first week back

the first week of second semester is over, and back home people are starting school again. they have a new year, i'm still in the old year. school used to spark fall, set the leaf-changing in motion, it meant that football weekends and pumpkin spice lattes and flannel were right around the corner. this year, school hasn't really ended yet. i had a few weeks of vacation and respite, but we're back at it again and it's still hot and humid and fall seems terribly far away. and i'm stuck where i was before. doesn't september mean transition and transformation and shifting physically and mentally into autumn ? 

the first week is over. i realized how much i missed my kids (who am i), but being in the classroom was a sweet routine that i'm surprisingly happy to be back to. my after school hours were filled with trips to immigration, the bank, and orientation to renew my alien registration card (i'm an alien) and paying bills and starting the new season. monday, we took the bus to cheonan to get froyo and subway and buy a bilingual globe - my one year anniversary present to myself. tuesday, i went to the bank to re-register for internet banking because i lost my password the first time, oops. i registerd for the gre in november. and i bought tickets to taiwan for new years. wednesday, we spent time at immigration filling out forms and proving i live in my apartment (which was surprisingly difficult because my name isn't on any of my bills?). thursday, we were oriented. and friday, we celebrated the week with mexican in songtan. i've been craving chips and salsa and margaritas for months. 

this weekend, v and i went up to seoul to celebrate m's birthday ! it was fun celebrating m with people we didn't know but had her in common. i like celebrating people. making them feel loved and wanted. so we spent the day and evening and next morning running around seoul doing things the birthday girl wanted to do. and early early early in the morning we crashed on her floor on a pile of blankets and slept in until sunlight was streaming in. the three of us are all in such different places, lived and living different lives, but i like finding small things we have in common. and we get along splendidly. time spent with them is always spent well. 

today, i just got mail from hope. the june 2014 news. all the way in korea. eeeeeeeeeeeee i'm not sure how to feel about that. also, it's september. and i don't know how to feel about that either. my half birthday is on wednesday !

so here's to the next week and the weeks to come: saying goodbyes, getting used to being even more alone, buying plane tickets, planning weekends, having friends come and go, exploring still, having time to rest, having time to study, and having time to run and bike (with my new old bike!) and see new national parks. chuseok and random long weekends and holiday days sporadically in the week and throughout the next few months. there are less than enjoyable things: close friends leaving, this heat, seeing life back home move on. but there are so many things to look forward to: my happy kids, hiking weekends, nim, pals moving to korea, michigan football, leaves changing, wearing layers without sweating, the change. 

here i am , looking forward and planning ahead. 

trying not to look back much, not dwelling. 

enjoying, savoring, taking it all in. 

the little things. 

i'm finding God in different places. places i didn't expect him, and finding him there is always refreshing . him. in corners and open spaces and on top of mountains and even on the bus. in quiet time, and alone time, and time i'm finding i have a lot of, the space, the emptiness, even in the filling. i'm finding him. welcome, september, i'm happy to have you.