1. A lifetime of Political Science and focus on Pre-Law followed by the spontaneous decision to pack my bags, and teach English to Korean middle schoolers has led me to one conclusion: plans change, who are we kidding. Never have I been happier than when I max out on energy in the company of 30 middle schoolers, or more excited watching the daily breakthroughs they're capable of. I've abandoned the original plan and embraced my role as a teacher. So thanks to spontaneity, wherever the path leads from here will decidedly move in that direction. Packing is just the beginning, never be too confident in the destination.
2. Living with basic needs opens endless doors. Enough said. ("Oops." -Society)
 |
3. "Home" is something you let happen. It's a choice to let yourself reach a certain amount of comfort in any given setting. The longer I've been away the simpler my requirements for feeling at home have become.
At this point, my recipe's down to a minimal: Comfort, ease, and motivation.
With that combination, feeling content in my surroundings is an automatic. Letting my guard down in new situations, new places, and with new people is simple... And also follows the unspoken guideline for traveling and living overseas (the right way). It's also easy to say I'm the most at home where I grew up, however most of my growing up to the person I'm becoming happened somewhere between my high school graduation and now, with the "to be continued" at a constant. If anything the past months have shown me that it's possible to feel home in a few different scenarios, the 'different' shaping who you truly are.
The first of those homes is being in the company of family, regardless of the location. The second and newest addition, is in the reunion of old friends, with a cold beer in hand and uninhibited conversation. The third, is a moment of experiencing a new place in the world for the first time and thinking, in that never-ending second, that you're exactly where you should be.
 |
| Insert home here. |
The fourth and last home to fit the bill: Janghueng, South Korea.
...Drop the categorization, and these things are still my collective source of personal growth and motivation. I traveled back to the US this past summer and made the discovery. I was removed from the home I'd become accustomed to in Korea, and walked off the first gate in San Fransisco utterly out of my element. I was uncomfortable, overwhelmed, and socially awkward. I was bowing to strangers in exchange for my change, using too many hand signals for a fluent conversation, and responding to questions with sounds only a Korean would consider human. But then my dad and sister picked me up in the MSP airport, I relaxed to live music and embraced the company of La Crosse companions, I soaked in the span of Lake Superior with new eyes, and let out the sigh of relief... It was good to be back.
I'm now back for my second year in Jangheung, (The Jang) South Korea. The month-long intro has consisted of the arrival of my lifelong best friend who is now living 30 minutes away, taking advantage of a national holiday and utilizing vacation time for Boracay Island in the Philippines (stories soon), weekends with a tent, beach fire, and good company on some nearby islands, meeting countless new teachers starting their first year as I did a year ago, and the even crazier, daily routine of teaching hundreds of middle school girls from 9-5 pm, occasionally 7. Cheers to the comeback, let the year begin. More soon.
Sara
No comments:
Post a Comment