And so it goes, and so it goes, and so will you soon I suppose

Although there is a constant stream of people arriving and leaving Korea, there are certain times when it just feels like everyone is up and leaving... You're constantly saying goodbye to this or that person, while you rifle through their stuff and decide whether or not to claim their spices, or hair conditioner, or book, or whatever.

In some cases, it might be someone you barely know. A Facebook acquaintance who you randomly bumped into on the odd night out.

Sometimes, however, it is someone that you have gotten to know as a person. Someone who has been a part of your reality for 2 years. Someone who you have traveled with (with whom you have traveled, Meron) - either around the block or to a different country.

Sometimes, they are tricksy little Hobbitses, and come back for another year, meaning that you get to say goodbye to them all over again (Jen).

I had my first big gaggle of goodbyes in April 2007. It was hard to be left and to leave, but just over a year later, it's nice to know that so many of those people are still in touch with me (either through my blog, Facebook or the odd e-mail). It's also great to know that they've all gone on to fulfill their personal dreams of completing another degree, falling in love, buying a house etc. Yes, there is a life after Korea.

My next flurry of farewells has already started, with Jen, Carol and JP all having left recently, followed by Monique tomorrow, then Jessica and Nicola in August (but we'll be on vacation, so I will have to say my goodbyes in July)....

Of the original people who I befriended way back in Suncheon in 2006, precious few folks are left (some of them - like Steve and Stu - have left Korea, but with plans to return). Does this constant turnover make it harder and harder to befriend people? You bet! I mean, really, most people who come here do it for one or two years... which is, unfortunately, enough time to get to know and like someone, and to build up a true friendship, and then watch it dissolve through distance. Is it hard to say goodbye to people every month? Hell, yeah.

Another odd thing about this whole experience is how much stuff we end up with (probably from frequent "vulturings" of our friends' possessions on the night before they fly out and they are desperate to get rid of everything), especially since our apartments tend to be on the small side.

Airlines are getting a lot more restrictive on baggage weight and limits, meaning that when I eventually leave, I may need to pare it all down to *gasp* one suitcase..... which will represent everything I own. Consider that for a moment. And before you shrug and say, "But it's just stuff...", look around your room, your 3-bedroom house, even just your living room. Think of what you have in your basement, the accumulations of years. And now pare it down to what you could fit in one suitcase. And consider that I already pretty much gave away everything I owned 2 years ago before I moved and now, in my one-bedroom apartment filled with school-provided furniture, I already don't have very much (and yet, somehow, I still have too much), and soon, I will end up with even less. Hmmm, re-read that sentence. It might make more sense.

I'm trying to work on the way that I think about what I have... articles like this one are helping a bit.

Two years ago, I proclaimed loudly to anyone who would listen that I would not be rich with money, but rich with friends and experiences.

So far, it seems, so good.