Can you believe it?

Can you believe that I have been living in this little apartment for a month now? Or that I have been teaching for nearly 4 weeks? Or that I have settled into a life of a nonwatch wearing, reading for hours on end, enjoying the occasional walk up a mountain, jogging kind of a girl? A girl that replies to emails in long and detailed paragraphs, maybe even on the same day she is emailed?

No?

Nor could I, if that wasn't me! So I don't blame you!

Today is my 1 month anniversary of living in South Korea, and because of this I thought it only right to tell you what I love about being here, and a few of the things I miss about home...so enjoy:

I love:

• The randomness of Korea - from gifts to baseball nets at services, watching two people play catch in a fill up station to luxury buses!
• The friendliness of most people!
• The variety of food, and especially Gimbap (sushi).
• The dark, quiet nights. Feeling cosy in my little apartment, reading or writing.
• Learning Korean, and making up silly memories to associate to each word!
• The fact that I'm never more than 5 minutes from the country side.
• That the beach is a 40 minute walk, along padifields and a river.
• That when I walk up the mountain I can see Yeonghae and beyond.
• That when I get to the top of the mountain, take my shoes off and look out, I can see the seaside, the fishing villages and more mountains.
• The time I seem to have gained. Lazy mornings, relaxed evenings.
• Meeting new people who are different but we all share the fact that we're in South Korea and generally like travelling.
• Teaching the children (most of the time) and finding new challenges and games to keep them interesting. Also, I love trying to find how each class dynamic works and how I can help them to learn even more and enjoy it more!

I miss:

• My mum (I know, but I miss chatting to her all the time, and the luxury of just ringing her and telling her some exciting news or just to talk!)
• My friends - but thankfully Facebook and email is a great way to stay in touch
• An oven - we take it for granted, but if is so useful! I could bake, or cook, or stick my head in it when I was bored!
• Shopping - not too much, but a little bit. In Yeonghae there are restaurants, supermarkets and schools...no lie! i think there may be two places to buy cool things, and even then not things like shoes or postcards, or cards :(
• The run up to Christmas...I know I'm a Scrooge - and very year I complain about the run up to Christmas, but I think I've been converted and I am missing not being able to decorate my house, and make it all warm and cozy!
• Hugs!

I know I love more, and miss more too, but a month on and these are all the things that I miss the most - some of the things I could never have dreamed of loving or missing, and others I thought I would miss, but they seem to have disappeared. I know that soon it'll be December and the time when families come together to celebrate (whatever it is we're meant to be calling Christmas these days!!) and that's when I'll probably miss everything a whole lot more! But until then, lets enjoy this moment!

xx