The Roundup

With only 9 days until we return to Canada, we've been busy - especially because we booked a final trip to Beijing from this Thursday morning until next Monday, which means that we've only got 5 days or so left in Korea.  Needless to say, we started trying to pawn off our furniture and pack early, and have nearly gutted our apartment of unnecessaries.

This final month of classes started off with a bang, slowed to a crawl mid-month (I might have gotten a little over-eager and made a to-do list too early in the game), and then whizzed to the final few days of work.  I find it hard to believe that Tuesday will be my last day of full-time work in over a year.  The way we've been going out for dinner lately would have you believe that I'm getting a promotion instead of entering a year of graduate school in September.

Jon ran a half-marathon on June 14 - in great time, of course - with Patrick.  I opted out of the race because the previous weeks had replaced workouts with eating out.  I also received a clear sign that I shouldn't run: Keedo ate my race chip.

The past few weekends have been spent with our friends, browsing knick-knack shops in Insa-dong, drinking beer on patios, and cruising around Hongdae, a hotspot for art students and club-goers.  We've finally tried noori-bang (i.e. karaoke rooms); bought lots of little Korean souvenirs; drunk cocktails from a bag on the street; tried out an ice bar; gone drinking with our managers (a must in Korean corporate culture - I kid not); planned the trip to Beijing; and generally just started preparing ourselves for life in Canada.  I welcome any advice on reverse culture shock from those who have also lived abroad for long periods of time.  Gangnam could not be more different from Georgetown or Gads Hill.

We've also started reminiscing a little early about Korea.  We'll miss cheap transportation, having nearly everything we needed close by, inexpensive meals out, being able to drink alcohol on the street, sharing food with everyone at the table, and Korean food, most definitely.  Our job has been enjoyable and the students we teach are, on the whole, pretty interesting.  Most of all, we've met some amazing friends that we'll really miss when we return.

There are, of course, some things we won't miss.  I won't miss having to throw used toilet paper into a smelly, open-top garbage can; the smell of rotting garbage on the street in summer time; air pollution, of course; and the inability to run in my own neighbourhood without dodging cars or hitting a red light.  I hope to never again have to wake up at 5:30am to get ready for work; or stay up really late to make a run-of-the-mill phone call home.

About some other things, I have mixed feelings.  The speed of life here is breakneck, making for an excitingly fast lifestyle that is sometimes impossible to keep up with.  The rabid consumer culture, while repulsively thoughtless at first, is recklessly fun.  About other things, it's just too early to tell.  I guess we'll know 9 days from now.