Orientation was held at an educational facility that consisted of a dormitory building and a lecture hall. Meals were served in the cafeteria, lattes available at the cafe, and everything else was found in the shop. Simple and clean. We were sorted into dorms based on when we arrived. One of my roommates-to-be was literally standing beside me when our room was assigned. I roomed with a quiet, young Brit and a no-nonsense, South African. The middle bunk was all mine.
Orientation was a sort of boot camp for teachers new to Korea and its educational system. Over the seven days, we had enjoyed and endured lessons on Korean history and culture, lesson planning. classroom management, afterschool programs, and sexual harassment awareness and prevention. However, the first order of business was a medical check-up. These compulsory tests finalized the hiring process and ensured you were eligible for the working visa. Chrest x-ray for tuberculosis, blood and urinalysis to weed out those who enjoy weed, and the standard height, weight, hearing, vision, and blood pressure tests had us up at the crack of dawn in our pyjamas. Advance through the battery of tests and be rewarded with an egg sandwich, apple juice, and decaying banana. The results came in at the end of the week. Everyone passed and no one had to go home. Hooray!
Orientation was when the cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) really started to take off in South Korea. At first, there were 100 cases in one day and everyone was surprised. Then it was 300, 400, 500 new cases each day. We lost our privileges to wander the nearby streets with its now forbidden convenience stores, cafes, and bars. Everything moving forward would be on-site. Facemasks were now mandatory and twice-daily temperature checks were performed. I didn't hear anyone talk about going home, but we did wonder about our time in lockdown being extended or the school year delayed. The most pessimistic amongst us predicted we would be sent home before we even got started. The orientation agenda was adjusted, last minute, as some speakers were unable or unwilling to travel due to the outbreak.
Despite our worries about the future, we were insulated from the outside world. It didn't even feel like Korea, as we were surrounded by 350 other English-speaking westerners and only a handful of our Korean handlers. Friendships were made and contact information exchanged, as we again were sorted into our buses and spread out across the land to our respective cities, towns, and villages. Very grateful that some of my new friends would also be living in Busan this year.
This video of highlights from orientation proves that the whole thing was actually kinda fun. Please enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhLFJg37kho&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0-5tssW9tlckeovOZg6OgmwUj_6FCrO7a7_zLNCRKc-WPztbB0GJ2trz8&app=desktop
I think we need a post for every bag of brown-rice-green-tea
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