reflections

Today is my one year anniversary of arriving in Korea! It is strange to think that one year ago this country that has now become so familiar to me, was once so unfamiliar! This past year has been good to me, for the most part. In honor of my being here for a year, I'm going to take a moment to reflect on the happenings of the past year.

Highlights:
Soraksan
Mud Festival
Ulsan
California Fitness
DMZ
Hawaii
Philippines
Flow Festival
Surprise care packages
Becoming a fan of Northern Exposure, The Office, and Weeds
Lantern Festival
Nine Inch Nails
The weird car guy
Seeing my kids read on their own!
Making amazing friends
Planning for my next big adventure
Mastering chopsticks!
Not blowing my nose every time I eat spicy food

Lows: (I don't have too many of these, which is good)
hurting my back/countless visits to the doctor
the many colds I have gotten here

In the past year I can honestly look back and say that my lifestyle has changed. Partly because it had to change from living in a new country, but also because I've made changes on my own.

In the past year I have lived without:
a tv (i've been watching certain shows on my computer only)
a car
a dryer
a dishwasher
an oven
a microwave
a living room
fast food (by choice)

I have discovered:
the importance of stretching
yoga
tea
fresh food
I can read Korean
I can get by with my low Korean speaking skills

I have also started checking things off of my "life's to-do list"
I have always wanted to live in a different country.
I dreaded my hair! I've wanted dreads for about 8 years and about 2 weeks ago I decided to just do it!

So yeah, I guess you can say it's been an eventful year. I am happy with the person I am becoming and the things I've been learning.

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." -Alan Cohen