I’ve been in Korea since Saturday. This is by far the best week I’ve had in a long, long time. Korea feels like home. I feel like I’m supposed to be here, even like I’ve been here before.
I’m waiting for the novelty to fade, but I hope it doesn’t. I love my apartment, my town, my school, and my students. I’ve even made a couple friends. I feel like that is a solid success for a first week. What more could I ask for?
Namyangju is...well...
I am naturally excited to go to Korea, so I made sure to tell all the Koreans I know about it. They all asked me where I am going.
“Namyangju!” I replied happily.
“Namyangju?” They asked perplexed, “Namyangju is…well…it is growing, I guess…”
They couldn’t really give me a positive comment about it. My Korean teacher also added, “how long is the contract? Can you move if you don’t like it?”
The lack of enthusiasm others seem to have about the place I am moving is kind of startling to me. Luckily, what everyone is concerned about is that it is rural. Not super rural, just not some place they feel will be exciting.
To me this is okay, I actually want a place like this. I want to become proficient in Korean, and I know myself and if I was in Seoul that would never happen. I want the motivation to study. Plus I am only 1-2hrs by bus from Seoul, so it is not like I am in the boonies.
