One Month update

So I've been here just over a month and I'm trying my best to keep up with the blog so I can give you guys a real sense of what and how I am doing. I feel that I've done a fairly good job and will continue to do so for the next eleven months. I am going to write a monthly update on how I feel, what I want to do while I'm here, what I miss and so on and so forth.

It has been a real neat experience so far. Living in Korea has really been good for me and I know it will only get better. I am discovering things about myself and my world that I never knew. I am getting different perspectives from my friends, my bosses, my solo ventures and even when I go to the bars. I have a deep appreciaition for Asian culture and although you can not apply one culture to all of them, there is a common thread. They treasure different ideals. They treat foreigners with great respect. They are always genuine and loyal. However, they are not the same. There's a huge difference even in the cultures in Seoul versus Pusan (a southern city).

I am hanging out with people who have lived in the Middle East, Southest Asia, China, Mongolia, Brazil, Guatemala, France, The Netherlands, The Northern Territory's of Canada, Germany, Wales, Ireland, India, Taiwan, Russia and just about everywhere in between. They are all world travelers and with that comes a certain personality. It's a very realistic approach to life. They have taken their knowledge of the world and with each new place they go to a little more understanding is gained. And when we all go home, it is our family who benefits from our experience. It is our friends who benefit. It is our country that benefits. If we can all understand a little bit about each other, this would be an a very peaceful world. Understanding comes from experience. You do not have to accept differences in culture. You do not have to agree with these differences, but you must understand why they exsist.

What do I miss? I miss family and friends the most of course. I really miss having a bond with an animal. I have been very lucky to have an animal around me for the last 23 years. This is the first time I have been away from that bond. I had my pets growing up. I had Amos Dog, Snipes and the guinea pig in college and I had Esther and Sadie last year. Now I have none. It's sad, but I know I'll see them all soon. (Rest in peace Snipes and Lakota. I miss you two a lot.) I miss sitting in the grass, climbing trees, driving, Cheerios, drinkable faucet water and a dryer. I miss my comfortable queen-sized bed, PBS, NPR, watching Cincinnati sports with Kristin and Trey. I miss dancing with my friends, live music, festivals and everything that goes along with them. I miss going deeper, the back deck, going to the creek with Sadie, my kids from last year, talking to Jennifer, staying with Byrns, and camping with my friends. I miss drinking whiskey straight from the bottle, Steele Reserve, Tennessee, appreciation for American football, tye-dye shirts, carpet, American cheese and microwaves. I miss all that, but I can live without them for a year.

I do not miss TV news, the President and his supporters, gas prices, the heat, television or southern accents. Honestly, I had to struggle to come up with that list. So what does that mean? You know what it means...

All in all, I love Korea and am happy that I made to hard decision to come here. Who knows where it will take me?