Peace Out 2011

New Year's Eve in Korea is pretty much the same elsewhere. Some people go to the big city, some make last minute plans, and some sleep during the big epic waste of time that is counting down to the new year. I've done NYC Times Square (never ever ever ever again) I've been by myself, I've done the last minute party. In short. I don't really have much affection for New Years celebrating. This year I cleaned my apartment. And when I say clean, I mean I wanted to enter the new year as clean as I possibly could. I'm tired and need a shower. Now I'm waiting to see what will happen for the rest of the night. Last year I slept during the countdown and woke up in 2011 refreshed. It was fantastic. Might happen again this year. "But Jennifer, you're in a foreign country! Shouldn't you go out and do something unique!?" Did you guys miss something? New Year's Eve is THE SAME. People gather around drink, stand in the cussing cold weather, count down (that is if they are still sober enough to remember how to count), and then the climax of the evening is over. Yay. We counted. Now we can go home.

2011 was a hard year, most of that hardship having to do with my first teaching job and living one of the worst places ever in NC. But it was also a good year. I have made a list of some of those events below. It's  kind of a different way to celebrate the year and see how I've changed and grown. I did things I never thought possible (#7, 19), some exhausting things (#1-5), and some downright kick ass things. Hopefully, this list will get me thinking of what could appear on list next year's list. Enjoy. I know I did.

1. lived in two different countries.
2. lived in two different states in US.
3. lived at five different addresses. ( I moved a lot okay.)
4. Had my first real teaching job.
5. Survived my first real teaching job.
6. Went to a rooftop party in NYC.
7. Worked at a Marine Science Camp where my sister was my boss. (I have a degree in English and my sister is 4 yrs. younger than me.)
8. Learned how to drive a 15 passenger van.
9. Mastered chopsticks (cereal included)
10. Attended and participated in only one wedding.
11. Fell in love...with kpop.
12. Mourned with the rest of the world as we saw the last of Harry Potter.
13. Was accepted to a graduate school in Kentucky.
14. Decided not to go to graduate school in Kentucky.
15. Began learning a new language (my third).
16. Finished my very first short story! Just knowing it's finished is a huge accomplishment to me.
17. Broke down and admitted that I wanted a Kindle. I feel like I've betrayed the paper and ink gods.
18. Got a Kindle. Love it.
19. Navigated Seoul for my very first trip. Alone. At midnight.
20. Had a student in the US tell me that if it wasn't for my class they would have left school long ago and to please God don't leave. (tear)
21. Walked down the streets of New York feeling confident, happy, and at peace with who I was. No small feat for anyone. Especially in NYC.
22. Walked down the streets of Naju-Si Jellonamdo Province  South Korea with that exact same feeling 7 months later.

Here's to 2012. I hope you freaking rock. If you don't...there isn't much I can do about it.