My sentimental thanks

I bought my flight ticket back to the states today.

In three days time it will be exactly 2 months before I leave. 

Becoming aware of how little time I have left in such a magnificent place, realizing how much I still want to do here, and all the things I will be thankful for once I'm gone, makes everything I see, do, and experience feel more and more bittersweet. 

With that in mind, there are a number of things that I am thankful for that I feel deserve attention. 

In not quite any particular order:

1. To the random delivery man: You must have the same route for whatever job you do every morning. That first time you honked and waved at me while I was walking to school on a Wednesday, I was confused. When it continued the Wednesday after that, and each following Wednesday, honestly it frightened me a bit. Old men here often give me less than welcoming attention. But after a while, seeing you honk and wave became routine. Sometimes you'd even roll down your window and call out a hellooo to me. So I waved back. Its gotten to the point where I can usually predict about when and where you'll drive by, and now Wednesday mornings where you don't drive past and honk feel a bit lonely. So thank you, for being friendly with me and treating me like a part of your community. Thank you for making me smile first thing Wednesday mornings.

2. To that one Naju taxi driver: When I first moved here you seemed so concerned with wherever I was going, constantly honking at me to use your taxi, probably because you assumed I didn't know where anything was. Sorry, but I am too cheap to take a taxi unless I am desperate. After a while you realized this and stopped hassling me to ride in your car. Your taxi stands are literally right outside my house and school, so you saw me walking the 25 minute trek twice everyday. Sometimes you would talk to me,  Aren't you tired? (of walking) Don't your knees hurt? Why do you take the long way around the park...? and at first I thought you were a bit nosy. I realized though that you are just genuinely interested and in your own way, you care, so I always smiled and answered you. Whenever I pass the taxi stand you smile and greet me, and no matter where I am in Naju, you always seem to find me as you're driving around. You always honk to let me know you are there, sometimes 3-4 times in the span of me being downtown or on my walk home. Its embarrassing. Everyone always looks around to see who you are honking at, but I know, so I get embarrassed. At the same time though I am amused and happy to have some sort of human connection with someone. I  don't have many people to talk to around here. So thank you for keeping me on edge every time I see a taxi, waiting for that next friendly honk and wave.

3. To the elderly woman: Korean summers are a nightmare of heat and humidity that my body simply can not adjust to. Last summer, as I was traveling for the weekend, I thought I might melt straight into a puddle. I probably would have, had it not been for you. You saw me come into the store clearly struggling with the heat. You saw me head straight for the water, slowly and sluggishly because I had no energy left. You must have pitied me, because you handed me your large plastic fan and gave me the go-ahead to use it. I bowed and thanked you, fanning myself as much as I could before we had to leave the shade of the store behind. When it came time to go I tried to return it to you. You refused it. You told me to keep it. During that whole day, you could not have possibly given me any greater gift, and for that fan I was so so thankful. That fan saved me. So thank you for being observant and thank you even more for your fan. I used it well, and I have kept it for the last year for times when I need it.


4. To the other native English teachers: We don't have to be close to understand one another here. Living here, we all run into the same types of situations, and that understanding makes companionship easy sometimes. We don't always spend time together, in fact I feel I rarely see anyone. However, I know you are all there. I know I can usually count on you if need be. So I must say thank you to those teachers. I am not going to name anyone specifically, but thank you to the girl who taught me how to use makeup. Thank you to the friend that was my DropTop cafe study buddy. Thank you to those people who were my lesson plan mentors. Thank you to those who were my friend, or at least those who accepted me as I followed them around because I had no close friends to be with. Thank you for letting me be part of your group on culture trips when ever things got clique-y. Thank you for inviting me out whenever you did something, even if I was almost always already busy with other plans. Thank you for not letting me feel forgotten. Thank you for being there. Even if we never speak after again after this chapter of our lives. I am glad our paths crossed.

5. To that one random little kid: I had a bad day. My students had not behaved well during my classes. Walking home I was very irritated, until you decided to play a game with me. You were such a cute little boy, walking along ahead of your mother. You seemed very interested in me, and that's when you decided to mess with me. You decided to play the, 'I will only walk directly in front of you' game. You ran to get in front of me, but once you were there you drastically slowed down, walking practically under my feet. So I moved to walk around you ... and you moved with me. I caught on quickly to what you were doing. I could hear your mother scolding you from behind me, telling you to leave me alone. But you were so darn cute, I played along. Left. Right. Left. Right. I kept changing where I was walking so you were zigzagging all over the place so fast just to stay in front of me. You giggled and were having the best time; I could hear your mom trying to hold in her laughter behind me. Kid you brightened my day. Thank you for that.

6. To my first date: We only went on a few dates. However I have zero regret whatsoever. In the time that I knew you I never made any bad memories. You gave me what must be the most unforgettable first date I could have ever hoped for. We got hopelessly lost and you were so apologetic about everything. However, it was cute and I wasn't bothered. Rather I found the whole situation highly amusing and enjoyed every moment of our day together. So thank you, for a first date memory I will always cherish.

7. To Dr. Cha: You gave me a place where I felt at home. You opened up your clinic to me after so many others rejected me. Despite the struggle of a language barrier, you welcomed me and allowed me to shadow you, so that I might earn some experience in what I want to go back to school for once I return home. You and your vet techs are all very kind to me, and during the time I have spent with you I have seen and learned many useful things, and in a different country, which most people never get the chance to do. You may not realize it, but you've done so much for me. I am extremely thankful to have the chance to shadow alongside you and for every hour I have been able to visit your clinic. Thank you for believing in me, and thank you for supporting me.

His books have anatomical terms in Korean and English!

They give me drinks :)

And I can read his books!

I will write a separate special post specifically in regards to my school and friends. As if I wrote it all in one place, this post would be far too long. It's too long already as it is.