i'm an exchange student again!

for the first time in over a decade (ok who am i kidding, in 17 years!), earlier today i was feeling the anxiety of living with a host family in an unfamiliar country with a language i don't understand, hoping i don't make a fool of myself, that i'm not bored out of my mind, that i don't get lonely, or offend anyone, and a whole host of other things.

Chelsea enjoying some bibimbop

i've been in Seoul for about 48 hours and so far so good - the food has been amazing, the people welcoming, and the weather lovely (except for some rain today). i'm here on a Rotary International Group Study Exchange, a program which provides opportunities for young professionals to increase their knowledge of and connections to the global workplace. The Pittsburgh Rotary District 7300 is sponsoring our trip to South Korea, with a focus on learning what Koreans are doing in the area of green building and sustainable development. our team of five folks from Pittsburgh (Denny, Jenna, Cole, & Chelsea) has been in a hotel since Saturday, and starting today, each of us will make the transition to staying with families (separate families) for a few days. 

Insa-dong w/lanterns for Buddha's upcoming bday

although i've been through this before, and i know what amazing cultural learning and relationships can arise from living with a family in another country, it still made me nervous to think that maybe i'm no longer as adaptable as i used to be and that i might not be able to handle it. of course it doesn't help that Korean is a language that i only started devoting time to learning about 6 weeks ago, and i have barely learned how to pronounce the letters of the alphabet, let alone attempted to grasp the intricacies of the grammar... 

Changeok Palace (one of many bldgs)

anyway, in the absence of a choice, i got in the car (a Ford Explorer, he pointed out!) and made my way to his apartment where i have spent a lovely, if a bit awkward, evening.  despite our language barrier, i succeeded in learning the words for bridge, overpass, subway, and rain on the drive home, and met and held his four month-old granddaughter upon arrival at the apartment.  he helped me set up wifi on my phone, figured out how to connect on kakaotalk (if you want to text me for free while i'm here, download this for your smart phone), and his wife prepared a great meal during which i asked about lots of food vocab, and found out more about the family and vice-versa with the help of his daughter-in-law (who showed up around 8 p.m. and speaks very good English, thank goodness). it wasn't easy, but it reminded me that you have to start somewhere... and that most worthwhile things require a little bit of effort.

some highlights of the trip so far have been a stroll in Insa-dong, a neighborhood known for its shops and galleries that carry traditional artisan products and antiques, a visit to the Changdeok Palace (one of five palaces - i think - remaining in Seoul) and its "Secret Garden," and LOTS of tasty food. i'm sure that over the course of the month there will be many adventures to relate (ceramics festival, Yeosu Festival, National Museum, among other things) so stay tuned!