nurnineinkorea

Tag 3 & 4:

Wir lassen uns so treiben. Ohne festen Plan, ohne festes Ziel. So ein paar Eckpunkte standen ja bereits fest. Kollegen kennenlernen, Gesundheitsprüfung im Krankenhaus und Wohnungsübergabe. Die restliche Tagesplangestaltung entsteht spontan nach dem Aufstehen. Der Jetlag hat mich allerdings noch fest im Griff und ich bin nachts wach und tagsüber müde. Eigentlich klingt das nach perfekten Partynachtvoraussetzungen, aber wir lassen es noch recht langsam angehen.

So nach und nach kommen nun auch die restlichen „Neulinge“ in Seoul an und unsere kleine Auslandslehrergruppe wächst von Tag zu Tag. Es ist total spannend zu erfahren, mit welchen Intentionen jeder Einzelne nach Korea gekommen ist, in welcher familiären Konstellation sie hier anreisen und welche Erfahrungen so mitgebracht werden. Es ist ein herrlich bunter Strauß.

Um endgültig in Korea als arbeitende Bevölkerung akzeptiert zu werden und endlich unsere Aliencard zu erhalten, müssen wir Ortslehrkräfte noch eine Gesundheitsprüfung im hiesigen Krankenhaus absolvieren. Das läuft hier echt mega organisiert ab. Man meldet sich mit Reisepass an und füllt dann ein Formular aus (auf Englisch 😉)
Total cool: auf den Tischen stehen Lesebrillen mit verschiedenen Stärken zum Ausleihen parat.

Danach wird bezahlt, man bekommt einen Aufkleber auf den Handrücken und durchläuft dann einfach nummerierte Stationen von 1 -7. Von Lunge röntgen, über Blutabnahme, Hör- und Sehtest wird hier alles nacheinander abgearbeitet. Zack-zack fertig oder wie man hier sagt: ppalli ppalli. Was für die Koreaner aber echt schwierig ist, sind unsere europäischen Namen und das schlimmste sind Doppelnamen, Zweitnamen oder Mädchennamen. So kam es, dass ich im Krankenhaus jetzt mit meinem Mädchennamen als Vorname geführt werde

Tag 5 -7:

Aber mal ehrlich: die Reihenfolge der Erteilung der Arbeitserlaubnis in Korea ist schon eher suboptimal. Ich unterschreibe einen Arbeitsvertrag über zwei Jahre, reise ins Land ein, unterschreibe Mietverträge und dann kommt beim Gesundheitsscheck raus: uppsi, sie ist krank, hat Drogen genommen oder sonst was. Bitte fliegen sie wieder nach Deutschland zurück.
Na klar war nix, aber ich musste halt nochmal hin. Meine Kollegen nicht. Dabei war ich bei der Untersuchung total optimistisch und die Beiden hatten echt schiss. Wie es manchmal so kommt.

Apropos Kollegen. Wir treffen uns oft, verbringen eine schöne Zeit miteinander, lernen uns besser kennen, tauschen uns aus und unterstützen uns gegenseitig. Fühlt sich super schön an.

So ihr Lieben! Das ist natürlich nur ein mini Eindruck. Wir waren natürlich auch schon in Museen (War Memorial of Korea, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul Museum of Art und im Seodaemun Prison History Museum) haben mega lecker gegessen (meine Neuentdeckung sind koreanische kalte Nudeln sogenannte Mul-Naengmyeon) und neue Freunde unter den Kollegen gefunden

Ich würde mich über Kommentare und Rückmeldungen von euch wieder sehr freuen.

Eure Nine

Arrival – Part 1

Day 3 & 4:

We’re just going with the flow. No fixed plan, no specific destination. A few key points were already set. Getting to know colleagues, undergoing a health check at the hospital, and the apartment handover. The rest of the day’s schedule is formed spontaneously after waking up. However, the jet lag still has a firm grip on me, and I’m awake at night and tired during the day. It might sound like perfect conditions for a night out, but we’re taking it slow for now.

Gradually, the remaining „newcomers“ are arriving in Seoul, and our small group of foreign teachers is growing day by day. It’s fascinating to learn about everyone’s intentions for coming to Korea, the family situations they’re arriving with, and the experiences they’re bringing along. It’s a wonderfully diverse mix.

To finally be recognized as part of the working population in Korea and receive our Alien Registration Cards, us local teachers need to undergo a health check at a local hospital. The process is incredibly well-organized. You register with your passport and then fill out a form (in English 😉). What’s really cool is that reading glasses with various strengths are available to borrow on the tables.

Then, you pay, receive a sticker on the back of your hand, and simply go through numbered stations from 1 to 7. From chest X-rays to blood tests, hearing and vision tests, everything is done one after the other. Quick and efficient, or as they say here, „ppalli ppalli.“ But what’s really challenging for Koreans are our European names, and the worst are double names, middle names, or maiden names. So, I’m now listed with my maiden name as my first name at the hospital.

Day 5 – 7:

What can I say? I’m strolling through Suguksa Temple with Benny, enjoying the breathtaking atmosphere while sweating, and suddenly my phone rings. My employer informs me that I need to go back to the hospital. As soon as possible. My urine test was abnormal, and they need to recheck my kidneys. I knew the reason and that it was harmless, but that didn’t matter. But let’s be honest: the order of granting work permits in Korea is rather suboptimal. I sign a two-year work contract, enter the country, sign rental agreements, and then during the health check, they find something wrong and say, „Oopsie, she’s sick, took drugs, or something else. Please fly back to Germany.“

Of course, there was nothing wrong, but I had to go back. My colleagues didn’t. And I was so optimistic during the examination, while the two of them were really worried. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.

Speaking of colleagues. We meet often, spend good times together, get to know each other better, exchange experiences, and support each other. Feels really wonderful.
We’re just going with the flow. No fixed plan, no specific destination. A few key points were already set. Getting to know colleagues, undergoing a health check at the hospital, and the apartment handover. The rest of the day’s schedule is formed spontaneously after waking up. However, the jet lag still has a firm grip on me, and I’m awake at night and tired during the day. It might sound like perfect conditions for a night out, but we’re taking it slow for now.

Gradually, the remaining „newcomers“ are arriving in Seoul, and our small group of foreign teachers is growing day by day. It’s fascinating to learn about everyone’s intentions for coming to Korea, the family situations they’re arriving with, and the experiences they’re bringing along. It’s a wonderfully diverse mix.

To finally be recognized as part of the working population in Korea and receive our Alien Registration Cards, us local teachers need to undergo a health check at a local hospital. The process is incredibly well-organized. You register with your passport and then fill out a form (in English 😉). What’s really cool is that reading glasses with various strengths are available to borrow on the tables.

Then, you pay, receive a sticker on the back of your hand, and simply go through numbered stations from 1 to 7. From chest X-rays to blood tests, hearing and vision tests, everything is done one after the other. Quick and efficient, or as they say here, „balli balli.“ But what’s really challenging for Koreans are our European names, and the worst are double names, middle names, or maiden names. So, I’m now listed with my maiden name as my first name at the hospital.

Day 5 – 7:

What can I say? I’m strolling through Suguksa Temple with Benny, enjoying the breathtaking atmosphere while sweating, and suddenly my phone rings. My employer informs me that I need to go back to the hospital. As soon as possible. My urine test was abnormal, and they need to recheck my kidneys. I knew the reason and that it was harmless, but that didn’t matter. But let’s be honest: the order of granting work permits in Korea is rather suboptimal. I sign a two-year work contract, enter the country, sign rental agreements, and then during the health check, they find something wrong and say, „Oopsie, she’s sick, took drugs, or something else. Please fly back to Germany.“

Of course, there was nothing wrong, but I had to go back. My colleagues didn’t. And I was so optimistic during the examination, while the two of them were really worried. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.

Speaking of colleagues. We meet often, spend good times together, get to know each other better, exchange experiences, and support each other. Feels really wonderful.

So, dear ones! This is just a mini impression, of course. We’ve also been to museums (War Memorial of Korea, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul Museum of Art, and Seodaemun Prison History Museum), enjoyed delicious food (my new discovery is Korean cold noodles called Mul-Naengmyeon), and made new friends among our colleagues.

I would really appreciate your comments and feedback again.

Yours truly,
Nine