So the first half of the orientation week here in Jeonju is over, and we still have another long half to go yet. We're housed in Jeonju University, which is awesome, all new facilities and dorm rooms, it's lovely.

The weather here is bitterly cold. The first thing we did with any free time was buy some gloves! Our winter coats are holding up well, and they gave us a free EPIK hoodie, which is definitely needed.

A bit of background information about what we're doing here; EPIK is English Program in Korea, and we are now officially Guest English Teachers, here to help with communication and speaking English as a second language in public school throughout Korea. We are going to be teaching in Busan, or Pusan, and its on the very South West tip, near Japan. For now, we are in Jeonju, which is more or less right in the middle, and we have a 9 day training program here, supposedly to set us up for life and teaching in Korea.

We got a business class flight over, not just for purely selfish reasons, but because of our excess luggage we actually saved money. And of course it was great fun! 2 business class lounges and 2 business class flights means 4 free meals and plenty of snacks!

So we arrived in Incheon International Airport, and the immigration queue was huge, and after a lot of waiting around, we were allowed through (so I guess the Vietnamese South Korean Consulate did okay with our visas then) and we were slightly lost for a second before we saw the huge banners, and massive collection of white people with mountains of luggage. The EPIK adventure has begun.

The days on the orientation are LONG. They are really immersing us in the Korean education system by giving us 90 minute lectures and 12 hour days in the classroom. Before we could properly begin, a thorough medical assessment, a hearty lunch, and an opening ceremony. We had speeches by the organisers and the President of International relations. Then also three traditional performances; a drumming performance - Samulnori, meaning 'playing four objects'; a traditional fan dance, which was really impressive and finally a Taekwondo performance by the Jeonju University team, and four members of which are on the South Korean national team. This was mind-blowing, the jumps, leaps, kicks, and gymnastics were amazing. And it went on for about half an hour. It was amazing, and they really do yell like they do on tv. And also have some mean grooves and danced off stage to LMFAO, oh the kids do know how to party.

The lectures we are having here are really helpful in preparing us for our new jobs and lives here, but there is a lot that depends on the type of school you are in, your principle, your co-teacher, the school budget, the level of the students, and various other factors, that no one can really give us many definite answers about what next week, and the next year, is actually going to be like.

Sean has had an email from his Korean co-teacher and the guy that he is replacing, so he knows he is in an Elementary school in the centre of Busan, and his apartment is near the baseball stadium, which is also near the football and basketball stadiums, so perfect placement for him! I still don't know and probably won't find out until our final day here.

We have been mingling and socialising a bit in the little free time that we have, and of course we managed to find time to get out and sample a bit of Soju, the traditional Korean drink, made from fermented rice. It tastes a little like watered down vodka, and they drink it at all hours here. We have been learning about the traditional customs, about how to give and receive gifts, drink and money, how to shake hands and other social things. So hopefully we won't embarass ourselves when we meet the big bosses on Sunday.

The class we are in, around 50 of us, for our lectures are all off to Busan so getting to network a bit and everyone seems lovely. One girl from England we know really well now used to live with the sister of someone Sean knows from school, and is replacing someone I know already in Busan. Small world. There are some other people going to Daegu and Gwanju so a big variety, and we're hoping to have lots of pals all around the country.

We went on a field trip to a local culture village. So we got to experience some real Korean food (so far the cafeteria food has been very efficient, mostly tasty, but not always hot - but we are dwindling on our last pennies after our blow out on suits in Vietnam so we refuse to pay for anything else. Oh apart from coffee and chocolate bars, obviously.) and some other local handicrafts. In the morning we saw paper being made, and realised we were in the wrong group, found our group, and then were led back to where the paper was made. Double fun. A rice wine museum, a church and lunch. Then after lunch was where the fun really started, and we learnt to play the drums from the performance we saw on the opening ceremony, we made paper boxes (Sean loves his so much he spent an hour staring at it later in the dorm room) and we also learnt a traditional mask dance. Drums were by far the coolest, but only because this strange holiday camp feeling/being in lectures all day has made us feel like children again so we liked just making huge amounts of noise. Back in the University, the Taekwondo team also taught us some moves, so we had a bit of a stress release, even if we were aching the next day.

We have practice lessons to prepare for on Sunday, as well as the talent show, and meeting the Metropolitan Office of Education bosses, all around the normal lectures and our Korean language classes, so Annyeonghee gaseoyo for now x