LEAVING KOREA

by Anonymous 10:10 PM 0 COMMENTS

I have not blogged for over a week. The overwhelming amount of paperwork and red tape involved with leaving Korea has been a huge drain on my desire to write or do anything at night. Most people dislike paperwork, I despise it. If I was offered two jobs, one a legal clerk and the other a ditch digger, I would take the 2nd. I am just a few hours away from having my internet disconnected, so I will share some last thoughts on Korea.

I came here having a basic understanding of what to expect. I knew the history and had a basic knowledge of the culture. The Korean people have been good to me. There were many times I felt frustrated with the way things are done here. However I feel the same kind of frustration in America, just for different reasons. I was never one to do much traveling, I would rather stay home than deal with all the headaches.

I've seen and done things that no one from my home town ever has. I'll always remember my time with the ROK Navy, and what it taught me. I'm glad decided to come here. There were some really tough times, but I'm better for it all.

I'm a very different person than when I first came here. I'm much less trusting of people and institutions than I once was. Returning to Utah leaves me with mixed emotions. I look forward to seeing old friends and spending time alone in the mountains. I look forward to having the freedom of rural life, even if it's just for a few weeks. However, a lot has changed in two years. Many old friends now have families. The country has taken a nose dive. Most of all, I dread questions about my work and some things that happened in my personal life.

I love my home town and the people there. I've lived in a few places, but no place has ever matched Monroe. I'm not sure how my internet connection will work out when I'm home. I think my mom and grandparents are still using dial-up. Never the less I will find a way to make a few posts, and show you a little of my world.

The next few days will be dinners, farewells, and ceremonies with people in different cities. I also have a lot more paperwork to do. As a result this is all I will write this week.


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