Thursday, December 28th
I woke up to a cool room and cold floor. I went to use the bathroom and Dr. Kim's son tries to tell me that I couldn't use the shower. I found out that the hot water heater on the second floor was not working. With the water heater not working, it also affected the 'ondol' heating, so it essentially meant no hot water, no heat. Mrs. Kim told me that I can shower on the first floor.
I received a call to have a meeting at Pagoda. I wasn't prepared to have a meeting since no date had been set from the previous day's email message from Ian. I dressed more casually for sitting at my desk in Dr. Kim's company office. I was not expecting to interview, but I did have a navy sportcoat and light purple button down shirt. To save time and look more professional, Dr. Kim takes off his tie and gives it to me. Today, he happened to change ties. He normally wears the same type of clothes everyday like a uniform with the same tie. Before today, I had only seen him wear a red tie, but today he wore a purple multi-striped tie, which coordinates close enough to my shirt. It will save time since I won't have to go home and then to Pagoda.
I met with Amy Yoon, Academic Education Director. She asked me a few questions and told me about a possible position near Sinchon. She thought that it was a fairly long distance from my house. The position would be for two months with an evaluation by me and the institute at the end. After, if I met their standards, I could sign a contract for another 2, 6, or 12 months. She informed me that I should prepare a sample lesson and meet with that location the following day.
Friday, December 29th
In the morning, I gave a teaching demonstration to Dr. Kim. Since he has more than 23 years of university teaching experience, he gave me some advice and he escorts me to Pagoda in Sinchon. It took about 50-60 minutes to arrive. I met with a person there and she listened to my practice lesson. She said ok and gave me some advice and asked a few questions. She told me that there will be orientation at the Pagoda HQ the next day, Saturday at 10 AM. I will start teaching on January 2nd, 2007 and I will teach three classes a day with each being two hours long. I will be paid 23,000 won/hour (2.76 million won/month) or about ~$2900/month.
Dr. Kim also informed me that Social Welfare Society had contacted him. They told him that my father is still alive and lives in Seoul. They have yet to make phone contact with him, but Dr. Kim thinks that I may be able to contact early next year.
Saturday, December 30th
I was scheduled for teacher orientation at Pagoda Institute (Gangnam). This is headquarters location. The meeting started at 10 AM and this would be my first trip on the subway alone. Dr. Kim seemed a little worried for me, but I knew that I would be ok. The trip took 55 minutes with two subway line transfers. I attended the meeting with 6 other teachers. There were people from NC, DE, DC, Toronto, Sydney, and myself, but everyone Korean-born or raised. It was fairly straightforward with general information and what planning should done for the course. I have the difficulty of teaching two separate levels, so I will need to syllabi and lessons plans to prepare. It was also mean that I will have two levels of expectations from the students and of them for me. Out of the new teachers, just two of us will be teaching at the Sinchon location. Most others will be at the Jongno or Gangnam locations. Afterwards, they took us to a nice restaurant and we were able to do some casual chatting. I quickly found out that I was the only one without any Korean skills. This won't be a problem for teaching, but for general knowledge and conversation, it leaves me out on some topics.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Mobile phone/Dr. Kim's sister
Tuesday, December 26th
The only exciting news is that I have a Korean mobile phone. Don't ask me how much it is because Dr. Kim purchased it and when I am done using it the phone will become a company phone. Part of the reason for this is because it is difficult for foreigners to purchase a phone and sign up for service. Also, being a guest is the other reason that he paid for it. The phone I received is not exactly what we ordered, but I received a white (instead of black) Cyon LG slider phone (LG-KV2400 to be exact). It has a lot of extra functions and accessories like 2 batteries, separate charger for spare battery, 1.3 Mp camera, DJing music function, MP3 player (512 Mb memory), music composer, FIMM (allows of watching TV, music, film, sports), Karaoke, portable disk storage, Bluetooth, Flashlight, K-merce (I think that you can store money on the phone and pay for certain things), Seoul subway map (unfortunately only in Hangul), and some other features. Yes, Korean mobile phones are more advanced than US phones. I am not exactly sure what channels or programs, but I know that you can watch TV on demand or during certain times of the day probably mostly correlated to commuting times.
December 27th
For lunch, Dr. Kim took me to meet Mrs. Kim, his elder sister, and Kim Eunhye, niece. From previous conversations, Dr. Kim let me know some of his previous family life. Some of it is good and some not so good, so I won't go into great detail. His elder sister is actually a half sister because Dr. Kim's father's first wife passed away of "illness" and his father remarried. Dr. Kim has a good relationship with his sister, but his father does not. Dr. Kim, Mrs. Kim (Kim's or other surnames of the same family lineage don't marry, but Mrs. Kim married from a different line of Kim's), Kim Eunhye, and I ate a restaurant in Kwangju. It is about 40 min. drive from the office and it is outside of Seoul city limits. We ate a very nice restaurant and had Korean hot pot. On the table were two boiling pots with plates of vegetables and meat. We added our food to the pots and ate when it was cooked. It was a nice meal and I listened to their conversation even though I didn't understand any of it. Mrs. Kim can speak some English, so she mentioned that she had traveled to NYC, LA, and Minneapolis.
Kim Eunhye was a typical Korean college girl. She was too shy and nervous to speak much English. Kim Eunhye just finished her university degree in teaching, specifically mathematics for middle/high school. Just recently, she took the national exam for teachers. The top teachers will get job offers in the public school system. There are usually hundreds if not thousands of people taking the exam for each teaching position available.
After lunch, Dr. Kim drove Mrs. Kim and Kim Eunhye home. We accompanied them upstairs for some tea. They live on the 14th floor of 15 floor high rise building with multiple units on each floor. The family's apartment has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, living room, and kitchen. It is only 6 years old and quite modern. One unique item that the Kims and many other Koreans have is a kimchi refrigerator. I guess they are fanatical about the storage of a key item of food.
(Sorry, still no photos)
The only exciting news is that I have a Korean mobile phone. Don't ask me how much it is because Dr. Kim purchased it and when I am done using it the phone will become a company phone. Part of the reason for this is because it is difficult for foreigners to purchase a phone and sign up for service. Also, being a guest is the other reason that he paid for it. The phone I received is not exactly what we ordered, but I received a white (instead of black) Cyon LG slider phone (LG-KV2400 to be exact). It has a lot of extra functions and accessories like 2 batteries, separate charger for spare battery, 1.3 Mp camera, DJing music function, MP3 player (512 Mb memory), music composer, FIMM (allows of watching TV, music, film, sports), Karaoke, portable disk storage, Bluetooth, Flashlight, K-merce (I think that you can store money on the phone and pay for certain things), Seoul subway map (unfortunately only in Hangul), and some other features. Yes, Korean mobile phones are more advanced than US phones. I am not exactly sure what channels or programs, but I know that you can watch TV on demand or during certain times of the day probably mostly correlated to commuting times.
December 27th
For lunch, Dr. Kim took me to meet Mrs. Kim, his elder sister, and Kim Eunhye, niece. From previous conversations, Dr. Kim let me know some of his previous family life. Some of it is good and some not so good, so I won't go into great detail. His elder sister is actually a half sister because Dr. Kim's father's first wife passed away of "illness" and his father remarried. Dr. Kim has a good relationship with his sister, but his father does not. Dr. Kim, Mrs. Kim (Kim's or other surnames of the same family lineage don't marry, but Mrs. Kim married from a different line of Kim's), Kim Eunhye, and I ate a restaurant in Kwangju. It is about 40 min. drive from the office and it is outside of Seoul city limits. We ate a very nice restaurant and had Korean hot pot. On the table were two boiling pots with plates of vegetables and meat. We added our food to the pots and ate when it was cooked. It was a nice meal and I listened to their conversation even though I didn't understand any of it. Mrs. Kim can speak some English, so she mentioned that she had traveled to NYC, LA, and Minneapolis.
Kim Eunhye was a typical Korean college girl. She was too shy and nervous to speak much English. Kim Eunhye just finished her university degree in teaching, specifically mathematics for middle/high school. Just recently, she took the national exam for teachers. The top teachers will get job offers in the public school system. There are usually hundreds if not thousands of people taking the exam for each teaching position available.
After lunch, Dr. Kim drove Mrs. Kim and Kim Eunhye home. We accompanied them upstairs for some tea. They live on the 14th floor of 15 floor high rise building with multiple units on each floor. The family's apartment has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, living room, and kitchen. It is only 6 years old and quite modern. One unique item that the Kims and many other Koreans have is a kimchi refrigerator. I guess they are fanatical about the storage of a key item of food.
(Sorry, still no photos)
Monday, December 25, 2006
Christmas
Saturday, December 23rd
I woke up early as usual after traveling. I am still trying to get accustomed to Korean bathrooms. The whole floor in the bathroom is part of the shower water collection area, so after a shower, most of the bathroom floor is wet. Using shower shoes is mandatory especially after someone has showered or returning to the bathroom. It is also one of the few rooms without 'ondol' heating.
In the morning, Dr. Kim decided to take me on a drive of the countryside since his elder sister was ill and didn't want to entertain guests. I guess that will be a future weekend trip. On the drive, it doesn't take long before leaving Seoul city limits and realizing why Korea is about 70% mountains. The mountains are quite small, but the terrain is somewhat steep and roads are never straight. In the winter, the mountains are not aesthetically pleasing as in the spring/summer when all of the trees start blossoming. It was a pleasant drive and we even saw some protesters. In Korea, organized protests are illegal except for certain areas. Dr. Kim said it was "not in my back yard" type of protest about an agreement between a small town and Seoul.
Sunday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)
I attended church with Dr. Kim and his younger son. The service was in Korean, but Dr. Kim tried to translate as much as possible. Dr. Kim's English is pretty good, but not fluent, so translation was struggle today. Dr. Kim attends a small Presbyterian church. The congregation is about 80 people (adults & children). There are many children which is surprising since Korea has a very low birth rate and most families are only having one or two children. The music part was songs that I knew the melody, but it was tough to remember all of the words especially when everyone else is singing the Korean translation.
Afterwards, lunch was served. It was quite a feast of different types of dishes. There was kimchi, noodles, multiple vegetable dishes, meat dish, fruit, and of course rice and soup. It was definitely interesting to see the order of eating. We followed the Confucian way with the eldest people eating first and so down the age brackets. Somehow, I was gently pushed to the front of the line after the eldest of group ate. The church isn't set-up to accommodate the physically challenged or elderly that have difficulty with stairs. The church occupies the third and fourth floors of a small building and this is the reason that Dr. Kim's mother is no longer able to attend the church services.
After lunch, we sat and watched as the youth of the church practiced for the late afternoon Christmas program. Once practice was over, many people returned for the performance. There was singing, signing, break dancing, rapping, and acting for ten different songs/skits. It was really entertaining and was nice to see that Christianity is present in Korea. I can't say that I kept a very religious life, but it always nice to reaffirm the beliefs in Christ that I do have and follow.
Monday, December 25th (Christmas)
Once again, I woke up early, but in the usual childhood anticipation of receiving the last and best Christmas gift. Yes, my family traditionally opens most gifts on December 24th and we will have one last gift on Christmas morning. Instead, I did the usual of check my email and wait for breakfast. After eating, I watched some TV. In the afternoon, Dr. Kim took me shopping so I could buy a few things. The buildings in Korea look different than America because it seems that every window or outer surface of the lowest four floors of buildings are covered with signs. It is quite confusing to figure out what the store front they are for or which floor the business is located. Overall, it was boring Christmas Day, but it is still considered a national holiday, so most business people have the day off from work.
I woke up early as usual after traveling. I am still trying to get accustomed to Korean bathrooms. The whole floor in the bathroom is part of the shower water collection area, so after a shower, most of the bathroom floor is wet. Using shower shoes is mandatory especially after someone has showered or returning to the bathroom. It is also one of the few rooms without 'ondol' heating.
In the morning, Dr. Kim decided to take me on a drive of the countryside since his elder sister was ill and didn't want to entertain guests. I guess that will be a future weekend trip. On the drive, it doesn't take long before leaving Seoul city limits and realizing why Korea is about 70% mountains. The mountains are quite small, but the terrain is somewhat steep and roads are never straight. In the winter, the mountains are not aesthetically pleasing as in the spring/summer when all of the trees start blossoming. It was a pleasant drive and we even saw some protesters. In Korea, organized protests are illegal except for certain areas. Dr. Kim said it was "not in my back yard" type of protest about an agreement between a small town and Seoul.
Sunday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)
I attended church with Dr. Kim and his younger son. The service was in Korean, but Dr. Kim tried to translate as much as possible. Dr. Kim's English is pretty good, but not fluent, so translation was struggle today. Dr. Kim attends a small Presbyterian church. The congregation is about 80 people (adults & children). There are many children which is surprising since Korea has a very low birth rate and most families are only having one or two children. The music part was songs that I knew the melody, but it was tough to remember all of the words especially when everyone else is singing the Korean translation.
Afterwards, lunch was served. It was quite a feast of different types of dishes. There was kimchi, noodles, multiple vegetable dishes, meat dish, fruit, and of course rice and soup. It was definitely interesting to see the order of eating. We followed the Confucian way with the eldest people eating first and so down the age brackets. Somehow, I was gently pushed to the front of the line after the eldest of group ate. The church isn't set-up to accommodate the physically challenged or elderly that have difficulty with stairs. The church occupies the third and fourth floors of a small building and this is the reason that Dr. Kim's mother is no longer able to attend the church services.
After lunch, we sat and watched as the youth of the church practiced for the late afternoon Christmas program. Once practice was over, many people returned for the performance. There was singing, signing, break dancing, rapping, and acting for ten different songs/skits. It was really entertaining and was nice to see that Christianity is present in Korea. I can't say that I kept a very religious life, but it always nice to reaffirm the beliefs in Christ that I do have and follow.
Monday, December 25th (Christmas)
Once again, I woke up early, but in the usual childhood anticipation of receiving the last and best Christmas gift. Yes, my family traditionally opens most gifts on December 24th and we will have one last gift on Christmas morning. Instead, I did the usual of check my email and wait for breakfast. After eating, I watched some TV. In the afternoon, Dr. Kim took me shopping so I could buy a few things. The buildings in Korea look different than America because it seems that every window or outer surface of the lowest four floors of buildings are covered with signs. It is quite confusing to figure out what the store front they are for or which floor the business is located. Overall, it was boring Christmas Day, but it is still considered a national holiday, so most business people have the day off from work.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Starting my journey to Korea
Pre-departure:
As I am leaving for Korea, most people are shocked to know that I want to leave the US for an extended period of time. My plans for departure have been quite accelerated due to some advice I received and the fact that a Korean friend was returning home. I am unable to speak Korean, but feel confident that I can manage my life in a new environment even with the communication barrier. Most people would say that my choices in life have been less than conventional. My career path may be on a tangent, but I believe that I need to take some risks. Most people with an MBA would have grandiose plans with their career path, but I don't. I am probably going to start with a job teaching English in Seoul. The economics of Korea allow me to take such a position with a high standard of living and pay back my financial obligations in the US for my many years education and study abroads to China and the UK.
Aside:
Almost everyone who reads this will know that I am an adopted Korean, so I have genuine interest in learning about Korea/Korean culture. I have decided that after graduating with my MBA that this is my best opportunity to discover my "roots" and try working/living in a foreign country for a year or two (possibly more). I have been told that I could accomplish three things while I am in Korea. One, I can find a job and make a living. Two, I can try to find my birth family. Three, I can find a beautiful Korean girl to marry.
Departure:
I left on December 18th with excitement and an amount of uncertainty. How do you answer the questions "where will you stay, how long will you be there, who do you know, what job will you have"? I guess most of my answers aren't definitive. I didn't know exactly where I was staying. I don't know how long I will be in Korea, but I did buy a one-way ticket. Yes, a one-way ticket is usually frowned upon at customs/immigration in most foreign countries. I only know Ah Rong and she will live in a city about 30+ miles away. I still don't have a job lined up, which with my initial plans, I would have taken a job before arrival.
All I know is that I have a contact through my friend, Ah Rong. She was a student at UND for one year. Her "uncle" is a professor at UND and he has many contacts in Korea. He arrranged for me to stay with a person in Seoul. Before arrival, I hadn't contacted Dr. Kim. I was flying back with Ah Rong and she was to direct me to the correct bus from the airport to a location that I would meet Dr. Kim.
After flying for 18 hours, we arrived in Seoul. I managed to pass customs/immigration without to much of a problem since I had some advice from a job placement agent. After finding Ah Rong and her family, she directed me to the correct bus. She told me to get on the bus and I was to get off at the Cheon-ho stop. She handed me some money and paid for my bus fare even though I had exchanged dollars for Wons. As I take the bus, I try to stay awake during the ride so I don't miss my stop. Luckily, the bus driver asked me what stop I was taking a few stops before. I departed the bus and looked around to find no one with a sign or trying to spot me. I stand on the sidewalk and fortunately, I am too tired to be nervous. Within minutes, a gentlemen comes over to me asking if I am Daniel. Yes, Dr. Kim found me and we put my bags in the back of his van. We go to his house which seems to be a small neighborhood with many very narrow roads. Once in the house, I meet Mrs. Kim and they take me to the room that I will have. It is quite small for American standards, but it is more than adequate. I have a twin bed, desk and two chairs, night stand with lamp, and a small closet and shelves. The bed is quite hard, but hardly unexpected since my experience in China.
Wednesday, December 20th
Yes, I lost a day due to flying and time zone differences. I wake up quite early and decide to see what is for breakfast. As I get out of bed, I discover the benefits of 'ondol' heat. The Koreans use a floor heat for their homes, so the wood aand/or vinyl floor is quite warm to walk on which is nice for cold feet. I go downstairs and Mrs. Kim is preparing breakfast. I have breakfast with Dr. Kim and his parents. For breakfast, we have soup, rice, vegetables, kimchi, and a few other things. This is a traditional breakfast since his parents are eating.
Yes, this is a traditional Korean home. Three generations live in the house, but it is starting to become a rare occurrence with the younger people. In the house, there is Dr. Kim (54), his wife, his dad (87), his mom (78), and two sons (18, 21). I am not sure if that is there real age because the Korean age is different from Western age by one year. Koreans when born are one year old.
After breakfast, I accompany Dr. Kim to his office. He is owns a small business that works with distribution of laboratory animals. He has a small office near his home with three employees currently. One employee, Winnie, has quite good English skills due to the fact that she did her uinversity studies in Australia. While in the office, I contacted an English teaching institute that I had contacted through a placement agency and make plans for an interview. The institute wanted me to bring all of my stuff since I had previously talked to before departure. They wanted me to start teaching the next day without going through any type of orientation. Dr. Kim will escort me because it is too far away and I don't know how to use the subway system.
For lunch, Dr. Kim, the other employees, and I go for a "special" lunch. Since it is my first day, they take me to a traditional Korean restaurant. We go to the second floor of the restaurant and take off our shoes. We pick a table and take a seat. This may seem normal, but the table is 8 inches off the ground and we are sitting on the floor. The table has two spots for grilling. It was big meal because we had grilled meat, kimchi, other side dishes, and a choice of soup or noodles after the other mentioned items.
In the evening, Dr. Kim and I start the long journey to the school. By this time, I am already tired and it took two hours by subway with a couple of tranfers to reach the general area where the school is. We take a taxi to the school and wait. Once I meet with the HR person, it is a non-stop pitch to take the position and start the next day because the current session has already started and they are short a teacher. I am able to observe a class, which seems somewhat boring because the system is quiet structured for only improving scores on the iBT TOEFL test. If you don't know about the Korean education system, then here is a brief idea. Students from ages 10-18 go to regular school in the morning until two or so. After that, the parents send their kids to private institutes for extra classes that focus on English, math, science, etc. These institutes are open from 3-11pm, so the kids are studying almost all day (M-F) except for transit and sleep time. I was then shown the curriculum that I would be teaching, but I was still hesitant about taking the job. They wanted an answer, but I told them that I would need a day to decide. We head back home. Dr. Kim gives me some advice, but says that I am the one that is going to make the final decision.
Thursday, December 21st
In the morning, Dr. Kim prepares breakfast for his parents. Dr. Kim is a very traditional Korean son. He follows the Confucian beliefs of son taking care of parents. Later, Dr. Kim and I eat. Yesterday, he asked me what I would normally eat for breakfast. He said that he will make something that is more suitable for me and himself. He makes prepares eggs, toast, ham, and some other things and we make breakfast sandwiches. At the office, he looks over some of my documents since I tell him that I want to go to the immigration office to change my visa status. I am initially on a tourist visa, but I am eligible for a F-4 visa since I am an overseas adopted Korean. This visa would allow me to work with any company and stay in Korea for two years with being able to renew. Dr. Kim has Winnie make some arrangements with another teaching institute.
In the afternoon, Dr. Kim takes me to the Wall Street Institute. We meet with a HR person, but he tells me that they don't work with Asian-looking people even if their native language is English. This institute advertises that students will learn from Caucasian teachers. After this meeting, we take a walk to the next place. We could have easily jumped back on the subway and rode for two stops, but Dr. Kim thought it would be ok to walk. Well, I was still jet-lagged and not used to walking so much. Dr. Kim walks at a rather brisk pace and our walk was all uphill similar the "Royal Mile" in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the top of the hill, we reached our destination, Social Welfare Society. This is the Korean adoption agency. We talked with a representative and they will look to see if they can contact my father. I should know by next week, if not, Dr. Kim says there are other methods in the Korean network.
After work, Winnie has made arrangements for me to visit a friend of hers. She runs a small institute out of an apartment by herself with some help from her brother. This would be a part-time opportunity for me. Dr. Kim drives Winnie and I to the location which is a lot closer to Dr. Kim's house than the institute visited yesterday. We meet and talk. Dr. Kim says that it would a good start for me to decide if I want to teach. Dr. Kim mentions that Winnie's friend is similar in age and single. Yes, she is beautiful, but somewhat embarrassing when she is present.
At home, I talk to Dr. Kim because I told the G1230 school that I should make a decision about working or not. I asked Dr. Kim, if I should give the school a definitive answer or not. He said that the Korean way will have a opportunity, even if the Western timeframe seems like there isn't. I decide to delay my decision since I am supposed to be meeting Chairman Go in the morning.
Friday, December 22nd
Dr. Kim and I take a later start since we have plans to meet with Chairman Go. We end up being short of time so Dr. Kim sometimes starts running for the possibly departing subway or trying to save time. Running in a suit and new shoes is quite tiresome. We reach the Pagoda Institute and go to the 20th (top) floor of the building. Later, I find out that the Chairman owns the building. We meet with Chairman Go and I observe since the conversation is in Korean. Soon, in comes an HR person and he interviews me. He asks me about Dr. Kim and "how do you know the Chairman?". He was caught off-guard because he was called after our arrival that the Chairman would like to speak with him. After the interview, the Chairman, Dr. Kim, and I go to a cafe for coffee. It is was quite interesting to see the amount of respect that the Chairman receives. After the meeting, Dr. Kim informs me that he will hire me, but I will have some obstacles to overcome since they usually don't hire Asian-looking people for classes. I will be starting in a tutoing position rather than teaching group classes. The pay should be more than adequate since the institute is quite large with 1200 teachers and 50,000 students. Most of the students are university students or business people unlike the other school I interviewed with had all young students. The Chairman and Dr. Kim think that this could be a great opportunity for me because I will get to know some people in the business field and may use teaching connections with future use of my MBA. Korea is a highly networked place with many opportunities coming from various connections through school or work.
For dinner, Dr. Kim takes me to meet some people for dinner. I didn't catch exactly how he knows the three people. At Insadong street, a popular traditional Korean area with antique shops and many restaurants, I am introduced to Mr. Kim, Mr. Park, and Mr. Lee. These surnames are a few of the most common in Korea. We eat at a traditional Korean restaurant, but choose a table and chairs over the sit on the floor area. Afterwards, we go to a teahouse. Dr. Kim picks a delicious sweet tea for me. During the evening, I have the opportunity to use a little of my Chinese language skills because Mr. Kim studied western medicine in China. On the way home, I realize that getting anywhere in Seoul is time-consuming challenge that life in Grand Forks never faces. We have an hour subway ride home, which is common occurrence for Dr. Kim, if he is to meet friends or businessmen. Tomorrow, I will join Dr. Kim and visit his elder sister who lives outside of Seoul.
As I am leaving for Korea, most people are shocked to know that I want to leave the US for an extended period of time. My plans for departure have been quite accelerated due to some advice I received and the fact that a Korean friend was returning home. I am unable to speak Korean, but feel confident that I can manage my life in a new environment even with the communication barrier. Most people would say that my choices in life have been less than conventional. My career path may be on a tangent, but I believe that I need to take some risks. Most people with an MBA would have grandiose plans with their career path, but I don't. I am probably going to start with a job teaching English in Seoul. The economics of Korea allow me to take such a position with a high standard of living and pay back my financial obligations in the US for my many years education and study abroads to China and the UK.
Aside:
Almost everyone who reads this will know that I am an adopted Korean, so I have genuine interest in learning about Korea/Korean culture. I have decided that after graduating with my MBA that this is my best opportunity to discover my "roots" and try working/living in a foreign country for a year or two (possibly more). I have been told that I could accomplish three things while I am in Korea. One, I can find a job and make a living. Two, I can try to find my birth family. Three, I can find a beautiful Korean girl to marry.
Departure:
I left on December 18th with excitement and an amount of uncertainty. How do you answer the questions "where will you stay, how long will you be there, who do you know, what job will you have"? I guess most of my answers aren't definitive. I didn't know exactly where I was staying. I don't know how long I will be in Korea, but I did buy a one-way ticket. Yes, a one-way ticket is usually frowned upon at customs/immigration in most foreign countries. I only know Ah Rong and she will live in a city about 30+ miles away. I still don't have a job lined up, which with my initial plans, I would have taken a job before arrival.
All I know is that I have a contact through my friend, Ah Rong. She was a student at UND for one year. Her "uncle" is a professor at UND and he has many contacts in Korea. He arrranged for me to stay with a person in Seoul. Before arrival, I hadn't contacted Dr. Kim. I was flying back with Ah Rong and she was to direct me to the correct bus from the airport to a location that I would meet Dr. Kim.
After flying for 18 hours, we arrived in Seoul. I managed to pass customs/immigration without to much of a problem since I had some advice from a job placement agent. After finding Ah Rong and her family, she directed me to the correct bus. She told me to get on the bus and I was to get off at the Cheon-ho stop. She handed me some money and paid for my bus fare even though I had exchanged dollars for Wons. As I take the bus, I try to stay awake during the ride so I don't miss my stop. Luckily, the bus driver asked me what stop I was taking a few stops before. I departed the bus and looked around to find no one with a sign or trying to spot me. I stand on the sidewalk and fortunately, I am too tired to be nervous. Within minutes, a gentlemen comes over to me asking if I am Daniel. Yes, Dr. Kim found me and we put my bags in the back of his van. We go to his house which seems to be a small neighborhood with many very narrow roads. Once in the house, I meet Mrs. Kim and they take me to the room that I will have. It is quite small for American standards, but it is more than adequate. I have a twin bed, desk and two chairs, night stand with lamp, and a small closet and shelves. The bed is quite hard, but hardly unexpected since my experience in China.
Wednesday, December 20th
Yes, I lost a day due to flying and time zone differences. I wake up quite early and decide to see what is for breakfast. As I get out of bed, I discover the benefits of 'ondol' heat. The Koreans use a floor heat for their homes, so the wood aand/or vinyl floor is quite warm to walk on which is nice for cold feet. I go downstairs and Mrs. Kim is preparing breakfast. I have breakfast with Dr. Kim and his parents. For breakfast, we have soup, rice, vegetables, kimchi, and a few other things. This is a traditional breakfast since his parents are eating.
Yes, this is a traditional Korean home. Three generations live in the house, but it is starting to become a rare occurrence with the younger people. In the house, there is Dr. Kim (54), his wife, his dad (87), his mom (78), and two sons (18, 21). I am not sure if that is there real age because the Korean age is different from Western age by one year. Koreans when born are one year old.
After breakfast, I accompany Dr. Kim to his office. He is owns a small business that works with distribution of laboratory animals. He has a small office near his home with three employees currently. One employee, Winnie, has quite good English skills due to the fact that she did her uinversity studies in Australia. While in the office, I contacted an English teaching institute that I had contacted through a placement agency and make plans for an interview. The institute wanted me to bring all of my stuff since I had previously talked to before departure. They wanted me to start teaching the next day without going through any type of orientation. Dr. Kim will escort me because it is too far away and I don't know how to use the subway system.
For lunch, Dr. Kim, the other employees, and I go for a "special" lunch. Since it is my first day, they take me to a traditional Korean restaurant. We go to the second floor of the restaurant and take off our shoes. We pick a table and take a seat. This may seem normal, but the table is 8 inches off the ground and we are sitting on the floor. The table has two spots for grilling. It was big meal because we had grilled meat, kimchi, other side dishes, and a choice of soup or noodles after the other mentioned items.
In the evening, Dr. Kim and I start the long journey to the school. By this time, I am already tired and it took two hours by subway with a couple of tranfers to reach the general area where the school is. We take a taxi to the school and wait. Once I meet with the HR person, it is a non-stop pitch to take the position and start the next day because the current session has already started and they are short a teacher. I am able to observe a class, which seems somewhat boring because the system is quiet structured for only improving scores on the iBT TOEFL test. If you don't know about the Korean education system, then here is a brief idea. Students from ages 10-18 go to regular school in the morning until two or so. After that, the parents send their kids to private institutes for extra classes that focus on English, math, science, etc. These institutes are open from 3-11pm, so the kids are studying almost all day (M-F) except for transit and sleep time. I was then shown the curriculum that I would be teaching, but I was still hesitant about taking the job. They wanted an answer, but I told them that I would need a day to decide. We head back home. Dr. Kim gives me some advice, but says that I am the one that is going to make the final decision.
Thursday, December 21st
In the morning, Dr. Kim prepares breakfast for his parents. Dr. Kim is a very traditional Korean son. He follows the Confucian beliefs of son taking care of parents. Later, Dr. Kim and I eat. Yesterday, he asked me what I would normally eat for breakfast. He said that he will make something that is more suitable for me and himself. He makes prepares eggs, toast, ham, and some other things and we make breakfast sandwiches. At the office, he looks over some of my documents since I tell him that I want to go to the immigration office to change my visa status. I am initially on a tourist visa, but I am eligible for a F-4 visa since I am an overseas adopted Korean. This visa would allow me to work with any company and stay in Korea for two years with being able to renew. Dr. Kim has Winnie make some arrangements with another teaching institute.
In the afternoon, Dr. Kim takes me to the Wall Street Institute. We meet with a HR person, but he tells me that they don't work with Asian-looking people even if their native language is English. This institute advertises that students will learn from Caucasian teachers. After this meeting, we take a walk to the next place. We could have easily jumped back on the subway and rode for two stops, but Dr. Kim thought it would be ok to walk. Well, I was still jet-lagged and not used to walking so much. Dr. Kim walks at a rather brisk pace and our walk was all uphill similar the "Royal Mile" in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the top of the hill, we reached our destination, Social Welfare Society. This is the Korean adoption agency. We talked with a representative and they will look to see if they can contact my father. I should know by next week, if not, Dr. Kim says there are other methods in the Korean network.
After work, Winnie has made arrangements for me to visit a friend of hers. She runs a small institute out of an apartment by herself with some help from her brother. This would be a part-time opportunity for me. Dr. Kim drives Winnie and I to the location which is a lot closer to Dr. Kim's house than the institute visited yesterday. We meet and talk. Dr. Kim says that it would a good start for me to decide if I want to teach. Dr. Kim mentions that Winnie's friend is similar in age and single. Yes, she is beautiful, but somewhat embarrassing when she is present.
At home, I talk to Dr. Kim because I told the G1230 school that I should make a decision about working or not. I asked Dr. Kim, if I should give the school a definitive answer or not. He said that the Korean way will have a opportunity, even if the Western timeframe seems like there isn't. I decide to delay my decision since I am supposed to be meeting Chairman Go in the morning.
Friday, December 22nd
Dr. Kim and I take a later start since we have plans to meet with Chairman Go. We end up being short of time so Dr. Kim sometimes starts running for the possibly departing subway or trying to save time. Running in a suit and new shoes is quite tiresome. We reach the Pagoda Institute and go to the 20th (top) floor of the building. Later, I find out that the Chairman owns the building. We meet with Chairman Go and I observe since the conversation is in Korean. Soon, in comes an HR person and he interviews me. He asks me about Dr. Kim and "how do you know the Chairman?". He was caught off-guard because he was called after our arrival that the Chairman would like to speak with him. After the interview, the Chairman, Dr. Kim, and I go to a cafe for coffee. It is was quite interesting to see the amount of respect that the Chairman receives. After the meeting, Dr. Kim informs me that he will hire me, but I will have some obstacles to overcome since they usually don't hire Asian-looking people for classes. I will be starting in a tutoing position rather than teaching group classes. The pay should be more than adequate since the institute is quite large with 1200 teachers and 50,000 students. Most of the students are university students or business people unlike the other school I interviewed with had all young students. The Chairman and Dr. Kim think that this could be a great opportunity for me because I will get to know some people in the business field and may use teaching connections with future use of my MBA. Korea is a highly networked place with many opportunities coming from various connections through school or work.
For dinner, Dr. Kim takes me to meet some people for dinner. I didn't catch exactly how he knows the three people. At Insadong street, a popular traditional Korean area with antique shops and many restaurants, I am introduced to Mr. Kim, Mr. Park, and Mr. Lee. These surnames are a few of the most common in Korea. We eat at a traditional Korean restaurant, but choose a table and chairs over the sit on the floor area. Afterwards, we go to a teahouse. Dr. Kim picks a delicious sweet tea for me. During the evening, I have the opportunity to use a little of my Chinese language skills because Mr. Kim studied western medicine in China. On the way home, I realize that getting anywhere in Seoul is time-consuming challenge that life in Grand Forks never faces. We have an hour subway ride home, which is common occurrence for Dr. Kim, if he is to meet friends or businessmen. Tomorrow, I will join Dr. Kim and visit his elder sister who lives outside of Seoul.
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