The Countdown

Well, we decided that it was about time to post on the site...considering we've been telling people about our new blog, but have yet to put anything remotely interesting on it. So, even though our trip hasn't officially started yet, and there's not a whole lot to report, here's our first post.

It's ten days until lift-off, and we're starting to get a little freaked out about the big move. Not that we're having any serious doubts about the whole moving to Asia, eating pickled cabbage for a year, learning to love karaoke “bangs” thing, but I don’t think anyone would consider this a small step, and we’re finally starting to realize it. Take this morning, for instance. We’re staying at Shayne’s Dad’s place, and his new girlfriend from China has cooked up some “congee” for breakfast (Asia’s version of oatmeal, except made with rice). As I’m contemplating the pot of starchy-smelling, slightly translucent white goop, I wonder if this, or its Korean cousin, is what I’ll be expected to eat over there, and my heart starts to beat a little faster as I wonder if I’m going to be able to find a box of Cheerios in all of Korea. And that’s only breakfast.

Anyway, it’s thoughts like these that have Shayne and I looking at each other regularly like we’re about to bungee-jump off a bridge and we’re not sure if the patchouli-scented surfer dude attendant remembered to attach the cords. We gave each other one of these looks as we realized that it’s June 19^th, and we’re leaving in only ten days. Ten days. Ten days and we still have a to-do list half a page long to complete: embassies to visit, belongings to put into long-term storage, friends to have parting drinks with, clothes to buy, bags to pack, and a million other things. You get the idea.

As for right now, we’re making final visits to Victoria and Vancouver, which are making us realize how much, and how many people, we’re going to miss when we’re gone. But that’s about it for now. There will be more to come soon, with photos of our new pals Kim Il Dung and Sung Yuk Dee, along with many zany anecdotes about those crraazy Koreans. Stay tuned.

J.