It’s been a great Saturday for me. Nothing too exciting. It’s the weekend and I spent the day taking it easy. Cleaning my apartment, sorting things, going to the grocery store. I gave myself a Reiki treatment, did some yoga and put some black beans in the crock pot. Tonight I will watch a movie. I have to say it has been a great day! Just what I needed.
I realized today as I was walking to the grocery store that I am starting to move out of “survival phase” in my integration to life at the English Village in South Korea. I have been here long enough that I am now fairly content that my basic needs will be met. I have a kitchen full of foods that are healthy and satisfying. I have a fluffy pillow and warm blankets. I order regularly from iherb.com to get the healthy foods I want and need but can’t get in South Korea (delivery only a flat fee of $4.00!). I have some basic spices and seasonings in my cupboard and with the assistance of my lovely crock pot I am able to cook some yummy meals for myself.
I can also get myself to Seoul without too much distress and make my way around a bit on the subway. I have overcome some simple, but necessary challenges of traveling by myself to and from Seoul… like making sure I exit the subway at the exit number where the bus stop for the bus home is located (this is very important! A few times I exited at random exit numbers and emerged on the streets of Seoul and had no idea where I was, let alone where my bus was!) And I am now confident that I know my bus stop well enough that I won’t accidentally miss it or pass it by, even at night. It’s the little things! So I am starting to feel a more… relaxed… and at home.
I am very grateful for my connection to the SGI Buddhist group in Seoul! They have been a wonderful respite and a place to connect and meet new people when I want on the weekends. This weekend on Sunday I will be traveling to Seoul to join them for their monthly world peace chanting. Afterwards I will join a few members to go grab a bite to eat. Really nice.
It’s a quiet winter day here on the English Village campus. The snow has mostly melted and today this sun is shining. While it is warmer, there is still a descent bite of cold in the air. Our busy month of January programming and teaching is complete. We have had a few days of light teaching this week and I am told a light week to come before our upcoming 5 day holiday (It is the Korean New Year).
As you may know, I am in Paju, south Korea which is a small community of about 250,000 just an hour north of Seoul. The surrounding area is pretty spacious… much wide open land with little clusters of business – stores, restaurants and other things I can’t tell what they are since I don’t read Korean. I am told this area is agricultural and has a Korean military base not far away. Paju Premium Outlet mall is just a short bus ride away (shockingly similar name to the outlet chains in the United States) with American movies and some familiar brand names and shops. We’ve had a few days of weather here where it’s not so cold that I am huddled into my own being like a turtle seeking its shell. I am actually starting to look around and notice my surroundings a bit more.
A quick look at the area surrounding the English Village in Paju, South Korea, the land still barren in the dead of winter.
The English Village campus is somewhat remote. While we are located in the city of Paju, we are surrounded by much land and are a 5 or ten minute walk from the grocery store and a fifteen or twenty-minute walk to nearby restaurants, post office and other commerce.
We have pretty easy access to “getting around” with the bus stop just outside the English Village grounds and a bus that goes directly to Seoul. There are other buses that take you to nearby shopping areas and cities and with the assistance of our friendly security staff, we can easily catch a cab when needed.
I was at a clothing swap earlier this week. A staff member is leaving and she hosted a swap as an opportunity for her to give away clothes and other items that she won’t be taking with her when she leaves Korea. When we were chatting she mentioned that living at English Village is like “Korea light”… which is true. Nestled in the comfort of our English-speaking environment, we get to experience many of the comforts and ease of home.
That said, we don’t have to go far to be immediately immersed in the world and culture of South Korea – just beyond the Hollywood-like sign of the English Village. For me, I find it’s a nice balance… as I continue to ease my way into life and work in South Korea.
Gypsy Woman 
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