18 month itch

So I have just crossed over the 18 month mark living as an expat in Korea with just under 6 months left of my 2 year contract here. And if I can be honest, it's not always roses and peaches as my Facebook pictures might allude. Surprised? I didn't think so. It's no mystery that life has its challenges, its no different when living as an expat either. You go through immense periods of joy that you cannot contain. But then a week or 2 later you can be feeling the extreme opposite and it doesn't take a lot to trigger that emotion either.

sweet chariot - Inchoen International Airport, Korea

Homesickness, like jet-lag and seasickness, is very real. We all experience it differently and cope with it very differently. For some people it is a few months into their new life where the melt down occurs and for some it can be towards the end of their time away where the longing for home knocks hard on one's front door. Solution: a skype call home, dinner with friends down town or an epic weekend away can, for some, do the trick. For others it can mean booking an expensive plane ticket home to spend merely a short crazy week with the family. Not forgetting the midnight runner, who decides that this is just way too much for them and without notice disappears during the night. I mean literally pack anything they fit in their suitcase - and head to the airport and purchase a one-way ticket home - it sounds extreme, and it is, but it happens more often than we know.

Hyeopjae Beach, Jeju Island Korea

I have been completely grateful for the opportunity to be in Korea, have a good job, pay no rent (that's my favourite part) and all the travel experiences afforded to me in this past 18 months. But the longing for my motherland is on the increase. My friends at home battling with home mortgages, car insurance and little vacation time will probably think I am so ungrateful right now. But it's true. There is still no place like home. Sure there are many unknowns and things I dread upon my return. I am not 100% about the job situation when I get back, the public transport system is not so great which would mean agonizing over the ever increasing petrol price and insurance for a car. I don't miss the politics (every country has politics but at least here I don't understand what they are saying), and certainly not looking forward to 21 days of leave a year compared to the awesome long holidays you get here as a school teacher. And apparently there is something called reverse culture shock too, go figure.

school holidays spent in Vietnam

But there is also a ton of things I miss that make me genuinely excited to come home.  I miss the BF a lot. Skyping has been great but I miss going on a good old fashion date - you know lunch and then movies, sharing popcorn, the stuff chick flicks are made of.  My family - yes  we drive each other insane, but right now I wouldn't mind driving a few kilometres out of town for lunch with the parental unit so mom can show off her latest hidden discovery or pulling an all nighter with the sister with loads of girl talk. I could settle to watching the younger brother win a rugby game or brave being a passenger at his driving lesson. Or follow the older brother (turned 30 on Saturday - wooo hooo) around with his cool arty friends, listening to their conversations trying to figure out how the creative process works or getting free entrances to gigs to watch awesome bands like The Arrows because he is cool and connected like that. Oh and my nephew, the cutest thing you ever laid eyes on. 

Proudly South African - World Athletics Championships, Daegu

I'm looking forward to going to a regular supermarket and know the aisles and what they stock. Doing my own banking (I am a nerd for admin), sorting out my own cellphone contract and not concern myself with immigration offices and visa runs (although traveling has been awesome). It will be great to know about upcoming events because the websites (and the grapevine) will be English, and of course I won't worry about walking into a movie only to find that it has Korean dubbing or is in French with Korean subtitles - yes this happened to my friends! And although I can decipher Hangul (Korean characters), most of the time I don't know what I am reading; I miss being able to read signs, menus and labels on food. I miss being able to just speak and not strain myself to fill in the missing blanks of sentences or have an adult conversation turn into a game of charades. Oh and I miss my mother tongue (hmm I wonder if I can still speak it LOL), you know that expression, feeling, emotion or even joke that can not be translated, its so liberating to be able to just say it and people get it. 

hiking  - not sure which direction to go :(

But it wont be long my sweet friends (who I miss too) - I have already missed baby showers and missing 2 weddings in November :( heartbreaking stuff I tell you! But what can a girl do? So instead of agonizing and longing for home I have made a commitment to myself to be present where I am now, that my last few months abroad will be anything but boring. I have tons to look forward to, including 2 international trips (destination to be revealed soon hahaha you can guess in the meanwhile) and 2 lovely ladies coming to visit me from South Africa, they arrive the day before Christmas - I cant believe how spoiled blessed I am. I am still in awe at God's provision in my life. 

I think it's time I start working on my Korea bucket list - things I want to do, see or eat before I leave Korea. That should keep me occupied - as the saying goes time flies when you are having fun, I so hope that's true.

Final thoughts

How do you cope with homesickness? And what things should I add to my Korean bucket list?