Settling In

We left training in Seoul and landed at our studio in Jeju a week ago. The apartment was a bit dirty and moldy but not as bad some that I've heard about. In Korea it is not an obligation to clean the apartment when you leave, you only have to remove your worldly possessions. A Canadian lecturer at training said that it was bad luck to clean the apartment before you leave. I don't know if this is true or not, but I do know the previous tenant was from an English speaking country, so I'm not sure what his excuse is. Probably when it gets down to the wire if a deposit isn't contingent on cleaning then it just isn't a priority.

In one short week we cleaned everything up and put our stuff away, but we are still working on making our little room a home, so I'll post a video when we have some more plants and such.
Mike had school on Monday, but fortunately I didn't have to go in until Wednesday so I was able to get our flat organized. I'm so grateful for the extra time because it would have been hard to enjoy the first few days at school knowing our space was a wreck. It stresses me out to come home to clutter. Settling in has busted the myth that things in Korea are super cheap. I shopped around and I got pretty good deals, but things are basically the same price over here. A few things are significantly more expensive. I picked up a plastic dresser for $60 that I could find for $20 in the States. Food is expensive generally and fruit is particularly pricey. I recently paid $8 for two pairs and two peaches.

Despite the minor disappointment on the prices, the beach and constant view exceeds all expectations. Today we celebrated a long week of settling in by relaxing on the beach in warm aqua-green water. Come visit!