Where I'm at right now...

Ok, so I'm rounding-out the final stretch of my Korean adventure. Three-quarters down, one to go ("Asssaaahhh!!!" (i.e. "Yessss!!!!" in Korean)). It's time to get some facts on the table to keep my head straight and to let others know where things are at.

1. I will be going to Busan next weekend to scuba-dive in the shark tank at the Busan aquarium. The fee is minimal and includes all-day access to the aquarium. I'm excited.

2. Perhaps my closest buddy in Mokpo will be returning to his New Zealand homeland in mid-September. His departure will bring an end to my solid Friday/Saturday night plans (out-on-the-town, watching movies, or nursing a bottle of Red at his place). If things work out, however, I may be seeing him again sooner rather than later. Regardless, I am not looking forward to his leaving and it will definitely encourage my own longing to leave this place.

3. On September 24th I will be testing for my Taekwondo Black Belt. Writing those words and reading them back seems ridiculous even to me, however it's happening and after a 2-hour Poomse lesson today I cannot deny that I'm getting psyched for the big event. Even if I will be testing amidst a group entirely composed of Korean Elementary School children, I have adopted a pride for my practice that was only strengthened by the breaking and healing of my foot (oddly enough). As long as I can keep myself intact through September I should be braving the judges at the end of the month. Cross your fingers for me.

4. I will be heading to Beijing and Shanghai on Sept. 30th for a week-long adventure. Highlights will include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, a Beijing Opera, the Jinmao Tower, the Bund, Shanghai's French concession, an acrobatic show, among other things. Pictures will be posted.

5. That will bring us into October when I plan to finish-off any Korean sight-seeing excursions that tickle my fancy. I hope to return to Jeju-do and go to Mt. Seoraksan at the very least, but we'll see how the money situation is panning out at that point.

6. My final day at the Hagwon is Nov. 17th, 2006. I have tentatively reserved a flight to Thailand leaving Seoul on the morning of Nov. 20th, from which point I'll traipse around Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, before getting my Dec. 19th flight to Sydney Australia. I will hopefully meet my brother Down Under at some point in time and jaunt over to New Zealand to visit Angus, before heading back up to Seoul on January 9th. From there I plan on collecting my effects, as it were, and catching an evening flight home to Canada, landing in Toronto roughly around the same time on the same day I left Korea -- WIERD! That will mean I will be available for business in Canada as of Jan 10th. All of the plans listed here are VERY TENTATIVE, however they reflect my wildest dreams following my escape fro Hell, er... I mean Mokpo.

(If there is anyone living in Vancouver or Calgary who wants to request a brief stop-over on my route home this is your opportunity to make your voice heard. Air Canada only flies to Toronto from Seoul via Vancouver and Calgary, which means that I could stop-over without paying any extra when heading home. If there is anyone still out there please let me know.)

7. I plan on sticking around Toronto for about a month before heading off to France for La Grande Aventure. The idea is to live in France until about mid-May and then resume some duties working on Toronto Island before heading to Graduate School in September. The plan to go to France was actually the whole reason behind my working in South Korea to begin with, so it would be somewhat silly to forego the climax after waiting for so long. I don't really plan on working in France. Just living and touring and relaxing. Maybe improving my French here and there. Who knows....

But that, my friends, is where my Grand Plan ends. Once I'm safely lodged in a Journalism school it is my intention to stick around Canada, build my career, make connections, hang out with my long-lost but oh-so-wonderful and talented friends, see a lot of theatre, (hopefully) become gainfully employed, and figure out how to live a fulfilling with (some) integrity.

Wow.
My brain hurts.
I must now go and buy some clothes. In a drunken stupor I mistakenly added the bleach before I added the water to a load of my favorite clothing. Unfortunately there were no survivors. Don't pity me. It was a stupid mistake.

Must to go.
Love you and miss you all.
-T