I have a sweet tooth, period. Some people complain that some things are too sweet, to which I reply, "Impossible!" When I make chocolate chip cookies, I use milk chocolate, not that bittersweet or semisweet stuff you're "supposed" to bake with. Bittersweet? Semisweet? Liking those is like saying you only like to be mildly happy, or that you like your weather partially sunny with scattered showers.
I know you don't care to read about my culinary opinions, but I promise there's a point to all of this. For the first several months of being in Korea, though I was having a good time, the thought of coming home always had a 100% sweet taste in my mind, and I counted the months. But as I have had fantastic weekend after fantastic weekend, and more importantly, as I have developed meaningful relationships these last couple of months, the thought of coming home in less than two months leaves a bittersweet taste in my mind, and I don't find it enjoyable! I am still excited to return home, see friends and family (and dog) whom I love, be in the city which I love, eat the foods I love, and hopefully start a job that I'll love. And then I think about the people I love here, and how badly I don't want to leave them, and there's that bitter taste.
I've had great friends in Pohang for almost my entire experience here, I always knew I would not enjoy saying goodbye to them, yet I never dreaded my inevitable departure. But something is changing... Maybe it's that I am on the home stretch, and it's hitting me that the end is nigh. But I occasionally get emotional thinking about the goodbyes I have to make soon, and it's not what I expected to feel.
Many people here have told me that I will come home and regret not staying in Pohang, and will likely return for another year. I can understand why they would believe that, since it happens oh so often. Though as much as I am not looking forward to saying goodbye, I do still feel it's the right thing for me to return home and begin the next chapter.
So here I am with seven weeks left in this country. I think about the things I have done, and the things I have yet to do here. I know that if I departed right now, having left certain things undone, I would have no regrets, because I know I've made great use of my time here. But since I still have seven weeks, I'll make the most of them! I'm planning a trip to Seoraksan, Korea's most beautiful national park. I'll spend my birthday weekend at Korea's annual Mud Festival, where I will be rolling around in mud, playing mud games with all of my closest friends. I still have more rock climbing to do with Mary, Courtney, and whoever else can join. And who knows what else, maybe see a Korean baseball game, or explore the city of Daegu. I still have time and a sense of adventure, so as far as I'm concerned, the world is my oyster for these last 7 weeks!
