Fulbright ETA Final Dinner: The Rather Anticlimactic End to Our Grant Year

After making a short visit to the War Memorial of Korea, we arrived at Hotel President, where the Fulbright Final Dinner was going to be held. 

Emerging from the underground subway to this view was quite a pleasant surprise! Buildings loomed protectively around a modest expanse of green grass. 

There were tents pitched everywhere and a lot of yellow decor. We realized after taking a few more steps that we were passing by a Sewol memorial. 

One of my companions murmured under her breath: "Well, this changes the mood a bit..."

Remembering the Sewol tragedy
These two men were here from the time I entered the hotel to the time I left the dinner

We were on our way to cross the street when a group of ETAs sitting under one of the tents called out to us

Judy ran out and hugs were exchanged everywhere. Of course mine was a bit delayed since I had to capture these photos first

Judy's smile is one of the best I know! I legitimately miss this young woman

The two of us crossed the street so I could make a withdrawal from a Busan Bank, which, contrary to my previous belief, also exists in Seoul (and in other parts of Korea!).

Dinner was held near the top of the hotel with an amazing view of the city.

Once I finally sat down at my table, I had a hard time processing that this was it. Our Fulbright ETA family was gathering to celebrate one year lived in Korea. I tried to take as much of it in as possible, knowing that I had to leave at the 8:00 p.m. mark in order to travel back to Busan.

There were many preliminary activities, with dinner beginning at 7:00 p.m. They had prepared an amazing array of dishes for us and I was happy satiating my hunger. However, it was a bit disappointing to have so little time to actually socialize throughout the dinner as we were told to sit down and enjoy other presentations, musical performances, and final addresses.

One speech that I did not mind sitting through was Ray's. He is a dynamic speaker whose genuineness comes through in the anecdotes he told this evening. I consider myself blessed for having shared the city of Busan with him this year.

PHOTOS WITH SOME OF MY FAVORITE ETAS

Like I said, we didn't have much time during the actual dinner to mingle (and I had even less time with my 8:00 Cinderella story), but I was able to take several photos with a very small handful of my favorite ETAs from this year.

RAY

His blog Project Be Better will live on past his Fulbright Korea grant year. Follow his post-Fulbright adventures there!

RYAN & RAY

...because Ryan kept trying to photo bomb when taking a normal photo together is obviously the better course of action!

WITH RYAN

Thanks for the hilariously random Facebook messages. Even without them, you would have stood out in my memory as someone who remembered what the sign for California is.

GABRIELLE

I know we were assigned at opposite ends of the country, but I wish I had spent more time with you. You uplift me and many others with your joyful spirit!

JUDY

I have mad respect for you for your ability to maintain a rigorous flossing schedule. Despite the short amount of time we had this year, I hope you go back to the states knowing that you are truly one of my favorite people! I hope you continue to bless this world with your beautiful smile!

TARA

My roommate at Jungwon University! Tara, you are familiar to me no matter how long we have been apart. I consider myself blessed for having had such a sweet young woman to share my first month in Korea with!

TARA & BRETT

I insisted on taking this photo with the two of you because I am anticipating that my prediction/prophecy will come true and I will have evidence that I told you so! Brett, thank you for being a gentlemen and treating Tara's heart with the utmost care. I wish both of you the best now and in the future!

...and just like that, 8:00 o'clock struck and I had to leave. It was rather anticlimactic, but I have found that this is the stuff most of life is made of. You just have to make as graceful an exit as you can muster (which here, for me, was not that graceful at all - it being in the short interval between musical performances).  

I was the first one to leave and missed many of the other performances, including Mrs. Shim's farewell speech. I left so quickly and so quietly (?) that some of the ETAs weren't even sure I had attended the dinner! 

Waiting for the elevator

The air was cool outside, and the lights reminded me that I was just in a world within a world

Life continues on. I did my best to keep stride as I shuffled quickly back down the underground subway station

Passed by the Sewol memorial again on my way to the subway just across the hotel

Here are the men again

A little girl frolicking in the grass. The world must look huge from her perspective!

By 8:45 p.m., I was sitting on a KTX train bound south for Busan. I arrived back in my beloved city just before midnight, and crawled snuggly into bed at a little bit past 1:00.

Like most events in my life, it takes me a bit of time to process what has just happened. I closed my eyes at the end of the day not having fully processed the goodbyes that I had said, or the goodbyes that never even took place.

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU

What anticlimactic events have you experienced in your life?
Fellow ETAs, did your goodbyes go as you had expected? What would you have changed after the fact? Share in the comment box below.

2014 Spring Conference | Jeju Island, KAL Hotel, and Angel-in-Us Cafe

THE BEGINNING OF MY JOURNEY

It seems just like yesterday that we had Fall Conference! I had my backpack (yes, just one) all packed last night for the next four days. I was determined to have as hassle- and stress-free a flight as I knew was possible for other people in movies.

At around 5 a.m., I could already hear my parents stirring in the kitchen. I got ready and was able to hitch a ride with my host Dad, whose workplace is a mere 15 minutes away from Gimhae International Airport.

Here's what my day looked like traveling from Busan to Jeju Island:

Host Dad calling a taxi for me so I could continue commuting to the airport and he could continue on to his workplace

The hotel we stayed at for four days and three nights

Didn't I label this post "Official Stuff"? 

HOW I SPENT MY FIRST FEW HOURS IN JEJU
09:00 a.m. - Landed at Jeju International Airport

09:30 a.m. - Got on the Limousine Bus that would take me to the KAL Hotel in Seogwipo

11:30 a.m. - Arrived at KAL Hotel, and noticed I was the only ETA around. Not surprising, since conference was slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.

11:35 a.m. - Hailed a cab to drive me to the nearest Angel-in-us Cafe, which just happened to be 5 minutes away (\3,400)

I arrived extremely early for conference

11:45 a.m. - Read my Bible at Angel-in-us while eating honey bread with green tea ice cream and sipping on a hot caramel macchiato with whip (or "whipping cream" as they say here). Savored the post-flight and pre-conference peace I was afforded in my little corner at the cafe. Resisted the incredible urge to fall asleep due to exhaustion.

01:45 p.m. - Hailed another cab to drive me back to the hotel. Felt legit hailing all kinds of cabs from point A to point B when the distance is a mere 5-minutes.

01:50 p.m. - Discovered that the conference time had been moved to 2:30 p.m. due to late arrivals. Grabbed my Fulbright ID badge and room keys from the lobby and headed to the 8th floor, where I power-napped.

02:25 p.m. - Rolled out of my super comfortable bed and mentally pumped myself up for the presentations up ahead!

Okay, fine, I traveled with a backpack AND a purse...This is still a huge improvement from having a carry-on bag

How many cups of caramel macchiatos have I consumed here in Korea?!?!

The perfect recipe for a quiet, peaceful afternoon to myself!

After the Conference welcome remarks and presentations, I had dinner and wandered around the hotel grounds with Gabrielle and Hope.

Even though it was dark, the three of us could still feel how beautiful the place was. We plopped down on the fake grass and just took the time to share how our respective experiences have been since we saw each other at Fall Conference. We shared our highs and lows and punctuated the end of our walk by praying for each other. I was hungry for this kind of fellowship, and am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to visit with these two young women tonight.

2013 Fall Conference | Saying Our Goodbyes Until the Next Conference

After last night's formal dinner, where Mrs. Shim gave her final address of the conference, we were on our own. Some folks left that evening, while most of us waited until the next morning/noon/afternoon to be on our way. 

I woke up too late to say goodbye to some of my friends, but made it in time for another delicious breakfast downstairs. During this brief moment, I managed to catch up with a handful of other ETAs. It was interesting hearing about the different experiences each of us has had and made since leaving for our assigned cities, schools, homestays. 

Here we were again about to leave each other, only to come back together in a few months (Thanksgiving Dinner with the Ambassador is just this next November, actually). 

ETAs waiting for our bus to arrive

Apparently, the bus we were waiting for was the one parked 10 feet away from us the entire time

Waiting for the KTX to take me back to Busan!

Here's some signage for you

The train was 15 minutes late

My bags

The three bags containing special bread/pancakes from Gyeongju

Arriving in Busan and being welcomed by this sign proclaiming the awesome fun to be had in the Philippines. I'll take that as a sign...

Until next time, fellow ETAs. I'm going home!

2013 Fall Conference | Enjoying a Serene and Sunny Afternoon On My Own

Welcome to day #3 of Fall Conference!

I woke up this morning motivated by the free breakfast the hotel would be serving downstairs. Most of the ETAs were hurriedly chomping away before taking off for a whole-day tour around Gyeongju's historic sites. Since I had already inadvertently gone on practically the same tour during Chuseok with my Korean family, I opted out of this experience and spent the day relaxing, reading, and wandering around the vicinity of the Commodore. 

But before all of that, I took a post-breakfast nap. Invigorated and feeling quite serene, especially with the absence of the other ETAs, I took my bag, stuffed my book of "50 Great Short Stories" inside, and walked out back. 

This is what my afternoon looked like: 

Decided to eat lunch here. Loved the view and the background noise of children laughing, parents calling out after them, and of just one very peaceful Sunday!

Super filling lunch. I made sure to eat slow and to savor every bite. 

This store, and this light - that is all.

If my sister had been on this walk with me, she might have asked me to take her photo by these steps.

South Korea, You are so beautiful!

Families spending time together, a wonderful picture on any day!

I was definitely not envious of these little kids on their mini motorized vehicles.

Sometimes, I forget South Korea has all four seasons. And then I look down and remember.

Everything was beautiful...

Favorite store of the day. I could have bought this whole store - it was that charming! Because I'm thrifty, I only ended up buying a watch.

A shop owner in the middle of a paint job? 

The columns and the shadows made me pause here before going on

I'm not sure what this building is, but it's impressive enough

View of the lake from the ground

Beautiful area where seemingly every family in the area were hanging out at this Sunday afternoon

Making my way back to the hotel

The pool was a yucky green, but I went up the steps anyway and imagined what it would have looked like if the water was fresh and clean.

Back on the fifth floor, still very quiet before the arrival of the rest of my cohort

I returned to the hotel only because it was getting chilly and my light sweater was not enough to carry me through a longer walk. After returning, I may or may not have taken a post-walk nap.