Feels Like a New Beginning

Aside from the fact that it is sunny and warm out, it feels like the beginning of a new year. I'm in a new location in South Korea, and tomorrow will begin teaching at a new academy. This time, instead of being the only foreign teacher, I will be working with two other native speakers and several Korean teachers. One of my employers is a foreigner, and both of them are committed to providing a sound educational environment. I wish I had found this place last year, though I am content to be here now.

My living environment is also very different, and some aspects of it will take some getting used to. I will post some pics later, but today just want to note feelings (as visual images often draw too much attention).

I am living in a large/tall (18 story) apartment building, in an efficiency-style apartment. It is comfortable, and is really not such a big change. What is profoundly different is the atmosphere outside. My old apartments in Korea were in smaller cities, whereas I am now living in a Seoul "satellite" city (essentially a new suburb, purposely built, connected by one of the subway lines). My old apt.s were in neighborhood areas, whereas now I step out into a metropolitan pedestrian area.

I think it will take some time to get used to the crowds of people. There are many restaurants, bars, shops, etc. in this area; I am essentially living in the center of a crowd of high-rise apartment buildings, and many of the people from those buildings come to this central area to eat, drink, and shop. One indicator is that my building has 7 (yes, seven) basement levels of parking (I'm not sure how big each level is, but still . . .).