new summer. new adventures. new country.

I'm flying out to Korea tomorrow at 2pm. At one point, while packing, the only thought in my head was "Really? Already? It's actually happening?" But now, I'm feeling blank and neutral, which is very unusual since I usually have strong emotions about everything and anything I do. The timing for this departure is also unusual. For one thing, I'm leaving on my sister's birthday.

[Happy Birthday to my fierce sister, Debbie! 18 and ready for college at University of Washington! I feel terrible that I'm leaving on your birthday, and I won't see you at your graduation, or prom, or give you tips about college before you leave. I'm never home, so you're probably used to it, but I am very sad about this.]

The other reason is a little ironic. I was homesick almost all year during school; it was to the point where I'd be depressed for days when homesickness hit me. But the past two weeks since I got home, I never really felt like I came back home. Spending time with my family and seeing everyone here in Canada was great and all, but I don't have my own space at home (literally...I have a drawer. outside. in the hallway. that is the extent of my "space" at home). I've been feeling restless and after all this time longing to go home, I'm longing to head out again. Now, I find it almost romantic, this new stage in my life where I don't have a specific place that I really feel rooted to. So I'm off! This is going to be a very short and rare stage where I'm not too attached to one place. I might as well embrace it and make it as exciting as possible.

For those of you who don't know, I'll be in Korea until Aug. 16th, interning with an organization called People for Successful Corean REUnification (PSCORE). I'm not certain about all the responsibilities I'll have when I get there, but I definitely know I'll be teaching English to North Korean refugees studying in Korea, and writing grants proposals.

A few days ago, I started reading "Eat Pray Love." So far its lame, and I would only recommend it to those who are bored out of their minds. I'm still at the beginning where the author is in Italy, learning how to indulge herself in the art of eating. Its inspiring me to be nice to my body this summer. After all those painful days at Haverford, hovering over books and damaging my neck and back, typing madly in front of the computer and damaging my posture, eating terrible food or not eating at all and damaging my health, its time I let my body feel alive and not like a dorky nerdy zombie. Aside from interning and having solemn thoughts about the political state Korea is in, I think it would be nice to finally let myself indulge in food, nature, music, and God.

I'm going to eat all sorts of food--I plan on going hiking pretty frequently. And just enjoying the city landscape in general--I decided a few weeks ago that I want to learn how to play the harmonica this summer. Plus I'm taking my ukulele with me. Maybe I'll find some buddies to play with--I have a lot of spiritual matters I need to solidify and figure out this summer.

Hopefully I can write at least once a week! I don't want to promise because I'm terrible with blogging, but I'll try! (It's only fair if you all start blogs too.)

To wrap up, I'm just going to list a bunch of things that are on my mind, mostly fears and things I'm nervous about:

-What if I end up thinking "every Korean looks the same to me" when I get there? Epic Ethnic Fail.

-All the girls there are going to be skinnier than I am. I need to get over this. I'm not even there yet and I'm already jealous.

-How am I supposed to dress? Is it ok to wear shorts on the streets?

-please please please...I hope I don't get Traveler's Diarrhea...

-I can hardly talk about politics in English. How on earth am I supposed to do it in Korean?

-I'm gonna end up being a loner.

-I better not end up looking like a FOB when I get back! That would be a nightmare. No offense to my fob friends. Its just not me, I do hope you understand.

-people better not make fun of my terrible Korean skills..

-I hope my relatives like me. I hope I end up loving them.

-I want to eat a lot. But I don't want to gain weight. what to doooo?

-Things are tense in Korea right now. I hope the North Korean refugees and I will get along...

-If you and I are close friends, then you know that I never really fit in with Koreans and I feel awfully uncomfortable when there are a lot of Koreans around me. It sounds stupid, I know. But its a problem I've been working on and I'm going overcome it this summer. watch.

so that was a waste of words. what nonsense and vomit! I promise my next entry will be carefully thought out and thoroughly edited. And there'll be pictures! My grandpa is planning on taking me to all sorts of places before I start my internship next week. Palaces, museums, mountains, temples, monuments, cities, schools etc!

Hope all your summers are off to a great start! If you're in Korea, give me a holler and I'll give you my temporary cell number while I'm in Korea!

Love,

Rachel

The sun stained the clouds with all sorts of silly colors, right after the rain.

I saw it happen when I rode the SkyTrain.

The past two weeks went by so fast. Debbie was away on her mission trip, so I had the room to myself, and I didn't have to live under her repressive rules. But she's coming back tonight. And I'm trying to convince myself that I'm glad my sister is coming back.

I went to a Priscilla Ahn concert last weekend!! I loved EVERY minute of it. It was held downtown in Vancouver in a small place called The Media Club. The minute I walked in, I was in love. It's literally a lounge, with wall couches, lots of different rugs on the ground for people to sit on, candles everywhere, and a bar in the back. I was the second person in line, so when the doors opened, I happily skipped my way toward the best place to sit. Not only did I get to watch one of my favorite artists with the best view, but I also got to order a drink at a bar for the first time. I felt very cool. It was the beginning of a beautiful night of music.

After the opening band (they were OK), Priscilla came up shyly and started the show! When she finished her first song, I don't Think So, she took out her iPhone and put it towards the microphone. The phone told us in a rather awkward, robot-like voice (which was also the voice of her keyboardist) why Priscilla was using her iPhone to talk to us. I uploaded a video of her doing this on facebook, if you want to see. Anway--she had laryngitis that night. According to Wikipedia, laryngitis "is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords)." So she had to cancel her show the night before, but thankfully the doctors gave her steroids--that way she could perform the night of the show I went to. (There's also another video of her showing off about how fun it is to be on steroids). Of course, she didn't use the phone for the whole show--she told a few cute stories in her quiet, timid voice.

**i apologize for the bad photos. it was really dark so i couldn't get very good shots. but i hope you can sort of make out the general atmosphere of the place.

this is what it looked like before

people came in and sat on the floor

the bar

people sittin' on the floor.

doesn't it look like such a cozy lounge?

(though i'm sure the people on the floor

weren't very comfortable during the

three hours. I was comfy though,

on my couch with cushions :P )

the opening band

Even with her voice gone, she was great! She's sounds amazing live, and she looks amazing live too, although I wasn't a real fan of what she wore that night... After the concert, I was standing in line for the merch-table and someone really pretty walked through the line, right in front of me. It took me two seconds to realize it was Priscilla! I was freaking out like an idiot.

love her. not her outfit though.

I was in line to buy one of her homemade magazines called Homemade, which is really just some paper with some of her thoughts, stapled together to make a "magazine". Despite how silly it was, I wanted it because I wanted to read her writing. Right when I was about to tell the guy I wanted to buy one, this pushy, stupid, mean, rude girl slid quickly in before me and bought one of the magazines. I'm thinking "ok ok, Rachel--you'll get your turn. chill out, we're all in this line." But I was really upset to find out that the mean girl took the last copy of the magazine. I must've looked super sad because the guy selling the merchandise offered to give me the display copy. I think I had a smile back on my face when he gave it to me. And then my friend and I wandered the streets of Vancouver after the show. Lalalalala <3

the end.

ps.

we bought a new car,

my poor piano is sitting in the garage,

i've been observing my thoughts in the process of falling asleep,

my belongings are potentially ruined because my school apts were flooded,

and my family and I are going to the ever so famous Whistler Mountain next week.

look. all the lines got longer. (say that 20 times)