The travels have subsided and I'm settled back in Korea. In total, I've been away from my school for about 5 weeks. This includes summer English camp, Tokyo, my time at home, and my quarantine.
My summer camp went surprisingly well. I was happy with the other teachers and with our camp organizer. The organization of educational institutions in Korea can feel kind of slap-dash, so when something actually ends up coming together at the last minute, it's a pleasant surprise.
After camp, Andrew and I left for Tokyo the next morning. Tokyo was a whirlwind of fun and amazing things. Tokyo is, in essence, incredibly cool. I was overwhelmed by how the population of an entire city can look so effortlessly pimpin', but they manage to pull it off! People were also very helpful and friendly. We were approached by an attendant in the subway who helped us purchase our first tickets, we had a wonderful hostel, and found people very considerate in general. (What? People will actually move out of your way in a crowded aisle? No way!!!)
I think my favorite part of Tokyo was in Shinjuku. I think that Shinjuku largely encapsulated what I had always imagined Tokyo to be like- lights everywhere, tons of people, fun fashion, all sorts of shops to look at, as well as lots of different food to eat. The whole place absolutely came alive at night, and it was a wonderful thing to experience! In addition to Shinjuku, we went to Harajuku, Asakusa, and Shibuya. Each area was different from the next. It was so amazing to see a city that had just so much on offer.
I arrived back in Ulsan from Tokyo at about 11:30p.m., and had to leave Ulsan the next morning at 6:40a.m. to catch my flight in Busan to go home! It was a quick turn-around that resulted in me being quite stressed when it appeared as though the flight from Tokyo might be delayed by a minor medical emergency. However, the plane left relatively on time, and I made it back in just enough time to pack up for home and catch a bit of sleep before taking off.
I arrived at home at about 5:00p.m. the next day and was able to make it to my friend Rachael's wedding by about 6:30p.m. It was such a special thing to be present for and I was so happy to have been able to make it in time. Having missed several weddings last year and knowing that I'll miss at least one really important one this next year, I definitely did not take Rachael's for granted.
My home leave was also filled with seeing as many friends and family as possible. I was able to spend some good time with my parents while I was home, which was the major priority. I was also able to spend some time with good friends. I also celebrated my 23rd birthday while at home, which was a good excuse to get a lot of people together all at once. All in all, I left my home leave feeling very grateful for all of the people who went out of their way to come and see me. Being away for a year and then seeing people like that again really makes you realize who the important people are to keep around.
