I wake up at 7am, shower, change, put my face on, dry my hair and tie it back (since it's so friggin hot and humid these days), and get my snack and water bottle/tea mug ready. I don't usually eat breakfast at home, but I have some sort of snack or coffee before the first class begins (I definitely need the energy). I leave the apartment at 7:48am and head to the subway, which is a 4 minute walk from our building. I usually put my headphones on and turn on my ipod on my way to the station. I get my subway card ready and swipe it to get through the turnstiles. The subway used to come at 7:55 on the dot, but now it's been coming at 7:58 or sometimes a few minutes past 8:00. Late is not good because I have a shuttle to catch and it doesn't wait!
I make sure I'm last to get on the subway because I like to stand right at the door since I get off on the next stop (Migeum) and I like to be the first off. I hate the pushing and shoving, so I like to get out asap. My train's not usually packed because I'm going against rush hour. It doesn't go towards Seoul, which would obviously be busier.
So I get off the train and head up the escalator. I used to take the stairs, but I've gotten lazier. Heheh. I get hit with the smell of freshly baked goods on my way up the escalator because Migeum station has a waffle type shop, a baked goods shop, a little Dunkin' Donuts, and a coffee shop. It's great to be greeted by the smell of freshly baked goods in the morning!
So after the escalator, I swipe my card to get through the exit turnstiles and head to exit number 7. Oh, exit number 7, how I despise you. There are 5 sets of stairs to go up to street level and each set contains 15 stairs. So, this means every morning I have to walk up 75 stairs. I'd have to say that's the worst part of the morning for me. You should have seen my face the first time I looked up to see how far up I had to go. I immediately looked around for a nearby escalator or elevator! But, get this, the escalator beside this monster stairwell is going DOWN from street level! Why would you make the escalator going DOWN and not up???? Oh right, I'm in Korea where nothing makes sense and where things are usually backwards and illogical. But I still love their food. That's definitely one thing they have going for them.
After my hike up the stairs (am I being too dramatic? Maybe for others 75 stairs is nothing. Haha. Well, for me it's a hike!)... anyway, after my HIKE up the stairs I check to see if I have enough time to go to the Family Mart or the other convenience store nearby to get a coffee or breakfast (sometimes they're one and the same). And those who know me know I don't drink coffee, but here with a job teaching 5 year old kids, coffee is often a necessity to get through the morning. I don't mean real coffee, but those coffees that taste like dessert... French vanilla, mocha, and caramel macchiato flavoured, etc.
Then I walk over, cross the street, and get on the school shuttle bus with the other teachers. The bus leaves at 8:10 exactly, but lately it's been leaving a couple minutes later to wait for Donna. She's always late! Haha. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get to school from there. Once at school, we all get ready for the crazy, exhausting day ahead.
And that's my typical weekday start to the day.
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