When your friends leave Korea

Well, it happened. Much earlier than I had anticipated, way earlier than I'd hoped, and so much earlier than I'm ready to understand. It was bound to happen. I had read many articles about it. Most foreigner friends don't plan on staying in Korea for more than a couple of years, if that. I just didn't expect my closest friend in Busan (in my neighbourhood, no less) to be leaving for good in 5 days.

So this (^^^) was my first my reaction when my confidante, cheerleader, and co-captain told me she was THINKING of leaving. I can completely understand. I won't go into detail on Hagwon horror stories, but I do encourage you to look them up if you're thinking of teaching here. The Facebook groups are also a good way to see the dark side of working here. I've been REALLY lucky and am really happy, but that's not always the case. Vet your recruiter and the employer thoroughly before your arrival.

(This is how all of Hwammy feels about your news, by the way...)

My sad food isn't even good. I went and got pasta (my go-to when I'm upset). Tortellini isn't a thing here (too much expensive beef or cheese, I suppose) so I settled for "Cream Chicken Pasta". I think the chicken may, in fact, have been creamed because the pieces were TINY. The sauce was pathetic. I tossed it in Pepper, Chili Flakes, and Frank's Red Hot to make it palatable.

I'd like to go ahead and place the blame on Mercury in Retrograde: "Mercury Retrograde or Mercury in Retrograde started Monday, May 18, according to astrologers, and doesn't end until June 11. Astrologers who believe that planetary positions affect our everyday lives see Mercury in Retrograde as one of the few times a year when the planet Mercury rotates at a slower-than-usual pace, giving it the illusion that it's moving backwards. This backward-seeming illusion has its parallel in our lives, they say, creating problems in communication, travel and even technology, hence its reputation as the planetary troublemaker.

"Mercury in retrograde has became the default explanation of what’s wrong with our world," writes oneastrology debunker. "Don’t start a new job. Don’t close a deal. Avoid traveling. Don’t buy anything. Interestingly, Mercury’s retrograde is an illusion. This optical trick is a perfect metaphor for what astrology does to our brains: It gives order to a seemingly random universe. That doesn’t meant it’s real, however.""

I don't know if I'll feel this way when each friend finishes their contract and leaves, but if it doesn't get easier then this is going to be a brutal run.