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| So, get this crap – Within the past 6 months I learned more about myself and others than I did in the past 2 years. Stereotypical? Um. Yes. Predictable? Uh-huh. Grand? Unbelievably so. My new mantra: choice. In all. Can that happen? Probably “not.” But, we’ll see. Oh, that and this: Make connections. Deep ones. On all planes and in all areas: roommates, colleagues, intelligenica, strangers, strippers, your mom. “You wouldn’t believe what I’ve been up to. And, smile.” “And, use what you’ve been given – time, money, relationships, food, life, et al.” | | |
| The tale…
Those who you are genetically related too, you don’t get to pick them. Yet, through actions, circumstances, and personalities, either a bond is formed, a gulf created, or some median in between.
Enter the “relationship” between me and my aunt. Due to situations [mostly] beyond my control and the unconscious indoctrination on my part, we never really had a nephew/aunt connection beyond that which is socially expected.
Thus, it surprised me when I opened my inbox and had an e-mail from her. At the end, she wrote, “love, [insert name]”
Granted, it could be a formality. But from her, I would like to think that it has substance.
What was even more poignant was what she wrote. She said about my "adventure and great experience" in Korea:
Try to look at everything as a storyline.
Hm. Life is a storyline. But what’s the story? What’s the plot? Who really are the main characters? Who is the story for? When does it truly end? And the questions go on…
So, who do you want in your story? Are you happy with those that influence your outcome? If not, what are you doing about it? If so, how are you displaying it? What legend do you want to leave behind? What words, events, and people will you let mold it? Are you happy with your plot? Not really sure where I’m at in my tale, but I hope that you will not be just a simple secondary character…
It’s interesting how family interactions evolve and change when you go to another country.
“Confirmation and support. That’s all I need.”
“Korean beer – not so good for the stomach. Oh, cruel fates. Blast.”
“If anyone calls me ‘teacher’ in the States, I am going to punch them. In the face. Very hard.”
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| Honestly…
While in a new place, what comes out your mouth at 8.30 am? For me….
- Truth is media. Media is truth.
- Reality is perception. Perception is reality.
To which someone replied, “God is truth.”
Does that make truth god? Or does god make truth? Wouldn’t it make sense for a god to protect its own self-interests by claiming to be truth? Does that make a god selfish, self-interested, and self-aware…?
About this time my friends told me that it was too early in the morning to be discussing such things. I agreed.
And I write this with a smirk on my face at how absurd these statements are and chuckle, in turn, knowing that such things need...
The end.
Apparently I have waaayyy to much time.
Oh, and in class today I had the Korean children listen to and watch Daniel Powter’s Bad Day. You know, subject them to American English, American pop culture, and American ideas. After all, who wouldn’t want to be aMEerican?
Yep, way to much free time.
“Everything I say is in jest, combined with a large dose of dry sarcasm.”
“Oh, I know… let’s run around in circular reasoning and illogical ramblings. F-in yes.”
“By not assigning dates, it makes it less real. And thus, the time goes by much more rapidly.”
“Amazing how few actually trouble with asking. Blast, I’m the same way.” | | |
| Korea…
We’ll, here I am: South Korea. You know how you say that you’ll visit your college friends, thinking how much fun it would be? I have done the same with most of my international friends, especially those from Korea. Yet, I did not suspect that I would ever see them in their home country… so soon… so now. When we got off the plane at Icheon/Seoul International Airport, there they were: Joey (Il-Chang), Michael (Min-Seok), and Stephen (Jye-Hun). It’s surreal and wonderful. And talk about role reversals – I’m used to being the one introducing and helping internationals adjust and become accustomed to a new culture, not the other way around. Eh.
So, we’re the minority, the ones looked at, the unknown, the “internationals.” Hello, sociological perspective. My only frustration is that I don’t know the language. But, you do what you can.
Oh, and if you know how the dump to teach English to elementary school age kids, please let me don’t…. because I’m somewhat clueless.
“What makes you feel desired, wanted, special, unique, alive …? And how do you make others feel as such?”
“Thirteen-hour+ time difference… ouchies.”
“Life continues. Life continues… but I die. ” | | |
| And then…
Here I am, sitting on my furniture-less apartment room floor. In 48 hours I embark for South Korea for a month – July 20th thru August 19th. During the duration in lab today I began to wonder how this trip will change me. If I come back the same I fear that I will have failed quite sufficiently in and fallen short of the purpose of going to another country. I’m of the notion that this trip is not uni-lateral in which I leave an imprint on a country, but bi-lateral, with the country deeply affecting me. A month. Thirty days. Seven-hundred and twenty hours. Hrm. You do what you can, and take names later…? That really doesn’t make sense here… Eh.
After that? Back to Atlanta. While I’m excited about the trip, I’m equally excited about returning. So much to experience, so many things to do, so much time to spend, so many things to deepen, so much... Methinks I’m beginning to come out of my illogical, ill-founded melancholy.
“And, yes. That was in reference to you.”
“Trying not to be overly defined by life, but actively striving to define it for myself. Healthy balance… yes, please. ”
“My apologies if I sound like a brazen-braggart, with an egotistical bent. I have no intent. I’m trying to be the anti-thesis of such.” | | |
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