Come On Over

The housing situation for English teachers can range, but this we are promised at EPIK (Hagwon is similar arrangement)--single (or married) housing, furnished with bed, desk, and dresser, laundry, all within walking distance of our schools.

I teach at CNU's High School, so I was given campus housing. My building has at least a dozen foreign professors, and University Language Center teachers. I got lucky. We're promised single housing, so I got a double housing set up for just me.

While during the application process, we listed our top 5 destination cities, and chose preferences for rural or urban. Many people are far from their ideal.

EPIK also distinguished between Seoul applicants and everywhere else. I wanted less of that big city, super intense, experience--I wanted Busan (water and weather), but I think everyone else does too; and it's first come first serve. My reluctance with the initial "what if" questions held me back. I didn't get Busan, but I got exactly what I needed--something like Chicago's "everything a big city has to offer, with more of a neighborhood vibe."

This is the bathroom that almost ended me in the shower last night. I noticed one of the tiles popping out, and of course, I had to push on in, resulting in an onslaught of tiles falling to the ceramic floor and shattering at my feet. I had a full on nightmare that I was going to have to run across the hall, or drag myself, all soaked. "Hi neighbor, nice to meet you for the very first time. You think you could call an ambulance?" Maintenance is coming tomorrow.

My favorite part is that I have an office. I get to come in, take my coat off, open the window, and read, write, and work, while looking a a wall full of people, who mean the world to me. The cards, the posters, the finger-puppets, the baby-unicorn book with all the inscriptions I got when I left...well, they reminds me how lucky I am.

And...the view. You can see the mountains clearer usually...

And this is it kids, we are in the future. And it's ridiculous; I have to not only put in a 4-digit code, but also, my finger print. Bam.