Kim and I went to Malaysia - visited Penang (Batu Ferringhi & Georgetown) and Kuala Lumpur. What a beautiful vacation. We struck the perfect balance of fun, learning, and relaxation. Penang is worth a visit, seriously.
We are preparing to host an interscholastic music event at my school which is awesome, and the choir that I'm a part of has a TON going on. We have our concert this Sunday, performance of Beethoven's Mass in C Major on May 9th (I'm playing for that one), and a performance with the Brigham Young University band on my birthday. WOOOO! All while gearing up for end of the year concerts, the first ever (insert my school's name here) Arts Night, trying to keep the seniors in their seats and relatively decent, and saying goodbye to friends who are leaving for different positions in the fall. Also - what am I going to do after my third year in Seoul? It's on my mind almost constantly and it's been a rollercoaster.
I was, and am, incredibly lucky. I came to Seoul with my mom, unsure if I would make any friends or survive my first year teaching (not even worried about the second one!). I met 5 wonderful women who were in the same boat, except that they'd been teaching for a while. We quickly bonded and realized we had so much to learn from each other - The Single Ladies were born. We traveled to Vietnam and Japan together, Kakao'd about all of our Korean mis-steps, successes, and questions, and lived life together as a family. I'm moved to tears over what we have gone through together and how fortunate I am to know these women. As the baby of the crew, they really took me in and accepted me for who I am. We are each other's family in a place where family is so far away. When things go wrong, my mom can't talk to the insurance company for me or bring me soup - it's my friends. We've been here for each other through it all - and I mean all. Last Friday, it was a somber and confusing evening. We packed up Becky as she prepared to move back home. This isn't my story to tell, but she had to go home because of things going on with her family. We packed up boxes, cleaned out cupboards, sorted clothing, and cleaned it all up. I laughed through it all - how could I not? We are 6 HILARIOUS and intelligent women, enjoying some pizza and alcohol in a small apartment. My laughter, however, felt so nervous and wrong. I am so so sad to see her go. Every year it'll be the same, I know... people leaving, me leaving, who knows. It just felt so earth shattering to have one of my own crew - one of my people - a single ladie, leave us. Our time is coming to an end. We'll continue to evolve and keep in touch, remembering the troubling and exhilarating times near and far away.
It mixes me up, for sure.
Too many feelings.
Too many changes.
as Hayne said today at recess, "There's been a disruption to the Single Ladies. And I don't like it".
Here's to you, Becky.
"Trouble Finds Me - the Becky-san Story"
When trouble finds you, we'll be here. (Or wherever you need us to be, via skype or one plane ride away)
Korea, Fall 2014
Hanoi, September 2014
Ho Chi Minh City, September 2014
Tsushima, September 2013
