Flight to Korea

I left my house at 1:45 pm EST Thursday February 3. My flight from Atlanta left at 5:45 pm. International travel lets you check 2, 50lb bags for free and carry on 2 other smaller bags. When the lady weighed by bags, the first was 52lb and she let it go. The other was 58lb and I had to take stuff out of it and shove it into my already full carry on duffel. She was nice about it and let me get away with 55lbs though. It would have cost $50 to check it otherwise. Those 2 bags were going all the way to Seoul so I didn’t have to collect them at any of my stops, thank goodness. While I was in Atlanta I exchanged some US money for won, just in case. I’m glad I did because I don’t really get paid here for the next few weeks. It totally looks like Monopoly money.

The first layover was in Phoenix, where I got a pizza. We were only there about 30 minutes before we boarded the same plane and flew to LA. We arrived around 9:30 LA time. I don’t understand people who don’t like the Atlanta airport. Yes, it’s big, but it’s a straight line – A,B,C,D,E and it’s all in 1 building. I got off my flight in LA in building B, had to walk outside, catch a bus to building A (which I found only because I asked a random guy who told me where to go) and listen for the airline to get off in the right spot. Then I walked around for 10 minutes before I found someone who told me my airline was actually up 2 flights, so to get on the elevator. Then the security line is split in half and the guy at line 1 told me to go to line 2, but when I arrived at line 2 they said they were closed and to go back to 1. I told them he told me to go to 2, so they let me in.

I flew from LA to Seoul on Asiana Airlines. It was actually a decent flight (13 hours) even though I was in the very middle seat (3, 3, 3 and I was direct center). The people on either side of me basically fell asleep immediately. The man on my right drank 2 glasses of wine then slept the entire time. The lady on my left got up every once and awhile which is when I made pee breaks too. The bathroom had toothbrushes and mouthwash. They also handed out slippers to everyone. I like planes that have individual TVs with remotes that let you pick movies – I watched 3-4 movies but fell asleep during most of them. The fed us 2 meals and came around with cookies and water fairly often.

I got into Seoul at 7am Korean time on Saturday February 5^th at Incheon airport. The airport was very easy to navigate – many signs were in English, especially the important ones! I got through immigration, baggage claim and customs with no problem at all and didn’t need to ask for help. Something I enjoy about other countries is that they let you have smart carts for your luggage for free. The cheap US charges for them. It would have sucked without a cart. I had to wait for 2 hours to meet Mr. Kong (from my contract company) to help me get on the bus. I was to wait for him in front of the McDonalds. On my way, I stopped in the bathroom. I only tell you this so that I can show you what was in the stall:

Right in front of McDonalds was this display. I think it was made of moss and other plants etc.

The people are representatives of other countries. I think the lady in the plaid skirt was Great Britain. 

Argentina

Canada

USA



I arrived on the end of the New Year celebrations, which is a big deal in Korea. While I didn’t try the food, I can say that Ronald McDonald looks the same in Korea – round eyes and all. The weirdest part of my trip happened next. A couple (not sure if they were Korean or from some other Asian country) came over and started pointing at me and their camera. I thought they wanted me to move so that they could get a good picture of the display (many people took pictures of it). But no, they wanted to sit on the bench and take pictures with me. The woman sat down first and put her arm around me. Then I thought they were going to leave, but the man decided he wanted to take a picture with me too. Then they showed me the pictures, said, “America?”, bowed and left.

 Mr. Kong met me, bought my bus ticket, and put me on a 5 hour “direct” bus to Jinju. The bus stopped 2 times at rest stops, but the first time I didn’t know what was happening and got a bit freaked out. The bus was really nice – had reclining seats and a foot rest. Oddly, the landscape etc. was not what I expected. I was thinking it would be super crowded like China, but, if you took away the Korean signs, it reminded me of Jersey – industrial, kind of grey, snow on the ground.

When the bus arrived in Jinju, it stops on the side of the highway, not at the regular bus station. Luckily the directors of my school were waiting for me (they are also brothers). They drove me to the school and then to my apartment. Then we walked to the grocery store and I bought some oranges. Then we walked the other way to a 24 hour convenience store where they got me some water. I am not supposed to drink the water in my apartment, but can use it to brush teeth etc. Then they let me sleep and told me they would meet me the next day to show me the school. I unpacked and slept.