I was originally planning to go to either an amusement park or another folk village today, but when I woke up and saw the size of my ankle, I decided a day of rest would be a better idea. Apparently, my ankle did not appreciate all the walking I did yesterday! So, I facebooked my friends to say that I was staying in, and settled back for a quiet, relaxing day. After watching a few episodes of Friends, I decided to dedicate some time to working on my plans for next year.
Anyone who knows me can testify that I do not function well without goals and at least some basic version of a plan. And quite frankly, I often get even more enjoyment out of making the plans than I do carrying them out! I just love mapping out each step towards a goal, and then watching as I complete each step. So even though I've got almost eleven months left in Korea (which is a deliriously happy thought), I've already gotten a head start on mapping out the next few destinations.
From the beginning of this whole Korean adventure, I have planned to backpack across Europe for a month when I finish my contract. That, naturally, is still my intent. I've had a blast looking over maps and railway websites, planning out which countries I intend to visit. I've just found out about a one month TEFL certification course in Florence that I can take after I get done backpacking. I think this would be a great idea for me, since I would get to live in Italy for a month and since I would be further qualified for a job that I find both enjoyable and satisfying. With TEFL certification, I would be able to work in Vietnam, which would be awesome, or I could work throughout Europe. Egypt is even on the table for consideration (won't Mom be delighted to hear that?!).
I realized this morning that if I hadn't left UNCW, I would be graduating with my master's in just over a month. At first the thought depressed me a bit, but then I realized how much better off I am. I am living the kind of life I've always dreamed of, with a world of possibilities beckoning to me. I'll never get rich living this lifestyle, but wealth has never been an enticement for me. I love what I'm doing, and where I'm living, and I love all the options I have. I don't for one minute regret doing my undergraduate work in history. I got to study something that fascinates and thrills me. I spent four years learning about amazing people, places, and events, and I got to write papers about things I cared about. Now I'm getting to visit many of the places I studied, and it's like meeting a pen pal for the first time. I know now that I made the right decisions when it came to my education.
2 comments:
Hello from Washington, DC -
Your introspective blog is a good read on Korea and her culture, but more importantly, it shows your human side, which most people, myself included, are reticent to reveal.
It would be no trouble to send you a bottle of the honeysuckle perfume, if someone hasn't beat me to it, with no strings attached.
A Korean in DC
Thanks for the comment!
Post a Comment