Never again...

They say "never, say never, whatever you do!" However, I just can't help but to say; "I'm never coming back to Korea;" to live that is. While I've enjoyed most of my moments here, and I've learned so much more about the world and another culture within it, I thoroughly long for the days where it either "is" or it "isn't."

I can't wait for the time when 9:00 means 9:00 and today, means today. If you've lived in Korea, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then kudos for "hopefully" not having to live this nightmare of the never-ending not knowing game until 2 minutes before you need to know.

If anything else, this is the #1 point of contention that I have with the Korean society.

Other than the above (my little rant,) I'm very much excited to be traveling home within the next 7 days! It has been a long time coming; 17 months and 28 days to be exact. I'm ready to see my family and friends. I'm ready to see my itty bitty hometown again, and to drive my car. I'm ready for my dog Joey to be able to run around in the yard, and spend hours at a time outside, with little supervision. I'm even ready to work a full-time job again--and that's saying a lot!

I know I said I'd be updating you on my previous trip, but in all of my excitement to  be going home, I packed away my camera and sent it to America! Hee hee hee. I'll update on my travels when I am safe and sound at home...if by some chance I never make it there...just imagine beauty and mangy dogs, all in the same setting, and you've seen it all!!

Until next time, dream of me on American soil...

Bite the bullet...

Well, it's officially that time of the year; this year, it's 2-fold: Holiday season and the end of my contract and my time here in Korea.

Let's address this holiday thing real quickly. I've never in the past been "a scrooge" but this year, I must say, BAH HUM BAG! My Christmas plans, which apparently I made in my head, and not with the person I planned to spend it with, fell through. So, I ended up spending Christmas with just Joey and I...and God, of course.

I went to church Christmas morning, but I got there an hour late! That's not even my stylo...but I couldn't decide how to style my wig! LMBO! As if it mattered!? I ended up wearing my natural hair anyway...And got the blessing that "the negative powers that be" were trying to make me miss out on. So boooyah! Sticking out my tongue.

I then proceeded to go back to my sister's apartment; eat some leftovers, and wash 3 loads of laundry! The awesome thing is--she has a clothes dryer!! For those of you who don't know, SoKo doesn't have dryers with washers...you wash your clothes, then hang them up to dry. In the summer, no sweat; the heat of the sun does the work for you--however, in the winter; NO BUENO! Your clothes are just wet and cold forever!!
I actually dry mine inside my apartment instead of the specially created room for washing and hanging, because my Ondol (or floor heater) is warm enough to dry the load in a day and 1/2.

Anyway, after watching TV and washing clothes, I made my way back to my apartment...here I am greeted by boxes and stuff! When I say stuff, I mean things to give away, things to throw away, stuff I haven't decided on yet...Sigh. I am ready for all of this stuff to be gone! So I thought...

I was ready for it to be gone because it signified the 4 weeks I had left to leave SoKo...so I thought (once again). Technically, I can leave the country on 1/14th if I wanted. That's the last day I'll be required to teach. However, my contract isn't officially up until 2/29/2012. I just found out today that my last check and all the perks I signed the contract for, will not be paid until the last day of my contract. Errrrm...which means, for all intensive purposes, I too will be here until the last day of my contract. WAAAAAAAAAAA! This is SO not how I envisioned it.

Yes, I can go home, and arrange for my money to be sent home to me, but I just don't feel comfortable doing that. I've had a GREAT relationship with my school--it's not that I think I'll "intentionally" get screwed, but for the sake of argument, if something does happen, and I'm in the States, do you really think I'm flying back to straighten it out? Noooope. Because I understand the concept of "out of sight out of mind," my yella behind is gonna be here until the last dime has been collected...I just can't go out like that. LOL

Unfortunately, that means, I'll be here...in Korea, with no work to do; with nothing to freaking do...ugh. I thought about vacation somewhere, but my whole plan was to not spend money but save it for my return home... still debating on that. And to top it ALL off...a very special person is leaving me the beginning of January...yeah, I think I had better book a vacation somewhere. I might not be able to take it staying around here...

So, I just needed to vent just now...Until next time; it never hurts to ask; Just be prepared if the answer isn't what you wanted to hear.