Home Sweet Home

Coming home has been a bit surreal. While I loved my time in Korea, there were inevitably times when I missed Melbourne and my family and friends there, so much that it made my heart ache. While traveling over the last few months, knowing that I was finally close to actually being able to hug the people I'd been missing, and just BE in the places I'd missed, I found myself becoming impatient with the days that still stood between me and HOME. 

Now that I am home, I'm finding it hard to be patient with myself and the process of settling back in. I've been experiencing a reverse culture shock of sorts, I guess. Things here are the same as when I left, except that they're not. Everything feels like it's the tiniest bit off kilter- just enough for me to feel like I don't fit right, I guess. I know it just takes a little time, but I feel awkward, like I stand out and everyone else can see that I don't fit. 

Now that the traveling is done, it feels strange not to be back 'home' in Korea. To not be surrounded by Koreans, instead being 'home' in Australia, with people who don't take their shoes off when they enter their homes, or use two hands when paying for things at the shops, or speak Korean^^ 

One of the things that makes settling back in a little difficult is the lack of transport. We have public transport here, and Sal's said I can borrow her car when I need to, but its not the same as being able to walk a block and know that there'll be a bus or train every 7 minutes, and if you don't want to wait the 7 minutes, there'll be a plethora of cheap cabs you can flag down instead. 

I also feel disconnected now that I don't have constant Internet access. I guess I didn't realize how accustomed I'd become to always being tapped in to the interwebs! In any downtime I had, I'd be reading blogs, news sites, searching random stuff on google, checking Facebook , you know- all the highly important stuff you do online.^^ Now I don't have 3G, and have to hunt to find wifi - it's not as widely available as in Korea. When I'm at home, I have Sal's USB Internet thingy, but I updated my OS and now I need to install a new version of Java in order to run the Internet program thingy, but can't install the new Java without the Internet.... So..... Now I need to wander to the nearest McDonalds to use their wifi to install Java, so I can come back home and get online. Technology is awesome, except when its not. 

I guess the biggest difference is that, in the time I've been away, I've changed too. I'm still me, but just a little bit different. It's hard explain, but it feels like I have to fight against slipping into the person I was before, and remind myself of who I am now. I don't know how to explain in properly. It's just disconcerting. 

But! It IS great to be home! I'm so glad to be in Melbourne, to be catching up with friends and family. I already feel a little pang when I think of how quickly the next month is going to fly by! For now, I'm trying to focus on spending time with friends and family, enjoy the comforts of home and get back on track with my 'morning pages'.