30 Days

Well, it's official. Exactly 30 days from tomorrow I will be in Incheon, South Korea about to start my new life as a foreign English teacher in a Korean public school. I've known since April that I might be leaving, but to finally know, and to have a departure date makes the whole situation seem so much stranger--so much more concrete. So much more horrifying. And also makes me realize it's probably about time I start really preparing to uproot my whole life.

Consequently, here are the things I have planned for the next 30 days:

1. Learn Korean (안녕하세요) (<-- that was Google translate, don't get excited)
2. Pack up my entire wardrobe into 3 suitcases (impossible.)
3. Quit my current job
4. Get a tattoo (just for the hell of it, you know)
5. Book a plane flight 
6. Convince all of my friends, family, and everyone I know that I'm not crazy (the jury is actually still out on this one)
7. Start a blog 
8. Return my library books (can you imagine the late fees after a year?)
9. Read the guidebooks I bought months ago
10. Break the news to my cat that I'm leaving again (this is probably going to be the hardest)
11. Try to convince my insurance company to give me a year's worth of medication

So far today I've:

1. Started a blog
2. Watched a lot of K-pop videos on YouTube
3. Taken a nap
4. Eaten a pulled pork sandwich
5. Seriously considered going to the gym

So, as you can see, I have absolutely nothing to worry about!



But the truth is, having a departure date also makes it so much more exciting. It's like I can finally allow myself to actually imagine what this will be like. What the plane flight will be like, who I'll meet at the airport...who I'll stay with during orientation, what my apartment will look like, what my class will be like! As much as I have to keep repeating mantras to myself about how this was the right decision and how this will be just fine, the more I think about it, the more I know I'm doing the right thing. My travel bug isn't going to just fade away if I stay at home! Whatever the alternative to uprooting my life and moving out of the country is...I don't really want it. Part of the problem is I don't know what else I'd do--I'm just so ready to see some of the world. To open up my perspective a bit. To really challenge myself and my prospects.

Plus, I'm sure it isn't totally outlandish to think if I watch enough K-pop videos I might pick up Korean along the way...right?