Placements and Plateaus

So the big day came and went, we got our placements for the next year. I will be in the city of Daegu, it depends on who you ask, but it is either the 3rd or 4th largest city in Korea. Everyone will agree however, that it is very hot there, most of the people giving me this advice have never been to that city, but the idea in Korea is that everything should be known for something, and Daegu picked the lucky adjective of HOT.
It was a mad rush to the computer once we were placed to see what the city looks like, figure out who is living close to us and also see if there is an easy, quick and affordable way to leave our placements when we hear the Seoul party scene calling our name. The good news about my city is that it is huge and most people who live there do not need to escape to Seoul to experience a good time. The downside of it being that it is anywhere from 3 to 4 hours away from Seoul which makes the trip a lengthy one.
It was almost necessary for me to get my placement because in a way it is the light at the end of the tunnel of Orientation. Do not get me wrong, I am ever so grateful that I get to take Korean classes and be presented with workshops to increase my abilities as the English Language teacher at my school...BUT I am getting restless and very antsy to get out of the lovely safe cocoon that has been weaved for us at Fulbright. As much as I love the people here it feels like Little America has sprung up at Jungwon University and instead of getting the mad rush of overwhelmed excitement and having to make it with the skill-set that I arrived with I have been given even more skills through the training and I really really want to start applying them...NOW!
When I taught at Camp Fulbright I felt really re-energized. Now, after the energy of the students has left I feel as if I have slumped off into an abyss of routine and the challenge is no longer there. I am going to Chunju tomorrow to see Inception and I hope that not having native speaks around me it will allow me to have a chance to fend for myself a little and practice the Korea I have been learning oh so diligently.
Lastly, I had an icecream/shaved ice/ red bean dessert today and I just have to say- where are my snikers and recees hiding?? I need processed sugar sooooo badly. It is indeed interesting how even the most authentic attempt to recreate a snikers- called a Atlas bar, or it's cousin the Ghana are no where near the perfection that appears when I unwrap that crisp brown snikers bar. Sigh.