1/4 down

Today marks my three month anniversary from when I started my contract with CIS. It has been, and continues to be filled with adventures, in/off again feelings of homesickness/frustration/despair/happiness/exploring. Thoughts crappiness that is my school never ceases to amazing me, I have learned to manage it and my emotions around it better;improving everyday. 

My journey has just begun, though it feels like the fast three months have flown by yet dragged on.

I am so appreciative of all those who have kept in touch with me. You truly have no idea how fantastic it is for me to receive a text/email/FB message/ Skype/FT with you. I love it all!

Thank you so very much for all of your love, support and time while I am on this adventure. I send you so much love!

I celebrated today with a toffee nut latte at Starbucks. Close enough to beig back home right? ;)

t-giving

I am oblivious to the timing of my Canadian holidays :( as I don't have the time off here. I miss them. I miss being at home to be apart of them. Miss my family and my friends who are an extension of my family.

One of the Korean friends went to Costco and picked us Canadians up a HUGE pumpkin pie. By god it was delicious!

Staying Connected

Found a site that allows my computer, and hopefully soon my iPhone too, to think it is back in Canada. Google: VPN Express. And thank goodness for that! First world problems I know right. But I am able to watch netflix and my guilty pleasure show: Real Housewives of Orange County. For some reason though, Korean websites still pop up :( Like when I was trying to add money to my Skype account, it's all in Korean. If I really want to get that done, ill need to find someone back home to load my account.

Family/friends have been wonderful for this! I cannot thank you all (ESPECIALLY KP)! You have saved me!

Another way to keep in touch is through iMessage and textplus. Skype is good too! You just need to be with it enough to know the time exchange :)

All Your Lives Possessions

When preparing yourself to leave your life behind, one has a few options depending upon the time frame prior to departure. I focused more time on visiting family and friends rather than ridding myself of my possessions. I neatly packed my life into a 10x10 uHaul unit and quickly drove around to visit as many people as possible. 

I think that even if you tried to sell all your possessions it would be equally as stressful, though more time consuming. It honesty depends what you are looking to get out of your time prior to departure.

Looked into selling my phone and contract over kijiji or to a friend. No takers but a viable option. Plus my plan is ridiculous; hard to give up. I have put my plan into suspense at 15$/month. Plan will still be there whenever I return.

Attempted to sell my car over kijiji and to friends. No dice there as well. But totally worth a shot!

All avenues will cause headaches. But at least now you have some known options ...

On The Road, Again

These past three - four weeks feel like a whirl-wind! I have been up, down, and all around. I've seen family, friends, mountains, oceans, and roads ... many, many a roads. I am so appreciative that I as well as all those I saw took the time, though sometimes brief, to sit back and enjoy one another's company. I am truly blessed for the people I have in my life and for the experiences I have had; thanks for adding to them this month everyone 😉 

You all rock my socks off!

I am on the last leg-stretch of driving. Am heading "home," whatever that means now eh to take care of last minute details and prepare for my next adventure.

Do I smell a time crunch in the air?

family travels

Stop One:

Stop Two:

Stop Three:

Stop Four:

Stop Five:

LAST STOPS:

last goodbyes

Currently, I am making my rounds to see friends and family before I embark on the year long venture that will not ring me home sooner. I do not think I understood or felt the magnitude of this twelve month hiatus on Canada until Bauer was given to a better home.

I just thought I had more time. It all feels so rushed now; the visiting, then"see ya laters," everything. 

Knowing myself, I WILL go through a short period where I cry, miss family/friends and wonder "What the fuck did I get myself into, you crazy chica?!" But once that 1-3 day period subsides, all will be ok, and the real adventure can begin ...

"cry me a river" - j.t.

Much to my dismay, the teacher I was going to replace has elected to stay in Daegu for another teaching year. In short, I was not offered the position. <insert pouty face with arms crossed>
Often when I am teaching, when a student complains, I sing "cry me a river," by Justin Timberlake to make light of the situation, put even a small smirk on their face, and to encourage them to move on.

At this time, I would like to sing this to myself. Yes I am pouty. Yes I am disappointed. Yes I feel just a lost without a plan yet again. But, there are other positions out there. There are other recruiters out there. I even have an interview with a recruiter this weekend.

Maybe this position, though it seemed Perfect, was not the one meant for me. Or maybe, just maybe, I am not suppose to be heading overseas at this junction of my life. Maybe my silver lining is to stay and keep Bauer, hopefully receiving a teaching position in the city ... but maybe not.

Time will only tell.

I do feel that I should take this summer and cancel all work plans. I should take time to focus and visit family; you never know, I could be asked to leave in four days time.

I felt stupid this morning thinking of may upcoming tattooing. It feels like it will be a negative reminder of how I did not get to go away. But in thinking deeper, it will be an continually reminder that I CAN pick up, try something new - wheather it be moving out, going abroad, travelling, meeting new people, starting a new and better chapter in my financial investment, whatever - and that it is ok and never too late.