How did I get a vehicle? Well, here's the deal. The school provides housing for the teachers and staff (and their immediate families) in the nearest apartment complex, which is about 15 minutes' drive from the school. The school also provides a shuttle, essentially an old van with a 5-speed transmission and hardly any seatbelts, for teachers to ride to school. (Many teachers do have their own cars, or ride with roommates, so one van is enough for the others.) Josh C, who teaches Bible and Social Studies (and coaches volleyball), normally drives this van, which seats up to 11 passengers if they get very cozy, and can hold more if they sit on each others' laps.
The students just had a 5.5 day weekend for their Chuseok holiday (think early Thanksgiving). Originally, the next weekend was scheduled to be a Fall Festival by the school, with only one and a half full days between them. Josh was asked to officiate at a friend's wedding in the U.S., which coincided with this time. So, he and his wife decided to take a vacation spanning Chuseok and Fall Festival, so they would only miss one and a half days of school. After they booked their flights, the school changed the timing of Fall Festival, pushing it back two weeks. That meant that Josh & Meagan would be gone for at least four full school days. Sherry is responsible for finding subs for them from teachers who have a free period (I'm one sometimes), but Josh had to find a substitute van driver. He asked me, because I have an IDP, I know how to drive a manual transmission, and he trusted me to be responsible and prompt.
So, I have the use of the van, and the school pays for the diesel fuel. Most of my driving has been between the apartments and the school, but I've driven in downtown Eumseong as well. Tomorrow I will be driving the cross-country team to Seoul with Rachael B (one of the twins). She had asked another driver, my new Korean roommate, but he is taking his junior brother to Daejun this weekend, to visit their parents. So, she asked me. It sounded like fun, and I said so, which she correctly took to be an affirmative.
So, what's it like, driving in Korea? After I get back from Seoul, I may have a different impression; however, I'm pleased to report that, as far as I can tell, Korean drivers are not crazy. They do, however, drive differently than most American drivers. They drive faster, unless there's a speed camera. (These have yellow signs warning drivers to slow down.) They leave less space between cars, and they have no hesitation about parking illegally. They often run red lights, and, if you're in front of them at a light which is red for no good reason (i.e., no cross traffic), they may honk at you to run the red light so they can, too. (I may speed, but I won't go that far.) They park more closely together (the parking spaces are also smaller), and they often park illegally, partially blocking a lane of traffic. (I've seen whole blocks with cars parked like that. Apparently, there isn't anyone giving parking tickets.) They may even block a full lane by parking at a slant, or double-park if it's crowded.
These differences may be due in part to a national tendency to hurry, expressed in the common phrase, "Bali-Bali" (발리 발리), "Hurry, Hurry". It may also be because enforcement of traffic laws basically consists of well-marked cameras to catch speeders and signal flaunters. (If you see a warning sign, slow down for the camera, and then speed up again.) Anywhere there's not a camera, drivers do what they please and fear no consequences. They do, however, pay a human price.
I asked one of the Korean teachers, and he said that the collision rate in Korea is rather high, as is the fatality rate for collisions. Yet, no one seems to be worried about this. I will, as he advised, be extra careful on my trip to Seoul tomorrow. Good thing God is watching over me.
There's another interesting thing about Korea; apparently, far fewer women drive here than in the U.S. I guess fewer women work outside the home, which I think is a good tradition to keep, generally speaking. The public transportation system is quite good, so one can get along pretty well without driving here, if you don't have to go out to the bak-wonga like I do every day. However, that means that a Korean woman is less likely to have a drivers' license, and a female Korean driver is more likely to be inexperienced. This, combined with the hazards of Korean drivers and women's natural protective instinct, tends to make them more ginger, reluctant drivers.
Also, of course, the streetscape is different than in the U.S. Here in Korea, only the expressways have a speed limit higher than 80 km/h (50 mph). Expressways are toll roads, and their onramps and offramps are much fewer and farther between than those of U.S. freeways. As for surface streets, the lanes are narrower, but well-marked (as far as I've seen). Traffic lights, however, don't appear to be equipped with buried sensors, which is surprising in a country that generally seems to be pretty technologically integrated. (For example, my bedroom light switch has an alarm clock built into it.) I haven't seen a stop sign between the apartments and the school.
However, I can adapt to these differences. They do drive on the right side of the road, the signs I need to find directions are marked in English as well as Korean, and Koreans are generally pretty honest, law-abiding folk, and very helpful. Seriously, if you're a foreigner in Korea, and you need help, they'll bend over backwards to help you, if they can. (The biggest problem may be communicating your need, as few people speak much English outside of Seoul.)
Prayer Requests
First, praise God for providing a vehicle for me to drive this week! This has allowed me to go grocery shopping, exchange traveler's checks at a bank, and buy medicine at a pharmacy. Hopefully, my role as a driver tomorrow will enable me to buy a prepaid cellphone, as well as see a little bit of Seoul.
Also, praise God for an improved relationship with my fellow teachers, especially my roommate Justin (teaches Social Studies), the Russian teacher Almagul, and the twins Sarah and Rachael B. The relationships started off well, and now I'm getting to know them better, and vice versa. Scoring volleyball with Sarah, tutoring Almagul's daughters, and now driving with Rachael, are great opportunities to strengthen these friendships.
For our trip to Seoul, please pray for a safe trip for everyone. Driving in Korea has different hazards, as I've mentioned before. I will be very careful, but I cannot control the actions of other drivers.
For Almagul's daughters, please pray that they would overcome their language difficulties and succeed in their respective math classes. "Sarah", the elder, is fluent in Kazakh, Russian and English, but her Algebra 2 class is taught in Korean (although the book is in English). "Esther", the younger, is fluent in Kazakh and Russian, with limited English skills and imperfect eyesight, and she's in my Algebra 1 class. (I will require her to sit in the front row until her mother gets her some glasses.)
For all my students, please pray that I would develop a better relationship with them. Pray that I would remember to relate to them from my heart instead of my head, even as we are in an intellectual, head-focused environment, studying algebra, an extremely left-brained subject. I especially need prayer for the best way to address the problems that Korean girls have in developing a healthy body image. (For my feelings on that, read my previous post, "Chuseok", especially the part about Sunday morning, and the second prayer request.) Also, I need to earn respect from the boys, so they will stay quiet when I need them to.
Finally, please pray that I would be able to do my work well, and grade the homework in a timely manner, which has been a big challenge to date. Pray also that I have the wisdom to avoid making more commitments than I can keep.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for praying.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
And until we meet again,
May the Lord keep you in the palm of His hand.
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