One Month Update

Apart from a few care-free days upon first arriving, coronavirus has dominated my first month in South Korea. Schools remain closed and rumours swirl that the closure will continue beyond March 23rd. Over 130 countries maintain various bans, restrictions, or quarantine measures for travellers from South Korea generally or from Daegu city and North Gyeongsang province in particular.

I'm in an awkward immigration position at the moment, having moved to Korea, but not yet received my Alien Registration Card, which is required for various services, including health care and banking privileges.  Also, until I receive the Alien Registration Card, I cannot leave Korea without voiding my work visa. Once the card is issued, I will be able to leave and return to the country freely throughout the year.

Face masks are being rationed in Korea and people are permitted to buy only two per week. The last digit of your birth year determines which day you can line up at the pharmacy to purchase your masks. I'm told that the wait on the first day was over 1.5 hours, and those at the end of the line walked away empty-handed. The masks sold out.  Foreigners are permitted to participate in this face mask buying system if they are registered in the insurance plan, which I won't be until my Alien Registration Card is issued. Thankfully, I have a small supply of masks that should last for a while.

The coronavirus has put a damper on some of my personal goals in Korea. I want to study Korean, exercise, explore the country and have some fun. For now, language schools and learning centres are closed, as well as most gyms.  Travel is still inadvisable.  I have been walking a lot, and there's and track and outdoor workout centre near my home. Korean language self-study is possible but slow going. I've have made some progress in learning the alphabet. I go to the same cafe twice per week and order the same drink each time, but it seems to be getting more challenging. The staff are using more and more Korean with me. Tonight, I just had to laugh and say I don't understand.

At school, things are quiet without the students and a mostly-empty staff room.  When I learned that the previous English teacher had left me a year's worth of lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations, I was ecstatic. I thought I was set for the year. Unfortunately, I've been assigned to teach different sections of the textbook, so I'll have to plan all of my own lessons. It takes me a long time to make lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations because my school computer is all in Korean. Thankfully, I was given the online textbook which has a lot of resources, so I think I'll manage okay. Still, it's difficult to plan lessons without ever having met the students. I haven't met all the teachers I'll be working with either. I wear a surgical mask all day in the teacher's room and record my temperature in the teacher's log.

Life at home is comfortable, but I'm still confused about the trash and recycling system. I managed to buy some "registered" trash bags for food waste, but don't yet know how to properly dispose of my plastic or paper. I don't want to risk a fine or anger my neighbours.

Registered food waste bag

I could've never predicted my first month in South Korea would turn out this way. There is still a lot of uncertainty and trepidation about the future, and events worldwide. Yet, I'm grateful for the slow start and a chance to ease into life here.