Getting ready to travel

All of the puzzle pieces have fallen into place. Today I got my passport back in the mail with a visa stamp. My plane leaves Seattle on Feb. 16 at 1PM and arrives in Incheon, South Korea on Feb. 17 at 5:35PM. The flight is non-stop for over 10 hrs and they are 17 hrs ahead of our time. I will be meeting with some EPIK people at the airport and they will give me a ride to wherever. The first week I will spend in orientation at Jeonju University in Jeonju, South Korea (my new home). This will most likely be followed by two teacher training days at my new school. As far as I know, I will begin teaching on Feb. 26. My contract is for 1 year and that includes 18 vacation days, so I hope to travel some in the area.

Still waiting...

Soon I will begin teaching English in Korea for a year, but the details are still pending. I have been waiting for a NOA (Notice of Arrival) from EPIK (English Program in Korea http://www.epik.go.kr/) since Christmas. Apparently they are hiring more teachers than ever and are simply backed up on writing the contracts. All I know is that I will be living somewhere in the province of Jeonbuk (Jeollabuk-do http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeollabuk-do). I will be leaving the third week of February, will spend a week in Seoul for orientation, and begin teaching in early March. I don't know what age level I will be teaching or what my living situation will be like.

I plan on taking my classical guitar, lots of journals, art pencils, some tai chi books, my laptop full of ebooks, some chopsticks, a handmade philosophy mug, and some nice clothes. I hear it is difficult to find deodorant and large shoes there.