At the beginning of the year, I left the home I had built in Korea. I left my closest friends, my job, my routines, and all the futures I had envisioned for myself on that peninsula, and I returned to the States. I was excited, but I was also heartbroken. In one hand, I held hopeful excitement about my new beginning; but in the other, my whole world seemed to be slipping away like sand through my fingers […]
I have now been living in South Korea for over SEVEN years. That seems crazy-long, but also far shorter than I expected. Part of me thought I would stay here forever. But for now, I’m departing. In a few short weeks, I will be moving back to the States! Despite the fact that I grew […]
While I was lying in bed last night, two car crashes happened outside my open window. It was jolting to be half-asleep and hear the screech of tires followed by the crash of metal and glass. Even though I was lying safely indoors up on the fourth floor, I felt as if the cars were […]
Looking back on my 2011, one thing is clear: it was definitely a year of transition. There were some difficult parts, but as I reflect on the past year, I can’t help but be thankful for all that transpired. I remember standing on the roof of my friend’s townhouse in downtown Baltimore last year on […]
This past week I’ve been in survival mode, getting over jet lag, figuring out how to feed myself, and finding the motivation to unpack and clean my apartment. I am still waiting for my alien registration number so I can get a phone, bank account, and start my real life here. But I have done […]
I have been in Seoul for about 28 hours now! The 15-hour flight felt endless, but I already love being here. Disclaimer: I am severely jet-lagged, so please excuse any incoherence you may find in this post. The night before I left for Korea, I barely slept. I thought I was feeling relatively fine about […]