Seoul searching...

Although I've been here travelling twice before there is something about leaving a year for anywhere that makes you see things differently. I knew when I got on the plane that I was leaving my family, my routine comfortable and multi-diversified Montreal life but I never realized how different Korea would be to me seeing it from a resident point of view. Don't get me wrong I'm not being negative about it, Korea was and always will be a country that fascinates me. There is something about with its complex ways to mix history with a modern fast megacity. Its intriguing and sometimes disgusting closed homogeneous people that are fascinated with learning English like their lives depends on it and it does in a way.

At first, when I visited Korea, Seoul especially I just fell in love.. I saw a lot of myself here, I had a sense of belonging here, even tough it was my first time... a sensation still hard to explain even today, 3 years later...

I'm still in love but now with everything happening so fast I realize my honeymoon is over and it's time for me to go beyond just being seduced and invest myself here as well. Like waking up from a deep crush and realizing that perfection has also defaults all along that you simply refused to see in the first place.

I feel I want and need to get closer to the other international students, makes friends and share the same hardships, but at the same time I feel I'm older and don't have the same values, priorities. So these days I have mixed feelings about a lot of stuff. The best ways to describe it would be feeling loneliness in a crowd. yes.. that a good way to describe my feelings.

There is something about getting out of your normal environment and going to a place where no one or few knows you that really makes you look inward and get to know yourself in a new way. I'm realizing a lot of things on life, myself and I hope I will get a better understanding of where I stand in all of that here.

I guess I feel a little philosophic and introspective today and I wanted to share it with you. Sorry I don't post a lot of things so far. I lack motivation and energy often at the end of the day :) I will try to include blogging into my routine and make it interesting as much as possible. Next time I will try to give you some practical things about living in Korea. Probably I'm less influence and amazed at small things since it's my third time here. nevertheless , everyday there is always something I see that reminds me I'm far from Canada. haha

see ya

I think this picture I took this week shows well the mix of Modern and old here.... in downtown with all the skyscrapers and LCDs you can see the statues of national heroes and the Gwanghwamun Gate which guard the Gyeongbokgung palace behing it.