Technically, I'm moving to South Korea next week. I have my fancy E2 visa in my passport (allowing me to work legally hell yeah), my contract is signed, and my bags are 30% packed.
But emotionally and mentally, I'm not going anywhere.
Applying to teach English in Korea is a LONG process with a lot of waiting and maybes, so for the entire three months I've been home I prepared myself to be disappointed. With so many hoops to jump through and so many variables, I knew I should prepare myself for Plan B. I put off learning the Korean language past the alphabet, knowing that it would hurt to put in hours of study only to be told that I wouldn't end up needing it after all. I told all my friends and family "maybe" and "hopefully".
"You're going to Korea next month, right?" I'd hear at least 10 times a week.
"Hopefully!" I replied with a big smile. "If all of the paperwork works out!"
And because I didn't want to deal with the crushing blow of rejection, I wouldn't allow myself to feel excited.
But now the tickets are bought and last minute preparations are being made and I'm actually leaving. I'm flying to San Francisco on Thursday (Valentine's Day!) to visit my college roommate for a few days then flying directly to Seoul on the 17th. This is it, I'm going!
Yet for some reason, it still doesn't feel like I'm leaving. I'm still half expecting the carpet to be pulled out from under me any moment now. I won't believe it, believe the fact that I'm actually moving to the other side of the world for a whole year, until I'm on that flight to Seoul.