shauna in south korea: The Final Days.. 끝

I wish I could have written this post in the midst of my last days in order to capture the true feelings of fear, sadness, excitement, and worry I was experiencing during that time. However, I am also thankful that I did not spend my last days in front of a computer screen, rather I spent them with people: the most important part of my year long journey.

During my last week in Korea many more tears fell from my eyes than ever before. But, it was also filled with more hugs, warmth, and love than I have ever felt in my lifetime. Somehow, I had to muster enough strength to say good-bye to all of the people I grew to love during my time in Korea. I had to say good-bye to a group of people that had crawled into my heart and completely saturated my soul. Slowly, throughout my last two weeks, I made a point to connect with all of the people that had impacted my journey, my life, and my heart during my year in Korea. During the work day I spent my time just loving on my kids and spending as much time with them as possible! Parents from old classes and current classes stopped by my classroom throughout the week delivering countless presents and warm wishes. My kids made me cards and wrote me letters ( in English, of course!) thanking me for teaching them and expressing their sorrow about the good-byes that were just around the corner. They made sure I knew that they would never forget me. But, little did they know, they were the real teachers and they were the ones that will never be forgotten. I am very certain about the fact that they taught me more about love, patience, life, and faith than I was ever able to teach them.

My Kinders!

Elizabeth, Rachel, and Hannah

Ryan!

All of the girls

Silly faces!

I wish I could end this post now and tell you that my last week in Korea was all about love and relationships, because that is what I had hoped for; what I had planned. Unfortunately, that was just not the case.

In the midst of trying to soak up the little time I had left with my kids, making each of my students hand-made picture books, writing cards to all of the people that impacted my journey in Korea, packing, eating my favorite foods one last time, getting my finances all in tact, and spending time with the wonderful people that made my year in Korea what it was....I lost my passport.

Well, I lost my passport in the eyes of the government, but in reality...I knew just where it was: Minnesota. At 3am, on the Wednesday before my Saturday departure date, I frantically realized (after Christine so graciously helped me tear apart my room at) that I had sent my passport home to Minnesota. During my last 3 months in Korea I shipped some boxes home, because I wasn't going to be able to fit everything I had accumulated over the course of a year into 2 suitcases. Unfortunately, my passport was placed in one of those boxes. I'm sure you can only imagine the amount of tears that followed this realization....as if I hadn't already been crying all week long. As sad as I was to leave Korea, I could not have been more excited to see my family and friends in Minnesota.

By the time my parents were able to locate the passport, it was too late for them to get it to Korea in time for me to make it on my scheduled flight. At this point in time rescheduling my flight became a very real possibility, but not one I was willing to act on without exhausting all of my other options. I had started my journey with Christine and I thought it only seemed right that I ended it with her, too (not to mention my parents had already planned a big welcome home party for me the night of my expected arrival date).

On Thursday morning (my second to last day of work) I had to wake up with the rest of Seoul and take an hour long bus ride into the city at the crack of dawn. My destination: The United States Embassy. Lucky for me, my wonderful Father had delivered my passport to the consulate in Minnesota the day prior. By the time I arrived at the Embassy in Korea, they already knew all about my ridiculous situation, and were treating it as an emergency. Trust me, this does not mean it was an easy process, because they had never actually dealt with a situation like this before! Leave it to me to be the first! They had to send me back out through security with confusing maps 3 separate times for more money, copies of documentation, and passport photos. But, every time I would arrive back at the consulate I was able to bypass the line and be helped immediately (thanks, Dad)!! After 4 and a half hours and some serious negotiation, I walked out of the Embassy with a new passport in hand. What a miracle! Even though I was sad I had to miss a half day of work on my second to last day, especially since I had never even missed an hour of work the entire year prior to that day, it was all worth it in the end!! I paid an arm and a leg for a cab to get back to work as quickly as possible, and I said a silent prayer of thanks on the ride home. In that moment, I felt God's presence all around me as if he was wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me tight. God is so faithful even though I continue to make BIG mistakes time and time again.

On my last day of work all of my Kinder parents threw me a surprise going-away party. The party consisted of cake, singing, tears, and a beautiful diamond necklace! Even though I was unable to communicate with most of the Mom's, we were able to communicate in other ways that day; through smiles, laughs, bows, and many tears. It was such a wonderful yet bittersweet way to say good-bye.

The Mom's surprised me with a party!

That evening some of our co-workers planned a big going-away get together for me and Christine in Seoul. We joined friends from all over the city for dinner, drinks, and good-byes. We cabbed back to Suji at 4am which allowed us 3 hours to finish packing before leaving for the airport at 7am on August 28th, 2010.

When we landed in Minnesota, we were greeted by family and friends with signs, flowers, balloons, and more tears. However, this time they were happy tears! :) After one year apart we were all reunited once again!