It's starting to hit me that I have just about a week left in Korea. All the memories and people I have met are going to be in a far away place when I go back home. When I ride the subway I can't help but think that this would be my last time on the bustling train. As I walk past the usual shops in my neighborhood and hear the fruit stand lady shout, "Oranges, 3,000 won!" (In Korean) I know that I won't hear that again.
I am not scared to be saying good bye to all this but I now really I understand it's something I'm going to have to do. Korea has been my home for the past five years and I made it so. I adjusted to all the differences and nuances. I can read Korean fluently and work my way around a crowded busy street like slick butter. It's time to wrap all this up and put in my memories.
Yet I am looking forward to being far from here and having the time to mentally hash all this out and go through what was precious about living in Korea. For a while I was telling myself all the reasons it will be good to go home, and how Korea has it's flaws. But today I realized that there is nothing wrong with Korea. It is what it is, and will tick and sputter along as it always does. With that said, I also feel there is nothing wrong with America, and not one is truly better than the other. They both have their way of living and I am choosing to live back in America.
I am calling this Day 7 because I will countdown to the last day when I leave. I hope to put up a post for everyday on my reflections and updates on what is going on.
Today I was going to putter around the house doing some chores and cleaning before heading out to the Seoul KOTESOL workshop. Instead I picked up my tote bag and headed to Gangnam. There I went to the Kyobo bookstore, because at the bottom level is their stationary store. I still felt compelled to get more little sketchbooks and journals. Let's just say I hope I can fit it all in my suitcase.
The Seoul KOTESOL workshop was really well done this time. Stafford presented us with the topic of "Error Correction" and I have to say I should really have done more to correct my students English. It opened up my eyes to the breadth of this profession and got me excited for my coursework ahead.
Time is ticking...
I am not scared to be saying good bye to all this but I now really I understand it's something I'm going to have to do. Korea has been my home for the past five years and I made it so. I adjusted to all the differences and nuances. I can read Korean fluently and work my way around a crowded busy street like slick butter. It's time to wrap all this up and put in my memories.
Yet I am looking forward to being far from here and having the time to mentally hash all this out and go through what was precious about living in Korea. For a while I was telling myself all the reasons it will be good to go home, and how Korea has it's flaws. But today I realized that there is nothing wrong with Korea. It is what it is, and will tick and sputter along as it always does. With that said, I also feel there is nothing wrong with America, and not one is truly better than the other. They both have their way of living and I am choosing to live back in America.
I am calling this Day 7 because I will countdown to the last day when I leave. I hope to put up a post for everyday on my reflections and updates on what is going on.
Today I was going to putter around the house doing some chores and cleaning before heading out to the Seoul KOTESOL workshop. Instead I picked up my tote bag and headed to Gangnam. There I went to the Kyobo bookstore, because at the bottom level is their stationary store. I still felt compelled to get more little sketchbooks and journals. Let's just say I hope I can fit it all in my suitcase.
The Seoul KOTESOL workshop was really well done this time. Stafford presented us with the topic of "Error Correction" and I have to say I should really have done more to correct my students English. It opened up my eyes to the breadth of this profession and got me excited for my coursework ahead.
Time is ticking...