Home in > 38 days

If there ever were a time when I could write, it'd probably have been when I was in high school XP

It's been 10.5 months of living in a foreign country.

You'd think by now my Korean was fluent, but it's not. So I'm going to stay another 6 months after my contract is up (i.e. I'm signing onto another half-year contract once I found out about the results of my extension application). Hopefully this time.. I'll be placed in 시골!!! Or literally, the countryside. I love 광주. Gwangju has become a 2nd 2nd home to me. [I have too many homes (LA, Oxnard, Seoul, SD, etc).]

But~~ it is still a city, and it can get a bit overwhelming at times.

Okay, do not assume I am a sheltered lil' girl who gets flustered at every new thing thrown at her.

I mean.. would I really request to go to the COUNTRYSIDE if I wasn't able to handle myself^^? I'd be alone there where shops, hopefully, close at 8pm (though chances are it may close at 5 or 6pm). My home back in the states is LA. One of 'em at least. And LA.. sadly has made me a meaner person. I needed a break, which is why I came to Korea through the TaLK program. It's designed to place scholars in rural areas, so children in those areas can be exposed to different cultures and learn English from a native speaker. While my school is in a pretty rural area where some days all you smell is d-d-o-n-g (poop) no matter what part of town you walk in... the apartment I live in is in south Gwangju. Albeit Gwangju is itself considered 시골, it is still a metropolitan city. It'll definitely grow exponentially in the next 10 years.

Climbed Mudeungsan: One for the bucket list.

Oh, and instead of re-posting my Korea bucket list... how about a to-do list of things to do when I go back to SoCal for a mere two weeks of summer vacation?

2011 SoCal to-do list:

• Hug and kiss my nieces and nephews!!! <3
• Hug my other family members XD
• Apply for F4 visa at the Korean embassy
• Eat the following foods: Thai, Japanese(mainly sushi), Cuban, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican!!!! (burritos, carne asada, chips n salsa, quesadillas, and more!), Yogurtland (just 'cause it's tradition w/ friends), dried mangoes!, REAL cheesecake, Subways (I miss sandwiches!), and anything else that comes to mind
• Bake the following foods: cookies, cupcakes/cakes, cheesecake
• Go for a drive and possibly SPEED with the windows rolled down, music blasting, and crazy dancing
• Oh, the last one reminds me of... Ride a bike! (Also, possibly ride Rambo's motorcycle kuahaha~~ he'd be the main dude though, and I'd just be piggy backing, but that's cool, too)
• GO SHOOTING!
• Meet and hang out with as many family and friends as possible (possibly hug them until they can't breathe for a while after)
• This may be cheesy, but I want to hit up a Dave & Buster's at one point in time. I really like arcades. Not that we don't have any in Korea.. there are SO many here, but it's different playing with family and friends.
• Oh, doi!! See 4 very loved ones get married. Um, not all to each other. It's a double wedding <3
• I will add more when it comes to mind.

*{Lifehouse has amazing music <3}