Pre-Departure Orientation In San Francisco
- Lia <3
- Feb 13, 2022
- 3 min read
DAY 1: I was very fortunate my flight to San Francisco went so smoothly. Other students on the program had had their flights delayed, and even canceled. It was my second time flying by myself, though, so I wasn't too scared.
I was so happy to have a window seat and listen to some of my favorite tunes to calm my nerves. These masterpieces included: For You - BTS, Dos Oruguitas - Sebastian Yatra, and Missing You - BTOB
Once I landed, I met up with the other NSLI-Y students and our Program Coordinator at baggage claim. I was shocked to see the tiny faces that filled my zoom classes turn into living, breathing human beings. Everyone was so pretty in person. I was shocked at the height differences between all of us, as well!
We took a taxi to our hotel, and got settled in with snacks provided by our program coordinators! Each of us got our own rooms, too.
I then got lunch with a Lianna (breakfast wrap), played some cards with Maggie, Serena, Catherine, and Andrea, and had dinner (pizza!) with the entire NSLI-Y cohort. It was an absolutely incredible day. <3
^Lianna, Linnea, and Me (A.K.A. Li³ Gang)
DAY 2: The next day, our cohort did some ice breakers in the morning and created a community pact. We promised to stick together, support one another, have fun, and try new thin,gs!
We then had lunch (Panera) and got our covid tests. We also had some free time to go to the downtown area and buy any last-minute things. That night, we had dinner (Chipotle), and Tansen, a NSLI-Y Korean AY alumn, came to talk with us about the program. He was so kind and helpful in answering all of our questions about the specifics of living in Korea.
Discussing Seoul's subway system, his favorite things to do on the program, and his advice for us made everything seem so real: I was actually going to Seoul.
DAY 3: The next day, we played 007 and Mafia in Korean with the help of William, our chaperone! We then did some activities in the park relating to culture shock and adjusting to life in a foreign country. Although we're technically halfway into the program, I learned more about my peers in this single weekend than the entire past 4 months! Getting to know each other through these exercises brought us even closer together and gave us insight into each of our cultural backgrounds.
We had some time to get snacks from the store for quarantine or for our host families. So, Maggie, Linnea, and I headed to Safeway. I decided to buy boxed mac and cheese, wheat-thins, refried beans, tea, oatmeal, and plantain chips. I was hoping to share some of my Cuban culture with my host family through the plantain chips, and I also wanted to make tacos/burritos with them (I brought taco seasoning, too.) Linnea bought stuff to make s'mores with her younger host siblings, as s'mores are a pretty American dessert that are hard to come by in Korea.
The last night we got to have dinner on our own, so we set out into downtown to enjoy one last dinner in the U.S.
We ended up going to a few different places and met up under a gazebo near the community center. Ryan and I got some FANTASTIC but VERY EXPENSIVE sushi. (Ryan's meal alone was about $35!!!) That being said, it was the BEST sushi I had ever tasted.
It was really fun just to laugh, hang out, and talk about our plans for when we arrive in Korea!
DAY 4: The next morning (D-Day) I got up at 5 AM, as we had to meet in the lobby completely packed and ready to go at 6 AM. Everyone was sleepy, excited, and a bit chilly.
We loaded up our luggage into the shuttle, hopped inside, and were off to the airport.
Now, the REAL adventure begins.
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