the adventure that turned into a lifestyle

Well, the question that has been rolling through my mind for sometime now has been answered: Barring any huge unforseen incidents, I am going to stay in Korea for another year.

I was talking with my mother about this on the phone the other day. She said "I'm just waiting for you to drop the bomb on me." I told her my intentions and proceeded to tell her why I've come to this decision:

I'm not done with Korea and Korea isn't done with me. I have a feeling that if I were to take off in August I would spend my time in Canada wondering what I would be doing if I were in Korea. This country has much to offer someone who is open to a very different culture and history. While I feel that I have learned a lot about Korea, I haven't really even scratched the surface of what is out there. There are many places yet unexplored and much English untaught. That's another thing - the students. Starting in the March new school year, I have felt infinitely more comfortable in my job and as a result, I feel effective. This is a huge thing for a teacher. I feel like my students are actually retaining some of what I teach them. As for my adult students, many of them are friends that I'm not ready to leave. I can understand how difficult it is to always be adjusting to a new teacher and a new teaching style.

Perhaps most importantly, while living here I feel good about myself and who I am. The countryside is simple and the people are simple. I don't have contact with foreigners all the time so I don't have to deal with petty issues that inevitably arise when people spend all their time together (ie high school and university music student life). My life has been blissfully free of melodrama, gossip (more or less), love triangles and so on. It's ridiculous how simple your life can be and how GOOD you can feel when all those things are removed. The change is so subtle, but then one day you realize how FREE you feel and how genuinely HAPPY you are.

One day I know I'll move back to Canada, and don't get me wrong I miss and love my country, but for now, in terms of professional and personal development, Korea is my home.
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in other news:
my eye twitch is gone!!
Several days ago I realised that I'm pretty good a volleyball!
today I ate pig's tongue. it was surprisingly good. i avoided the kidney.
here's a picture of my friend Mi Ju at her wedding:














here's a picture of my homeroom class at a Teacher Training Camp I recently did. My team (Yellow Submarine) were off the charts. They made teaching easy and their enthusiam was contagious.

















Finally, here's a picture of the Green Tea Plantation in Springtime