Well, the title says it all - I'm wrapping up my final semester in South Korea as part of the Fulbright Program. The past three years have been a life-changing experience, and living in this country has been filled with ups, downs, and plenty of personal growth. I don't really feel like getting super sappy about all of this right now, because I'm sure that will come later (like once I'm back in America and facing reverse culture shock and reminiscing a lot more). But I will always look back on this experience with fond memories and an appreciation for all of the friendships I've made and will maintain as I move forward.
To roughly transition, this semester has been the busiest four months of my life. Period! From maintaining my personal health, excelling at work, and endeavoring in plenty of extracurriculars, this semester is one for the books. I would like to briefly share some highlights and achievements with you all (in no specific order):
- Finally filling up my second diary and starting my third one
- Demetria's visit to Korea (and trying to win at those damn crane games everyday, lol)
- Participating and completing 6 running/marathon events
- Hiking to the summit of South Korea's tallest mountain, Hallasan
- Eating a tub of ice cream (alone) in a single day while binge watching the newest season of House of Cards (this might be a low for some people, but not in my books)
- Planning, acquiring approval, and executing a Seoul-wide scavenger hunt with my after school class
- Fulbright third year soccer jerseys = the most badass investment ever
- Japan! (part two) Okinawa and Disney
- Keeping up my resolution of posting two blog entries per month
- Drinking beer at 9:00 a.m. before a long flight
- Meeting new friends, getting closer with old ones, and making amazing memories
- Spongebob references, everywhere (shout out to Anna)
- I found Oreo O's and tried them for the first time
- Coming in 1st place in the 100m dash at my school's "Sports Day" (sorry-not-sorry kids, I'm ultra competitive)
- Dancing with a fun-loving old guy at Seoul's Rose Festival
- The assist I tallied when I crossed the ball into the box and our school's Vice Principal headed it into the back of the net (glory moment)
- Supporting my talented and beautiful friend EJ as a model in the Seoul Africa Festival
- That ONE time when a bunch of the older, male teachers at my school talked to me at lunch
- Changing the billboard in my classroom to something meaningful for the students
- (Accidentally) going to an indoor baseball game with Anna and Annaliese
- Becoming addicted to Magikarp Jump! (app)
- Seeing my childhood favorite, Britney Spears, perform live in Seoul
- Watching matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup
- Becoming involved in a D&D campaign with a group of amazing friends
- Finally getting my students to stop feeling shy about taking selfies with me
- Wearing a different dress to Fulbright's final dinner event (I still love you, green dress)
- Consuming way too much Monster Pizza, but never feeling bad about it
- Hanging out on Haeundae Beach in Busan and later dancing the night away with friends
- Feeling thankful for all the amazing friendships I have both here, at home, and elsewhere in the world
Those are just fragments of what I've been up to the past few months. I'll be back Stateside on August 5, and I have no idea what comes next for me.
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