Opsayo

This is it. I'm at Incheon airport for my flight back to the US. I will miss this country more than I could have thought possible a year ago. I came hear with the attitude that you can live anywhere for a year and what you get out of a place depends on what you put into it. I have run into many people here who are here for their year or two. They see it as a speedbump or an item they need checked. I would come back in a heartbeat. I continue to tell people that if it weren't for an assignment to Germany I would have extended. That's the truth.

As far as culture shocks go, I think moving from the Washington DC area to Seoul is probably the biggest one you can find moving between capitals in the first world...maybe Tokyo. Korea is unique. It's not like China, not like Japan, not like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia or the Philippines. It's an island (figuratively, but essentially as well) and has developed an amazing culture that began before my ancestors were even looking out over the Atlantic. They invented (not improved, modified or adapted, they created a writing system that makes more sense that any other I've ever seen about the same time Columbus was making his voyage.

Amazing people, amazing culture. I will miss both immensely.