1) I have already lived abroad for longer than a year and primarily lived away from home for the last 7 years.
2) I finished my Masters degree abroad.
3) I had my first real "big kid" job, working in tourism and writing visitor guides.
4) I got my crazy, drunken, 6 months of study abroad shenanery out of the way. I met my best friend in the whole world, Felicia Kathryn and successfully took the worst partying picture of us ever...
5) Put together a file of resumes/information for study abroad jobs.
6) I've learned how to say goodbye to good friends and still keep in touch with people from all over the world.
7) I've learned how to pack less and relax more when I'm traveling.
8) I've learned to appreciate exploring new countries on my own.
9) I have perfected speaking to anyone and everyone I meet while I'm traveling! It has led to some awesome nights out as well as some of the best conversations I've ever had with strangers.
10) I have loved the people I have known, greatly, and left a piece of myself in every place I have ever been. In return, I take a piece of them everywhere I go.
What I hope to accomplish while in Korea:
1) A better sense of budgeting and awareness about my money
2) The ability to save some of my paycheck and get cracking on my student loans
3) Learn enough Korean to comfortably hold a conversation
4) Visit Daegu, Busan, Jeju and Ulsan
5) I hope to gain patience and more understanding for dealing with difficult cultural situations.
6) To figure out exactly what age group, level and country I would most like to teach in.
7) To develop my 5 year plan and create a bit more structure in my life
8) To continue with my travel blogging and start to make a name for myself in the travel writing community
9) To enter at least one writing contest or submit one article a month.
10) Perhaps the most difficult...but a better sense of body image and self love. This can be difficult in Korea, seeing the stick thin models and plastic surgery clinics everywhere. Korea is starting to really make me comfortable in my own skin and I look forward to embracing how unique I am in this country. My ultimate goal will be to stop comparing myself to Korean or Western standards of beauty.
