Wow. I am halfway through this one year contract and, my, how time flies!! If someone would have looked at me this time last year and told me this is where I would be, I would have totally laughed them out of the room. I mean, really? Korea?? C'mon! Who goes there?? Well, apparently I go there! :-)
These past six months have been exhilarating, happy, and fulfilling, yet at the same time been frustrating, annoying, and depressing. Living abroad is like living on a roller coaster. Up and down, up and down, up and down. Find a food you like--find a food you hate. Make new friends--miss the ones back home who know you best. See an incredible, breathtaking site--feel lonely because you know someone who would love to see this but he/she is on the other side of the planet. Communicate accurately to a taxi driver--end up paying too much for something because you cannot communicate effectively enough in the shopkeeper's language. Feel proud for taking this risk--wonder if everyone thinks you have totally cracked up. Yep, it's a roller coaster ride.
Here are a few observations I have made in these first six months about myself and living abroad:
1. Toilet Paper: It's not just for the bathroom and you should carry some with you at all times. Just because you go into the toilet does not guarantee there will be anything other than a place to *ahem* "do your bizness". It's also a good idea to carry hand sanitizer because there is never a guarantee of soap. :-) Additionally, TP can also be used to blow your nose, clean up messes, wipe a table, dry your hands, or as a napkin. Yes, this is an essential travel item here.
2. Korean English on T-shirts is a really bad idea. Misspellings, double
meanings, and things that just don't make sense end up on these shirts. WHYYYYY??? I took this pic of my adorable student to demonstrate a right and wrong way to spell "beautiful". It was a spelling word that week and this is the shirt she just happened to wear. Additionally, how is it "smile" is correct in one place and not the other?? This is a huge pet peeve for a teacher of English!! Yep, this one annoys me and, people, this is just the tip of the iceberg of these kinds of shirts!3. I am not Korean. Yes, I know this may come as a shock to many, but I am a tried and true, red, white, and blue, All-American girl-next-door. I like hamburgers, steak and potatoes, backyard barbecues, swimming outside in a (gasp) swimsuit, and, yes, I even like an occasional country song. I don't like kimchi or pickled radishes. I cannot bring myself to eat the fish from the market after it sits in the sun all day and I have yet to figure out why rice cakes and red bean paste are so darned popular! Though I do occasionally get a hankering for some decent Korean barbecue or even some noodles, I'm American. No changing that!
4. I am comfortable with people who are different than me. Here is the funny thing...I am more comfortable around a group of Koreans I don't know than I would be going to a party where everyone speaks English. I have not figured out why that is, but it is. The strange thing I have noticed is that there is a definite pattern in my life of me integrating myself into cultures and groups of people I have nothing or very little in common with. I find people fascinating! I enjoy getting to know them and learn about their cultures and how we are the same or different. Sometimes, I can get "sucked in" to a culture or group without even realizing it. This can be both good and bad, I suppose. I would like to think it is always good, but we all know getting sucked in to the wrong group can have major issues.
5. I have an internal GPS. I know my father will read this one and fall onto the floor laughing because I ALWAYS call him for directions. However, since being in Korea, I have been honing my navigational skills and can get just about anywhere without getting too terribly lost. I even carry a map with me along with phone numbers of trusted people...just in case. I have also discovered that if I get lost in a big city, just look for a McDonald's or KFC and I will find at least one westerner there who can direct me! :-)
6. I'm Independent and Strong. I don't know how I do it sometimes, but if I was not independent and strong, I would not survive. I would have already been on a plane back to what was comfortable and cozy. Instead, I made the decision to liquidate my life and move halfway around the globe for a year of unknown challenges and successes. It's been a roller coaster, but I'm still on the ride and holding on!
7. Family is Everything. My father and step-mother have been so very supportive of this adventure. Dad has made calls, ran errands, paid bills, secured a passport for Bryan (in the works), and just made sure my affairs back home stayed in order. I don't know what I would do without him. Hazel has obliged my cravings and picked up foods at the store she thought I'd enjoy and sent them to me. Ahhh...just a little taste of home goes a long way. My boys have also been supportive. I talk to them several times a week and stay actively involved in their lives. This is probably the toughest challenge I face here...being away from my boys.
8. Everyone Needs Friends. My friends back home send me messages on Facebook or funny emails. They keep me up to date on what's happening back home and tell me how lucky I am to not be paying $3.50 per gallon for gas! I know as I type this, I have a package on the way that contains some American goodies and surprises from a dear friend back home. I mean, you know you are loved when your girlfriend sends you new bras because you're shrinking and Fudge Rounds because you are craving them! My friends in Korea...well, we form a tight, tight network. Being in a small town keeps our little group pretty tight-knit and we look out for one another. We have regular get-togethers and exchange chats online or via text often. We are all here alone (aside from the two married couples) and we cherish our friendships. I only hope they know how much I cherish them! I honestly don't know what I would do without my friends.
9. I want Andol heating. No carpet to vaccuum and the floor is warm on a cold morning. Yep. I need this.
10. I miss my bathtub. Korean style bathrooms don't typically have a tub. Usually it is just a shower handle connected to the sink. The whole bathroom is truly a "bath" "room" complete with the drain hole in the middle of the floor. I intend to take the longest bubble bath in history when I return to the USA.
So, there you have it... my six month check-up. I've made it this far, so I think I can finish the race. Stay tuned...
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