Well, my time in Korea is rapidly coming to an end. I thought I was ready to leave, but as I sat with my students on my final day of work, I felt myself welling up. The kids were being extra kee-owa (meaning "cute," the first Korean word I learned,) and I started thinking about the daily routine of my life in Seoul that I had grown so accustomed to.
How had it become normal for me to receive daily hugs from adorable little Asians as they said "I love you Yenny teacher!"? How was dancing with a group of kids to "Summer Lovin" and singing at the top of my lungs part of my daily life? How was walking into a classroom with twenty pairs of eager eyes staring expectantly up at me, just an average day? All the fun memories from the past year started spinning around in my head and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia.
I made a decision not to tell my students that I was finished teaching and leaving their lives forever-- I figured the best way was to silently leave them, and hopefully remain as just a loving memory.
I said my goodbye's to my co-workers, which turned into a tearful hug-fest. I knew we would all be sad to say goodbye, but I felt really loved to see their reactions when I handed everyone home-made cards. Even my boss, who usually has a heart of stone, appeared to have a tear in her eye...
As I type this, I'm sitting in a cafe in Incheon, couch-surfing at my friend Sarah's apartment. My dad arrives in Seoul in two days, and then I have a final two-week adventure with him, after which we'll both fly back to my Home and Native land!
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