Vacation Plans: And Now for Something Different

One of the highlights for many foreign teachers in Korea is vacation time. Besides the public holidays that everyone gets off, most foreign teachers get an extended vacation in both the summer and winter period. EPIK is no different, with up to 8 days off in the summer and 10 days in the winter.

For most, this is an exciting time to explore other parts of Asia for a relatively cheap price tag. Locations like Thailand, Manila and Vietnam are some of the most popular vacations, and this year it seemed like nearly all the teachers in my program would be spending their vacation days overseas.

Originally, I was planning to make a vacation for myself on Jeju Island, located a few miles away from the Korean mainland. It sounded perfect at the time, in the summer Jeju was home to sandy beaches, the beautiful ocean and a tropical atmosphere that is unlike anything else in Korea. At the time, I thought that this would be a perfect vacation spot: close to Korea and yet still different enough to seem like I went somewhere different, it was the perfect spot to forget about life's little problems.

This plan soon fizzled out of existence when I looked at the price tag of the trip. When combined with the cost of tickets to fly over, lodging and transportation across the island, the final cost was well outside my price range, something that I was simply not able or wanting to spend. Maybe a few years earlier I wouldn't have cared, but with a job and bills to pay, it s amazing how much my mindset has changed.

Slightly distressed, I now had no plans for what would be my longest vacation until next year. It was obvious that I would be staying in Korea, a situation that didn't appeal to me. This was my chance to do something different, see somewhere new before I came to that point in my life where I no longer could see the things I wanted to, or go where I wanted to. I felt like I was setting myself up for time that would just be wasted in the end.

It gradually came to me that staying in Korea maybe wouldn't be as bad as I thought. I visited many places in Korea and saw many different things, but I have never seen Korea in a natural state. Whenever I had visited a city, or small village or festival, it was always under the pretense of a specific event or meeting someone. I had never seen Korea, nor its back alleys and off the path locations. I had never seen Korea just to observe, to soak in the culture, to travel with no destination in mind.

It occurred to me that I had been everywhere in Korea, and yet in the end I'd barely scratched the surface of what Korea was really like. I had seen the tourist Korea, the true Korea was still hidden.

My vacation was suddenly clear; I had to see Korea, as much as I could, as far off the path as possible. If I was going to be living here for a significant amount of time, I wanted to know the country better. I wanted to be participant in immersion, not just another tourist.

My vacation plan was simple and yet I was giddy with excitement to get started. My vacation consisted of one long journey, from one end of Korea to another, by train and bus, along oceans and highways. I planed on making my way through the country of Korea taking in as much as I could. There was no specific location, there was no specific plan. Get on a train and simply see where it took me.

Traveling like this, with no map or plans is one of the most satisfying ways to travel. Too much structure and rigid planning makes a trip seem too scripted and planned. You weren't really blessed with the freedom of exploration, you were simply following a list of locations with one more check mark to be made.

Maybe I'll come across an amazing temple, a bustling city. Maybe I'll find nothing but barren fields and mountains. Maybe I'll find a place to rest, maybe I'll be on the trail for days, lost without any idea where I am, or where I'm going.

Where I go and what happens, doesn't matter to me as long as the journey is mine, the decisions are mine, I can be satisfied. The joy of discovery, discovering someplace new is one of the most thrilling aspects to me, the need to explore and discover on my own pace is something that will probably never be scratched.

The journey is mine, along with the twists and turns.

"I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul".

Watching a movie in Korea.

If you are like me, then going to the movies is a regular part of your life. Even if you're not as big of a cinema fan as I am, chance are you're going to see a movie in Korea sooner or later. While the process itself is relatively straight forward there are some things you should know before heading to the big screen.

- Most big American blockbusters make it to Korea around the same time as their American releases. If its a big movie and primed to make money, chances are its coming out worldwide at the same time. In fact, some releases come out even earlier. Take The Avengers for instance, its release date was a full week earlier than in the US along with The Amazing Spider Man, once again a full week earlier than in the US.

- If you're a fan of smaller flicks or indie flicks, you might have to wait before seeing them on the big screen. Korean cinemas are constantly trying to push out more blockbusters leaving little to no time for smaller films. Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris was released last fall in the US, but is just now receiving a theater release date in Korea. Other films such as Melancholia and Cabin in the Woods are also only recently getting a theatrical release date, despite coming out last year and earlier in the year.

- However, there are a few cinemas that specialize in showing more artistic films to Korean cinema goers. Their locations in Gangbyeon, Sangam and Gwanghwamun are known for showing more indie flicks in a smaller location.

- If you're looking at a movie outing as a date option, theaters in Korea will accommodate you too. Most famous theaters in Korea (CGV, Lotte) have special couple's seating that will allow you and your date to sit closely together and enjoy the movie in close proximity. Not quite my cup of tea, but it is an option for couples into that sort of thing.

- If you and your date want another private and close movie viewing option, DVD-bangs are also a cheap alternative. Featuring a wide selection of movies, comfortable seating and rooms with complete privacy. Just be warned if you are just beginning to date someone, suggesting a DVD-bang may not be the best idea since quite a few couples use it for reason not really related to movies (sex).

- If you're worried about getting tickets, do not. There are many options to get tickets. Some websites for foreigners such as Ticketlink and Maxmovie allow you to reserve tickets online. Be warned: both of the sites are in Korean and also require foreigners to present their ARG cards to sign up. 

- Cine in Korea is a website made especially for foreigners to reserve movie tickets. While it doesn't include all theaters and really doesn't represent smaller towns, most theaters in major cities are represented. 

- If you reserve your ticket at the theater, you can either use one of the automated machines or simply go to the counter to order your ticket. Both options will have English option and for the most part are very easy to find. 

- Unlike the states, when you reserve your ticket, you also reserve your seat as well. That goes without saying if a popular movie is showing getting there to get good seating (especially if you're with a group) is a must. 

- For those wanting the bigger picture and sound experience, IMAX is the way to go. There are many IMAX screens in all major cities in Korea (you can view the list here). I have been to two IMAX's, one in Incheon and one in Daegu. Both were equally fantastic. Large screen, excellent sound and high quality picture. It was easily one of the best IMAX related experiences I have had so far.

- However, for film fans savvy on their technical information, these IMAX's were not the "true" IMAX's that feature the proper sized screen. These are digital projection IMAX's and while they still look incredible next to their normal screen counterparts, they are not a true IMAX experience. This may come across as incredibly disappointing especially since some recent movies such as last year's Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol and this year's Dark Knight Rises had sequences specifically shot for the true IMAX format. Most people will not be able to tell the difference, but for those that can (like me) it will definitely be a step down in quality and lacking the complete grandeur that the scenes were intended for.

- There is one true IMAX in Korea, located in Seoul's 63 Center. However it is limited to showing only three movies a year a most of them are documentaries. Still, if you want to see the difference in quality and immersion, it is more than worth your time.

- The other format still making its rounds through movie is 3D. While most movies that are released are post converted 3D, meaning that most movies are originally filmed in 2D, and then have the 3D effects added later on, a few released this year were filmed specifically in 3D, most noticeably Prometheus and the result is fantastic. 

- If you do end up seeing a post-converted 3D movie, rest assured that even if the effort is subpar, it will not be through lack of proper equipment. A majority of theaters in Korea are very up to standard with crystal clear digital projection and 7.1 Dolby Surround. I live in a smaller town (Gimcheon) and the teeny tiny theater there still has an amazing screen and sound set up. It is a definite step up from a majority of standard theaters back in the states.

- Finally, if you want to go for something different, trying a 4D theater or D- Box is worth trying for the experience, at least once. You sit in a seat that moves with the movie, so each explosion, bump and jolt you feel in your seat as it shakes and rocks back and forth. Along with this movement, sprays of water and blasts of air are thrown in your face.  I saw my first 4D movie at the Incheon IMAX CGV (John Carter) and while the experience was fun, it won't be something that I will be doing again anytime soon. Not only was the screen only a standard sized theater screen (not IMAX), the projector was shockingly dim and the motions while fun, in the end did more to take me out of the movie rather than immerse me even more.  

That's all I have for now. This is a crap ton of information but watching movies and films is one of my favorite hobbies and being able to continue this hobby all the way in Korea is a very nice thing indeed. 

A link to more information about watching movies in Korea. 
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=261865

Chapter 11: Saying goodbye to the person who removed my fear

It’s funny writing that I’ve been in Korea for nearly 5 months and really don’t consider it some kind of milestone. In fact it took a moment of random thoughts and staring at a calendar to remind me of just how long I’ve been here and just how fast time really does pass when you aren’t actively counting it.

I haven’t been actively keeping track of my days here in Korea nor have I been counting down the days before heading back to the states. I have not experience homesickness yet, nor have I become so fond of Korea that I do not wish to return. It’s not a year away from home to me and it’s not a vacation away from the US. It’s a new part of my life, a new chapter that I am currently living out and for the most part, enjoying it very much.

The last few weeks have helped to illustrate this point with two major events: one of first friends made in Korea leaving to go overseas and a trip to the ocean, two unrelated events but ones that gave me a new perspective on life and where I want to go with mine.

My friend leaving was a sad day for me, The first I have experienced in Korea. Charlie was a substitute teacher at the school I taught at and was quick to start talking to me the first day he started teaching there. His English was excellent and his personality was lighthearted and fun. Charlie was always quick to crack a joke whether it was through observation or mistranslation. He was also always there to give me a helping hand in my school work, translation and just someone to talk to during the day. Being a native English speaker and knowing very little Korean makes for very short and unfulfilling conversations, but Charlie was always there to say something.

When the teachers would leave for a gathering or meeting more often than not I was left behind as coming to the meeting in their eyes would be pointless if I did not understand what anyone was saying. In truth this made sense, but it didn’t make the isolation any less hurtful nor did it do anything to starve off the feeling that I was not an esteemed colleague, but rather an accessory to teach English.

I sat in the office alone, possibly for the rest of the day for all I knew.  As I sat in my chair staring blankly off into the distance, Charlie came in from the side, put his hand on my shoulder and said:

“Hey, it’s not bad that they left you, now we can go get ice cream and talk.”

We ate ice cream and talked. We talked about our families and about our most embarrassing moments. We talked about where we were going to go in our lives and what we wanted to see in the world. We talked about our ideal soul mates, the people we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with.

“I really want to be with someone who understands me. In Korea sometimes people are only after you for your status. I don’t care if she’s a doctor or trash collector, if she’s a good person who cares what she does?” he once told me

I was having my first substantial conversation with someone since leaving my home behind. It felt refreshing to be able to say these things and not feel the stigma of saving face or cultural boundaries. I smiled as I listened to Charlie’s hopes and dreams and slowly let the ice cream melt in my mouth and leave a cold trail down my throat. I usually was one to finish my ice cream as fast as possible but here I slowly let it melt instead. The cold sweetness was a physical compliment to mellow and blissful state of my mind. I was shocked at just how good conversation could feel after being devoid of it for so long.

Charlie was also one of the keys to getting to know other people in my little town better. While I was originally used to meeting the friends I had originally met outside of my hometown I had very little contact with the people who lived near me. When Charlie requested meeting the other teachers in town we suddenly became a lot closer. Charlie had a magnetic personality that was able to make even the shiest person want to sit down and talk with him. Our get togethers were becoming more frequent and soon we were getting to know each other better. I previously dreaded staying behind in my town for the weekend, but now looked forward to it. Slowly these people were becoming my friends. My family I could talk to when I needed help and my source of good conversation and happiness at a moment’s notice.

While Charlie was getting closer to everyone and helping everyone become better friends, he was also preparing to move further away than any of us. Charlie was preparing to leave Gimcheon to pursue a job overseas. It would give him the chance to do what he always dreamed of: travel the world and get paid for it. He kept it quiet not telling anyone any details until a few weeks prior.

At first I was slightly disappointed, I wanted Charlie to follow his dream and I wanted him to be happy but it seemed too soon too sudden. Charlie had just gotten to know us and find his friends again in Gimcheon, to leave that behind seemed a cruel twist of fate.

Charlie was never one to keep a sad situation that way so in an attempt to say goodbye and leave on a high note, Charlie decided to have two days of celebration. One day a barbeque cookout and one day a night spent in one of his favorite places, the city park.

The barbeque started out horribly. It was raining all day and everywhere was thoroughly soaked. The wind picked up when it was time to start grilling and despite having a ton of food to eat, we lost most of it due to the rain water and the meet sitting out uncooked. Despite the miserable atmosphere the party was a blast.  Charlie was happier than ever and when combined with our good company we were able to take the ugly and cold day and turn it into an experience of drinking, laughing and playing games. We were freezing and soaked to the bone but still happy.

The final day was spent in the city park, drinking beer, eating chicken and talking. It was the small intimate events that were we’re most used to and in a way, liked it better that way. We didn’t have the pressure to meet expectations or satisfy the need to be over the top and extreme.  We were a simply able to talk. To share and listen. To learn more about each other.  It was a mellow end and a quiet way to send Charlie off on his way.

Before leaving that evening Charlie told me goodbye.

“You’re a good friend Kyle. I will miss you but don’t worry I will be back someday, you can never get rid of me forever,” he said, flashing that same stupid grin he always did when saying something serious and heartfelt.  “Also, don’t worry too much about things in life like your job and relationships. All these things just happen when ready. Sometimes it is just best to not worry about planning and just react.”

These were the last words Charlie spoke to me in person. They still stick in my mind days after he has left, they were simple but poignant words. Their meaning now embedded in me.

Up to this point in Korea, I had been banking on a master plan hoping that everything would work out in my favor. My whole life had been one master plan after another. Even when I told myself I was being open minded I was lying to myself. I always wanted a result, an end to what I started. Not having things finish or leaving things without a clear idea always made me nervous. Not nearly as much as previously in my life, but still enough to linger in my mind and cause me a growing sense of dread when the unknown popped up.

Charlie taught me to forget all that. He taught me the freedom of not having all the answers and not knowing how the story would end. I learned that sometimes it was good to just let things go as they did, that everything would happen good or bad and that no matter what the result, it was always a good thing to embrace the adventure in my life.

The last of my fear had finally disappeared. Thanks to Charlie, I had truly become free.  

Regarding the photo stream...

I currently use Flickr on this blog because it allows me to stream some of the photos from the set on the sidebar of the blog. However, with the limit that Flickr imposes and the fact that I am uploading my photos onto two other places: Google + and Facebook, I will no longer be uploading pictures to Flickr. I have reached my 200 photo limit and do not feel the need to pay for services that others do for free (and in some cases much more efficiently).

If you know of a better uploading service that can also be integrated into Blogger please feel free to let me know. I am sadly kind of ignorant on the issue so there may very well be a service out there that integrates well that I am simply unaware of.

For now, for those who care, please follow me on Facebook and Google Plus (links in the sidebar) if you wish to see more photos from Korea. Thanks!

Random helpful things I have discovered in Korea (glasses, transportation, hair cuts and wi fi)

As of right now, it has been nearly five months since coming here for the first time. what once seemed like an impossible dream of making my way to Korea has now become an everyday reality. There's been some challenges along the way but for the most part, Korea has been an incredible country to explore and discover. I consider myself very lucky that everyday is an opportunity for new adventures.

Since being here there have been a lot of small things I have learned along the way that have helped me live a comfortable life. Here is a small but helpful sampling of what I have learned.

If you wear eye glasses in Korea, it is very easy and affordable to get new ones. I was able to visit an eye glasses store in Seoul and in the end purchased a new pair of glasses, new lenses and a have my old glasses repaired for 40,000 won, an insanely cheap price compared to the states. If you were waiting to purchase new eye wear until after coming to Korea, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Traveling in Korea is a breeze. Not only do larger cities have an easy to use subway and taxi system (most of which will have a very frequent use of English) traveling between cities and towns is easy thanks to the excellent train systems here. The slowest train, the Mugunghwa will take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours between locations but is the cheapest (around 14,000 won). The next train in line is the Saemaul which is a step up in speed and price (around 20-25,000 won). Finally, the KTX is the fastest train that Korea offers, able to travel from one end of the country to the other in less than 6 hours. It is the most expensive option (anywhere from 34,000 to 50,000 won), but as you can probably tell, you have plenty of train options that can fit every budget and time frame. The website allows you to book your tickets in English and redeem them at the station. Be sure to bring your passport when redeeming them. You can find a link to the English Korail site here.

Along with trains, taxis and subways, buses are also an option. While a majority of bus schedules are in Korean, a little time spent learning the schedules and having a Korean friend help translate will cut down on travel time in the city immensely and will be a cheaper alternative to a taxi or subway.

Getting a haircut is also an easy experience if you live in a larger city. Most places will known enough English for you to express how you want your hair. An alternative is learn some basic hair-related phrases (trim, cut, perm) in order to make the process easier. Be warned, there are many places that cut hair for many different prices so be sure to choose carefully. Ask other foreign teachers, Korean friends and co teachers before making a decisions. Guys and especially girls are at a risk of having their hair butchered if not careful. As with many things in Korea, doing your research before doing anything else is key!

Finally, a side note: wi fi is not something that is widely available in Korea like back in the states. Coffee shops and restaurants are often your best bet to find hot spots, but even then, some places may be lacking. If you have a device that relies on wi-fi, it is best to find a reliable hang out spot that you can frequent. If you have a mobile phone device, it is best to stick with your service and try for the largest data plan possible. While it may cost more initially, if you frequently use your devices, it will be considerably less than going over a limit.

There are many useful tips for foreigners living in Korea. This is just a small sampling. I will post more as time goes on and I discover more new tips and tricks.

Chapter 10: Small town living, big life lesson

I have always been drawn to the big cities. The bustling metropolises and the frantic city life was an exciting invitation to someone who spent a good portion of his life in the suburbs, reading about the concrete jungles from socialites who roamed the city like some predator traversing the jungle with ease. I had decided at an early age that the city life was for me, I liked the chaos. I liked the nonstop nature. I was going to live there one day. It was only a matter of time.

This love affair continued, as I grew older. I was lucky enough to spend two summers in Tokyo, Japan, one of the largest and busiest metropolises in the world. It was a city that never stopped moving and always had something to do. Tokyo solidified my love of the big city. I was convinced that I was going to live here for a very long time.

Events occurred and eventually the option of Tokyo was no longer a viable one. Like a love that was never meant to be, Tokyo was a city that I loved dearly, but knew in my heart at the time, was something that would just not work out.

I turned my sights to Korea, once again aiming to work in a big city, and immerse myself in the bustle and breakneck speed of daily city life. Again, it was not meant to be as, my location chosen for me was not the sprawling city that I had envisioned, but rather the town nestled in the center of Korea. A town called Gimcheon.

Gimcheon at one point had actually been the second largest city in the Gyeongbuk province of Korea. Eventually however, its industry and economy slowed down and the once bustling metropolis became a slow paced shell of its former self.

My initial reaction was one of slight disappointment. Despite being one of the largest districts in Korea, a majority of it was farm land. The actual city portion could be walked within an hour. It was a city in name only; to me it was a town, a town just like the one I grew up in my entire life. It seemed that no matter where 

I went, the small town life was set to follow me.

Many weekends were spent outside of Gimcheon. I used the weekend opportunity to travel to the bigger cities around Korea as often as possible, not a difficult feat due to Korea’s excellent transportation system that could you get you from one side of the country to the other in a matter of minutes. Sprawling cities like Seoul, Incheon and Daegu were my homes away from home on the weekend. Sundays were always looked at with slight apprehension, the adventure of the city would have to wait until next weekend, and my small town needed me back again.

The past weekend was out of character for me. I had spent a majority of my weekends trying to get away from Gimcheon and explore but this weekend I had felt compelled to stay. Perhaps it was my mind telling me to take a break from exploring. Perhaps it was a need to become more accustomed with my own area of residence. Nevertheless I didn’t purchase tickets out of town like normal. I didn’t pack for the weekend Thursday night. I simply went home on Friday and stayed in.

I awoke Saturday morning feeling refreshed and optimistic. Saturday mornings were usually met with a few seconds of apprehension as traveling and working the night before would usually leave me exhausted. This was one of the first times I had slept in my own bed on a weekend. It felt good, it felt comfortable, it felt uncharacteristically inviting compared to the hard floors and stiff mattresses of hotels and jimjobangs I had become accustomed to.

That afternoon I received a call from some other foreign teachers in Gimcheon. They were planning on spending a night out in Gimcheon and I was invited along. These were people that I knew fairly well, but not as well as other people I traveled to visit. They were acquaintances in my town that I enjoyed being around, but never spent more than a few hours with.

I met up with the group of friends and after a nice dinner, we ended up walking around the middle of downtown. The sidewalks were filled with people and couples happily going about their business. The small shops were lit with bright lights and loud music. School children, free from the burden of school and studying ran in the street, some of them with ice cream in hands all of them laughing and seemingly happy to be free of the pressures of school if only for a day. As I continued to walk and observe the other people a sense of comfort and content begin to come over me. I was walking with good company, on a warm and breezy Saturday night. The sky was clear; the streets were brightly lit and bustling. It was an idyllic evening in my town of Gimcheon. Never before has a town looked more peaceful and happy. Never before did I feel more at home while being so far away.

I still love the big city. I love the busy lifestyle. I doubt that I will ever fall out of love with it. However, that night time stroll in my little town made me fall in love with a different kind of living, a life less frantic, but one more comfortable. Life doesn’t always need to move fast, and this is the town that told me that. 

Chapter 9: Getting sick for the first time in Korea and the feelings that come with it

No one ever has fun getting sick. It’s a small period of vulnerability that leaves us feeling physically at our worst and looking for any form of relief or comfort to feel better. It’s easy to forget just how comfortable some chicken soup or some nice warm tea can make us feel when they are not longer available.

My first experience getting sick in Korea came quickly and out of the blue. I had been pushing my body to the limit since settling down in Korea, not wanting to waste a single moment during the weekend and staying out to the crack of dawn to see everything that there was to see. It was really no surprise that my body would eventually concede defeat and yield to the advances of sickness.

I awoke one morning feeling a little stuffier than normal, my throat dry and my eyes itchy. I shrugged it off to allergies and decided that drinking some water and staying away from pollen would be the cure for my most recent woes. As the day progressed and the symptoms begin to worsen, I noticed that what I had was more than allergies. Soon I was having difficulty breathing, my nose was completely blocked and my throat felt like I had just swallowed the contents of an ash tray.

Luckily, that day was a day that was devoted to all-day version of study hall, due to the approaching deadline of exams the following weeks. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to go to the drug store and purchase some temporary medicine. Unfortunately, the drug store was more than 15 minutes away from my school, and without a means of transportation and a lack of taxies coming my way, walking was the only option.

The hot sun beat down on me as I made my way to the store. I was used to feeling sick in the winter, battling a runny nose and a sore throat with the freezing cold as a companion. It seemed odd that weather that I normally associated with warmth, health and vitality was making me feel worse as I slowly made my way to the store. Everything seems to take longer, seem farther when feeling sick. My watch told me that I had only taken 14 minutes to reach the store. My body told me that I had been walking for days.

When I entered the shop, I handed the pharmacist a piece of paper with a translated request for over the counter medicine. With my little knowledge of Korean and my quickly disappearing voice, trying to speak would only bring about more complications and take more time, something that I did not want to deal with. Being sick means being angry, it means being impatient. Being sick means wanting everything right now and needing relief because your body demands it and as far as you’re concerned, the world needs to stop because you’re sick damnit.

However, the world does not stop, no one cares and you are left to fend for yourself. This was never more apparent than feeling like death and not being able to translate or articulate your symptoms to a doctor. If I was going to become any better, or at the very least not feel like a lifeless, diseased lump of flesh I was going to have to take things in my own hands.

I accepted the medicine and started the long journey back to my school. Once I made it back it was now noticeable that I was very sick and before I would even say anything, my vice principal kindly sent me home to recover, a very kind gesture and one that I have come to appreciate in a world where kind gestures can be scarce.

I once again made another trek back towards my home, my pace greatly slowed and my breathing labored. I remember telling myself that I was getting closer. I told myself that my apartment was only a few more steps and promised myself my comfortable mattress and soft pillow as a reward for making the journey back.

I made it back to my apartment and immediately collapsed on my bed. Exhaustion quickly won as I feel asleep for several hours before waking again. I sat up on my mattress, still feeling horrible and covered in a cold sweat.

There was no mother to care for me, no roommate to run to the store and bring you back some soup. There was only myself, my sickness and the quiet empty apartment.

In a country thousands of miles from home, I was on my own. The job, the food, the living situation never made me realize how much I needed to rely on myself and the responsibility of maintain your health, or rather how important your health was especially with a job responsibility. I would regularly blow off classes to stay home sick, but I could no longer do that. Getting sick was my responsibility in my body and even if it wasn’t my fault, it was my burden to deal with, no one else’s.

It seems that at moments of venerability we quickly realize the extent of our situations and how we will solve them. Its these moments where we grow the most and our true characters emerge.  

note: After nearly a week of dealing with illness, I am now feeling much better. Still not completely well, but significantly better everyday.