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last night in my neighborhood (not in Korea though) ... got a huge plate of bokeumbap at the awkward kimbap place and secured a smile from the stiff-lipped proprietor by saying "I'm full" in Korean.  walking there my favorite ajhumma at the ttuk shop inquired about my sunburn and gave me ttuk for free -- she told me I should eat that instead of going to the kimbap place haha.  on the way back I was eating a popsicle and found 50,000 won (like $50) in the street.  I asked the folks at the butcher shop nearby if it was thiers and it wasn't ... but they gave me 20,000 of it for good character.  I left the house empty-bellied and came back full of bokeumbap, with free breakfast for tomorrow and an extra $20! 

the pork restaurant on the corner that Rebecca and I use as a place of reference is now something else.  on facebook today it showed me my status on this day last year and it was "when I go to sleep tonight, I'll be in Korea!"  I can't believe a year has flown by so fast already!  I am a mess of emotions ... ranging from ready to return to familiarity, to at peace, to agonized that I could be leaving soon.  tomorrow is my last day at school -- if I make it out of there without tears I will be surprised!  but I hope I don't ... my weepiness is so embarrassing!

finishing up packing and then it's over to Hannah's with my baggage.  then a major cleaning overhaul of the place and tomorrow I go to school one last time and turn in all my keys.  after tomorrow I'll be in Korea the maximum 10 days before my visa expires and they kick me out!  then 3 days in Hawaii, then home to my Mommy!  though I've been a stress monster, I'm looking forward to these times.  and I only got back from Thailand last night!  poor Thailand, I have had no time to sit and steep over how much I loved you.  another time.

pack, wash, haul, clean!
<3 Kayla

Almost Hometime!

One week from today I will be on a plane to Thailand.  One month from yesterday I will be on a plane home to the States.  There’s a whole lotta leavin’ going on!

I am sorry to have to skip to the end – things have been pretty crazy busy the last 3 months!  And it’s August now so ohmygosh! That’s what it’s been!  3 months!

I’ve been keeping a running list of things to post about though I have not posted – so I think I will post this for the time and then break my lovely linear flow by doing some flashback posts in my leisure time post-Korea to tell you about those events.  I can’t believe how fast this year in Korea has gone!  

I have oscillated between extreme sadness to leave Korea and extreme happiness to be home, but now the feeling is predominantly happiness at returning.  Though, when I stop to think about it, I am still very sad to leave here. 

 I’m going to miss my little apartment.  I’m going to miss eating Korean food 75% of the time.  I’m going to miss the mountains near my house (Dobongsan!) and seeing colorful cranky ahjummas everywhere and drinking Cass Lemon with Hannah.  I’m going to miss my kids terribly, and all the kind teachers at my  school.  I’m going to miss the ease of travel to other Asian countries and being able to take weekend trips to Buddhist temples.  I’m going to miss the excellent shopping (although it’s much healthier for us to be parted).  I’m going to miss regular visits and outings with the friends I have accumulated here.  I’m going to miss the smell of Korean laundry detergent and having kimchi with every meal.  Sigh!

Picking up my life each year and starting over from scratch is really getting old.   Though I’m hoping for a little stasis in the Pacific Northwest,  I am seriously considering graduate school for the fall of 2012 and therefore might be moving yet again.  But that is a year from my arrival home (damn! that yearly cycle of mine), so there’ll be time to think and nothing is decided.

Right now my little home is a total mess of suitcases and crap to stuff into them.  I have a particularly aggressive batch of fruit flies that keep flying at my face and floating around every which way I move (the apartment is small!).  I hate them!  One thing I will NOT miss about Korea – the everpresence of these little #@%&#*^s in summer.  I have acclimated to the heat and humidity, though I still carry a handheld fan and hanky everywhere I go to combat it.  

I am packing for both Thailand AND my move.  I have to be completely of my apartment only 2 days after returning from that trip and so I want to be packed for everything so all I have to do is clean and do last-minute things when I return.  

Some things I have acquired in Korea:  a great, almost idyllic, value of my home in the US (Washington specifically).  An appreciation for weekend and other short trips around the area I’m living.  I’d like to do this more when I’m home!  There is so much to do that I haven’t done!   An even greater desire to travel in general.  A propensity to wear shorter skirts and slimmer pants than I used to, but higher necklines.  A love of seaweed, Korean canned tuna, and gochujang (spicy/sweet Korean chili paste)! 

I will write posts about individual events as I have time and inclination and will try to post pictures.  But, you can always go to my facebook page to look at pictures there (though without the story to accompany them).  **Look for the flashback posts to come!**

Lots of love!

Kayla J

PS~ at first I accidentally typed “lots of log!”   : ) haha