Today Marks One Year Here!

Today is August 17th, which marks 1 year since I have arrived here in South Korea!  It has been an amazing year, and as much as I would like to say it doesn't seem like it has been a whole year, it does.  And for me that is perfect.  It hasn't gone too fast, and it has dragged on.  I am always feeling busy, but still always find time to experience new things, and also time to relax.  I am excited to visit home a week from tomorrow, but I am also glad that I have another year here, because I'm just not ready to be done with Korea yet.  There are several more Seoul trips in my future, hopefully another Jeju trip, and a whole lot more Korean BBQ.

My friends Kendra, Julia and I enjoying a 10K run out in the countryside a month or so ago.

I'm finishing the 2nd week of my 3 week summer camp today, so in a week I will have a 2 week bonus vacation for resigning my contract.  I am using that to go back home to visit friends and family, and then I'm coming back to start the fall semester.  I am having a bit of a reflection over the past year this week, and I feel like I have accomplished a lot, while enjoying my job and my social life.  I have gone on 3 great vacations (Seoul/Jeju, Thailand, and the Jeolla Province trip), and almost had a 4th to Japan had I not missed my ferry.  I bought 2 guitars and joined a band (maybe my favorite thing right now?).  I've made lots of friends from all over the world, some that I will keep in touch with for a long time I think.  I've just completed and received the certificate for an online TEFL course that will help out my resume.  I've lost a phone, a wallet, ruined a laptop (water damage) and have recently broke my phone breakdancing (good thing for insurance, and not caring too much about material things).  I've successfully kept up with this blog which will be an amazing way to look back on this experience years down the road!

Here is my TEFL certificate (that will give me a nice monthly raise this next year :)

Before I decided to move here, I had planned on traveling during my summers off from teaching in the States, but I had never pictured myself actually living abroad.  Coming here was one of the best decisions I've ever made, because it has opened up a world of opportunities to me, literally!  During my next year here I plan on visiting Vietnam (December), Japan, and maybe Jeju again.  After that I will probably be looking at Taiwan for 1 year, and mayyyybe China for a year after that.  It's hard to commit past that right now (and I know my parents don't quite want to hear this), but I feel like going to South America (Ecuador, Chile and/or Argentina) for a year or two would complete my journey.  If I do all of that, I will be ready to start my teaching career in America as I approach the end of my 20's.  After that I can still take my summers to see Europe and hopefully some parts of Africa.  My mind constantly changes on what my future will hold, but the fact that I can change my mind, and that I can go just about anywhere and find work, is the most liberating feeling I could have!  So on I go, and life is good :)

Oh yeah, I also gotta hit Australia for some SCUBA diving before I leave Asia too :)