The End Is Nigh!

Just two more days of teaching left. I think I'm going to have to wrap up this blog, finally. It's been two years of every type of experience imaginable. I have made wonderful friends, and not just acquaintances. I've had the most wonderful experiences, seen some beautiful things. I've had to deal with open hostility and hatred from all sides. I've had to endure hardships and adversity. In the end, I came out of it a different kind of person.

I was just thinking yesterday about how strange life is. I never would have thought a little over two years ago that I would teach in Korea. I hadn't thought about Korea in years, it's not a country you think about a lot. And then if you go back a little over a year ago, I never would have thought I'd stay for a second year. But, the wonder of life is in those unexpected changes. If I hadn't come to Korea, I wouldn't have met my wonderful friends. If I hadn't stayed for a second year, I wouldn't have gotten closer to some friends and I wouldn't have made others. I wouldn't have gotten a tattoo. I wouldn't have gotten really familiar with the hospital or swallowing a endoscopic camera! There are so many things that I wouldn't have done.

In the end, Korea was a positive experience for me. It's been very difficult, but it's allowed me to endure and to persevere. I will look back at my time here with mixed emotions. I will always remember the difficult times when I almost left the country. I will remember the hurtful and nasty things that happened to me, and it will make me behave better towards others. Of course, I will think of the wonderful friends I made here and all of the great times and conversations we've had.

Korea is not for everyone. But that doesn't mean that everyone couldn't make it here. It just takes some determination and an open mind. As the Koreans are so fond of saying when faced with adversity... FIGHTING!!!!