Sunday is Fun Day in Anyang.

I know that I am getting settled in because everything that seemed larger and more overwhelming than comprehendible no longer intimidates me. Neighborhoods that, at first, seemed impossible to navigate feel much smaller and clearly organized. I now know where everything is located at the local store, I can find the two nearby subway stations, and I finally understand my buildings garbage and recycling. It’s so funny how impossible it is to imagine the way in which things will fall into place until they just do. And sometimes it still takes time to realize that those things have fallen into place. As things fall in to place, all I need to do is maintain a healthy balance of ownership and flexibility in all series of events.

Me, Jake, Shannon, and Jeff: goodbyes as the subway. 

Shannon and Jeff paid a visit to Anyang this weekend, which partially cured my minor homesickness starting to brew. We had a lot of fun celebrating Jake’s Birthday, but, of course, it felt too short. One day they will return and before that, I will visit them in Daegu.

Tomorrow, I leave my settling world in Anyang and travel to the city of Anseong for GEPIK orientation. It seems weird for me to have orientation after having already started teaching and having a week of holiday, but I am also excited to head out on my own. I cannot express how amazing it is to have a best friend nearby, but I think it will also be wonderful to take in the country and its people solo for a bit few days. Jakes orientation won't be until the second half of the week because he teaches high school.

At orientation, I also hope to meet new people. I have been meeting some around Anyang when going out, but I’m finding it difficult to establish sincere relationships with those that I meet. It isn’t just here that I have struggled with this, but now is the time that I must test my ability to overcome this weakness, open up and ready myself for close friendships. Obviously not all relationships will progress into close friendships, but there can certainly be no self sabotaging...

And today I will share a few photos from my Sunday, a day that the people of Anyang were out to play.

Anyang Central Park

Street closed down and the mini-cars roam

Cotton Candy Man

Up to the street market

What if?

Today a representative of EPIK called me. I didn't have reception so I missed the call, but in a message they informed me that they want to take me off the wait-list and place me at a public school in Busan. Busan sounds amazing, but I feel ready for Anyang. There is sort of an adjustment period that I've experienced even before leaving. It's difficult to explain, but essentially, I feel comfortable with my soon to be position with GEPIK and living in Anyang. Still, there are a million "what if" questions prancing throughout my head. What if being further south is safer? What if I'd be happier living near a beach? What if the people on the forums are right and the foreigner population in Anyang really is difficult to get along with? What if, what if, what if....AHHH!

HERE is the best collection of Anyang photographs that I've found thus far.

And so it begins.

From the title of the blog, you might have guessed- I have a job in Anyang, South Korea. It is located at Beomgye Station (line no.4, station no.442). The school consists of 1,159 students and 59 teachers. Yikes! The start date is still unknown, but will be either late August or early September.

The position is part of the GEPIK (Gyeonggi English Program In Korea) program. After teaming with Joyce at Korvia recruiting and passing a skype interview with Buan, it was mine. Simple enough, right? Wrong! I originally began my job search with Aclipse recruiting through EPIK (English Program in Korea). Unfortunately, a combination of me starting the application process too late and my recruiter being an absolute slug put me straight onto an EPIK's wait list, where I may still be found. I also looked into hogwans on Jeju Island, as the area is absolutely stunning, but realized working for a business goes against my current aspirations as a teacher. Ultimately, the stability of a public school position, the fact that it serves all Koreas population (and not just the wealthy), and the vacation time being much more desirable, swayed my decision making (definitely recognize that there are pros to hogwans, though). The job search process was extremely grueling, but I am satisfied with where it has led me.

More about the process later, but for now, I leave you with the greater Beomgye station area: