1 month to go

Not having started, nor even left, nor even began packing. Yet, I am starting this experience of a travel journal. In just under a month I will be stepping onto a 747 and departing from normality; family...friends...good coffee and setting down at my final destination, Jeju island. For those who don't know, Jeju-do is the largest, self-governed, sub-tropical (still debatable) island off the southern tip of South Korea. Marketed as the 'Korean Hawaii', a common first sight stepping out of the coastal bordered airport is a plethera of palm trees and vast ocean scenes. I know this not from any first hand experience, but from the countless blog sites and You Tube videos I have been scouring over in preperation for the journey.

I have so delicately named this blog 'Intentionally Lost and Exposed, Jeju' for the fact that I have saught my for many years now to teach abroad. This being my first time actually pursuing that interest (lets not mention what happened to Japan and Nova), I'm excited to finally feel like a confused minority foreigner.

'Discovery' is a word I can base many factors of my life on. It is my educational philosophy, my favorite tv channel, and a basis for why I believe travelling to be the ultimate life pursuit. What's around that corner brings natural curiosity to anyone. Instincual to a child but repressed by many in adulthood. Fear of the unknown, discomfort, unusal circumstances, outward thinking. Whatever the reason it becomes an engrained thought for many, I however find it endlessly intruiging. I leap toward a position that will drive me out of the normalities I have come to expect here in Oregon. As much as I consider this a homestead, I can't help but urge to get out and see this world.

Surely I will miss my dear, loving family and quality appreciative friends. I hope to see some of them in less than a year if they decide to fly half way around the world and pit stop on this island. It will make this time of life all that more easier to bear knowing I will be able to re-visit with them and share cultual experiences I have since learned.

My bags have yet to be packed, but I prepared in that I have the e-2 visa and a stack of Won to last me (hopefully) a month. I look forward to keeping this blog updated in order to communicate with anyone who cares to take an interest. I will be setting up a Korean phone number once I arrive, but I figure the majority of communication will come through video chatting, skype and surely facebook. The digital age, I have yet to form my opinion....

Be well ~

koalathekyle at gmail dot come