Teacher, teacher! Camp Korea, part III

  Chun Cheon, Korea Rep.
Monday, August 1, 2005

********************************** Update - September 2007 *************************************

As if 3 times wasn't enough, check out my latest, and 5th, visit to Korea (September 2007 - February 2008), all part of 'The Honeymoon'. My 4th visit? It's later in this Travelogue... keep reading!

********************************** Update - September 2007 *************************************

Travellers never think that they are the foreigners
- Mason Cooley

Korea, part III
Back in Korea. And it feels good. Feels familiar. Familiarity brings comfort. Needless to say I like this place. It's my third time here and all for the same reason; to work for a month as an ELT (English language teacher) in Camp Korea, an English language summer camp for Korean kids. I was first here in January 2003 and, most recently, last summer, July 2004. On that occasion I used Camp Korea as a starting point for a six week tour of China. All going to plan I'll also be heading to China upon completion of this camp. As of now I can't see anything on the near horizon putting that plan in jeopardy..... but you never know.

Rough around the edges
As for getting here this time. Well, it was a pleasant enough, albeit slow, trip across the Korea Strait from Shinonoseki in Japan to Busan, South Korea. I had very little to complain about; it was spotlessly clean, had its own bathhouse and it smelled of kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage that accompanies every meal over here.... I guess that means the ferry was Korean). We docked in Busan port at 5:30am, having left Japan at 7pm the previous evening. But as the Korean immigration officials don't start their days work until a more reasonable hour we were allowed to stay on the boat until 8:30am. This was my 3rd time in Busan, Korea's second city, and a city I always seem to find myself in when I'm in Korea. Unlike my previous visits to the city on this occasion I was just passing through, having just entered the country via Busan's port (a first). Soon after clearing the immigration formalities I found myself on the streete of Busan making my way to the bus station for the next bus north to Chun Cheon. While on route I remember commenting to myself that Korea looked a bit "rough around the edges" compared to Japan. It's hard to explain that statement. I guess after the previous 12 or so days in Japan Korea felt like a sort of poor mans Japan, which of course it isn't (I hope my Korean friends are not reading this). It's something I never though about Korea on my 2 previous visits.

Teacher, you're late

01 Orientation dinner

Arriving in Busan on the morning of the first day of Camp Korea orientation (the morning I was expected to already be in Camp Korea, some 6 hours north of Busan) obviously meant I was going to be late. I was, of course, something that drew a few frowns from Camp upper management. Not to worry; I'm a pro..... been here, done that sort of thing. I doubt I missed anything I hadn't heard previously.

Same Old
That was a week ago and I've been reminded (as if I had forgotten) so many times how hospitable the Koreans are, how hot this place is in the summer (although this year isn't as hot as last year when it was a daily occurrence to wake up sweating) and how affordable everything is, something you will really notice having come from Japan. As for Camp Korea. Well with one week down and three to go all is going well. I have a nice bunch of kids (which always helps) and there are some cool fellow ELT's who've I've shared a few beers with. As before, it's mostly Canadians and Australians but there are actually 3 Irish here; two other guys and myself. But everyone still takes the piss out of my accent. I must be a soft target. I am 'Irish' Dave after all.

The Promise of things to come
I'll be making minor updates to the site over the duration of my time here, which comes to an end in late August. It's then the travel plans start to hot up. I'll be heading towards Hong Kong & Northern Vietnam for a September 4th meeting in Hanoi with a friend from home. I'm already looking forward to the 3 weeks we'll spend making it to Bangkok. Ohh, and while I planned on going it alone, it looks like I might have picked up a travel buddy here in Camp Korea. More on that later. I hope you can stick with me? Now, best get back to marking diaries.