Saturday, May 17, 2008

Pondering the Future

I thought I had pretty well mapped out what I wanted to do after Korea, but then two friends inadvertently planted new ideas in my mind. Then I did some research into the two new possibilities, and wound up adding another possible idea to the pile! Now I've got four possible routes to look into, all of which lead to different places. I'd prefer not to say just yet what I'm considering for my future (I don't want people influencing me), but all four ideas are very exciting, and all four mean staying overseas for at least a few more years. So at least I have made up my mind about one thing: I'm not moving back to the US anytime in the next few years.

I was convinced that Mother's Day or my upcoming birthday would make me homesick, but fortunately neither have. So, I've been here almost three months without even one day of being homesick. Impressive! Especially considering how desperately homesick I was when I first moved to Florida and Virginia - both of which are still within driving distance of Michigan. I don't know whether it's my love of Korea, my enjoyment of my job, or how busy I tend to be that keeps homesickness away. Certainly I am grateful not to be bogged down with longing for someplace I can't be.

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"Passage—immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins! Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers—haul out—shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?
Have we not grovell’d here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken’d and dazed ourselves with books long enough?

Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go, And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

O my brave soul!
O farther, farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! Are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!"

~Walt Whitman, "Passage to India"