Settling In, One “Ah-choo” at a Time

Life in Korea just got a lot easier—thanks to my Alien Registration Card (ARC). With my official ID in hand, I’ve opened a Korean bank account, gotten a SIM card, and finally escaped the tyranny of international transaction fees.

I can also use Korean apps now—ordering taxis, shopping on Coupang (Korea’s Amazon), and generally functioning like a real person instead of a confused tourist.

The weather is warming up, and I’m finally over my cold. Let’s see how long that lasts—pollen season is apparently lurking.

School is starting to make sense… kind of.

Weeks one and two were pure chaos. I had no idea where I was supposed to be, what I was teaching, or sometimes even what day it was. Now, heading into week four, I finally feel like I have a rhythm.

I teach students ages six to twelve, with a mix of full-time and part-time classes.

My core group is four six-year-olds—two girls, two boys—who had zero English before this. They’re quiet but sweet, and our days are packed with vocabulary, phonics, math, crafts, story time, gym, and activities.

I also teach:

• 12 six-year-olds (science + story time)
• 10 five-year-olds (science, crafts, story time)
• 8 eleven-year-olds (reading/writing—great English!)
• 3 thirteen-year-olds (reading/writing—even better English!)

The older kids are a nice break—we can actually have real conversations.

In my main class, my Korean co-teacher (KT) still leads most of the instruction. It’s not ideal long-term, but for now, it works. She bridges the language gap while I get more comfortable. Over time, I’ll take on more of the lead role.

The highlight of my week? Story time with my five-year-olds.

I went all in.

“Five Little Monsters” with a ridiculous mommy voice—instant laughter.
A book about having a cold—cue dramatic “Ah-choo!” sneezes.
“Itchy, Itchy, Chicken Pox”—full performance mode: scratching, wiggling, chaos.

At one point, I had the kids all doing “itchy, itchy,” which may have translated more to “tickle, tickle.” Either way, laughter levels hit 100%.

Proof that even with a language barrier, you can still absolutely win over a room full of kids.

Outside of school, I’m still exploring—and still struggling with food.

I’m a picky eater, so I default to pizza and burgers whenever possible. Unfortunately, Burger King and KFC just don’t hit the same here. And Korea’s love of seafood? A personal challenge.

Shrimp burgers (a Krabby Patty?).
Mystery seafood in “vegetable” dishes.
Unexpected fish appearances.

It’s everywhere.

But now that I’m feeling better, I might start branching out… cautiously.

Spring is here, the weather is warming up, and cherry blossoms are on the way.

Slowly but surely, Korea is starting to feel a little more like home.