back in the usa

it was surprising how instantaneously my cultural tiptoeing fell easily into the old heavy gait, albeit in slightly fancier shoes this time.

i'm living now on the kind shoulders of my friends in atlanta. couches, nooks, futons. i'm catching up with everyone's business over their coffee. i'm laughing a lot and catching some great music. it's fun.

my korean adventure has caused me to understand something important about myself. i don't want the routine i always felt i was supposed to have. i think i shouldn't worry about timepieces, but follow my internal clock. i am not materialistic so having a place with things to put in it is contradictory to my nature right now. and no matter how fun a job is, i have always despised going to one place day after day to work. i need variety, in people and scenery.

so now i'm basking in the daily changes and working on a plan to keep my travelling boots on as long as i can.

another thing i learned in my adventure is that i love all people, but i'm particularly fortunate in having found so many special, kind, and outstanding friends... people who remain their true selves despite the odds. it's so freaking cool to be in the company of one honest friend. how ever did i fall into such a great lot of them?

it's the final countdown..... finally

As Kevin put it, it's like I've said goodbye to everyone at the party and I'm waiting on my friend to drive me home.

Here it is, my final day in Korea, but I feel like I've wrung out all the heavy emotion and hugged everyone I needed to hug, exchanged addresses and shaken hands. I am not going to fuss over it any more. Instead, I plan to spend my final day in my friends' beautiful apartment in the city, taking advantage of the quiet, sunlit space to work more on my book.

It's intoxicating to have a life goal sitting gladly in your lap.

pictures of this place