Happy New Year!

After a week in the UK suffering some intense jetlag, I arrived back in Korea in time to see the new year in. Since I’d not properly got over the time difference at the other end (indeed my attempts to do so were futile) alongside the fact that my flight this end got in at midday opposed to late at night as it had in England, I was able to get a good proper first nights sleep and eradicate any grumpiness that might potentially have followed.

So for those of you that are following Lauren’s blog in conjunction with this one, (if in fact you are following this blog, and haven’t chanced upon this entry as a one-off), you will be familiar with the notion of MegaTV. Not yet set up in my own apartment, I’ve been taking the opportunity of rekindling my *long lost friendship with Lauren via the means of copious numbers of films – old and new – that are on demand at the press of a button. It is most exciting. Since “live” Korean TV isn’t at the forefront of our list of needs in Korea, having menus upon menus of TV series and films (English and Korean alike) is far more convenient than having to decipher online TV guides and hoping you’ll stumble across something vaguely worth watching every time you switch on the box. *week

Now I was warned before I left to go to England for Christmas that I might not want to come back again. At the time I thought, “Nah…I’m just going home for a holiday; this is my home now,” but in reality with the intermingling feelings of extreme tiredness, festivities (or lack thereof) and the prospect of leaving the boyfriend at home for months on end, I did start to ponder some of those existential concerns that one occasionally admits oneself to.

However, after several days pottering (sub in moping) and taking mid-afternoon naps, on seriously considering getting a “real job” I realised that applications and interviews are not things that I am sprinting to get ahead with – and thus the purpose of the “gap year” became more evident again – and that Ian, my boyfriend, is still studying and thus even if I were to be living in the same country, it would be unlikely we’d see a whole lot of each other anyway.

It is so that I essentially wasted my intended holiday in the UK by partaking in the aforementioned activities, namely moping and napping, contemplating the nature of my future and getting stressed that I barely had any time to enjoy myself. Totally counter-productive, I am aware. Nevertheless, the positive side of these thoughts has meant that I have come out on top; I am now revitalised in mind and body and content with my current position in life, and of course it was lovely to see my friends and family at home. Excellent.

It is at this point that I realise I am somewhat rambling, and brings me on my next consideration: is this blog an excuse for a personal diary, where I recall my thoughts and, god forbid, feelings of my year abroad and potentially beyond – in which case perhaps I should spare the eyes of those that might read for the intended purpose of this place: to merely relay events and observations so that I might save myself from repeating the same story over and over to those genuinely interested, and those with a pretence interest. Regardless, I am indulging the former and it is this realisation that I bring myself to turn to the latter.

Last night Lauren and I had a most enjoyable evening negotiating the crowds of half the city to get to the Bosingak Bell. It was nice to be wrapped up warm in the -5ºC heat, taking in the lights that engulfed the manmade stream in a palatial manner, revelling in the multitudes of Korean couples, friends and families dressed up in matching coloured capes (with ears on the hoods, of course), avoiding the sparks of hundreds of people setting off their own fireworks openly sold on the streets New Year Celebrations Marred by Accidents, and striking up conversation with the excited policemen that had clearly been recruited just for the occasion to appease the raucous crowds.

The atmosphere was magical *gag* as the streets were littered with smiling, rosy cheeks and sounds of “Happy New Year!” that rang as clear as the Bosingak Bell itself. Or maybe that was just to us, since the majority of the crowd was probably speaking in Korean. Oblivious, we lit our heart shaped sparklers sending policemen coughing and forbidding the next round, but won over the hearts of a couple of high school girls, sparkly eyed at the beauty of our gunpowdered delights. Or maybe that was just the reflection in their eyes from the dazzling bright light.

Either way, they were pleased when we gave them our spare ones, which then brought on the cheek of some chavvy Korean girl asking if she could have one too. We didn’t have any left, and er, we weren’t free sparkler venders, *rolls eyes*. Still, she had her fun as some guys came round taking polaroids with regular, un-heart shaped sparklers, glosticks and animal hats to anyone who would give them money. On an initial 400 won asking price we too indulged their trade, but didn’t have the energy to argue when they’d accidently knocked off a nought on the end of his price. We got one of the cameramen at the televised event to take our picture, which became slightly more than a bit weird when we practically got our own photoshoot out of the asking. Still, maybe some nice pictures to follow if he ever emails me back…

And there we have it. A nice evening of dancing and fireworks as the clocks struck midnight, followed by chaos as we were shoved this way and that toward the exit of the mass of people. Luckily someone had decided it was a good idea to run the subway late that night and we got home safely and easily.

So maybe in the spirit of it being the first of the year an’ all, I should come up with some of those resolution-y things that people like to make. Hm.

1. Be good so Father Christmas might visit next year. Oh wait…

Yep, on second thoughts, that’s getting a little too personal, even for me. Maybe resolution number one should be “Deal with feelings of emotion and refrain from turning to sarcasm to bail you out”. So on that note I bid you goodnight, and a very Happy New Year!