Dear Korea,
You’ve taught me how to turn dreams into goals beyond just having them in my head. Pen to paper, commitment and focus. It seems so simple, yet sometimes that’s what makes it more difficult, at least for me.
When I first moved here I was completely overwhelmed and lost feeling like Korea was swallowing me whole and all I could do was tread water to keep breathing. I arrived from the US on a Friday evening and started work that following Monday while temporarily staying in a Borderless House guesthouse. The first six weeks were the hardest because even though I knew I had a mission to accomplish in Korea, I had focused so much the past three weeks on moving and transitioning my life abroad that reality didn’t actually sink in until I got to Korea. And it hit me. All at once. What had I done? What was I doing here? There was no honeymoon phase for me. No romanticized visions of living in Korea or even joy from having just come to my birth country. I was confused and disoriented many days spent just going through the motions of living not really able to discern reality from illusion. It felt like I was dreaming. Some days it still does.
One evening I called my dad crying because I just couldn’t make sense of anything. I’ve talked to him more now than I probably ever did living in the same country. After I spent twenty minutes sobbing to him on the phone, he asked me “Well why did you go to Korea?” to which I replied in a loud cry “I don’t know!” He lovingly laughed and then I started laughing because I knew even in my lowest moment, there was comic relief. Then he told me something that was so simple. He said, “You have to figure out why you’re there and set some goals. Otherwise you’re just a lost girl living in Korea.” I laughed harder this time because I knew he was right and I had been living those first few weeks in limbo. I had every intention before I came to Korea of making a plan. I did research upon research, made numerous Google docs and spreadsheets but when I had to move my life in three weeks, I just forgot about all of it.
“To live a fulfilled life, we need to keep creating the “what is next”, of our lives. Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing, and that is not why we are here.”
Mark Twain
So the following week, I sat down and made a list of every goal I could think of that I wanted to accomplish while living out my dreams here in Korea. Finally something that felt stable. A lot of my goals consist of just experiencing Korea outside of Seoul so anyone who wants to take advantage of this, below are travel itineraries for Busan and Jeju Island. More to come this month which I’ll post later so be sure to check back!
Love Letters to Korea 
I had tears of joy, fear and laughter building up behind my eyes reading this, sis. I have been terrified and happy for you this whole time ever since you made this decision to move and live in Korea. It’s hard for me to imagine what all you’ve been going through; becoming intimate with a land, with a culture that is both foreign and familiar at the same time. But I understand. I understand why you wanted… why you NEEDED to do this. I do. And I am so very proud of you! Not just for this, but for who you are. You’re always in my hopes and prayers. You’re one of the most amazing people that I’ve been blessed to know and love. I look forward to reading more of your adventures in the beautiful land of your birth, Korea. Love you, Runt!
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Love you so much. Thank you.
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I can completely relate to the feeling that you shared. When I moved to Israel two years ago, I also called home crying not knowing why I had made the decision that I had. But like you did, I began making goals for myself and I felt like I was finally working towards something again! In the end (and you may also feel the same), we learn so much from the experiences that we go through and we grow so much because of them. Are you now feeling better being in Korea?
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Thanks for sharing. Amazing you did that, I hope it was a great experience for you. It really does make a difference having goals, something to just aim for! Yes I completely agree. I am feeling much better, thank you. First 6 weeks was probably the hardest but got some stability now which helps.
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Smart dad. And I love this brave leap of faith you are taking.
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Thanks so much, Jan!
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Welcome to Korea! Adjusting to life here can be hard, but goal-setting helped me make it through as well. Feel free to reach out if you ever want to connect!
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Thanks, Carmen! I love your blog! Great content especially because I’ve found it difficult to be more plant-based here in Seoul. Would love to connect in the next few weeks. Thank you! I’ll reach out for sure 🙂
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Awwww thanks! If you haven’t already, join the “Seoul Veggie Club” FB group to get connected to the vegetarian/vegan/plant-based community in Seoul. I made a lot of friends through that group ❤
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Ahh amazing thank you so much!! ❤
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