The Process of Leaving Korea

Gianni and I spent this weekend at home relaxing. We've been doing a lot of weekend day trips lately, so we needed some time to get things done at home. I posted a bunch of items to sell on the very useful Daegu Flea Market group on facebook. It's a group where people living in the city buy and sell things to one another. It's really a great resource to have. I have had to sell things for fairly cheaply, but a little bit of money is better than no money at all I figure. This is helping to get us ready to leave Korea come August. We've already shipped 3 boxes by surface mail (boat) with a bunch of our belongings, so now it's time to get rid of the apartment stuff that we will not be taking home with us. I will probably need to also sent an airmail package home with gifts and breakables soon.

We have been planning our weekend trips for July as well since it will be our last time to really see things in Korea before our summer vacation. We decided we want to go back to Jeonju, where we had our orientation. It is the most famous place in Korea to buy both Hanji (Korean paper) and bibimbap (rice with mixed vegetables and hot sauce). Also, we weren't able to visit Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan when we took a trip there in the fall, so we want to go there this month as well. The Culture Village is called the Santorini of Korea because the homes in the Village all have colorful roofs. So those are the two weekend trips, but additionally, Gianni is going to have a bowling birthday party on the weekend before his birthday, and the weekend after his birthday is a party for Serena as well as the going away party that all of our friends want to have together. It will be our last weekend all together because of the timing of our various vacations.

We've been getting ready for our summer vacation with Maria and Matthew to Vietnam as well. Most everything is booked and reserved for it with the exception of visas. But Gianni and I have been working on getting all the vaccines and meds we need. The time that we are going is prime season for mosquitos, and we will be spending a lot of time outside of cities, so we wanted to be safe. We got some quite expensive malaria medicine and have gotten one of two shots that we need to keep away Japanese Encephalitis.  I don't really think we need all of it, but better safe than sorry.

Aside from working on selling things, Gianni and I are both winding down at school. I've basically planned all my lessons for the rest of the semester. At the end of this week, I will have taught all the chapters I am responsible for teaching this semester to my second graders. Final exams at my school are Wednesday to Friday next week. We have both been working on planning our camps, and it will be nice to be able to get some serious planning done while the kids are testing. I've actually said goodbye to a few of my third grade classes recently because, with the schedule at the end of the semester, I will not be teaching them again. Some of them seem genuinely sad and asked for my email. I am going to miss these kids. I might not enjoy teaching exactly, but I definitely enjoy my interactions with the students. They can be so funny and energetic sometimes.

A miracle happened this weekend: I found shorts that fit me...in KOREA! There are almost no pants, shorts, or skirts that fit me here unless they have elastic waists. That includes at most stores that are European or American brands. But I went looking around because I needed new shorts, and I saw that H&M carries one or two styles of shorts that run in the correct sizes! Horray for me. I bought a couple of pairs, so, hopefully, now I'm all set for the summer.

Things here in Korea do feel as though they are coming to a close, and they are. Just a little over two months now, and we'll be home. Even less until we leave Korea. Getting ready to leave is stressful, but I am really excited to be coming home.