Returning Home

Many folks at Burning Man refer to this one-week social experiment as "home" for various reasons. Many say they've never found acceptance or community like the Burn. This video and the accompanying song have been playing on repeat in my head- it seems that each move is awarded a theme song by my random neurons.

On the plane back to Seattle, it occurred to me that I have never moved back anywhere. Every move that I've made has only been to another home in the same area or to a different area. While we'll be in a slightly different area and living a quite different life (student v military/working life), it's nice to come back to an airport you already know, a community you know, friends you know. Now it's nice to hear "Welcome home!" and have it feel very true.

*On a crazy side note, apparently Kim Jung-Il died in the last day or two (the news was held by the NK press). How wild- we moved to Korea right after the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea aka North Korea) sunk the Cheonan submarine and left as the Dear Leader passed. Might have gotten out just in time to avoid some craziness...


Vocab of the day:
Military: HOR= Home of Record

When it rains....

So, Seoul has been great for my life and bad for my blogging. Not a bad tradeoff, but sorry to those few readers who have hung in with me.

We've had a most delightful string of Couchsurfers, most recently a Portugese-turned-Belgian couple Juana and Antonio who are on a honeymoon year (the Belgian government allows a year of unpaid travel with the guarantee you can get your job back- how awesome!). They also had great stories about their previous 5 years working with a computing giant, one in particular about a cultural training they had to attend. The trainers characterized French people's response to anything as, "That's terrible! It will never work!" and Americans' as "the happy dance," where things aren't good, they're AWESOME! That presentation wasn't fair, it was FANTASTIC! I love this idea of the "happy dance" and was amused that Juana and Antonio identified my happy dance so many times- "We're totally lost, what a great ADVENTURE!" and so on.

Juana and Antonio were also greatly amused at the phrase "when it rains, it pours" as there's no equivalent in Portugese. It's turned out to be a very timely phrase these days. No more moping in front of tv-on-my-computer for days, I have to schedule in lazy days now! Between museum docenting, general domesticity I undertake, part time online work, and travel/party planning, I decided to join ROLLER DERBY. Probably more on that later, but it's consumed my life and thighs and I couldn't be happier. The team is still pretty new and hoping to get bout-ready by spring. Which of course means...

Today got word we might be back in Seattle as soon as December. Eeek! After all that time pining for the US, work, friends and family there... of course it's now that I really wish I could stay until spring. But, of course it's not official yet, and can change a dozen times or not happen at all. When it rains, it pours.



Vocab of the day: 
Korean: rain= 비 (bee)
Military: "uncertain environment" = just what you think it might be

A friend loves at all times, and a (sister) is born for adversity

Proverbs 17:17, proof that good friends are timeless, crucial and what get us through.

Quality friend time= 27.43
Confusion/chaos/frustration/suck= 0.5

Everything from sharing ridiculous youtube videos, trading job frustrations, wrestling with big issues or just sharing funny stories, consolation or support are the things that I already miss the most about moving. The amazing thing is that sometimes these people can be of entirely different histories, ideologies, nationalities, and personalities, but by just listening to each other the way ahead seems lighter. Friends can be family, spouses, frenemies or a random stranger on the bus who is willing to listen.

Kudos to those who are good to their friends and those who are kind to strangers.

Vocab of the day:
Korean: 친구 = friend
Military: IFF= Identification, Friend or Foe

...

Night before the wedding. WHAT?

However, I think I found the best possible way to pass it. Girlfriend movie night with Hustle & Flow and American Pimp, wine and a hot bubble bath before bed. The beau is off for his bachelor party and we're being a little traditional but not seeing each other until we walk in for the ceremony tomorrow. A little regretful as he got in pretty much a full day later than we expected due to fog, rain, plane failures and the like, but we still had a fun, small Thanksgiving by ourselves before the madness starts.

I cannot say how much good friends have been key to making this an amazing, wonderful, sacred and beautiful experience (and in keeping my sanity). Tomorrow, we have people capturing and guarding my cell phone, getting the courtyard tented in case of rain, decorating, cooking brunch, bringing cocktails, getting the flowers and doing everything that a 6-digit wedding budget might bring with planner and staff, but with so much more love and intention. I even have a friend whose job is to cry more than me. I hope everyone can be so fortunate.=)

Friends cure all ills

Truly there's little a glass of wine and a good friend can't help. I'm learning in my journey as a bride-to-be, researcher, student and all other roles that good people are irreplaceable.

It could be someone who's been in your place and helps by merely saying "me too," someone with all the answers or someone who's just willing to listen. I hope I too can be a help to those who need a friend, a good glass of wine, or both.