Amanda Takes Off...

Lately things that wouldn't normally bother me are making me crazy. If one more person gets in my way, I swear, I will break something. Unfortunately, everyone is getting in my way! The normal "I'm having a Bad Korea Day" fixes are not working.

I texted Master. "I will be late. I'm sorry. When you have time, can I get some advice?" Four minutes later he called to ask if I was OK and what was going on. I said, "I have a cold, but I'm OK. I'll see you."

"Amanda, what's wrong?"

"Master, I need a dictionary. It's too hard."

"OK, I understand. See you."

I got to class a full 30 minutes late and went through class. After class Master sat down with me and we spoke in our blend of languages. I said, "I'm tired. And I am getting a cold."

"You homesick?"

"No. Burn out, you know burn out?" I asked. He said maybe and I looked it up in my dictionary. "I am this," I said, holding the dictionary out for him to look at.

"Ahhh," Master said, "Me too."

"I thought so," I said smiling. "You are tired?"

"Yes, too busy. Why are you this? New job?"

I looked up several words. "No, I like the job. Expat life. Taekwondo. Seoul. Too many people. On the subway..."

"Old Miss Diary?" He laughed when I nodded.

"Usually, when I am tired, I will do something in Seoul. But when my parents were here, I saw so much of Seoul. In America, when I am burned out, I go driving, a road trip. But here I don't have a car. So, I want to go on a weekend trip. I will take a train or fly. Where should I go?"

"What do you want? Mountain? Sea?"

"Mountain, sea, forest, OK! Not Seoul!"

Even though he was tired, Master sat with me for a half an hour, brainstorming places to go, finding out the rough cost, telling me the length of time to various places, and finally ranking his list in order of what I should see first.

And this is why I love that man.

This was exactly what I needed.

I will be booking a ticket soon.

I need to get the hell out of this city for a few days.