Moving to Korea (Saskatoon to Paju August 2013)

Downtown Saskatoon

In August 2013, I made the biggest decision of my life. I had just graduated from University with a degree in Chemical Engineering and I was looking for an adventure. I had applied to jobs around my area but they didn't pan through so I decided to look abroad. I looked at jobs that I thought were exciting and would be challenging. Coming from a mathematics and engineering background I was looking for jobs in Europe but teaching English caught my eye.

I had never taught English before and didn't have any experience in teaching other than teaching some math and science terms to other university students while I was still a student. Teaching in South Korea had numerous blogs and websites that went through the whole process of obtaining a teaching job. The sites also showed the benefits that came with the job including free airfare and housing. I decided to pursue a job in South Korea. The process was quite simple as I lived in a city and just received my degree. Within a couple of weeks I had all the documents ready and was going through recruiters left and right looking for the right job.

The hardest part of the job hunt was finding a reliable recruiter that offered a fair job without requiring you send them all your forms initially. I finally found a recruiter that set up some interviews for me. I was really nervous but was ready when the interview time came. The interviews were conducted over the internet on video chat. The interviews lasted about 30 minutes in which numerous questions about me and Korea were asked. After I conducted the interviews I waited and waited. However, my wait wasn't that long as two schools offered me a job. I decided to take a job in Geumchon a district of Paju. I sent my documents to the recruiters and they  forwarded the documents and set up the visa.

The whole process seemed to be flying by at the beginning of august I was a new graduate looking for adventure and now a few weeks later I was awaiting my plane ticket to South Korea. At this point I decided to move my stuff to my parents house and get ready to leave North America for the first time in my life. I had two bags to pack which looking back was more than enough but my packing style at the time was inefficient. I literally packed enough clothes for like a week and packed mostly long sleeve dress shirts and jeans. I also bought a brand new tablet to take along with me instead of my laptop. I was planning on buying clothes and possibly a new computer in Korea (This would be a huge mistake on my part). With my bags packed I started my good byes and meeting people who I wouldn't see while I was in Korea.

At the end of august about a week after my my documents were ready I was given an airplane ticket which departed Saskatoon the last day of august. The feeling of excitement was running high and I was ecstatic within one week I would be in a new world experiencing a new culture by myself. The last few days at my parents house seemed to go by at a rapid pace and seemed like hours apposed to days. The day before my flight came and my parents and I went to Saskatoon and stayed in a hotel. No one in my immediate family had ever been to east Asia before and no one had a clue what it was like. I decided also to exchange my Canadian dollars into American dollars as Korean won weren't available at the bank I used. That night I slept well and was anxious to take the plane to Toronto and then Incheon.

The morning of my flight we went to the airport early and waited for the gates to open. My eyes watered a bit as I entered the gate and said my goodbyes to my parents. The morning was sunny and calm. I walked to the closest seat to the plane door and waited for the door to open. As the door opened I walked to my seat and sat down. Everything was real I was on my first flight ever and I was on my first real adventure of my life. The flight to Toronto wasn't that long and as I stepped of the plane I looked out at Toronto and went to my connecting flight. Along the way I picked up a burger, fries and a root beer (unknowingly that would be my last root beer for over a year). When I arrived at the gate to Incheon I looked out the window and watched the airplanes arrive and depart. Once the doors opened I waited to be called for seating and went aboard.The flight from Toronto to Incheon was long and boring. I sat in the emergency seat and was briefed on the procedure if a situation went down. I didn't know there were tv's under the seat so I  mostly looked out the window. Once I found out about the tv under the seat I watched a couple movies and slept a bit. 

Incheon Airport (2017)

The plane landed in Incheon and it was sunny outside. I was really nervous at this point as I didn't know anything except that the English school principle would pick me up. I asked the flight attendants some questions and they showed me how to get to immigration. I went through immigration and showed them my passport without any concerns I entered South Korea officially. I picked up my baggage and exited the area into the common area. The airport in Incheon was massive but I found my school's principle as she had a paper with my name on it.

Incheon's motorized walkway (From 2017)

Before I knew it I was in a BMW going down the road to Paju. Everything was new to me and everything was exciting. My new dream had begun or was it my new horror story? Subscribe for more Korean stories in the future.

Korean Street Sign 

**The Pictures and videos are to show the Airport, City, and Road Sign. They are taken before and after this time.**