The company you keep

I have always been told from a young age that it's all about the company you keep. To choose your friends carefully as they determine a big portion of who you will become and as to your state of happiness. Well, being a psychology major in college I understand fully how vital a part your friends can play in your life. I believe they have just as much influence as your family at times.


When you move to a new country and you are starting over in all areas, including friendships, you very much are not concerned with being picky about friends. You need people to cling on to, especially those who speak the same language and can understand your minuscule triumphs and frustrations. Having the same idea's about life, morals, values, or even interests is very low on the list when the other option is having someone who doesn't speak your language as your only ally.

This weekend I went on a trip with a group of sightseeing foreigners here in Korea. We were going with a group of 45 people to Busan, a port city in the South of Korea. I had been told it was absolutely beautiful and I thought it would be a great way to meet people! Busan was having their annual fireworks festival which is supposed to be one of the biggest and best in the world, so I knew I had to go! I was lucky enough to go with a great friend of mine who teaches at the same school as me. We are like Peanut butter and jelly......great apart, but undeniably awesome together! She gets me, and I get her, and not much needed to be said or done to get us to this point in our friendship. Another girl on the trip this weekend asked us how long we had known each another, and when she was told we only met two months ago, she was shocked. We act as though we have known each other for years.....it's natural and we always enjoy each others company. We are easy going, positive American girls who love to travel and are determined to see everything we can this year.

So we signed up, and left EARLY Saturday morning. It was pouring with rain, so as we got on a bus fit for 20 people instead of 45, we wondered what had changed? We were told many people had decided not to come because of the bad weather. (strike 1) So we snuggled into our seats and went to sleep because the ride was supposed to take 5 hours. Due to the rain we could not open the windows and were tightly squeezed together, and I found myself trying to think of anything BUT the fact I was starting to feel claustrophobic and reassuring myself the walls of the bus were in fact not closing in on me. Due to rain, and heavy traffic, the bus ride in fact took 10 hours. (strike 2) The stop and go was particularly delightful as I was sitting on the seat over the wheel and I could feel every jerk of the breaks and every bump readjusting my spine. But I told myself, 'you love fireworks, it will all be worth it.' By the time we got to Busan the sun was down and we had missed the entire day. We tried to stay positive, until our trip leader announced that due to the weather the fireworks had been cancelled. (strike 3)

Walking up to our hotel room I was in such a bad mood I felt like throwing something against the wall. My poor roommates, including my good friend were trying to be so positive about the night ahead, but I felt totally jipped. Why had I just spent 10 hours on a bus if not to see an amazing fireworks show? Ahead of us was a Korean bbq dinner and a night out on the town, BOTH WHICH I COULD DO IN SEOUL, so I was beyond irritated. I was pushed over the edge when I opened the door to the hotel room and saw only blankets on the floor folded up. I asked my friend "Where are the beds?" and another girl replied in a very matter-of-fact tone "This is the traditional Korean hotel room, they don't use beds, we just lay the blankets on the floor and sleep down there." (strike 4)

A PALLET! What am I, 7 years old having a freaking sleepover? I had no words for her..........none that were kind anyway, so I simply excused myself and gathered my thoughts in the bathroom. Hungry, tired, and frustrated I sat on the tub and tried to find a silver lining. You are in a new city with a great friend and you two always have fun together. I put on my game face, was greeted by her sarcastic silly humor about sleeping on the floor and the night turned out just fine.

Gwangan bridge, Busan South Korea

The next day the point was driven home when we went and walked on the beach. With Busan being a port city its beaches and bridges are a main attraction, so we went there as soon as we got up. As I walked on the beach, jeans rolled up, toes in the water, I looked out into the sea at the Gwangan bridge. It is beautiful and everything, but the thought that popped into my head was "This looks exactly like the bridge I saw in Kobe, Japan." (Akashi Kaikyo bridge) Literally in a photo, I'm not sure I could tell you which was which. Just as I was thinking this my friend came up to me and put her arm around me, and we stood there looking at this bridge together, waves crashing at our feet, having deja-vu. It was her and I that saw that bridge in Japan, and now it was her and I again looking at this one in Busan.

"This looks just like the bridge in Kobe, don't you think?" I said. "Yea it is!" she said.
"You know traveling is all about who you are with....." I said with a smile. She smiled back and we kept walking in the water and dancing to music they bagan to play on loud speakers on the beach.



Akashi Kaikyo bridge, Kobe Japan

So there we were, in Busan, after a crappy bus ride, crappy weather, and what could have been a crappy trip all around. There were disspointments, frustrations, headaches, and numerous changes of plans. We were on the bus the same amout of time we were actually in the city of Busan.....ridiculous right??!

And yet, we were laughing and dancing in the sea, sun finally shining down on us, to fantastic Korean music. If I had gone with someone else, this trip could have looked very different, but it was make it or break it time and we chose to enjoy all that we could.

My Mama was right. It's all about the company you keep..............