Day 1: Apple Maps, Google Translate, and McDonald’s

My day started at 5 a.m. in Denver and didn’t end until 10 p.m. in South Korea—17 hours in the air and an entirely new world waiting on the other side. I arrived at Incheon International Airport on Friday, February 20, around 5 p.m. And then my patience was tested as I waited to get through customs and gather my luggage. After I collected my luggage, I secretly hoped to see someone holding a sign with my name on it. Although I had received mostly clear instructions from my recruiter of what I needed to do, but it would have felt comforting to have someone to guide me along. Nevertheless, I was able to purchase a bus ticket and by 7 p.m., I was on a shuttle bus to Daejeon. At the end of the bus ride, the director of MapleBear met me at Government Complex Station and drove me to my apartment. At 10 p.m., my day was finally done, and I immediately crawled into bed and fell fast asleep.

The jet lag really took a toll on me, so I wasn’t out of bed and ready to get started until 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. I decided that it would be a great day to go exploring. Fortunately, it was about 65 degrees and sunny—a perfect day for a walk.

My journey started by walking around my neighborhood. My apartment is located directly across from a convenience store, and there are multiple cafes and small restaurants within a few blocks. I needed to get something to eat, but I soon became overwhelmed by all of the signs and menus being in Korean—imagine that! Thankfully, I soon found a sign that was in English!— Paris Baguette. It was a clear choice for some grub! Lunch consisted of a salad with turkey and chicken and a small, freshly baked piece of bread. I’ve never been so thankful for such a simple meal, but it was comforting to eat food I was used to from the U.S.

While I was enjoying my lunch, I entered the address for MapleBear into Apple Maps. The distance to the school was about 2 miles, or about 40 minutes on foot. Not too far! So I started walking, guided by male, British-accented Siri. Thankfully, there are clean, clear sidewalks along the major streets, as well as pedestrian overpasses. At major intersections, there are crosswalks—and drivers actually yield to pedestrians! My walk took me across a river, past a shopping mall, a university, and a convention center.

During my walk, I was thinking about how alien I felt in my environment..and a little homesickness began to creep in. I couldn’t read any of the Korean signs, nor could I understand any of the Korean being spoken around me. But, Google Translate to the rescue! With the camera feature, I could simply hold my phone up to a sign and watch English translations appear over the Korean words. Hallelujah!

After thousands of steps, I finally found MapleBear, located on the third floor—the top floor—of a business building. Surprisingly, the elevator has direct access to the school.; I was expecting locked doors preventing entry. Although the director had invited me to stop by, she was still surprised to see me because I hadn’t messaged her ahead of time. Even so, she gave me a quick tour. The school is rather small, consisting of six to eight small classrooms (all named after major Canadian cities), a teachers’ lounge, bathrooms, and an outdoor play area. It’s all very cute!

As I was walking to MapleBear, I saw a McDonald’s—the Golden Arches, a little piece of home. Once I finished visiting the school, it became my top priority to get to that McDonald’s! I’m usually not a fan, but it felt like a little piece of home.

After another 20-minute walk filled with daydreams of what I was going to order, I finally made it there. Unfortunately, the menu was in Korean! Fortunately, they had ordering kiosks with an option to change the language to English! was also grateful that my receipt had an order number because when the worker brought my food out and said something in Korean, my number was clearly printed on the slip attached to the tray. Thank goodness numbers are a universal language!

That double cheeseburger, French fries, and Coke were unexpectedly delicious. Maybe the homesickness made it taste better!? As I was enjoying my American food and feeling connected to home, a young boy—about seven years old—stopped by my table and delivered a cheerful “Goodbye!” with a half bow. I guess I look like an English-speaking fish out of water—ha! But just that one English word from a stranger brought me so much joy!

Through the magic of Apple Maps, my walk home was uneventful.

Once I got to my apartment, I unpacked my suitcases and started settling in. My feet were done! I guess that’s what I get for walking seven miles!

As I reflect on my day, I am very grateful for Apple Maps, Google Translate, and—shockingly—McDonald’s.

Today felt overwhelming, foreign, exhausting, yet hopeful—all at once. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.