We are counting down the days now, only 2 days left in Korea.  Most of our stuff is packed and ready to be shipped on Monday.  I still have to decide what to take with us on the flight which is also what we will have to live with for 6-8 weeks until our shipment arrives.  It’s a bit stressful.  I’m not worried about myself but I want to make sure Makinlee will have everything she needs to settle in at my grandpa’s house.  The last few days have been filled with goodbyes and it’s taking a toll on me.  I have made many great friends here.  I honestly didn’t realize how many friends HL and I have here until it was time to say goodbye to everyone.  Too bad we didn’t spend more time with them but even in this expat world people have their own lives.  I still find the fact that people do not get together very often here strange.  We certainly live differently back home.  Our friends here have made our leaving much more difficult.  They have taken us to dinner, thrown small good bye parties for us, and given us gifts to remember them by.  I have gifts from many part of the world and I will always cherish them.  My girlfriends bought me a beautiful pearl bracelet made at a local pearl factory/farm and the Foreigner’s Club gave me a set of traditional Korean Celadon vases. (I would take photos but my camera is packed.) I will miss them each and every one of them.  However, this industry is small and who knows what the future holds and where we may be in a few years.

We are in the process of moving.  I am pretty good at this having moved 7 times in 7 years of marriage.  We have a very short deadline.  HL’s current company decided they didn’t need him here for the remainder of his 30 day notice.  They want us out as soon as possible. Everything is arranged and coming together nicely.  We are leaving on February 5th.  I have one week to finish going through closets and cabinets deciding what goes, what doesn’t, and what we can live without for a month until our shipment arrives in Louisiana.  This is not easy I assure you.  I probably will not post again until we arrive home unless something else comes up.  I will see you on the other side.