Another twist in the road...

I can't even count how many times my life plans have changed in the past year. It makes me think that I can't really plan big things like that in the first place - everything unfolds in its own way and I have to not be scared to go with the flow. Be calm and composed like a fluffy ninja cat. Thankfully, the latest change is quite a lovely one and not something I would ever complain about. In fact, it's something I've been dreaming of for quite a while.

In February 2010 I visited San Diego, California for the very first time and fell completely in love with the paradise around me. My parents always say I am like a lizard or plant because I live on sunshine. The sun is my primary battery (chocolate being the secondary one). California is the land of sunshine and it made me feel deliriously happy, I could not stop smiling. Ever since that time I dreamed of actually living in that paradise, but never thought that it was actually possible.

So here I was, already thinking of what to pack for England and, to be honest, dreading the cold and the rain. And then my student visa was rejected because of a silly technicality. My whole plan for the year and for my education just dissolved after reading one little e-mail.

Finally, the results of the turmoil character-building excitement: I am now living in California! And I will take the exact same MA degree at the University of Nottingham, but through distance education. At the end of this month, I will start a certificate program at UCSD so that I will be certified to teach English here in California. And my boyfriend will come to visit around Christmastime. Ahhh. The relief. The joy. Embracing what's happening even though it's not exactly how you initially planned it at all.

My ninja cat instincts are still intact and the ocean beckons to provide soothing relaxation and hours of beachside reading. It feels like everything is just as it should be, whew!!

Back to school...

Well, it's official! I've accepted a place at the University of Nottingham so in just a few short months I'll be flying off to England! Hopefully I can remember how to be a student again. At the very least, I can stock up on the best stationery here in Korea ;-)

I'm actually super excited that this is finally happening. I've always loved school and scholarly environments. Many of my favourite books even feature school settings. Currently, I'm teaching at an elementary school (although this often feels more like a zoo than a scholarly environment). So yes, this new adventure feels thrilling and inspiring!

I have three more weeks of teaching left before the semester finishes. I should start applying for my student visa and figuring out housing.

Exciting times!

Laptop recovered from severe spillage + more grad school application stuff

Being the graceful swan that I am, I managed to spill sticky nut tea all over my laptop (and my bed) which rendered it close to useless for the last few days. Each morning, I turned it on only to find that at least two more keys had ceased to function. I felt sad for them, and terribly guilty. 

Well, here's one of the many plus sides to living in Korea - getting your Samsung laptop repaired is quick, easy, and cheap! My boyfriend lugged the poor thing to the service centre this morning, texted me that it would cost 90 000 won to fix (a little under $90), and brought it home the same day. They installed a brand new keyboard and the price ended up being more like $70, even cheaper than the initial quote. And it was so fast! Amazing! Now I have a fully functional laptop and will never drink tea again. Only half of that sentence is true. 

In other news, after trying to figure out which school I really want to attend for my Masters - such a hard decision!!! - I've finally decided that my dream school is the University of Nottingham. I submitted my application today and have my fingers and toes crossed. I am so impressed with their School of English and would love love love to have the opportunity to study there. Now comes the hardest part - waiting, more waiting, and nervous chocolate eating. And not overly deep sleep. Sigh. At least now I know exactly what I want and where I want to go. I hope I will be lucky enough to follow my dream :-)

Going to the beach in Pohang

I hadn't realized just how much I missed the beach, the pounding waves, the fresh air of the seaside until we arrived in Pohang last weekend for a one night, two day getaway. Our pension was right by the water so I pretty much ran down, threw off my shoes, and jumped around in the sand the second we got there. It felt amazing and incredibly energizing. I don't know what it is, but being by the water rejuvenates me more than anything else. The sound of the waves is deeply soothing and the city feels like it doesn't even exist anymore. I wish I could go to the beach more often but there isn't one to be found in Daegu. 

In other news, two amazing things happened within two lightning fast days. On Friday I was at Paris Baguette stuffing myself with cake (while my friend took tiny delicate bites haha) when I checked my phone and saw an e-mail from the University of Sussex - they offered me a place!!! So it looks like I'll be going to England this September to study Applied Linguistics. This is still so fresh I have to ponder it a lot more. Big changes are coming!

The next day, I went to a friend's wedding, which was super magical and lovely. I haven't been to many weddings so I felt super excited and happy to be there. And I got to catch the bouquet :-) In Korea, they plan who will catch the bouquet beforehand - interesting! After the wedding we all enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch. My friend looked absolutely radiant. I'm sure she's still floating on puffy clouds of joy :-)

These days, time is flying by quicker than ever. My goal is to enjoy these last couple of months in Korea as much as possible before I take my leave. And try not to think too much about it. Must remember to live in the moment :-)

Applying to University...in England!

It's time for me to do my Masters, and the past few months I've been figuring out where to go, which program to choose, and what to do with my big exciting future. 

Sooo, the latest development is that I've just submitted my application to the University of Sussex in jolly old England!!! If I get the chance to go and study in England for one year, I will be beyond over the moon happy!!! 

So far the process has been smooth and straightforward. Fingers crossed everything goes well! 

These kinds of decisions are so thrilling! I really feel like it's up to me now to shape my life and decide where to put my energy. It feels amazing to imagine various potential futures and actually have the chance to make these things happen. Magic!

Happy October!

Autumn here is so incredibly beautiful - I cannot get used to it! In Vancouver, Fall means big fat rainclouds and weeks of ongoing darkness and dampness. Here, Fall is a celebration of changing colours, crisp air, and gorgeous sunshine. Yesterday I even ate ice cream after a day of walking around downtown :-) And I also bought two pairs of flat shoes for the new season. There are lots of  stores downtown that only sell flat shoes and nothing else. Prices are very reasonable, so far I've been pleased with the quality, and the stores themselves are cute and cozy. The shoes are so pretty and unique :-)

I think I haven't really mentioned the street food here before. There are lots of delicious things you can easily buy on the street but my favourites by far are Fall/Winter treats such as roasted chestnuts, 붕어빵 and 국화빵 - the last two are little bread things with a red bean filling. They are so warm and soft and just perfect on a crisp day.

Lastly, these photos are from my trip to Jeju Island. Sometimes people call it the Korean Hawaii and it used to be Korea's #1 honeymoon destination. The island is stunningly beautiful. It really feels like you're getting away from normal, everyday city life when you go there. The natural beauty of the island, the colour of the water, the waterfalls and caves...it's all breathtaking! I could easily have stayed there for a longer time but even four days was rejuvenating and delightful :-)

Ah, and on a rather different note, I've been racking my brain trying to think of which university to go to for my Masters degree and I recently discovered that many universities in England offer a TESOL Masters program (this kind of program is not common in Canada). So - maybe I can combine two dreams and go to England for postgraduate school! I've been looking at the University of Bath...could it really happen? I really really hope so! So I should stop buying shoes and save money for life and education in England :-)

Cheerio!