home sweet home

It all started in grade 3 when we were little girls...and look at us now, women...who would've thought. Jackie and I loving life!

I'm really fortunate to have received so many reminders of home since I've been here. First I had a visit my from my Uncle Rick who was in Seoul on business. Then I had my sister send me videos of herself, my brother in law and my nieces who are back home. And I just had my best friend from the last 15 years come spend a week with me in Seoul and allow me the opportunity to share this experience with someone. Not to mention all the mail I've got since I've been here. Letters, cards, and pictures from so many of my family members. And soon I'll be in Australia with two of my closest guy friends and one of my university roommates celebrating Christmas together.
I wish I could somehow keep a video diary of my time in Korea. Sharing Seoul and the Korean culture with Jackie was so much fun. I know everyone knows I am away and I am living in Korea but not many people are going to be able to really know what it's like to LIVE in Seoul and LIVE in the Korean culture. I got to spend time with my best friend but I got to share my experience with her. I want to be able to have all my loved ones come visit me so they can get a glimpse of this city, my job, my everyday life and the differences/similarites between North American and Asian cultures. Although the differences outweigh the similarities there are things that are inherent to this country and its people that I absolutely love. For example, the way Korean children giggle on the street when they see you and how the laugh is always followed by "HELLO" or "HI". On the subway, street and in shops if a Korean child knows any English there is a good possibility he/she will try to converse. I love how I'm received (for the most part) very warmly asked where I come from and I say Canada. Definitely a bonus. I love how education is so important to families here. Teachers are given presents on a daily basis from the kids they teach and from their families frequently. If only Canada could adopt that attitude I think teachers would be viewed/treated so differently. These are all things Jackie and I discussed at one point or another during her stay. They made me realize I do love a lot of things about this country and Korean people.
And it was such a blessing for the two of us to spend ten days together again. We haven't spent this much time together since our early teen years. Separate high schools and universities/colleges kept out time together limited. But we had a huge reunion and I am so grateful for that. After Jacks left and got safely back to T.O. she wrote me a message online saying "check a movie box underneath your tv". I did so yesterday and found a note saying a lot of funny and nice things. One thing that stuck out was she wrote 'It's so comforting to know that Jackie and Amy are still Jackie and Amy.' We matured separately from each other's everyday lives unlike our childhood and yet we still have the same friendship just as women now instead of girls :) Comforting is the word for sure. She was one of the biggest comforts from home I could've received. We reminisced about all our old memories and dreamt of the new ones that we'll be making in the future. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.