One...Whole...Year!

I have officially lived in Korea for a whole year! Can you believe it? It seems like it was a totally different Kayla who, a year ago, decided to go for it, leaving everything behind, job, family, car, boyfriend... and boarded a plane headed halfway across the globe, nearly as far away as possible, with nothing but 2 suitcases and a desire for adventure. A year seemed like such a long time to be in Korea and yet it has passed so quickly.

A year ago I had never lived in a foreign country, I had never been to Asia, and I couldn't have identified the Korean language written or spoken. I had never lived on my own let alone lived in a city. I had never tasted kimchi or relied on public transportation. I had never taught a day in my life. Now, I am getting ready to start a second year in Korea. I live here - Here in the 7th most populated city in the world, bigger than New York, Tokyo, or Shanghai. I know where things are and how to get there. I don't have to use a subway map and when signs aren't in English it's ok because I can read Korean. I know enough words and phrases to get my point across. I teach about 100 students, know all their names, and what their English skills are like. I know my school's procedures and curriculum like the back of my hand and have become the person new people come to with questions or for help.

I love living here and this month has kind of been like a Korea "Renaissance" for me. I had been in a pretty set routine of hanging out with the same people and doing the same things week to week. But things have been changing and I've been meeting a lot of new people lately and trying to shake things up a bit. I think my second year will be different than the first and also better. There are some things I want to do differently - save more money, meet more people, travel more, exercise more, get more involved at church, and start volunteering somewhere. I feel exactly right about deciding to stay and am really looking forward to what this next year brings. I have grown and changed so much over the past 12 months and I believe there is plenty more of that to come during my time here.

I will be back in NJ from October 31st until November 29th. In there will be a wedding, a birthday (Meri's!), Thanksgiving, and mostly just time spent catching up with family and friends. When I come home it will have been 9 months since I was in the States and 13 months since I lived there. Strange...

In other news, teaching is better than ever. I'm at such a comfortable place with all of my classes. I've been teaching the majority of my students for somewhere between 8 months and a year and we've settled into a nice rhythm. Teaching comes naturally to me now, in a way I could never have imagined a year ago. I mean, in some ways it makes sense, I do enjoy speaking in front of people and I tend to be a leader rather than a follower. But, still it's hard to believe that a couple of years ago I was sitting in lecture halls, daydreaming about weddings, and now here I am in Asia, living on my own and teaching as though it's my true calling.

I am giving a lot of thought right now to where I'll be going at Christmas time. I'll be quite alone at Christmas since most of my friends will be away in various corners of the world. I have 10 days off of work though so I plan on using that time for some kind of incredible adventure, even if it is by myself (don't worry, I'll join a tour so I'm not completely alone!). Right now I'm considering Northern India. No plans yet, just looking into it. Every inquiry gets me more and more excited though, and I'm really starting to think it could work out. I'll keep you posted as things unfold...

Still can't believe it.

A whole year.

:)