For those of you that don’t know I have delayed my departure a week for a bonus from the school that was enough to entice me. As my time here draws to a close I consider all the things I did see and all the things I have not seen so far. My site seeing has been restricted to mostly Korea, and Thailand. These two things however have been enough to satiate my wander lust for some time to come. I’ve seen the best temples that Thailand has to offer, the dirtiest streets and alleys as well, I’ve seen the most beautiful islands and beaches, the largest most lush jungles and coastal cliffs in Phuket, I took part in 2 rounds of amateur Muay-Thai boxing and defeated those that were brought against me. I was attacked by a dog! My time there although shorter than one week was certainly not wasted by sitting idle. Within Korea, I have seen a good portion of the city of Seoul, the night life, the mountains around it, the parks within, experienced food that I will long for when I no longer have it available, and some that the very thought of will turn my stomach until the day I die.
Then there was the job. This crazy school I work in where the management seems to have the sense of a chicken with its head cut off. Which is to say, blind and running around moments before complete death. I learned a great many things from working here though, it was like working with a melting pot of personalities and interests. Unlike the stale environment of IT back home where you encounter mostly men, of a technical and sometimes anti-social persuasion. To my eyes these are the types of people I have met. Old women who have come to know nothing better in life than this situation where they can make decent money and be coveted for their skin and hair color. I have met many young men who have only the most predatory of intentions in mind. I’ve met a great deal of (at least seemingly) good honest men. Amazing women who have a sense of worldliness or at least want to gain such a sense that I never thought I would meet. Women from Korea, who wish nothing more than to break out of this sexist prison of a country, don’t think them subdued though. The ones I have met have that spark within them that can take them to what they want; they just need a fuse for that spark to jump to.
The friends I have made go beyond just the people I have met. One of the most willful/smart/beautiful/moral women I have met in my entire life. One of the most laid back but artistically talented men (in quite a few mediums). The happiest of boy/girl friends combo that I have ever seen, although I’m still quite convinced that no man follows a girl literally half way around the world without some degree of love for her even if it is just brotherly. A married couple, who have traveled the world to this point and seen more in their adult life than most people ever will in their late twenties. One of the wisest women I have ever met, whose experiences in life changed even some of the most confident points of views I had. A Korean woman who was educated and spent a good portion of her life in Pittsburgh! It is indeed a Steelers universe.
Of course there are also the women whom I’ve gotten to know a little better than friends. I will out of respect for them not talk about them here.
I know there isn’t much detail here. So in closing I will say, that with all the be bad I have been talking about there was a great amount of good. Enough recently to make me question my decision to leave early. But I have developed a saying while here that qualifies largely as a way of life for me.
Pragmatism before Romanticism.
It’s almost time to go home. I look forward to seeing everyone again.
There will be one final post here of any substance, look forward to a hilarious yet stunningly dramatic account of….
THE GREAT ESCAPE!!!
I promise there will be zombies.
Dave, out.
13 more days.
6 more work days.