My time in Korea would not have been the same if it weren't for these two lovely ladies. They became my family when I was here. Most Korean co-teachers do what is expected of them, but never more than that. They do the bare minimum and in most cases, let you figure everything out on your own. Moving to Korea is daunting enough and if you don't have good co-teachers, your experience will suffer. Jenny and Seung-Ah unnie went above and beyond and not only for me, but Markus too. They never made it feel like I was inconveniencing them, it was more than just a work expectation, it was a real friendship.
The first day we arrived in Busan, Jenny was there to pick us up. Usually, it's one co-teacher for each person, but Jenny was the only came. Without hesitation, she did everything that his co-teacher would've done. Markus felt so bad that she had to take care of him, but she never seemed to care. Throughout our year and a half together, she always asked about Markus and always helped him. She's that incredible.
I'll always remember that first day with Jenny, because something memorable happened. Our apartment wasn't ready, so she had to take us to a love motel. A love motel is basically a place that people go to get it on. It's not as seedy as it sounds and it's actually really cheap accommodation. The one we stayed at wasn't bad and it was in a really good neighborhood. After we checked in, she and the male accountant helped us to our room. In Korea, everything is connected by remote, so she showed us how it worked. She turned on the lights, the a/c and finally, the TV. Now keep in mind, this is a love motel, so there are some questionable things. When the TV finally turned on, it was on an inappropriate channel. She freaked out and then switched to another inappropriate channel. She finally gave up and just turned it off. In the end, we all laughed about the situation. Even though it was a bit awkward, it definitley was an unforgettable bonding moment.
Seung-Ah unnie was also an incredible co-teacher. When Jenny would take care of the big stuff, she took care of the rest. Markus and I could always count on her. There were many times that I was sick and she would take me to the hospital. I've heard of many people going alone and trying to figure it out. I never had to worry, because she always took care of me. It wasn't just the times that I was sick, but it was any time I needed help.
On our second day in Korea, Seung-Ah unnie took us shopping for the house. Again, most co-teachers wouldn't spend a Sunday afternoon helping you buy stuff, but she did. She was incredibly helpful. I'm sure she had better things to do than listen to Markus and I try to figure things out, but she was incredibly patient. After working a few months together, she even let me start calling her unnie, which means older sister. She really became the older sister I never had.
Even though both Jenny and Seung-Ah unnie transferred to new schools, they still made time to see us. We didn't meet for a while, but I couldn't imagine leaving Korea without seeing them. They mean so much to us. Whenever I think of Korea, I will always think of them. They are the reason that I loved this place so much. It's because of them that this place felt like home and not a pit stop in my life. They were such a huge blessing for Markus and I and we will miss them so much!
