Daejeon!

We arrived in Daejeon on Aug. 27th.  The buses dropped us off at the Metropolitan Office of Education (MOE), which is the agency responsible for education in Daejeon.  We were quickly sorted and shown into an auditorium and met our head co-teachers.  My head co-teacher is named 박혜경, or Hyekyeong Park.  She is about 40 and has a 15 year old son.  After a few speeches from the head of the MOE we were dismissed to collect our luggage, which was on a truck just outside.  I grabbed my stuff and we left for my school.  It was a very quick departure with very little time to say goodbye to everyone.  This is where the orientation bubble really burst.

Hyekyeong took me to my school, Maebong Middle School, where I met the principal and vice-principal.  There were no students in the school because it was still closed.  This actually worked out well for me because I was starting on the same day the students came back.  I was shown a desk and got a few introductions, then we went over to the office.  I was given some bedding (a little girly, but at least it isn't flowers) and the 300,000 won settlement bonus.  I wasn't expecting that money until around the first payday so it was pretty nice.

Next was the really big step, seeing the apartment.  I found out it is about a 20 minute bus ride, so it was a little bit of a drive.  By the way, drivers here are crazy and very fast to use their horns.  We arrived at my building and it was not what I was expecting.  As we drove up I had a strong feeling of "ghetto," but it turns out my building is brand new and fairly nice.  It isn't a high rise, which I had been expecting, but thats ok.  My apartment is on the first floor and (a complete guess) about 200 sq. feet.  I have a washer, one stovetop, a microwave, fridge, tv, desk, and of course a bed.  Hyekyeong did some quick translations so I could use the washer and turn on my hot water and AC, then we went to Home Plus to start stalking up on supplies.

After this quick trip and unloading everything at my apartment Hyekyeong showed me to the subway, which is about a 20 minute walk or 3 minute bus ride away.  I got my T Card, which is used to pay the fare, and Hyekyeong left.  I headed downtown to meet up with other English teachers in Daejeon.  Some people from the Feb. intake had set up a meet and greet.  It was pretty cool to meet people with specific knowledge about Daejeon.  I hung out at the Yellow Taxi for a while.  Yellow Taxi is a pretty sweet foreigner bar, complete with pool table, dart boards, and Guinness (though that is 10k/bottle)!  At about 1:30 I decided to head home.

Unfortunately all public transportation shuts down between 11:30 and midnight, so I had to take a cab.  Usually that wouldn't be a problem, but it didn't go as planned.  I got in a cab and showed him a card my co-teacher had given me that lists my address.  Unfortunately addresses here are not like back in the states, where they make sense.  Buildings here are numbered as they're built, so you will find number 10 next to 25, next to 4.  It makes it really difficult to find your place, or for others to.  This is what happened in the taxi.  I have no idea where he took me.  We get to some random location, try to talk for a few minutes, then end up calling some of the guys I'd just met.  They talk in Korean a bit, then the taxi driver takes off again.  I eventually end up at Fashion Island.  I have no idea where that is, but I got out here because the driver was making me mad.  It ended up costing 20,000 won, which is crazy expensive for a taxi here, even when you take into account the extra 20% they charge after midnight.  Eventually, after spending 15 minutes looking at a map trying to figure out where I am, I get in another taxi to try it again.  This one has a GPS and the driver puts in my address from the card.  He takes off and 15 minutes later I'm at my door, for 8k.  Much better experience.

The moral of that story, take the taxis that have the city banners on them and say "It's Daejeon!"  The taxis that only have the box on top of the car are private and I no longer trust them to get me where I'm going unless I can speak Korean.  Still though, it was an adventure.