It’s Never Goodbye, It’s a See You Later

This is it. This is my last two days in the wonderful land of Korea. I have spent the last day packing and cleaning my room to get ready to leave. I cant express enough the amount of support and caring you all have showed by reading this blog or making comments on my Facebook or just writing messages to me.

These last few weeks have seem to have sped by, but sometimes it didn’t feel like it was going fast enough. But, now as I look at my flight details, repack my bag fr the tenth time, and eat the candy I have left somewhere in my room. I feel as if I could spend four more weeks exploring this place.

Sure, the weather hasn’t been the best, from the heat of a thousand suns burning my back as I climb the mountain to school or as the rain drenches every last inch of me while I have somehow misplaced my umbrella. But, I have had the best experiences here.

I have made life-long friends who I know I can always count on. I have reestablished the old ones while reminding each other how far we are willing to go for one another. These will be my best memories.

So now a recount of my last week in Korea:

I rode on my first high speed train late last Friday night to Busan with my good friend Jane. We slept as soon as arriving and were up sort of early the next day. I was reunited with my dear friend Sanghoon who drove us around the city in a rented car. He took us to the famous lighthouse which is located on stunning cliffs, we then rode a boat around the harbor stealing glances at the big city and the foggy outline of Japan. Next I was escorted to the beach where I have decided to live for the rest of my life. I was then met with my other friends Nancy and Robin where they showed me a night on the town. Sadly, I was only able to spend one full day with my oldest Korean friends, but with hope and luck we will meet again very soon!

Monday I was back at school trying to stay awake after my long weekend in Busan, but with little vigor I made it to four o’clock just in time to get on the Subway with Katie, my Aberdeen buddy, and explore Itaweon the oldest/best shopping for tourist district in Seoul. We enjoyed traditional Korean tea which is served cold in the summer and some light (I spent a lot of money) shopping. They next couple of days sped by as we spent every night going to the places we hadn’t been yet and meeting with my friends for a Karaoke night.

Friday came with a blur and before I knew it I was done with my finals and heading off to graduation. You all know how big of a softy I am so of course I cried through the whole thing, but did manage to snap a few pictures. We spent the rest of night living it up in Hongdae and saying goodbye to one of our Belgium friends. I have never felt such a rip in my heart as I watched her drive away in a taxi.

Now I have spent the last day packing, watching Netflix and trying to get my life in order before I have to check out of the dorm and move to a hotel for one night. I walked around my neighborhood one last time to try and soak it all in. I waved at the old people who stare me down as I walk by, I tried to pass my deepest appreciation to the woman in the 7-11 who has been nothing but kind to a lost foreigner and a hungry student. I sat in my subway station trying to relive the first scary moments of using public transpiration. I have said my goodbyes to the place, but not the people. That is much harder and not worth writing about.

In closing I am not ready to go home. I am ready to spend the rest of my life living in Korea, if the entire population of Volga/Northern State/NeSoDak/all family members and friends move here at once! But, I know that will not happen in a million years so I will board the plane, a little more sad, a little more experienced, hopefully a little lighter, and just as blessed.

Korea is the land of hope, change, and love. It is a place that is dedicated to make you work harder, faster and longer for what you really want in this world. It is the place that has taught me who I could be and who I want to be. I found God in so many people and so many places. This place is alive beating with a rhythm that cant quite be matched. It was home. And home is where love is. This place is love.

So here it is, the end of another adventure. But here’s to the next one.

Peace and see you sooner or later,

Liz

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1