Week 1 (Almost)

So I am writing this week's entry on the van ride that I take every morning to get to school. This is another wonderful use of my iPhone that cannot be used in Thailand. As always we are stuck in traffic. It makes me appreciate the size and congestion of Sacramento a little bit more and we have only done this for a week. 


Sunday  
After I got to bed around 430 in the morning, I slept only about two hours. The only thin we had planned was to meet Geoffrey, our point of contact, for lunch downtown. Kelly and I both woke early, so we decided to go for a short walking tour. The humidity and glaring sun got to us before we could go very far. It might have been for the lack of sleep as well. The three returning teachers are so very helpful that Kelly and I have both mentioned feeling like we have been here for longer than these few days.
We headed to lunch by bus and by rail. That afternoon was so overwhelming, the amount of people, new smells, and unfamiliar language was mentally draining. We got back to the apartments and just wanted to pass out. I think it was around 1930, though I wanted to stay up until at least 2000.

Leaving On a Jet Plane...

Plane from LA to Seoul

18 Total Flying Hours...

    I made it all in one piece (including all of my luggage). I stressed a bit at the start of the journey, wanting to be to the airport with plenty of time just in case something went wrong. I was excited to be traveling out of the newest terminal at Sacramento International Airport since it would involve an almost pointless tram ride across the road to the gates. I rode in my tram as I watched from my car as I passed the other tram stuck half way between the two buildings. And this tram just so happened to have my travel buddy located inside. After a few short minutes, while weaving through the security line, the tram finally made it over and she even made it past security before me. 
    The flight to L.A. was easy enough, and in fact we were so early that many of the shops in the airport had not yet opened. After a nearly four hour wait, a small lunch, and some last minute phone calls, we were headed to Seoul. There was an adorable couple from San Diego that sat next to us, and were going to be continuing on to Phuket. They told us they would be in Bangkok next week and took our picture to help remember what we look like. You know, in case they find us in this city of millions of people. Twelve nearly sleepless hours later we were pulling up to the gate in Korea. We knew it would be a short stop over, we left our gate, walked through the terminal to connecting flights, went through a secondary screening, and headed to the gate. They were already boarding the plane, so I took a small pit stop and then got onto the next leg of our journey. 
    Turbulence was the word of those five hours. Nothing too jarring, but we shook for probably three out of the five hours. I also slept about three out of those five hours, I think the turbulence rocked me to sleep rather than making me an anxious flier. We went through customs at 10:35 pm (It was the first clock I had looked at in hours) and headed to baggage claim. All of our pieces came through and we walked towards the meet up point for our pick-up. The waiting was not over; however, as we were waiting for a second flight to come in just before midnight. A short wait and thirty minute drive later, and we reached home. I will take some pictures of the room once I am settled and update on the start of our introduction. I only slept about two hours last night, and know I will be knocking out early tonight. Love to all!

Thank You

This will be a quick update, as I have to type this out on my phone to avoid paying for access at LAX. I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of my well wishers. The support that I have received in my preparation has been overwheing. I will try to update as soon as possible. I think I will try to find some food before I get on this long flight. See you next from Thailand!!!