F is for Finding and Foreign

One of the most interesting things about living in a country where you know nothing is the act of finding. First, it is something rather simple, like finding your way from home to work and back, a meal, a smile to greet the day, or a new routine. My first weeks here have been a continual search for things that make life function. How do I use the transportaion? How do I grocery shop? How do I find a sense of comfort amidst a world that is foreign and discomfitting in so many ways?

There is really no doubt about it. I am the outsider here. Everything marks me as foreign to this interesting and complex country. My skin is a shockingly pale color, I have freckles in a world of flawless complexions, I have red hair, I'm tall and broad. Those are just the physical markings. The less visable differences include my lack of Korean, my  independant and forthright nature, and my big smile and merry laugh. These are all things that would make me stand out here if I were of the same physical make up as everyone around me.

This place seems so tight to me; like shoving myself in a box too small. I think this has helped me come to an epiphany. I realize, here, 6,600 miles from my last home, that I still have a great deal to master about myself. I need to gain greater mastery over my body, continue to grow in discipline over my mind, and let myself trust and be open to the world around me. So, I've decided, after all the other things that I've found here in Korea (including cheese, pizza, funky hot dogs, a lovely people, a fascinating culture, and a beautiful language) I would like to find my health and physical strength.

I think the biggest thing I have learned here so far is that I have amazing adventures and things to do in life but my body needs to be stronger to enable me to accomplish those things. Maybe having less mass on this earth will allow me to float a bit more. I used to think that I needed some cushion between myself and the outside world. But now I know that my mind and spirit are strong enough to protect me, my body just needs to be mobile enough to go where they want it to.