My South Korean Dream: Hello Again!!

Hello, beautiful people!!
It has been well over a year since my last blog entry, I apologize for cutting it dry with no real wrap-up or conclusion. In my last posting during the tail end of my 2nd year teaching English in South Korea, I had intended on letting you know what my next steps in life were to be. Sorry to leave you high and dry, but here is my past year and a half in a very condensed nutshell.

Shortly after leaving Korea, I took part in an overseas, volunteer opportunity via Global Arts Therapy, a small grass roots, non-profit organization that uses recycled goods to create art and sustainable living tools to better the lives of people from lower SES situations. In Nepal, I worked with 2 other volunteers implementing arts programs in Kathmandu and also in the rural countryside for 9 weeks. I stayed with a lovely family, witnessed beautiful people find simple joys of escaping their everyday life, felt as if I was making an impact, saw some amazing sites, and most of all felt like the work we were doing was really making an impact on the participants lives. It truly was a bitter-sweet opportunity, and one I will never forget.
Here is a link to the blog I kept for the organization while there: https://globalartstherapy.wordpress.com

And here is a link to GAT’s homepage: http://www.globalartstherapy.org

After returning from Nepal, I took a year to stay in Illinois, USA, where I began my Masters in TESOL (teaching English as a second or other language) online via The University of Southern California. I realized that while teaching English for 2 years in South Korea that I loved teaching, watching my students academically grow, and also realized that by giving an education I can still be fulfilling my yearn of helping others; after all education is a gift. The MAT TESOL program is a unique online experience in which I actually meet with classmates and my professors weekly via webinar class times. It has been quite challenging, but even more so rewarding as I reflect on the knowledge and tools I’ve gained and also good friend ships I’ve made via the web (many whom I have met in person or plan to meet soon ^^). I graduate this coming March, 2016, and cannot wait!!

Also while staying in the states of a year, I took advantage of that time and reconnected, refreshed, and caught up with my friends and family. My family are the most important people in my life. My siblings are some of the best friends I have, my parent’s too in a way. And my nieces and nephews are more than that, I feel like they’re my ‘kids‘ too and would do anything for them. Although I didn’t get to see everyone I wanted to, getting to be near old friends and family was great and looking back I’m truly happy I took a year to settle my travelers feet to make new, everlasting memories, with everyone back home!

Alas, here I am now though...a returnee to South Korea since August 2015! I realized while in the USA just how much I did enjoy my life here in Korea. Maybe it’s the culture. Maybe the lifestyle. Perhaps the food? Or the language? Or my fascination with ‘cute things‘ which are always in abundance. I believe it is a conglomeration of all the above, plus more. I feel as if South Korea was the first place that I made my own. It was my first real landing spot where I had to make my own way, pave new roads, walk new miles, speak new words (literally studying Korean), and embark on an ongoing adventure. I enjoyed my first 2 years so much, I knew I would enjoy a 3rd, or perhaps a 4th. Do I dare say many many more....yes, I do. Because I don’t know how many more years I will be in South Korea, but I do know I’m happy again here now, so there’s a big chance that happiness will last a while ^^

So, I’m revamping my South Korea blog to share my life with you all. Topics will range from holidays, school events, travels, personal interactions, Korean tips/facts, and also I have some multi-episode themes I’m cooking up on various topics of the Korean culture (food, trends, music, neighborhoods, etc).

This is something I enjoy, and I hope you do too. Hope you all are having a lovely holiday season!!!

-Patrick