Monday, September 9, 2013

It's Official!: One Year

One year ago today, I hopped on a plane for a great adventure. I said goodbye to my family, to my pooch, to my friends, and to my life as I knew it. And I came halfway across the world and found Korea.

In the last year, I've experienced so many good things. I had a great many adventures. I've met people who have changed the course of my life and who have taught me a great deal about the world and about myself. I have learned bits of two new languages and cultures. I've learned to whom I matter most in the world by the effort both myself and others were willing to put into maintaining relationships. I've experienced a sense of freedom unlike any ever before. I've been moved to continue my education. I've saved money, and I've gotten out of debt. I bought a plane ticket for more adventures.

But there have been bad things, too. I've become more jaded. I've understood and experienced oppression because of my skin color. I've felt so completely alone and isolated from the world, paralyzingly insignificant. I've bought so (so, so, so) many clothes I was just plain too fat to fit into.

It's a great feeling to be able to say the good outweighed the bad. It's how I know that I won't just be pleased looking back on my experience. I won't just see this experience as a good resume-builder.
--And as an aside, since WHEN was that an important thing by which to measure your life experiences??--
I already know I will look back on this experience as one of the most important, life-changing experiences of my life. To one year, Korea! 건배!

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