Tuesday, March 20, 2012

A New Chapter


Well, my time in Korea has come to an end.  As thrilled as I am for this next chapter of my life, knowing that I may never again see many of the people I’ve grown so close to breaks my heart.  “Bittersweet” does not come close to describing how I feel.

Living and working abroad has been something that I’ve wanted to do for such a long time. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to do so.  I think it has been very beneficial for me to have witnessed how those from another country live. It has made me question some aspects of my culture and appreciate others.  I value the individualism of the West. I think that we should be able to carve and shape our own identities.  But I also deeply admire the sense of togetherness and brotherhood that I experienced while in Korea.  I know that my time there has changed me, and I feel that it’s for the better.

The day after I finished my teaching contract, I ran my second marathon.  It took me 4 hours 3 minutes to complete; a big improvement over my first marathon time of 4 hours 34 minutes.  It was a fantastic way for me to end my Korean adventure.

My next marathon will be at the Corbett National Park in India on April 7th. I don’t expect my finishing time to be great.  Throughout this month I am touring Northern India and I don’t know how much or where I’ll be able to run. I have been doing burpees in my hotel rooms. I doubt that my legs will “forget” how to run 42 km, but I’d at least like to maintain my fitness.  I expect  to get sick at least once while here, but I’m hoping that I feel alright on race day.

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