(Warning, this is more just a stream of consciousness that found its way out of my brain rather than a cohesive thought.) In a very bizarre turn of events my culture shock in Korea hasn't been from the food or the language. Most of what has happened, has happened somewhat according to my expectations. I…
My second day of teaching went a lot like the first. Except I didn't have to worry about figuring out how to walk to school, how to get to the office, where my desk was, or who my co-teachers were. So I could actually focus on noticing things about the school and the students.…
I did it. I officially survived my first week of teaching middle school in South Korea. Luckily for me that week was only two full days, but regardless I survived. I’m sitting here on Friday night writing this, thoroughly exhausted, and feeling very happy. I’m not on a mountain top, and I’m not in a…
Continue reading ➞ First Day of Teaching Middle School in South Korea
What's in a home? That which we call a home by any other name would be as sweet. (Shakespeare, I apologize) I think about the idea of home a lot. I think it started when my family moved while I was studying out of the country and I came back to a house that was…
Continue reading ➞ A Home By Any Other Name Would Be As Sweet
Korean is hard. I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise to anyone, especially native English speakers. I've studied Spanish for a long time now and am plateauing comfortably at my high-intermediate level of being able to express everything at a very basic level but communicate almost nothing on a deeper level. Spanish is easy enough because…
This morning I woke up to 5 Facebook notifications saying that several of my friends had been marked safe during the Orlando shooting. I had been asleep when it happened, I don't have cable so I can't watch the news, and so this was how I found out about the incident. Not on the TV with…
One of the best thing you can do for yourself is to be friends with people who have vastly different stories than you. It makes your conversations more interesting, your connection more real, and opens your mind to worlds of possibilities that you have no means of reaching on your own. This realization came to me…
Continue reading ➞ On The Importance of Having Friends That are Very Different from You
Dear Peru, You were the first. You are the place where this all started. Six weeks in Cusco was not enough to even begin to take in the bright and vibrant traditions combined with the muted reality of everyday. It was not enough to realize how far-reaching your impact on my life would be. Peru you…
Continue reading ➞ An Open Letter to the Countries I Have Loved
Hours and Miles 