So what they said was true - the fact that you're living in another country really hits you at the end of 3 months. I got here Feb 16th, it is now May 30 and I'm realizing what I miss and why. Here's what I've realized in the last week or so.
1) I miss driving. That one I knew would happen, but the reason was surprising to me. I've always loved driving and road trips. I'll drive with people, I'll drive alone, I'll drive here or there, I will drive ANYWHERE! Here, I can't drive. I could apply for an international driver's license, but I have no intention of doing that. Frankly, I'm afraid I'd hit a person on a scooter - the laws here seem to not apply to scooter drivers. Anyway, the reason I miss driving so bad has nothing to do with the freedom to get in and go wherever I want and on my own time table (though that's a part of it) but it has a lot to do with the fact that behind a wheel is where I work out most of what's going on in my life. I drive, listen to music, and figure out my life. How I feel about things that are happening, why I've been thinking/feeling a certain way, who I need to talk to, etc. And speaking of who I need to talk to, I often would talk to my older sister when I was driving (yes, we're both hands-free, so chill). Driving my car, talking to my sister, working out my life - that was my JAM! Now I'm forced to deal with everything life has thrown at me without my sister and without my drives.
2) Texting/calling whenever the mood strikes. It really, really, really sucks that I can't just pick up the phone and call or text back home whenever I want. I feel like it's been ages since I talked to my mom, though we messaged on FB about 4 days ago. I email my sister every day, but I still would love to be able to call her. We both have to arrange for wifi, to be online at the same time, etc. It sucks so bad. I love having phone dates with people (and I love that my bestie and I have a standing date on Sunday) but the ability to call when something happens is definitely something that I miss. Also, having my friends be able to call me! I miss my near-daily convos with Ana!
3) BJ's Brewhouse. I need to get the heck off that email list! They're having a beer dinner with beer from New Belgium brewery. If you live where there's a BJ's and you like beer and food, I highly recommend going! I need to either get off my bum and go to a brewery in Seoul or I need to make friends who like beer and don't mind going to different breweries in a weekend. The good news is that A likes wine, so there are some winery tours in our futures. I need to make friends with beer snobs. I love the craft beer scene in TX as well - sigh... Revolver, I'm looking at you!!!
4) Amazon Prime. I am cancelling my Amazon Prime membership. The shows and stuff are not really avail here in Korea. It's disappointing, but might be for the best, really. I did do a bit too much ordering before and at least now I have to actually go to the store if I want to spend money. Also, I'm trying not to put too much on my credit card because I'm not a huge fan of sending money home. June is about to be a really lean month for me cuz I bought all the tickets for the July trip and my credit card bill is about to be outrageous. Thank God for not having pay rent.
So those are probably the big ones. There have been benefits to moving to Korea. I message my grandmother more now than I ever did before. I also got the guts to cut my hair shorter than it's ever been. In fact, when I go back (probably in July) I think I'm going to have him take more off the back, but leave the front long and fun. Turns out the asymmetric look is good for me! I've enjoyed learning how to teach and manage a classroom, I've had some of the BEST food, and I've made some good acquaintances (coffee lady, chicken cup lady, Korean BBQ guy), and some good friends. So it's not all bad, and I'm really not sorry that I came here. It's just the little things that I suspected I'd miss, but didn't realize how much.
I've also realized that when I'm in need of comfort, I turn to things that have historically made me really happy: Metallica music, Friends TV show, sewing my jeans (they developed a hole... they are now capris and the hole is patched), cooking. Basically anything that makes me feel like me. The good news is that my youtube playlist that I listen to at work is friggin' EPIC! I have the BEST taste in music, and don't even come at me on that. Playing music at work has replaced playing music in my car on the way to work. Which makes me laugh cuz when I worked at the hospital, I remember getting annoyed one day because the commute wasn't long enough for me to fully rock out before work. Now I listen to youtube while preping my lessons. Funny ol' world, innit. (I learned I can't listen when grading writing notebooks cuz I pay more attention to the music than I do the glaring grammar and spelling mistakes my students make.)
At the moment, I know that I'm not 100% because I'm exhausted no matter what. I slept pretty good last night (I finally bought a real sleep mask, but I still need something to block out the sun... I have thoughts on that involving a foam mattress cover and zip ties), but I'm still exhausted. I think having a job that is this people-y is getting to me. I am an introvert's introvert and I'm in need of a good weekend to recharge. I think this weekend is shot because people are leaving and moving and I feel the need to help, but next weekend I'm not doing ANYTHING but staying in my home. We also have Thurs next week off, so maybe I'll use that as a day to get things done that I'd normally do on the weekend so that I really don't have to go anywhere that weekend. I could also use that time to call home.
I am going to stop by the chicken cup lady to treat myself to come amazing fried chicken before going to Home Plus to get some groceries. Then I'll probably have ramen with an egg in it for dinner... maybe a glass of wine... then find something on Netflix. Oh and also put some pix in here and post it. I wrote most of this when others were getting lunch today ;) I'm not sure how long it's going to take for people to think of me as being anti social (or if it's happened already) but I really don't care. One of the best things I ever realized is that I can't control what other people think of me. It was an incredibly freeing realization.
So it's Korean BBQ tomorrow, then helping people move on Saturday and then Sunday is Good Omens day! Hehehe - woot woot!!!
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