...is very different from life in Daegu:
- THERE IS A BEACH. The importance of this cannot be overstated. I have never lived near a beach before and it's awesome. Just awesome.
- I have to get up early. And work long hours. blablabla.
- My apartment does not have nauseating wallpaper.
- I live with a cat. Which means lots of lint-rolling and laughing at her antics.
- I teach kindie. (translation: the monster) Actually, almost all my students are younger this year: I only teach two classes that are older than my youngest class last year.
- My students speak English. A lot of English. Enough English to challenge my nerdy grammar-love.
- No more 'foreign' (read: non-Korean) manager. Sob.
- People don't stare. On the subway, I can read my book or answer my phone without being obsessively observed. I don't really feel like I have to 'represent' all foreigners all the time.
- No more drive-by hellos. And no more children yelling '외국인!' (foreigner) either. Nice-uh.
- I can't wear my nose-ring to work. Double sob.
- I actually like all my friends. I almost never have to hang out with people I'd rather avoid. Love it.
So there you go: swings and roundabouts. On balance, it's an improvement, but it's only now that I can appreciate how sweet my job was last year.
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