Farewell countdown

대한민국!!!!

Just finishing up day 13 on the farewell countdown and I started thinking of the oddities I'd miss here. I mean... aside from the obvious friends, students, steady income, apartment, city stuff, what will I miss?


1. Jimjilbangs! Oh beloved Haggye sauna, you stole my heart in the cold winter months. You quickly became one of my favorite spots in the city. Pyramid salt sauna, I'll miss you most of all...


2. Never needing a key for anything ever. (This wouldn't be true if my bike hadn't been stolen but I suppose that's one positive in the situation?) Where is that old Wizard of Oz St. trusty key chain now... I'm gunna need it back for the states! No touchpad entry... pssh. Get with the times US!

3. Hearing and seeing Korean. There isn't much that makes me prouder than realizing I understand something in Korean with my limited knowledge. I also really like when I don't understand any of it and can tune the world out. English everywhere=info overload.

4. Ajumas and Ajushis (esp the mountain climbing, face mask wearing variety) What will I do in a world of people who have no idea the hilarious, sometimes scary, sometimes amazingly sweet class of older folks here in Korea and their kick ass strength and super human ability to sell things on the subway, clean the streets, climb mountains, and straight up rule this place! (run on sentance much?)

5. Bad or unknown translations. Just today I was tempted to by a Barbarian Filled Doughnut. I also had my glasses made in the "Fiction Creation Room" and went to choir practice at the "Cult Center". And how could I ever forget the quiet teenage girl on the subway with the t-shirt that read "Take me to the Strippers"?

6. Couples outfits. What will I do without seeing couples in matching horrid outfits and window displays of the undies they may have underneath?

7. Easy cheap trips with Adventure Korea and others... yes I know, there are probably equivalents elsewhere, but you'll always remember your first!

1st Temple Stay

8. The ease of making friends. Although not true in all cases, since foreigners are constantly coming and going, there is a pretty open and friendly environment here. You're here, you're our friend, let's have fun!

9. Random encounters where I'm treated as a celebrity (or possibly a circus act). The stares can get annoying, mostly I've grown accustomed to not noticing any more, and it's not so bad in Seoul. The times when I was asked for a photo were hilarious though.

Probably my most photographed moment:

Bare Hands Ice Fishing

So you can get a feel of the scene. A ring of icy water full of foreigners being stared at by Koreans (to be fair, we were one group, the rest were Koreans being stared at by Koreans).

10. Everything I took for granted. The hiking and biking trails I barely used, the endless options for new and exciting adventures, the things I didn't blog about when I should have (Ulleungo, Japan, etc, etc, etc.), the nearby mountains (which I climbed for the first time with Adam here), the friends I wish I could have had more time to see amidst the rush of our busy schedules, the photos shoots that never came to be, pretty much everything. You can always juice more out of life...

Ulleungdo -Chusok (Korean thanksgiving) 2009
1st Bridge Jump Ever



The year of 2 Halloweens
Friday- Sally from Nightmare before Christmas
Saturday- Strawberry (turned narcoleptic strawberry due to 6 am subway trekking)

Tokyo- New Years 2010





도봉산 - Dobong Mountain

Gay Pride Parade- June 12, 2010

11. The Kids, the Kids, the Kids. Yea, I said that was obvious, just thought I'd say it again.








I'd like to pop a few more blogs out about Korea before I go (or even after I go) but in case I don't...

It's been a great (sometimes bumpy) ride. I will cherish every minute of it my aging mind can recall. I have learned so much, and met so many genuinely amazing and inspiring people. This was truly one of the best decisions of my life, and I hope to keep making more good decisions like this. If so I'll be a happy woman! (and if not, hey, I can just come back to Korea! :P )



Love you Korea!

-Monica