I’ve lived in Korea now for 18 full months. I’ve learned to speak Korean (decently anyway), eat Korean, shop Korean, wear my hair Korean, live in a billa Korean, and take Korean transportation. I’ve come to a mental place where outrageous Konglish (Korean + English) doesn’t always take my breath away. I can now eavesdrop in Korean. I know the Seoul metro system like whoa. I bow to everyone I meet and give my money away (and everything else for that matter) with two hands. And, I think, no matter where I go after this, I will always be a little Korean. Or at least wear straight-across-the-forehead-bangs in the winter time.

I’m definitely not the same person I was when I left California.

And I think it’s a good thing.