A year ago, I was going into 'reverse nesting' mode...starting to figure out how to prepare to leave my old life behind, and start on a new journey. Here is the fun part - I had never been to Korea and I was trying to figure out how to prepare for living there. It is not that I hadn't done that before (moving to Ireland in my early 20s), but it was different to move across the world as a professional. Here are a few lists for those of you who might be in the same boat. Some of these things are specific to Korea, some are specific to teaching, but some of them are just geared toward moving across the world.
What should I have packed that I didn't:
1. Spices - I was warned that Korean spices were very different and I didn't pay enough attention! I thought I would just learn to use the local spices pretty quickly and I was wrong. I have learned some, but it is nice to have the spices I am used to using when I want to make a familiar meal!
** iherb.com can be a life saver in this case - they ship to SO many countries!
2. Bedding - I brought sheets, but I didn't worry about a blanket or comforter. I happen to get a decent deal on a blanket at eMart (love that place!) and winter wasn't crazy cold this year. Thank goodness my parents were able to bring my comforter over when they visited at Christmas. Of course you can get one here - they just cost about $200.00
3. Shoes - I have big feet...size 9 is almost impossible to find here. 8 - 8.5 you should be ok, but not much bigger than that. We do have a payless inside our eMart and I was able to get a few pairs of sandals there. Sandals became SO important when my feet started to swell from the heat at the beginning of the year. I was not prepared for that and my shoes were awful!! Also, my running shoes were dead about half way through the year - next year I will bring two pair!
4. Posters - I wasn't sure what I was walking into in my classroom and it would have been nice to have some things that made it look like 'my' classroom. Again, my parents are amazing and shipped some to me. I can requisition them from school, but that was low on my list of necessary items.
5. Clothes for the weather - Coming from Colorado, I wasn't prepared for the humidity. My cotton t-shirts were even too thick! It is CRAZY hot and humid here - I didn't know what that really felt like until I arrived and it was too late!
6. A laptop- I brought my iPad which is super convenient for traveling etc. but a pain to do work on! If you are all laptop savvy, this might not apply...my skills are not that good on the iPad.
Things I am really glad I brought:
1. Pictures and blue tac - I had a whole wall collage of pictures of things that were important to me. Places I had visited and lived, some of my hometown, my friends, and my family. It was nice to put them up right away so that my apartment felt like home! Blue tac sticks to almost all surfaces and it was a great purchase for my move!
2. Clothes - plenty of clothes that I was used to, that I felt comfortable in, and that I could do my job in. I would have liked to have traveled a bit lighter, but it was nice to not have to try to find clothes to fit right away!
3. VPN - Not that you 'bring' this, but it was really nice to purchase one. I know a lot of people who get by without, but for things like pandora (music) and netflix (TV/movies) it really comes in handy.
4. Rain boots - They were heavy, and I have only used them a handful of times. That being said - they have been really handy the few times I have used them!
5. Vitamins and Medicine - I like to know what I am putting in my body and that is really hard to do here! Also, I was warned that cold/flu medication wasn't as strong here, so it was nice to have some 'American strength' medication in my cabinet! Also, things like pepto and allergy medicine have been handy!
6. Books/Magazines- I have acquired some books and magazines (thanks Kim!) through the year and it has been really nice. My school has an area where teachers can leave books and pick up new ones and there is an English book store that is in the foreign district (just a long way to go when all I feel like doing is curling up with a book). I can also get books for my iPad, but I am a true fan of the paper version! The magazines were really nice (from Kim) since they are wickedly expensive to get here!
7. iPod - When it gets overwhelming to be in a crowded subway (which is actually not that bad here compared to anywhere else I have ever been), a crazy supermarket with people yelling adds into a microphone, or on a crowded street, it is nice to just put in my ear buds and go into my own little world. I know that it isn't safe to do that so much in some other countries, but Seoul is awesome for being one of the major cities that doesn't have much crime.
What I didn't/haven't done that I wish I would have:
1. Travel more in Korea- I have been to Busan, but there are so many other places that I want to see in Korea. Next year I have a few islands in mind!!
2. Camping - Camping is easy here and I have wanted to go the two times I have been invited, but timing has been bad.
3. Learn more Korean- I started taking a class once each week with one of our Korean teachers, but then had to stop when I started coaching. I've hit a plateau in my skills and I am really disappointed about that.
4. Join a group like WINK (When In Korea) to do more adventure/traveling/making friends. There are always groups for expats and I encourage people to try them out - including myself. I am excited to try some of the WINK activities next fall.
Things I am glad I have done:
1. Get outside- I am most comfortable and at peace when I am outside. Korea has some great hiking trails and they seriously helped me feel balanced and not go crazy early in the year! The Dobongsan and Suraksan stops on line 7 have some awesome trails!
2. Meetups- I have only done a few of these - I'd like to do more- but it is nice to meet people outside the bubble of my school and neighborhood! It is also a great way to try out things you haven't done before or find people who share your hobbies. www.meetup.com
3. Church- Thank goodness for my friend Dawn who already attended a church regularly and was happy to invite me along. It has been a great place to worship (not at my school - not that my school service is bad - its just nice to get out of the bubble!) and a great place to make friends! The one I go to is in Gangnam which is also a nice place to adventure around. I love New Harvest Church
4. Subway Roulette - This is something that my group of single ladies made up. One evening each week, we would ride the subway on a random line, to a random stop and then explore. We found fun places to eat, weird art, great people watching, and most importantly, we learned to use the subway like pros! T-Money cards are a must if you are trucking around Seoul!
5. Vacation- I have been to Japan, China, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines this year. This is one very big perk of my job and my location. Where ever you are, don't be afraid to travel to close places and get out of the country! Vietnam is already booked for fall break! Part of why this job rocks is the travel - make it worth your while :)
Any other additions my well-traveled friends?!? Please feel free to post them to the comments!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Home for the Holidays
Although I love curling up by my parent's fireplace with a mug full of hot coco, this year I traded in my snowy white Christmas for a sunny warm Christmas! My parents came for a visit (4 day whirlwind of Seoul...more on that later!) and then we all boarded a plane down to Australia for my Christmas holiday. It has been 9 years since I've had the chance to spend winter down under. It was so great to spend time with my mum's family and catch up with cousins and extended cousins that I haven't seen in years.
Part of me feels like a total tourist when I am there, but part of me also felt very much at home spending the holiday season in Oz. Some of my favorite places on the planet are in Australia and I have very strong emotional ties to the memories I have of spending time there while I was growing up. Who knows, maybe Australia is where I will end up settling down...if I ever settle down :) Here are a few pieces of my trip!
Not in chronological order...
After a few days in Bendigo, it was time to go see Uncle John and Aunt Robyn...bonus...my cousin Mel was there, too!!! Bairnsdale is a great town and is close to my two favorite places - Lake's Entrance / 90 mile beach and Fairy Dell. These are where some of my strongest childhood memories came from and I always feel a bit at home here!
Our last stop was Melbourne / Werribee to see Maureen! We got some shopping time in, a bit of sight seeing, and even a Safari adventure!
It is always a blessing to get to see family at the holidays and it was so nice to be in Australia during my break for a change! Stay classy, Victoria...see you next year!
Part of me feels like a total tourist when I am there, but part of me also felt very much at home spending the holiday season in Oz. Some of my favorite places on the planet are in Australia and I have very strong emotional ties to the memories I have of spending time there while I was growing up. Who knows, maybe Australia is where I will end up settling down...if I ever settle down :) Here are a few pieces of my trip!
Not in chronological order...
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| The reading room in the Victoria Library |
I got to spend a few days in the City with my cousin Mark - what a blast! I absolutely love Melbourne and it was so nice to spend time with my cousin! I stole his entire day off and we trekked around and around and around the city. The weather was beautiful, the people were fun, the food was awesome ( I even got some Mexican...ish food), and the city was everything I remember it being.
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| What beautiful old buildings! {National Library} |
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| Because everyone rides Rhinos in the city...right? |
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| Sadly the clock was under repair, but the mall still has the same old charm. |
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| {Local Art} |
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| One of my favorite views of the city with Flinder's Street Station and the skyline! |
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| This is the view from a pub...that's right...a pub! |
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| Flinder's Street Station - this makes me heart happy <3 |
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| Lunch with my cousin Skye - amazing lady and an awesome lunch spot in Little Collins |
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| I spent my last day of vacation at St. Kilda beach [then returned to snow in Seoul - no fun!] |
We started out the trip with spending time at my Aunt Jen and Uncle Brian's home in Bendigo. Its a great little town with some open spaces and loads of shopping!! I think I bought the country out of shoes...Asia just doesn't seem to cater to large footed foreigners ;)
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| Mum & Dad on an evening walk |
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| Walking around the lake - enjoying the view and feeling blessed! |
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| This town is ADORABLE! |
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| {All the food...spoiled, spoiled, spoiled} |
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| Mango on my ice cream? Yes, please!! |
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| Its a real place... |
After a few days in Bendigo, it was time to go see Uncle John and Aunt Robyn...bonus...my cousin Mel was there, too!!! Bairnsdale is a great town and is close to my two favorite places - Lake's Entrance / 90 mile beach and Fairy Dell. These are where some of my strongest childhood memories came from and I always feel a bit at home here!
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| Lollies isle at the supermarket {translation: CANDY!!} |
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| Lakes Entrance view from the lookout point |
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| 90 mile Beach - My favorite place on Earth! |
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| Aren't they the best! Thanks for teaching us what loving someone forever looks like! |
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| POTATOES + Grease + Salt + Vinegar = Fat and happy!! |
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| Gum tree is in full bloom! |
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| What a set of siblings - they are the best! |
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| Where's Matt? :( |
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| Getting artsy with the old rails |
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| TIM TAM TIME!! |
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| Fairy Dell - Second favorite place on Earth! |
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| Look what Mel spotted! Echidna! |
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| I want a baby wombat - end of story. |
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| My navi skills were a bit rusty but we figured it all out! What did we ever do without smart phones?!? |
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| Day at the market! |
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| 10 points for the word Brekky... |
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
The Great Exchange
I have always enjoyed the word 'Hello'. It marks the beginning of something new and opens a whole possibility of doors. Even as a child, I was pretty outgoing and making new acquaintances, even new friends, has been easy for me for as long as I can remember. Somehow it is a bit harder as an adult to open some of these doors. Somewhere along the line, our hearts get a bit harder...more guarded...less excited at the idea of intertwining our lives with new people. I have made a conscious effort this year to not be afraid to say 'hello' and to reach into the lives of others, but it all comes with a cost.
Its my own fault. I chose a profession where 'The Great Exchange' is just part of the gig. I can tell you, that half of me thinks its one of the best parts of my job and the other half of me thinks its for the birds! Lately, I it has been way more than half of me leaning toward the latter. The international teaching community is a transient one and hellos come just as quickly as their exchangeable counterpart..."good bye." At this moment in my life I can simply say that I am not a fan of the good bye part of the Exchange. I recently read one of my favorite quick fix type articles about things you should be doing for yourself...a list of 15 or 20...you know the type. This list will change your life types that flood the internet (that I not-so-secretly love and waste entirely too much time on!). One of the bits mentioned that you can't keep every person and every friendship alive forever. Such wise words...and I don't like them at all right now!
As some of you know, my heart has experienced a few tough blows and the challenge of letting people in has gotten much more real for me. Healing takes time, and I have taken that time. There is also a part of healing that requires you to move forward...and I have done that this year too. I have gone all in on a few relationships with others this year and I have been loved, challenged, supported, moved, torn, ignited, and stretched. I have come out on the other end a better, more refined, more alive version of myself and for those people who have helped form me, I am truly grateful. I have had more great people enter my life than some people experience in a lifetime.
Lucky...I am SO incredibly lucky and blessed that I get to keep a few of these people just as close for another chapter...chapters...books of my life. Shout out to All the Single Ladies!!
Its the other pocket of people that I have had to part ways with that makes my heart hurt. I know for some of them, it will be 'see you later...not as often...but later'. Those are a hard adjustment, but it also casts my net of friendship to new parts of the world - how cool is that?!? I am still thankful for my friends back in the US that are a regular part of my life even though I jumped across the ocean to set up camp!
Its the tiny bundle of people that 'this is goodbye, and that is that' which makes my job hard...
There are some people with whom I just don't have the same overlaps in life with that would be necessary to continue being parts of each other's lives. This rips on my heartstrings (chordae tendineae...heartstrings are a real thing - look it up!). It seems like this shouldn't happen. If people are important, they will always be important...I am here to tell you that sometimes that isn't enough. Sometimes trying to keep those ties is unfair to both people. (Just for clarification...unfair and unwanted are two very different things).
Thanks to the beauty of netflix, I watch a considerable amount of How I Met Your Mother and, although cheesy, they always talk about people in your life and that 50% of the battle is timing. This is so incredibly true. These relationships are usually 'if we were in a different place/different time it wouldn't be this way.' Timing. This group of people don't drop off the face of the planet, but they do drop out of my world which is equally as painful. This is the group that sometimes makes saying 'hello' so hard, because they exchange that with a very permanent 'good bye' at some point.
All in all, it is worth it every time. Worth every moment, every memory, and every part of me that hurts when they are gone. Having them in my life has changed my heart.
Thank you to all the people who have been part of the ride this year. We have sailed the high seas of adventure, been through some rough waters, and come out on the other side with stronger hearts...and probably stronger heads as well.
Its my own fault. I chose a profession where 'The Great Exchange' is just part of the gig. I can tell you, that half of me thinks its one of the best parts of my job and the other half of me thinks its for the birds! Lately, I it has been way more than half of me leaning toward the latter. The international teaching community is a transient one and hellos come just as quickly as their exchangeable counterpart..."good bye." At this moment in my life I can simply say that I am not a fan of the good bye part of the Exchange. I recently read one of my favorite quick fix type articles about things you should be doing for yourself...a list of 15 or 20...you know the type. This list will change your life types that flood the internet (that I not-so-secretly love and waste entirely too much time on!). One of the bits mentioned that you can't keep every person and every friendship alive forever. Such wise words...and I don't like them at all right now!
As some of you know, my heart has experienced a few tough blows and the challenge of letting people in has gotten much more real for me. Healing takes time, and I have taken that time. There is also a part of healing that requires you to move forward...and I have done that this year too. I have gone all in on a few relationships with others this year and I have been loved, challenged, supported, moved, torn, ignited, and stretched. I have come out on the other end a better, more refined, more alive version of myself and for those people who have helped form me, I am truly grateful. I have had more great people enter my life than some people experience in a lifetime.
Lucky...I am SO incredibly lucky and blessed that I get to keep a few of these people just as close for another chapter...chapters...books of my life. Shout out to All the Single Ladies!!
Its the other pocket of people that I have had to part ways with that makes my heart hurt. I know for some of them, it will be 'see you later...not as often...but later'. Those are a hard adjustment, but it also casts my net of friendship to new parts of the world - how cool is that?!? I am still thankful for my friends back in the US that are a regular part of my life even though I jumped across the ocean to set up camp!
Its the tiny bundle of people that 'this is goodbye, and that is that' which makes my job hard...
There are some people with whom I just don't have the same overlaps in life with that would be necessary to continue being parts of each other's lives. This rips on my heartstrings (chordae tendineae...heartstrings are a real thing - look it up!). It seems like this shouldn't happen. If people are important, they will always be important...I am here to tell you that sometimes that isn't enough. Sometimes trying to keep those ties is unfair to both people. (Just for clarification...unfair and unwanted are two very different things).
Thanks to the beauty of netflix, I watch a considerable amount of How I Met Your Mother and, although cheesy, they always talk about people in your life and that 50% of the battle is timing. This is so incredibly true. These relationships are usually 'if we were in a different place/different time it wouldn't be this way.' Timing. This group of people don't drop off the face of the planet, but they do drop out of my world which is equally as painful. This is the group that sometimes makes saying 'hello' so hard, because they exchange that with a very permanent 'good bye' at some point.
All in all, it is worth it every time. Worth every moment, every memory, and every part of me that hurts when they are gone. Having them in my life has changed my heart.
Thank you to all the people who have been part of the ride this year. We have sailed the high seas of adventure, been through some rough waters, and come out on the other side with stronger hearts...and probably stronger heads as well.
People come into our lives differently...some for a reason, and then they quickly go...some for a season, and then they fade...some for a lifetime, and we should cherish that.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
History and Mystery
One of the many beauties of working at an international school is getting a random assortment of holidays off from school. We happened to get a long weekend for American Thanksgiving that I used to check off a major player on my bucket list - THE GREAT WALL!!
Dawn, the friend I do morning workout time with approached me with an awesome offer much like this conversation...
Dawn: "Hey Meg, I know we don't really know each other that well yet and it is really early into the year for making plans, but Chris, Ashley, and I have a trip to China planned for Thanksgiving break. It is really a four person trip, but all the returning staff have other plans. Would you want to go with us."
Meg: "China!?! Chincha!?!" (look that one up in Korean)
Dawn: "Chincha!"
Meg: "I need to look at costs etc. What are your plans"
Dawn: "Its all planned, we have a driver and we will go a bunch of places like the Great Wall..."
She kept talking but I ignored everything else and kept thinking "Great Wall....Great Wall....YAY!!"
Meg: "YES!!"
Okay, it probably wasn't really that smooth and I didn't actually use the word chincha so often back then, but basically I jumped into a pre-planned, already organized, affordable vacation to China! I was basically in when the words "Great Wall" became part of the conversation. We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather and clear skies - what a treat!
Here is a picture tour of our trip!
Stop #1: Great Wall!
Summer Palace
Kung Fu Show
Olympic Park & Bird's Nest
Duck Dinner
Temple Exploring
Tienanmen square & The Forbidden City
Dawn, the friend I do morning workout time with approached me with an awesome offer much like this conversation...
Dawn: "Hey Meg, I know we don't really know each other that well yet and it is really early into the year for making plans, but Chris, Ashley, and I have a trip to China planned for Thanksgiving break. It is really a four person trip, but all the returning staff have other plans. Would you want to go with us."
Meg: "China!?! Chincha!?!" (look that one up in Korean)
Dawn: "Chincha!"
Meg: "I need to look at costs etc. What are your plans"
Dawn: "Its all planned, we have a driver and we will go a bunch of places like the Great Wall..."
She kept talking but I ignored everything else and kept thinking "Great Wall....Great Wall....YAY!!"
Meg: "YES!!"
Okay, it probably wasn't really that smooth and I didn't actually use the word chincha so often back then, but basically I jumped into a pre-planned, already organized, affordable vacation to China! I was basically in when the words "Great Wall" became part of the conversation. We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather and clear skies - what a treat!
Here is a picture tour of our trip!
Stop #1: Great Wall!
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| [Jump for Joy with Ashley and Dawn- Great Wall] |
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| [Touching a piece of history!] |
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| [They do a marathon on this thing?!] |
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| [Peaceful, beautiful morning] |
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| [Look at that wall!] |
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| [More stairs...more and more and more!] |
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| [Okay - we had this part of the wall to ourselves so we took a load of pictures] |
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| [More Jumping! That is Dawn!] |
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| [Summer Palace - what a lake!] |
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| [Ladies at the summer palace!] |
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| [I would live there for the summer if I was in charge, too!] |
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| [Stairs here too? Glad we workout!] |
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| [The afternoon sun was shining - what a blessing!] |
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| [No pictures inside the show but it was AMAZING!] |
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| [Just holding the torch...no big deal] |
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| [In awe of the bird's nest - any place that felt the strength of Olympians is pretty awesome] |
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| [The design is so cool!] |
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| [Let's eat duck - a whole duck!] |
Temple Exploring
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| [Lovely morning walk around an ancient temple] |
Tienanmen square & The Forbidden City
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| [History...] |
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| [Beauty] |
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| [Culture] |
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| [Bye Bye China! I'll be back!] |
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