Blue Lips, Blue Veins, the Color of Our Planet From Far, Far Away...

It will be nine months in just a few days that I have been living on the other side of this planet... all I keep thinking is DAMN that seems like a long time to bear a child! I mean, although the nine months have gone by fairly quickly- still, all that time with so many restrictions? Don't get me wrong, hopefully I will have one or two before my clock stops but christ! Those crazies that have like 6, or even 4 for that matter, that's like what... 3-5 years of your life being pregnant?! yeah, I just had to whip out my widget calculator for that one. Math isn't my strong point. Whatever.

Anywayyyyy....

So... looks like I started that a MONTH ago... because I am now into my tenth month of living and working in South Korea. TENTH! Seems like I wrote that last week. A very dear friend who I am going to miss terribly told me that the last six months would go by very quickly, I didn't realize how right he was until now. I am excited to embark on my next adventure but it's starting to become bittersweet when I think about leaving. I try not to worry about it since I do still have a few months but it's hard to forget when you are out and your friends get drunk and get the long face and tell you not to go.

Such is life. Must remain in a forward motion. at.all.times. If not then you are apt to go crazy.

My sister, Eva, is in the midst of her own Asian Adventure right now... traversing Indian grounds, and will arrive in Korea for the last leg of her trip in just a few short weeks. Very much looking forward to that and have been sitting up till no earlier that 3am every night obsessively and compulsively planning the few weekends I will be able to spend with her. Between planning my last weekends here in Korea and (obsessively and compulsively) planning my upcoming Southeast Asian Adventure I am starting to get the computer eye...

Spring is trying to arrive but winter keeps getting jealous, which means I think Eva will be getting here just in time to see the cherry blossoms blossom. There will be many a festival to attend, because Korea LOVES their festivals!

So, there's to planning the near future, but..

In this great future, you can't forget your past...

So let's RECAP

I was fortunate to be able to spend the holidays with my family and friends from home in New York and although it was WAY to short of a trip, I was grateful and happy to see everyone.

Something about Christmas, no matter where in the world I may be during this time of year I WILL make my way home. mark.my.word.

A few weeks after returning from my trip home, a piece of home came to me ^^ when my childhood friend Ms. Victoria West came to visit! Not ONLY did she come visit me in Korea, where I was

sure to show her a few things such as how to drink soju and makju and soju in makju, somak, stay up all night singing at noreabang followed by Korean bbq at 6am for the second time in 24 hours- BUT we were lucky enough to be able to plan her trip around the Lunar New Year, one of the only small holiday breaks I get from my job.

SO.. ..we took off the to the Philippines for a few days. Bantayan Island. Beautiful, cheap, paradise. I have been trying to convince Rusty and Bob to move out there ever since. Open up a small hotel or bar and you are set. All foreigners own the establishments and the native people are friendly and happy. The country survives off of tourism so it's win win. So.feckin.GORGEOUS. It was a sad day upon our departure, and my insides were sure to let me know when I got the violent sickness traveling back. terrible. But I'm alive. Sorta.

Anyway, it was also a sad day when Tori had to leave- and as much as I succeeded in not bawling at the bus terminal, my tear ducts failed me when I returned home to find a note written in Tor's signature all caps xoxo, Tuv under my pillow.

Very romantic.

So from when Tori left until now it has been a long stretch of weekends that are too quick and weekdays that are too long, on and off sickness because of a filipino parasite, the yellow dust, being dermatologically overmedicated, or, all of the above.

Until next time....

ThemeSong.

The lyrics people the lyrics. Just listen. And watch the whole thing. Preferably in full screen.

ch-ch-ch-changes

Being away from everything familiar, everyone I love and care about has put so many things into perspective for me. You really see people for who they are when you are away. Who it is you can depend on and trust, who is there for you when you need them most, and who isn’t. Some people I have always known would be there, some have come as a surprise. But who you can Depend on, capital D. That’s a biggie. You can understand a lot about the nature of a person if they have dependability.

There is also something to be said of all the people met along the way. The ones you will retain lifelong relationships with, ones who will become part of your family, plans, your future. The people you know will always be in your life, throughout your whole life, the people you wish will always be in your life, but won’t, some that you wish wouldn’t be a part of your life, but are, and some that might just be part of your life for a certain amount of time. The perfect person for that perfect time. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. True story.

CHANGE, once my enemy (?) now my… friend? Maybe not enemy so much as this thing I once feared. But why fear things that aren’t known? SOLITUDE. Being alone with myself, also scary. Growing up with a huge family, a sister close in age, friends as close as fam., an open door at all times, I was never alone and I liked it that way. Now, I live alone- I am alone, in a sea of people whose language I can’t speak. I am accepting it, everyday. I prefer companionship, I am a Libra after all… but before that time comes again where I will have solitude no more, I understand that I should cherish this time. So, I am trying. But, I already knew that I felt this way. So as much as I am learning about the nature of others I am also learning about myself. I am an independent person who loves to love to love ya, is there something wrong with that? What is anything if you have no one to share it with? In my eyes, everything is nothing when you can’t share it with someone you love. That’s KINDA the only reason I write these blogs you know. Also why I decided to begin posting photos on facebook since I’ve moved here.

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”

Happy Day of Birth to my dear beautiful cousin in Heaven, we miss you tremendously.

To all my friends and family whom I love and cherish so deeply, I am so lucky to have you xo.

24 days 'til Christmas!