Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Korea Journal Entry 1: The Big Move

First me and my dad left Indianapolis by car to go to Chicago to get my passport from the Korean consulate. When we hit Chicago traffic was horrible. Hours later we had snatched up my passport and hit a hotel. This was MANY hours later. That night we went to Pizza Uno, swung by the hospital I was born at, and the house i was brought home to and headed back to the hotel. Then next morning I made it to O'hare with plenty of time to visit the facilities. The toilets had toilet covers that would change automatically whenever you passed your hand over the sensor.
The 12 hour flight was bearable. I watched "limitless" "just go with it" & "Tangled". I was able to sleep through limitless the first time. So then i watched it again. It was the least enjoyable movie of the three. We flew over Alaska and Canada. I landed in tokyo and tried the cafeteria but after the cashier ignored me and went to the next Japanese guy, I left. Maybe due to the whole us nuking them thing but I felt apprehensve being in NRT international airport. Instead of the cafeteria I ate the food I had on me an apple (thank you, Pizza Uno) and cheese crackers, I bought some pistachios and whiskey and coke. After that I found an American electrical outlet and charged my dead iPhone. While I waited for it to charge enough to turn on, I had to listen to this chocolate stand advertisement for 20 mins. Every 30 seconds it repeated this operatic tune, really annoying. and I'll leave it at that. Finally, i was able to strap on my head phones and listen to some hit tunes such as " Gettin' Jiggy with it" and "Rock your body". By the time they randomly hit, I was actually buzzed so I listened to them complete.
When I had finished my liquour I felt more comfortable around this mixed bag or people USA had nuked and people we had not. The liquor reached me and I had to go to the bathroom. Number 2 had the choice of American stalls or Japanese style. Japanese style was on the floor. You had to squat and try not to pee on your pants, so I didn't even try and moved on to American style. I think to myself, "Hey! I'm in Tokyo pooping just like America had so many years ago. I hope no one steals my laptop, cause I left it with a lot of people watching it."

Washing your hands was also different. It was a bar soap that had been stabbed by a metal bar protruding from the wall. This way you could not steal their soap. Then to dry your hands you stuck your hands in a box and it blew your hands dry from 2 directions not just one. I liked that part. Well time to quit writing and go get a beer. Sorry credit card my friend, your going to have to cover all of this till I can het to Korea where I can use my Won.
Oh yea! They didn't card me when I bought alcohol. :)



I fear my credit card may be my greatest downfall. I have put at least 75$ on it since pizza UNO.

Ok
I have consumed 180ml of 40% alcohol and 2- 4.3% beers, 1-12 oz. 1.6% fruit drink and a .7% drink, and I'm drunk. Thirty minutes till I board. And I will be home for 1 years time. Oh boy. 2.4 more hours and I am ready to start my new job. I hope I help these kids learn new job skills.

About to board another flight and I'm nervous again despite the alcohol. What happened next may shock you. With 30 minutes till boarding which is roughly one hour before take-off. I fell asleep.

But, I feel I have proof God does exist. Some Japanese lady woke me up 5 minutes till take off and told me she had turned my phone into the airlines. I am like "WTF. It was connected to my headphones why would you take it to the boarding desk?" Then I went to them and asked for my phone and they gave it to me since I could unlock it with my passcode. Then I was the last one to board my plane. Anyway I was so close to sleeping through my flight. If that lady hadn't stole my phone then realized she could use it cause it was passcode locked. I would have slept right through my flight. You didn't know angels could be thieves did you?
By some stroke of luck I had made it. After the customs and baggage claim a taxi with my name written on a piece of paper was waiting for me. He was very kind. He put my bags on a cart (free in Korea). And pulled the van around to me when we got to the garage. I was so relieved to be on the ground. When I got in the van he called Helen my recruiter. She informed me I would be in a hotel for the night and I would meet someone at noon who would take me to my apartment. Driving there now.

Hotel Paragon is the emperor's escape. Ton of skin care products A sauna and a jacuzzi. Sweet.

Little did I know, I was literally right around the corner from where I would be walking everyday. So I got in the jacuzzi for a little while. Then I went out and got some chicken. Really good too. I went to this place because the name over the door used American letters. It was called "The Frypan." This chicken I saved some and ate for breakfast too. Still Good.

Okay the next morning. I met my boss. She took me around the corner to meet my next door neighbor and to move into my apartment. That morning I started working. I got about 30 minutes of training and went to my first class. More later.

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