Almost six months.

So technically the six month mark isn't until next Wednesday, but I feel like I want to write about it now.

There are a few things that I am used to now that I was not six months ago. I will now compile a list of these things.

• I do not flush toilet paper. Ever.
• I am not afraid of traffic driving on the sidewalk. (cars, scooters, vans, etc.)
• I can get home in a taxi, alone, and not get lost.
• I can order coffee, completely in English, from a person who speaks only Korean and get exactly what I want, with an extra shot of espresso, thank you very much.
• I can walk as fast and sometimes faster than the average Korean.
• I can navigate the sidewalk with minimal person-to-person collisions.
• I can travel to several places on the subway without having to pull out my map every stop.
• I can stand on the train and hold multiple things and not fall over.
• I can even fall asleep on the train and wake up when it's my stop. (not an easy task)
• I have mastered the art of wrapping my entire face in a scarf, covering my ears and most of my head, but not my eyes.
• I can navigate E-Mart on a Sunday.
• I can walk past the drain outside my apartment without totally gagging at the stench wafting from it.
• Korean ramen is not only super cheap, but also super useful for clearing your nasal passageways.

This is only a sample really. There are dozens of things that I do now that I would never have though possible before. Things like wearing stripes and plaid together and being told I look good. Or walking for miles in heels, or wearing an ugly Korean jacket and liking it.

I think I would say that I am pretty comfortable in my surroundings by now. The internet has become my best friend and forums have become a second Bible to me. I can find almost anything out on forums. But, just because I am comfortable enough to walk down a street or order coffee, doesn't mean I miss home any less. But now I am beginning to see that it might be hard to leave this place too. I wish that all the people I have ever met, the good ones anyway, could all be collected in one place. With all the coolest parts of each place where I met them and we could form a new country that isn't missing anything. That would be really cool.

So there are only about six months left to go, for me anyway. I have the spring and summer to look forward to. I am excited about what that will bring. I miss being warm. I think that's the thing that is so appealing about living in a place with such an intense winter, it makes you appreciate warmth so much more. I like it when I walk outside and its only -1 instead of -20. The sun actually starts to feel warm... Its amazing.

I think that's the end for now. Happy Sabbath to all of you, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope it is good and you are loving life.

~Michelle