Leaving and Arriving

Well, the last few weeks have been crazy to say the least. I have left Korea, and I'm in Canada! I was hoping to write before I left, but I didnt end up getting to it. The time goes so fast! So I'll try to back track a little.
THe last few weeks i tried to pack up a bit, and get ready in advance. It's really hard to do that. The hardest thing is making the decisions about what stays and what goes. What do you realy need, what should you leave cuz you can get it in Canada anyways, but why do you want to get it again if you already have it? Oh no, I think I just sounded like a pack rat...ya I guess I am in a way, and yes, i hate it and i love it too. I love my stuff. I shouldnt, and I want to be minimalist, but that never seems to happen. Actually, i find comfort in what i have. Evil, EVIL!
Anyway, the new teacher, Michael, came to Kids Club. I'm glad i was there, because man, it's a crazy experience coming to a new school being a new teacher. I didnt have anyone to help me, and I'm sure it would have helped a lot if I could have observed them a bit, and talked with them. It sounds like the other new teacher isn't liking is as much though. I guess that's how it goes.

So, back to me! I had some help from a very meaningful friend to help me move the last weekend, and I couldnt have done it without the help. My gosh. I had to leave some stuff in the apartment that I couldnt take down to the garbage (I'm not sure if it went there anyway), or I would have missed my plane! I feel bad, but I believe they have someone to come in and clean it all up anyway. Still. But I had to catch the plane!

So the last day was nice. The bus driver bought pizza so we had a pizza/goodbye party. i got a shirt that I wanted everyone to sign, and that was loads of fun. Everyone went nuts! So I have a really cool shirt all signed in Korean...and a little English by the kids. So cute. I miss them like mad. Rachel teacher, and the kids. Believe it or not!

I would love to go back, but I dont know what life has in store for me yet. It's good to be back in Canada and to deal with the things I left behind. To see friends and family is nice. All the English is giving me a headache though! Like sensory overload! My time schedule is all messed up. It's getting back to 'normal' soon enough though...but I've been sleepign in till 1 pm. Gotta get onto a schedule of some sort soon! Guess that means getting a job!

THe plane ride over was good. I just LOVE the take offs..you have NO idea! The more the better! I just hate HATE turbulence. Other than that. I was a bit bummed that my seat was RIGHT over the wing, so I couldnt see much even if I wanted to. Darnit. But then mother nature took over that, and it was either dark, or cloudy the whole way. Even over Alaska darmit!

I got to learn a bit of Russian on the plane. That was fun. And i watched a bit of a Korean movie that i really want to finish sometime. I should try and remember the name...crap. It's about a girl and a boy who are friends from childhood, and then end up discovering that they like eachother. Classic and the cutest, especially in Korean!

Michael ended up picking me up from the airport. That was the coolest thing...seeing him after all this time. Getting a ride in the 'bus' too. Tee hee!

So now I'm staying with Ahmed, the guy that has been waiting for me for a year. It's soo good to see him. And now all the rest of the drama continues...

I wonder what will be next...Who knows, I could come back to korea sometime soon! Or go somewhere crazier! How fun would that be?

Oh! And I cant believe how early it gets dark here! Korea's sunsets are almost always around the same time. It's not so much in Canada! But i can SEE the sunsets here, and they're soo beautiful.

And I can't believe how small Vancouver is! Strangie! Oh, and Vancouver is soooo gray and BLAH! I can't believe it! SO what are these architects and designers doing?! Lets get some COLOR!

It's nice to go shopping for clothes that fit, but the prices are a bit harder to get used to again. The food is soooo greasy and fatty...I'm so scared I'm gonna gain a bunch of weight again... It's almost too much for me to handle.

People's personal space is certainly different, and lining up for the bus is so wierd to me! ha ha. I'm used to the rush! And the sky train too! People are so polite! It's almost annoying...just GO! The sky train is so narrow, half the size of what I'm now used to in Gwangju and Seoul. Interesting. People here say sorry WAY too much too. Geez! Just touch me and you'll get a law suit or something! Overall its not that bad. Just the things I notice. And now I'm comparing everything to korea! If i dont compare one way, i'm going the other! Sorry guys...but I guess it's the nature of travelling.

And I'm going desparate to hear some foreign language! Korean please! And another observation, there are SOOO many people here from SOOO many different backgrounds! It's quite amazing! Never realized it before.

Ok kids, that's all for now. Till next time!

John Teacher is kayo to Yonguk

John teacher has left the building back to his homeland of England. I'm gonna miss him. ANd his 'seawater soup' adventures of lunchtime! I hope I get to come and visit him in England, and we can have a cookathon! Woohooo!
Just not the same without him.

The 2 week countdown

Well, it's less than 2 weeks until I leave Korea. I can't believe it's come and gone already! Strangie. I've learned so much. Changed a lot, even though I feel the same. I'll bet I'll really see the difference when I go back to the N. American continent. In some ways I dont want to leave Korea. It has become a home to me.
I'm so glad that I've kept this blog. Even if it has waned during the year, at least I've put important stuff on here.
So, what have I learned and experienced? There's a lot to that...in a year. But here's a smidgen. I've learned a bit of the Korean language, the culture, experienced the generosity of the people. I can understand generally what someone is saying in a conversation. I wish I could compose a few sentences that are a bit better than what I can, but that's ok.
I could see myself coming back to Korea, depending on how I feel and how things go when I get back to Canada. I'd like to live in Busan or something like that. I'd like to go to Japan and China still. I did spend a few days in Fukoka, Japan, but I would love to go and see the rest of it.
I've had the opportunity to teach kindergarten, elementary, and a bit of highschool kids. That's taught me more than anything. Man, kids are great. They can drive u nuts, but looking over it, they always come and make u smile somehow. They can be mad at u one minute, and come and hug you the next. And for no reason. Man, I have to remember how to be that forgiving! Forgive and forget that's for sure!
Yesterday, I told my fave class, "red class" that I had to go to canada in 2 weeks. They know it, and they were actually asking, but somehow it was more 'real. One little guy, Sam just took it quite hard. As soon as I showed him on the calandar he started crying, and full on put his head down on the desk for a few minutes and was crying! Oh I got teary and my heart was being pulled...I love that kid! He got up and was wiping his eyes. Just about killed me. But at least they do know that that's how it is when we get here. I wonder if I'll see them again.
So I have no idea how I'm going to pack all my Korean wardrobe collections up! I do have HUGE suitcases, but geez. Here I was trying to not get things when I came, but so much for that! It's okay, I'm glad I did. Even if I didnt save anything.
Anyway, I'll have to finish this later. Lunchtime is winding down...and I gotta do my 5 minutes of prep! Ha ha!
Later!
Oh, and Obi, keep pluggin. It's all part of the trip ;)