Gee but it's great to be back home...
Snow-covered Seoraksan National ParkHard to believe we've been back in Korea 2 weeks already!
I wasn't sure what to expect from January, or from 2008. We returned to Sokcho after a blissfully perfect visit home (to Chicago and Michigan) for Christmas, where time spent with family and friends was meaningful, fun, and relaxing. I wasn't sure if it would spoil the return to the Land of Morning Calm or not. And truthfully, I was interested to see if our convictions to come back for another year would be confirmed.
So far, being back in Korea has been awesome. Usually the month of January feels strange and uncomfortable to me, like discovering the fact that you're naked in a crowded room (or like being given a blank sheet of paper and being told to "tell someone about yourself"). The year is so new, and there's a lof of pressure to change and improve and have a good attitude. I was telling Paul that so far, this feels like the best January I've had in a long time! No depressing perpetually gray skies, as from my college years in western Michigan. No being apart from my love (as we were the year we were engaged), no weirdness from living in a new place away from my family (our first year in DC). No massive culture shock while being miserably sick, learning a new language and a new city (and a new job), and living in city that stayed brown all winter (January 2007 in Korea).
Getting back into teaching (well, we were only gone for a week!) was easy and natural, and unlike last year (at this time), the students didn't seem super hyper and obnoxious. Perhaps they've mellowed (or maybe we have!). The weather has been excellent (well, a tad cold, but that's befitting the season, eh?). We've had 8 snowy days already. It's extremely beautiful, and considering we have a view of mountains every morning, I ain't complainin' (Paul says his appreciation of snow is inversely related to not having to shovel or drive in it). It's properly winter here--winter being a white season. Also, when it snows here, the sky isn't gray. It's either white or blue--there's a difference.
Our health has also been quite good (and even if it doesn't continue, we have a HUGE supply of American cold medicine that we schlepped back with us). No horrible coughy cold. Not yet, at least. Our tummies are already adapted back to the spice and sour of Korean cuisine.
We have already had many lovely outings with friends, and have caught up with them about their own holiday travels. Given the weather we're experiencing here, they've been mostly quiet indoor activities--a spades tournament over a plate of roast chicken, movie nights with popcorn, poker with the guys, learning danggu (Korean billiards), a game of dominoes with warm mugs of tea, and of course, a night at noraebang. We even toured a new posh resort near Yangyang with Ara, Ruth E., and Kelsey, and found a spot that sells real italian gelatto!
Here you don't feel a push toward New Years' resolutions. I don't know if Koreans observe that tradition or not, but I feel content having "a year off", so to speak. This doesn't mean that I don't intend to accomplish anything (far from it), but it is nice to be away from the pressure I usually feel come January. The old year has made a natural progression into the new one, and life feels comfortable and warm and not so anxious (no white paper feeling).
But that isn't to say that nothing is going on. Paul and I are preparing for our upcoming trip to Beijing, China! We leave 2 weeks from tomorrow. We recently booked a room at the Beijing Lotus Hostel, which is located near the famed Tiananmen Square. We hope to visit there, some nearby temples, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall, to name a few. The Chinese teacher at A.P., Hong, is currently helping us to figure out our itinerary (including what foods to try, where to shop, etc.). We're really getting excited about it! It'll probably be our last international excursion for a while, since I am going to start grad school this summer (and will use that time to take 2 classes in Michigan, while Paul heads home to New Hampshire for a couple weeks).
In preparation for starting at Cornerstone, I'm also filling out my FAFSA and we've just filed our taxes (already! I think this is the earliest I've ever done them!). What's nice about making money overseas is that you don't have to pay taxes on it (but we don't get a refund either). Korean class will also be starting up again in March (but right now we have a nice lull, and Fridays off). Also in March, I'll be taking a class in hanji, a traditional Korean art kind of like mod-podge. And Paul is looking for a classes in judo.
Life is good!
I wasn't sure what to expect from January, or from 2008. We returned to Sokcho after a blissfully perfect visit home (to Chicago and Michigan) for Christmas, where time spent with family and friends was meaningful, fun, and relaxing. I wasn't sure if it would spoil the return to the Land of Morning Calm or not. And truthfully, I was interested to see if our convictions to come back for another year would be confirmed.
So far, being back in Korea has been awesome. Usually the month of January feels strange and uncomfortable to me, like discovering the fact that you're naked in a crowded room (or like being given a blank sheet of paper and being told to "tell someone about yourself"). The year is so new, and there's a lof of pressure to change and improve and have a good attitude. I was telling Paul that so far, this feels like the best January I've had in a long time! No depressing perpetually gray skies, as from my college years in western Michigan. No being apart from my love (as we were the year we were engaged), no weirdness from living in a new place away from my family (our first year in DC). No massive culture shock while being miserably sick, learning a new language and a new city (and a new job), and living in city that stayed brown all winter (January 2007 in Korea).
Getting back into teaching (well, we were only gone for a week!) was easy and natural, and unlike last year (at this time), the students didn't seem super hyper and obnoxious. Perhaps they've mellowed (or maybe we have!). The weather has been excellent (well, a tad cold, but that's befitting the season, eh?). We've had 8 snowy days already. It's extremely beautiful, and considering we have a view of mountains every morning, I ain't complainin' (Paul says his appreciation of snow is inversely related to not having to shovel or drive in it). It's properly winter here--winter being a white season. Also, when it snows here, the sky isn't gray. It's either white or blue--there's a difference.
Our health has also been quite good (and even if it doesn't continue, we have a HUGE supply of American cold medicine that we schlepped back with us). No horrible coughy cold. Not yet, at least. Our tummies are already adapted back to the spice and sour of Korean cuisine.
We have already had many lovely outings with friends, and have caught up with them about their own holiday travels. Given the weather we're experiencing here, they've been mostly quiet indoor activities--a spades tournament over a plate of roast chicken, movie nights with popcorn, poker with the guys, learning danggu (Korean billiards), a game of dominoes with warm mugs of tea, and of course, a night at noraebang. We even toured a new posh resort near Yangyang with Ara, Ruth E., and Kelsey, and found a spot that sells real italian gelatto!
Here you don't feel a push toward New Years' resolutions. I don't know if Koreans observe that tradition or not, but I feel content having "a year off", so to speak. This doesn't mean that I don't intend to accomplish anything (far from it), but it is nice to be away from the pressure I usually feel come January. The old year has made a natural progression into the new one, and life feels comfortable and warm and not so anxious (no white paper feeling).
But that isn't to say that nothing is going on. Paul and I are preparing for our upcoming trip to Beijing, China! We leave 2 weeks from tomorrow. We recently booked a room at the Beijing Lotus Hostel, which is located near the famed Tiananmen Square. We hope to visit there, some nearby temples, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall, to name a few. The Chinese teacher at A.P., Hong, is currently helping us to figure out our itinerary (including what foods to try, where to shop, etc.). We're really getting excited about it! It'll probably be our last international excursion for a while, since I am going to start grad school this summer (and will use that time to take 2 classes in Michigan, while Paul heads home to New Hampshire for a couple weeks).
In preparation for starting at Cornerstone, I'm also filling out my FAFSA and we've just filed our taxes (already! I think this is the earliest I've ever done them!). What's nice about making money overseas is that you don't have to pay taxes on it (but we don't get a refund either). Korean class will also be starting up again in March (but right now we have a nice lull, and Fridays off). Also in March, I'll be taking a class in hanji, a traditional Korean art kind of like mod-podge. And Paul is looking for a classes in judo.
Life is good!
posted by streetwise at 4:21 AM
1 Comments:
Glad to hear that you are doing well, and situated back at home. It is snowing here right now too, and surprisingly today we have blue sky!! Catcha lata.
10:45 AM
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