Seven Whole Days

...And I'm just about ready to go home. Here's a recount of everything I did in the seven days before I left South Korea.

Thursday, February 18th

I was informed by my co-teacher that I needed to make an IRA account in order to receive my retirement fund from the school. We went to the bank together to do this. It took a few hours but we got a chance to chat while we waited.

Friday,February 19th

The next day I left work 30 minutes early to go to the National Pension Service office to arrange for my pension to be sent to my remittance account. I ended up at the National Health Insurance Offic but with the help of a kind ahjuhssi and a few meters I found my way to the right place.

That same night Chumi and I had dinner together. We had dinner again on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. Dinner one last time on Monday!

Monday, February 22

With the help of two of my co-teachers, I was finally able to go the dentist. Chumi actually convinced me I that I still had time to take advantage of my insurance. So I asked my co-teacher on Monday and she made a phone call for me. Unfortunately, the denist I found was booked. I could go there and wait but there was no guarantee that she could squeeze me in. I was ready to give up. But the new 6th grade English teacher was leaving early to go to the doctor, so we left togther and she helped me find a dental clinic that would take me as a walk-in.

Including the time that I waited, the whole service took about one hour. I got my teeth cleaned and two small places on my two back teeth filled. The cleaning only cost less than $20 but I got resin fillings and they were $60 each.

Tuesday, February 23

This was the only day during the whole week that I didn't leave school early. I ate my final lunch with my crew (4 English co-teachers, the school counselor and the librarian). We ate Chinese food per my request and then we ordered drinks from A Twosome Place, a Korean cafe chain. After lunch I said farewell to the principal. Then I asked the administration office at my school for my total salary records in order to properly file my American taxes.

Wednesday, February 24

I left school right before lunch because I had to go take a PCR test in order to board the plane on Friday. However, my church friend Nalee wanted to meet before I left. So she picked me up from school and we ate lunch together. Budae-jjigae or Army Stew. After, we picked up her two girls and they rode with us to the health clinic where I went to get my test.

To my surprise, the health clinic does not give out the Medical Examination document that is needed to board a flight. In a bit of a panic, I messaged my main co-teacher to share this with her. But in the meantime, I went to the LG U+ store to terminate my phone service. This took maybe thirty minutes. But funny enough my co-tecaher called but the call got disconnected...because I turned off my phone.

Once I got back to my apartment and connected to the wi-fi, I called her back. While I was on the phone, there was a knock at my door. It was the real estate agent (who is also the middle man between my landlord and I). He was there to check the state of the apartment and then he left.

My co-tecaher informed me that I could go to Chungnam University Hospital and take a PCR text and receive a Medical Examination document. It was about 3:30pm and I had to get there before 5:30. No problem! I was only 30 minutes away by bus. So I went and the test took maybe 5 minutes. I took the bus back home and cleaned my apartment.

Thursday February 25th.

The last day of my tecahing contract. I only went to school for two hours. I had to go back to the hospital to pick up my Medical Exam paper and I need to go to the post office one last time. After doing each of these things, I went home, ate lunch, and threw away the last of the trash I had inmy apartment.

I made an apartment tour video which I will insert here:

And I told about how I traveled from Jochiwon to Incheon:

My flight to Chicago was scheduled at 10:40am (KST). I got to the airport at about 7:30am. I checked-in, went through security, and immigration by 9am. At 10am I boarded the flight. To my surprise the flight was not pack at all. I mean there were maybe ten people in my section. And by section I mean the entire back half of the plane. We took off right on time. Here is some footage from take-0ff:

Although I love traveling in the sense of visiting new places, I hate the red-tape of it all. I wish I could just teleport and not have go through all the formalities, but don't we all?

I'm typing this from my old bedroom at my parent's house, so I would say the trip home was a success. It's so good to be home....But I'm quarantining so for the sake of my extended family, see ya'll after March 12th! Peace!

Until my next post..

Xo,

Miya Marie~