When enrolling with various programs to teach abroad, you are told you can select where you would like to live and work, but there are no guarantees that you will be placed in the location you requested. I requested Busan. I was placed approximately an hour northeast of Seoul. Whilst it is green and beautiful with mountains (hills maybe?) on all sides, I do love the concrete jungle.
I am lucky. I have friends who have been living and teaching in Seoul for eight years. I am grateful to have these people to turn to with questions, and have them guide me as I learn the culture and adjust to my new surroundings.
Because I am in a small town of approximately twenty thousand people, and certain life comforts are not readily available, living in the era of COVID-19 could have made daily life living in a foreign country somewhat stressful. As a consumer, my choices are limited. And for me, that mostly relates to fresh fruits and vegetables. I travel to Seoul once a week to shop at the bigger grocery stores, for the purpose of variety and sometimes better prices.
Before my move, I had planned to be enrolled in a Korean language and Yoga class by now. This morning, it occured to me that maybe I can find an online language class. Praises to the Goddess Ororo for Zoom. I’ve been here officially just over six months. When I started posting here, I had hoped to post at least once a week. Clearly, that has not been the case.
The surrounding mountains and greenery makes this time place somewhat doable, but because of my lack of language skills it can be and has been limiting. I wonder if there are other foreigners living in the village? So far, I have not seen any. Again, COVID does make being sociable extremely limiting.









