A new abroad adventure awaits!

I still cannot believe it is towards the end of July already! Wow. Where has the summer gone??! The heat here in Washington, DC has been unbearable, but I've been trying to make the most of it. Unfortunately, the idea of running long in 105 degree heat and humidity is usually not my top choice for a leisure activity. Hello, cross training!

Tomorrow, I leave for my two-week adventure in South Korea! I will be teaching and volunteering at a work camp/school on Jejudo Island, about an hour off the coast of Seoul. This island is supposed to be the "Hawaii of Korea," a place where I am bound to run into many Korean honeymooners, all wearing matching outfits! The island is supposed to be beautiful, so I am beyond excited!

Now is about the time where I usually freak out on what needs to get packed and done before leaving the States tomorrow. I am not a procrastinator by any means, but packing for abroad trips is often an overwhelming experience I try to avoid when possible. I have my packing list made and know what exactly I need to take with me. Now it's just a matter of getting it done!!

Many people have asked me why I would want to go on this journey alone. Why not travel with a colleague or friend? Originally, one of my colleagues was supposed to join me, but she had to back out due to financial constraints. Boo! Knowing me, though, I will hopefully meet some other great volunteers from multiple countries. I am extremely independent, self-sufficient, and open-minded, traits that will probably come in handy in Korea. Seeing as the age range for this volunteer experience in 18-35, I could very well be the "grandma" of the group. Fingers crossed that this is not the case!

South Korea is a beautiful country, and I am thrilled to finally have a chance to experience its culture, language, and people. Half my time there will be spent with younger Korean children, and the other half will be with the adolescents. It is our job to help lead lessons/activities, introduce our respective country's culture and language to them, and essentially, as a recent informational email called it, "be their friend." This is essentially the opposite of how I'm used to acting around students, so this should be interesting! We were asked to bring gifts for the children, a used item for our second-hand "peace sale," favorite recipes, and an ingredient for one of those recipes. Very cool!

So, here I go on a new abroad adventure that is bound to be full of fun, laughs, learning, and an all around memorable experience. I'll be sure to document everything carefully via camera and journal. Talk to you in August!!