Around This Time Last Year

Around this time last year, I was having no idea of what I had ahead of me. Very early in the morning, I stepped my feet on the so-called world's best airport, feeling a little lost yet so amazed that I had made it that far. Being alone in a place when I knew nothing but the local 'how are you?', let alone how to read the characters of the language, was not easy. Hundred of times I checked if I took the right bus to the city- to the place the name of which didn't sound like a name to me. But I made it! It was raining, they had this typhoon thing on the day I arrived, but you can't imagine how happy I was seeing the girl from the school that picked me up at the station.

Around this time last year, I was wondering if I could make friends easily. I mean, hey, I came alone! People I saw were at least with someone from their countries. And I know with my face and my first-time-meeting-people attitude, it wouldn't be that easy for me to mingle. But boy was I wrong. Among the very first people I talked to was this Thai girl, who later on introduced me to her Thai friends and until the very end of my stay, we stayed close.

Around this time last year, a wonderful journey began. Making friends wasn't a concern anymore after the first few days. In fact, it surprised me! My circle was big and so diverse (still is, somehow we manage to keep talking to each other). The people I met were really nice, the places I went to were so beautiful, the courses I took were so fun. If only I could regret one thing, it's for not going out exploring the city everyday and for leaving. That makes it two, but compared to all the things I've learned and gained, it was nothing. It all happened rather unplanned, because sometimes when you plan out everything, you miss the fun from the surprises universe has for us.

I know I can't recall every single memory I have that started from around this time last year, because it's either I can't remember every detail or I can, only it'll take another year to finish the story because it's just a lot. Yet today, I can't help to notice how my life has changed so much since that day, around this time last year. I did some mistakes and I do regret some things, but that's part of the learning process I'm still having today, tomorrow, this time next year, and forever until I die. And for all of that, I'm so grateful that I decided to go to Seoul, around this time last year.