EPIK Orientation Part 2 - SOJU

I am more than half way through my orientation and in 2 short days I will be travelling to the city that will be my home for the next year. Yesterday I was given the names and brief synopsis on the schools where I will be teaching - yes I said schools. It turns out that I will be teaching in 2 elementary schools (grades 1 - 6). I will be teaching at Wadong Elementary School and Hoedeok Elementary School. I am hoping that they aren't too far apart, although I will probably spend 3 days a week at one and 2 days at another, so the distance won't matter. They are both smaller schools, each with a student body of about 600 so hopefully that will mean smaller class sizes. They seem to be located on the outskirts of Daejeon city, which means I will probably be living on the edge of the city. This will be much nicer than being right in the middle of the hustle of a busy city and the city center will only be a bus ride away.

Last night a group of us Daejeonites all went out to celebrate our postings. We had a lot to celebrate as we were given our schools 3 days earlier than the teachers going to other cities - and we couldn't help but rub it in. We went to a local bar where I had a chance to try SOJU. Soju is a korean drink, similar to vodka, only stronger. It tastes a little like paint thinner and Korean's drink it in copious amounts. It's very strong and rather dangerous . I only did one shot and then sat back and watched my fellow teachers get very drunk. It was great fun and a chance for all of us to bond. Later a group headed to Norabang (Korean kareoke bar). Korean people love kareoke and there are kareoke bars everywhere.

Today at dinner a group of us decided that we had hit a "rice wall" meaning that we needed something familiar from home. Basically we were all sick of eating rice and kimchi for every meal and craved something more familiar, so we went up the road to Pizza Do. I have to say, it was the best pizza that I have ever tasted but it could have tasted like cardboard and I would have still have loved it (it wasn't rice). I have been practicing using my chopsticks and am getting much better (I only drop half my food now).

One more day of lectures and then it is off to Daejeon!