Our eleventh - and potentially final year - living abroad is coming to a close in a few days and we shall travel back to Green Bay to repatriate. I'm excited to get back home. I have been wrestling with the big question, "How has this experience changed me?" I understand few will have the time or interest to really ask me that question. (It is a hard one to ask and even harder to listen as they slog through their thoughts.) So let me curate those thoughts here.
Read on if you care to know more.
I would say a big change is that my world view has changed. I feel rather untethered from the US. Political campaigns, mask madness, daily mass shootings, Covid numbers rising and falling, Black Lives Matter - all of these major events consuming so much attention and energy for my friends and family have not been my reality. My heart is saddened by all the drama and trauma. But at the same time, They were happening "over there." My world for several years was more about realizing Kim Jong Un was far more bark than bite. Then my world for several more years was more connected to HK Protests, mask mandates, and - most recently - National Security Law repercussions. In 2020 when North Korea blew up the liaison office in the DMZ, I thought, "Wow. I've stood in that building!" In my world when India shuts down due to ridiculously high Covid-19 deaths, my heart aches for a country I have volunteered and love dearly. When war reignites between Israel and Palestine, I text a friend there to see how she is affected and speak to a student I know whose is Israeli. In some way I have become a citizen of the world.After adjusting to apartment life, I have found I don't need nearly as much square footage as before. Being in large homes even feels a bit overwhelming and unnecessary. I now have a hard time even imagining all the things we used to store in our basement. What were we keeping all that stuff for? We have a shipment of "stuff" on its way over the ocean right now. As much as I can't wait to reunite with my gong, I have a feeling I have kept too much stuff. I have certainly appreciated the easy access to nature in both Seoul and Hong Kong. Perhaps apartment living encouraged us to get outside more. As we didn't have a back yard, we did find ourselves hiking or biking or heading to the beach. That was
pretty cool. But now I absolutely look forward to sitting in my own back yard again! And I can't wait to invite friends and family over for a back yard BBQ.
I have blogged a few times about public transportation, so I won't go into much detail here. But, it has been amazing! To have the choice of driving or taking cheap public transportation just makes so much sense. Additionally, I can now drive on either side of the road.
In some ways, living and travelling in countries in which English is not the primary language spoken has changed me. I tune out strangers' voices. I recognize a wide variety of languages. I can read Hangul (but I don't know what it says.) I understand what it is to be illiterate. I understand that a culture is held in its language; if you don't know the language, you won't really know the culture. I marvel at children and adults who speak several languages. I am far more at ease speaking to someone from a different country than I used to be, too.
When we left Green Bay my hobbies had been primarily walking, acting, and singing. Since then I have re-engaged in old interests and gained some new. I have again played volleyball, swam regularly, and played piano (all activities from my youth). I read a ton and wrote lots of poems, also interests since childhood that I hadn't had much time for. But I also began blogging, took up hiking, weight-lifted, did circuits, a bit of yoga and learned how to play a gong! I started meditating and learned a bit of qigong. And, believe it or not, I did a deep dive into quantum physics and the nature of consciousness. While in Korea, I volunteered as an English teacher to North Korean Women Refugees and loved it. I have also enjoyed many other volunteer service opportunities.
And yes, my job spoiled me. I loved having smaller classes and fewer classes than when teaching in Green Bay. I loved the amazing students and ease of classroom management. I loved the time I had as an educator for creativity and collaboration. I loved taking students abroad for Speech and Debate tournaments and Drama. I appreciated all of the professional development opportunities. Most of all, I loved the better work-life balance that I have had (minus the Covid months).
And since my decade in Asia has coincided with a shift from first half of life to second half of life, I have to say my sense of Self has shifted. I know who I am on a completely different level now. I am far more attuned to my heart that I used to be. I see through a lens of connection, not separation. Of love not fear and trust in where life leads. Perhaps one could say, I have peace in my Soul for these years have served as a sort of refinement of who I am. And for that, I am most grateful.
And since my decade in Asia has coincided with a shift from first half of life to second half of life, I have to say my sense of Self has shifted. I know who I am on a completely different level now. I am far more attuned to my heart that I used to be. I see through a lens of connection, not separation. Of love not fear and trust in where life leads. Perhaps one could say, I have peace in my Soul for these years have served as a sort of refinement of who I am. And for that, I am most grateful.
