Beginning Goodbyes

Well, things are falling into place for the grand Asian adventure. My visa arrived, my plane ticked was reserved, and suddenly the fact that I'm soon going to be in Asia is becoming more real. Though honestly, it still really seems surreal, and I think that will continue even after I've set foot in South Korea. My plane ticked was secured yesterday. I don't have to pay for it, however. The school that I will be working for foots the bill. If I fail to complete the one year contract, then I have to pay it back. When my one year is completed, I have the option of renewing, otherwise they pay for my plane ticket home, plus one month of severance pay. While I'm there I get two weeks paid vacation, which I plan to use to further explore Asia. I'm really eager to get to Japan. I have a friend from high school who was an exchange student from Tokyo, so I'm planning on visiting her. However, it's only a 2 hour flight or so from Seoul to Tokyo, so that trip could even be made on one of the several long weekends I'll have due to Korea holidays. I'll be in a Southern suburb or Seoul called Seongnam City, but my particular area of that suburb is called Bundang, which is nearly considered its own city. From what my friends who have taught there have told me, it's pretty much the nicest neighborhood in all of South Korea. I will leave from Kansas City next Monday, June 15 (that's so soon!!) and fly to Minneapolis, where I have an overnight layover, which is fine, because I have a friend from high school who lives there that I will stay with. I leave at 7:45am Tuesday morning from Minneapolis and fly to Seattle, which I'm really excited about, because even though it's not a super long layover, I'll have enough time to hop off the plane, get picked up by my friend, have a very quick lunch and coffee (of course) with some Seattle friends, and get back to the aiport in time to leave Seattle Tuesday afternoon on an 11 hour flight to Seoul. Once I arrive at the airport in Seoul, I will have a ride waiting for me from the agency I have gone through to find my job. He will take me to the school I'm going to be working at, and then to my own apartment that comes fully furnished. After that, I'm sure I'll crash from jet lag and insane time changes. So for the last few weeks, I've been tooling around the midwest, trying to spend time with as many friends and family as possible. With the exception of Garrett, today was the first time I've had to say goodbye to family. Dad, Jami, Samantha, Tyler, Wyatt, and I spent the day playing games at Grandma and Grandpa's, which to me really was the perfect way to spend it. As grandpa said in another email, Sam and I and a friend of mine stayed there for a few nights earlier this week, so I went downstairs to do a quick run-through just before leaving. I walked into the wicker room, and there in the middle of the floor was a nice shiny penny.Honestly, I never really bought the penny thing to much, but in these last few months they have been turning up in ways that may be swaying my mind. Like I said, things have been falling into place for this whole crazy venture to begin, and well, finding the penny was kind of like the cherry on top of an already well topped sundae. I know this next year will be hard in so many ways, but the reward of the experience I believe is going to far outway the hardships.

People ask me if I'm afraid. Honestly, I feel like I should be far more afraid than I am. I feel like because I'm not terrified, the culture shock will be that much worse. I think it may be more overwhelming that I anticipate. Yet, this is something I've wanted to do for years.
A few months ago, as I was beginning to understand that I was infact going to go, I found a journal from nearly 4 years ago. As I was flipping through it, I found an entry in which I was debating between teaching English in Asia and going to seminary. I had written, "God, if there's a way to do them both at the same time, please show me." I almost fell off my bed. I don't think I actually expected to do them both at the same time. Yet, here I go. What a whirlwind adventure this will be.

By the way, Bundang, when pronounced correctly, sounds like Poondong (so far as I can tell)
Hence, a rhyming blog title. Enjoy.