Has it really been that long?

A shot of my booted feet from before I left Canada.

I hear it's very snowy right now back in Canada (or Quebec, at least) and that everyone's been shoveling snow four times a day. Oh... how I would take snow over this cloying cold anyday! It's so humid here that despite the lower temperatures than back home, I wake up shivering every morning and right now I'm sporting something like a pre-cold. This is not cool.

Me during the power outage of early February 2012.

But! You know what? I remember what it's like not to have heating. In fact, I experienced bone-deep cold back in early February in Canada, when the power suddenly went out and didn't come back on for 14 hours -- and I remember them, because I was unemployed at the time. 

L'Île-Bizard... que de souvenirs d'une vie entière...

Yes, yes I do miss everyone back home. I miss being understood, I miss being able to tell a taxi driver with confidence where I live, I miss my sisters and my parents and my dog... but you know what, I decided to hop on this wild adventure because I truly, deeply, absolutely needed a change of pace. My job had become a burden more than a passion, I was a hermit, and I'd never stepped out of my comfort zone for very long (unless you count those solo 1-2 week trips abroad). But now? I've found and formed bonds with people who are funny and amazing and beautiful and insane (!) and... wow. I'm in the suburbs of Ulsan which isn't so bad, but now that I've moved in it does feel far and I miss them really badly. But... gotta keep trucking, right?

I start working for real (as opposed to desk-warming and planning lessons) next week. I'm meeting my high school co-teacher tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have to draw up some lesson plans for those 8 classes I'll be teaching there Tuesdays and Thursdays (4 each day, that is). I guess we'll have to wait and see if I can be a good teacher. Truthfully I've helped teach ballet and judo before but teaching solo is going to be a whole 'nother story... I've never really felt comfortable alone in front of a crowd (unless I'm on a stage, in which case I don't really feel it) but before applying here I decided I wanted to get over that crowd fright. I need to get over it. I mean, if I want to work in a graphic design agency or something after this year, I'd better get over myself and be able to do presentations in front of clients and all. If I want to get into the big leagues, there's really no going around that. I can't hide forever. So here I am, preparing to make my boldest move yet, and the clock is ticking and I feel excitement and trepidation pumping through my veins. I know it's not bad. I might be thinking "Holy crap I can't I can't I can't" but I must. And so I'll do it, even if it kills me. Nah, kidding ^^

Packing my bags in Canada. Yeah... that suitcase went back to Winners.

I might be a lazy girl but I'm steadfast. If that's my only saving grace then so be it. Back in university when I had literally like five essays waiting to be written I'd often have panic attacks thinking "I can't do it I can't do it I can't do it" and then I'd end up procrastinating because I couldn't concentrate fully on the task at hand. But then I'd end up starting well ahead of time and finishing a few days before the due date. It's all about pacing, I think. Take a moment to take it easy and swallow the pill and then it'll be easier to do what you're supposed to do.