Final Farewell

It's funny to see the enthusiasm of the new teachers that are arriving. It's hard for me to teach the new teachers the ways of the world here in Korea and keep it totally positive. I want nothing more than for the new teachers to feel amazing about their choice to teach abroad and for them to feel good about the school and city they chose. But at the same time, I am reassuring myself of the choice I made to leave and all the reasons why Korea is not my home anymore.

The naive excitement that I felt about living in Korea is not something so distant for me. It seems like yesterday that I arrived in this place and had a million questions about it and how my new home and job functioned. It is amazing to me to think of the time that has passed and about the fact I am now spending my days teaching a brand new person the ways of my classroom. Its a lot to process, and mostly surreal.

I will miss my kids a thousand times over, but I will not miss Korea. I have loved living here and learning about this culture but my home is in America. I miss the ways and culture of my own home town and am happy about having 1 year here and no more. I am done trying to fit this square peg into Korea's round hole, and am happy to go back to a place where I truly fit in. It is my time to depart and I am happy and content with that realization, finally. I am excited to realize that my home is in a place that I understand the culture and that I speak the language. North Carolina, here I come.

I am doing my best to prepare the new teachers for what they will expereince here and the ways to be successful during this experience, mostly because I am so aware of my own growth this past year. Living abroad again was a fantastic choice for me and has done wonders for my happiness and outlook on life. Tomorrow is my last day at my school, and in a few days I will be leaving Korea and I am really happy about it. The next phase in my life is starting and I am welcoming it with open arms. I have gotten everything I can out of this year in Korea, and my time is now done.

안녕히계세요 Goodbye!