Landed

My butt and legs are sore from the plane. Delta is much nicer than AirTran but plane food is still mostly sub-human. I managed to jog a lot on the plane (in the restroom, in place, and jumping up and down) and hopefully that prevented a blood clot. I slept very little....was awake for the whole 14-hr flight and when I got here was awake for another 10 hours. Plus was sleep-deprived for 2 days before the flight. And STILL only slept 5 hours last night. I'm sure it'll catch up sooner or later and I'll fall into a 15-hr coma or something. Overall, not bad for my first international flight since Vietnam.

When I arrived, there were a lot of extra procedures, but each was relatively quick. First, a cavalcade of professional airport attendants with white masks greeted us in the lobby just off the plane. Two lines led to health inspectors sitting at desks who reviewed our reported symptoms. They were flanked by two men, one of whom nimbly darted in to jab my unsuspecting neck with a pen-like laser thermometer. Feeling slightly wronged, I proceeded to the check-in for foreigners, where they reviewed my visa and stamped it. Lastly, we grabbed our luggage from the baggage claim and waltzed right by customs. In the main lobby area, a crowd of family members and friends awaited their loved ones. I picked out a man holding a white sign, "Welcome Thuy Le" and tried out my Korean: "Annyong haseyo!"
Why do I persist in doing this dirty trick? Anytime I speak a foreign language, I have to be perfect at saying just one thing, thus deluding my hapless well-wishers into thinking I am fluent. Sigh. After realizing the truth, we smiled pleasantly at each other like deaf and dumb fools and he whisked me off to the hour's drive to my school. I was shocked and somewhat dismayed to find that some radio stations played only American music. It seems that even here, I cannot escape the insipidly addictive tunes of Lady Gaga.

I arrived just after school was closing to a meeting with the principal, vice principal, and my coworker Jiyoung (not to be confused with my Korean friend Jeeyoung). It was without question the most awkward professional interview I have ever had. They didn't seem to have much to say, or a reason for having the meeting. They asked me about my nationality and if I was sick (and we all laughed when I said, "Because of the swine flu?"). I didn't know what to say, either....

Afterward, Jiyoung drove me to my new home. I like the apartment overall... I LOVE all the storage space, my big bedroom, telephone, and the gorgeous front-loading washing machine (haha I'm such a laundry geek). But I admit I'm VERY weirded out that I don't have my own bathtub...this showering-by-the-sink thing is very very bizarre; I hope I don't get too much mildew on the floor, door, or toilet. I consider myself gracious overall, but I am even more wildly exasperated by the lack of a dryer. I came from a family that owns about 50 dryers.... HOW can I possibly be deprived of fluffy towels?? I have been desperately trying all sorts of things and may have to resort to hauling my laundry miles away to a laundromat. Pathetic, I know.

Well at the very least, I am super happy that Ashley left so much stuff in the apartment that I won't have to buy myself. Video of the apartment

Jiyoung also helped me shop at Home Plus. I was giddy with all the foods available... It's just like H-Mart! :-) My coworker was surprised and said that she expected me to eat things like cereal and milk, but apparently I like to eat things that even she doesn't know how to cook (like little shelled mussels =).
My first grocery store trip here was dampened, however, by how insecure I am about my inability to read anything but prices. Can't.....read....almost....anything! Thank god that they are giving me a week to prepare myself, to read materials and get my health exam and alien registration card. I feel severely daunted by the task of acquiring new vocab in an entirely different alphabet. Not to mention constantly re-calculating the exchange rate along with my new budget.

I think I'm also still too naive and complacent to realize that I am not coming home anytime soon. That those familiar black flip-flops, the tidiness of Atlanta traffic lanes and signs, the fat orange cat purring and cozying up to get my attention, and the people I used to see will not be there in a week or even a month.
I'm not all alone, however. I am fortunate to have my friend Jee here, with her almost perfect English. Jiyoung has also been so gracious showing me around, giving me tons of info, and promising more of the same. I have a week to get my health exam, get my alien registration card, and settle in. Here's hoping....now for some sleep.