Thursday, September 10, 2009

Back in Toronto

Hi all,

I'm back in the Big Smog for the first time since I was 10 yeas old. It's interesting to be back, especially after Korea. I think I would have been panicking like mad had I not already lived in a large city in Suwon. As it is, there's a lot of people, but nowhere near as much pushing and shoving as in Seoul's crowded streets.

We got back from Korea last week. We were overbooked, which was a blessing in disguise, as we were upgraded to First Class for the Tokyo to Toronto leg of the trip, since that was all that was available. Not too shabby! We had a long flight home, and by the end, had been travelling for about 26 hours when we collapsed in our beds in Timmins.

We packed up our stuff one more time over the next two days, and then ported everything down to Toronto over two days and two trips. It was a bit hectic, but we're settling in, and I'm working away on my TESL Canada Certification so I can teach ESL here in Toronto. I fell in love with the work abroad, which surprised me, and I want to keep doing it, here.

At the same time, I miss Korea. I miss kimchi, to the point that I broke down and bought some this weekend, and am happily crunching away on my pickled cabbage as I type. I miss reading hangeul, and stopped at a bibimbap shop on Yonge Street to read the signage in Korean when I passed a bap and barbeque shop. I also miss the people--and you know who you are. It's weird not hearing Korean spoken around me on the street, and it's weird offering money with two hands to westerners who offer one hand back, and it's weird having to overhear random conversations in English again, and it's weird not being packed tight in the subway (we could have fit twenty more in my car this morning in Seoul, trust me!), and it's weird not hanging out with my friends from Suwon.

I'll get over the culture shock soon enough, but it's going to take a few days. And, to be honest, I'm glad I'm suffering through it. It reminds me of how much I have grown over the past year, and of all that I will miss of Korea.

Off to the Eaton Centre over the weekend to do some TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) viewing, and to see the sights in Toronto. I've become accustomed to being more of a tourist within my own city, something I didn't do very well back home in Montreal and Kitchener before my adventures abroad. If I remember to take some pictures, I'll try to post 'em next week.

Good evening, all,

Chris

No comments: