Well, We're Back to the Beginning

Jess is gone.

And, so are the Olson's and I have an abundance of cell phones and T-money cards.

But, I ran into a man in need and I met a friend brand new to Korea as well. So now Rachel is Holly and JB is Sara and Trevor... well he's still Trevor.

I feel a little emptier now and I think that's ok. I think it's ok to miss people... for people to be important to you and their absence a loss. I think it's ok to lean on your friends a little bit and I think it's ok to feel a little lost without them.

But only a little.

Certainly I know without Jess, my entire life here will be altered. I no longer have a friend just ten minutes away. I now must walk this tight rope of Korea without my safety net. I think I'm ready. I'm sure I'll be ok, even if I fall; but it's still a little scary without her.

And of course, my life will be altered without the hub of the Olson's and their home. It's like trying coming back to your home only to realize that your home is in a place you can't go and the things you're most familiar with are altered.

But it's ok... really.

My home will always be with a solid foundation. A foundation that doesn't shake and doesn't crumble. It's more than ok.

So, goodbye Trevor, Rachel and Jessica. You're awesome.

I Hate Goodbyes!!!!!!!!

Today was the saddest day of my life! Today was the day that I said goodbye to my two favorite people in the entire world! Trevor and Rachel have been the center of my very life this past year. They mean EVERYTHING to me! Without them I just don't know what I am going to do, how I am going to cope and where I will get the strength to carry on.

Goodbye, Rach and Trev. You were my sun, my moon, my everything!! You have left a hole in my heart that can never be filled!

Two Homes.... Weird

After an early early morning, pancakes (YES!), a long drive to Chicago, and a LONG flight (14 hours... I think I slept for about 7), I am finally back in Korea.

It's kinda weird coming back to a foreign country knowing exactly what to do. Even having a home to come home to. It's a good thing Jen and Jeff left me some of their food otherwise I'd be eating those combo's I brought back for Ruda!

Mmmm Combos..... they're all smashed by the way!! Whoops!

I had a pretty awesome time at home. Thank you to all of the people who took time out of their lives to come and visit me! I have some amazing friends. And now I know I have some amazing friends all over the world.


And now it's 8:00a.m Seoul time and I'm wide awake. I woke up at 4a.m. but managed to go back to sleep. Now we'll just wait and see how long it takes before I poop out at the end of the day!

It is now 8:35.... time to poop out.

More to come soon!

Hil

American Again

Now that I'm in America, I'm having the hardest time sleeping in! I wake up at the BUTT CRACK OF DAWN EVERY DAY!!!!!

But, other than that, I love this country! The clothes fit, the people are nice, I understand the language and.... I just fit in. I belong here.

My observations about American culture that prove I have reverse culture shock:

1. How am I going to tell this man that I'm waiting for my friends?? Chingo isayo? Wait.....

2. Wow! It's so sunny out and no one's carrying an umbrella!

3. JCrew "Where are the bathrooms?" Me "See those two Ajuma's up there... they just came out of the bathroom." JCrew "Those are NOT Ajuma's. They're just normal ladies!!"

4. Being amazed at all the different body shapes and sizes...

5. Being amazed when people ask me for directions... or the time... or anything at all.

6. Being amazed and grateful to see the lightheartedness of American youth. The people here just seem to have a more visible personality.

7. Not being able to eat dairy.

8. Having to take the car out for a test drive because you haven't driven in a year, but BEING ABLE TO DRIVE WITH NO PROBLEMS OR HEART ATTACKS AND HOGGING THE DRIVERS SEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!

9. Not being able to stop looking at the sky because it's so blue and beautiful.

10. Shopping like a mad woman because things here fit... and are cute... and they fit... and I like them.... and I need them... and they fit and they're cute. Shopping, shopping, shopping!


*Sigh* I really love this country. It's so great to feel like I actually belong somewhere. It's great to feel like I'm not a freak, like I'm not a giant fatty and like I know what I'm doing here. It's great to belong.

However, I pray (and I ask that you pray with me) that my attitude will improve about Korea and that I'll have a good remaining 6 months in Korea. I want to leave Korea with good memories and good feelings. It has blessed me and grown me in ways that I could never imagine or predict and for that I'm so thankful and grateful. I pray that the country and the experience continues to stretch me and that I'm receptive to it's lessons.

So, for those of you I haven't yet seen... soon... we'll meet soon.

For those of you I have... YAY! I love you!

H

Two Days...

I'm leaving in two days.... I've never looked forward to anything in my life so much as my leaving this country in two days... I'm so excited...

The gummie worms here taste like perfume.

My kids are not motivated to learn English.

I'm not motivated to learn Korean.

Why am I still here???


Two days... twooooooooo daaaaaayysssss....

I do not know how to deal with bleach!

I've trained myself to need to pee when I walk into my parking garage here. I'm like Vygotsky or whoever that dude was that trained the dog to salivate at the sound of a bell.... I've trained myself to need to pee when I walk into my parking garage.

Every time I come home, I take off my bag and set it next to my desk in the same spot every time, I throw my key and phone on my desk, I turn on my computer and then I go pee.

I wish I wasn't so predictable... I want to be sporadic and cute and eccentric... *sigh*


No. I've trained myself to need to pee when I walk into my parking garage. Every time.



So how does one go about bleaching articles of clothing anyways????

I almost passed out about 10 minutes ago because of the fumes. I never knew the powers of bleach. It's mighty!



I'm coming home soon. I can't wait.

White Water Rafting

Yesterday, I went white water rafting with all of the rest of the native English teachers from the Nambu district. It was AMAZING.

Of course, certain parts of the journey were frustrating considering there were about 60 whiny westerners along for the trip and 2 Korean women who just don't quiiiiiite know how to communicate effectively. But, overall, it was a blast. We traveled 3 hours by bus to the East where there were incredible mountains and scenery. I want to live out there, it's amazing.

Then, we ate some lunch, bundled up in life jackets and helmets, piled into some rickety, well used-vans and raced to the river. I must say that the van ride to the river was one very memorable experience. I was certain at many different points along the way that we'd go careening over the mountain side or that the bottom would simply just fall out of the van. That van was build to hold 10 people and there were definitely 15 people in it! 15 people with life jackets and helmets on!

We felt safe!

Then we got to the river. The boat that held me and my 9 team mates was, once again, called team awesome!!

We were the worst rafters in the history of rafting. Unless you consider getting stuck on every possible rock good rafting... cause that's what we did! We rocked.... HAHAHA!!!!!

Our guide, bless his heart, spoke almost no English and unfortunately no one in our raft spoke more Korean than I do. AND, none of us are well versed in rafting terminology!!

Needless to say it was a liiiiiittle confusing at times... but we had a blast. The first thing that happened was that I smashed my paddle into a guys nose.

That was fun for him.

But, then we got going and we really did have a good time. He pulled me in the water to retaliate! Then, everyone got pulled into the water. It was so fun to swim around and just act like a child again. Because we had to wear those helmets and life jackets the whole time, we all looked like children anyways.... might as well act like them.

Jess was especially cute in her little Capri's, life jacket and yellow helmet. Pulling her into the raft one time, I was struck by how much like a little boy she looked! Only rafting can do that!!

Getting back into the raft was a little tricky. Most of the guys had enough upper body strength to be able to pull themselves in, but us women... well, we had a little more trouble. Our guide showed us that if we have our back to the boat, two people can grab onto your life-jacket and pull you into the boat.

Well... this "worked" but it didn't work that well. It only really worked if you were about the size and weight of say.... a Korean.

We westerners are just a little bigger.

We developed a new way of getting in the raft after realizing that the backwards way isn't very effective.... I like to call it... "Slither in like a fish, way." It's much better; you just land on your head when you get in... no big deal!

So, 4 hours after playing and splashing, getting stuck on rocks, swimming, and playing so more, we made our way to the pick up point.

My arms were dead.... still are dead. And, my butt has never felt so..... interesting either.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures. My camera is not waterproof. But, one of the guys in my boat had a waterproof camera and he got some good shots. Hopefully I'll be able to share those pictures with everyone soon!

Until next time!



Hil