Beyond Busan: Seoul Searching

I have been in Seoul nearly two weeks now and it feels like a year’s worth of events have taken place in the blink of an eye.  What is “sleep”?  What is “free time”?  In this video, you’ll see the progression from my suitcases exploding in my new apartment to a place that feels like home.  It feels like a dorm room, and while I’d much rather live in an environment I’ve decorated in a sophisticated manner, my biggest priority this year is using my 2 generous vacation periods to see the world.

My work day is an hour shorter in theory, but realistically I’m doing a lot more work than I did in Busan.  It’s exciting because my day passes by quickly and I have quite a bit of control over what my students are learning.  The environment is friendly and helpful.  The decor of the school uses bright pastels and is organized, simple, and understated.  My classroom has resources on the walls – not distractions.  It’s perfect for me as I found I was constantly battling kids playing with things on the walls in previous environments.  Without going into too much detail, I have polite, energetic, and studious kids.  I really enjoy the way my schedule has been presented to me (even if I’m exhausted by the end of the day!).

I’ve joined a gym and a Korean language class held weekly at WinK Taphouse.  This week I plan to lock in a routine of work, gym, Korean homework, blogging, and an early night’s rest in an attempt to get settled.  This adjustment has not been easy, but it was certainly been interesting!  I get the feeling that in Seoul creativity is encouraged and inspiration could strike at any moment.  As an artist, the ability to take risks and be whimsical and silly is really exciting!  Expect several posts in the coming days about my whirlwind final weeks living in Busan and my first couple of fast-paced weeks living an authentic Seoulcialite life.


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