to fill out…this is the dream teaching job!

I was woken from my reverie by the fact that I was being shuffled down the staff room toward the head (soon to become 'principle'), just as I caught the last glimpse of an angel darting between some rapidly closing clouds, I had a mic thrust in my hand, was grabbed by the shoulders and moved into position beside the big wigs of the school. Everyone in the room stood up and some grandiose music started playing. Ah – it was time to say hello.

I started to realise as I wandered around, that yeongdo (the Island on which I live) is not nearly as far away from everything as it seemed – the thing about Korea is that there are so many people here that none of the chains (and everything is a chain) can afford to not have a store in even the tiniest area. Equally, there are a million taxis everywhere all the time – as Dave (Holt) put it to me, 'you can never get lost in Korea, no matter where you are, down the tiniest little side street even, you will ALWAYS see that little light driving toward you to pick you up.' Or something like that.

Speaking of taxis, I was coerced out for dinner, in spite of my extreme tiredness and jet lag, to Nampo Dong on that Monday evening by Dave and Hannah (who I really can't thank enough – this was the start of my settling and becoming comfortable with getting around Busan) and I was amazed, that although it took around 15 mins to get there, the taxi only cost the equivalent of about 1.75 (there's no pound key on this damn computer!). What got me as well is that as I stepped out of the taxi in a busy street, leaving the taxi driver with the 200 won (about 10 pence) that would be my change, he actually called me back to make sure I had it – it seemed that people who don't like taking more than they have earnt (though I think that some of the more cynical people working here that may read this will probably disagree…)

Anyway, after this and then another meal with Emily (both of us of course completely wet behind the ears, I was ready to start discovering…)