Short Stories and Other News

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"Anything that has been done once can and will be replicated ad naseum. All it takes is to have the possibility realized."

Living a world away from all that is familiar causes the mind to run in strange directions. Without clear reference points, my imaginations seems to have been sparked again. Today I was riding home on my bike, taking my usual route. It brings me through green park, past the G.S. Supermarket, around the bend to the corner store and rounding off at a crosswalk that shares a corner with a very fancy Japanese Resturant. Out back of this resturant sit two dogs, an older one and a puppy. The Japanese man who owns the resturant speaks decent english and we have exchanged hellos and how are yous. In my mind I created a whole timeline for this man. Leaving Japan when he was in his twenties, much like myself, off to see the world and find his fortune. Starting in Australia, then off through Europe and eventually to the States. Travelling to all the hotspots New York, Chicago, DC... Eventually landing in Maryland to visit some friend. While there he buys a dog to accompany him on the last leg of his journey. The dog by happenstance is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Suddenly the resturanteur and myself have something to talk about. But as I am trailing off in this tangent the walk sign changes and I hop on my bike and finish my ride around the corner, past the resturant that serves Sam Gip Sol on cast irons shovels, turning left at the lingerie store, and parking my bike beneath the Nora Bong and heading up to my apartment.

The town of Chilgok is a vast wonderland of mountain and cement. Buildings pile ontop of each other, neon lights are everywhere. This apparent hamlet of a city is slightly bigger than that of Annapolis and has about 60 times the population. As I walk around I realize however that I may be the first person from Maryland who has ever walked these streets. Not too isolate my experience or pretend it is wholley unique but this sprawling township in all its developed nature has only existed for a decade. With the exception of some ruined farm houses and one or two buildings bearing a sort of reminiscent architecture, there is nothing here that has been around longer than ten years. Its a weird feeling to walk in something so established and yet so young. I even was fortunate enough to meet the very well of son of one of the main farmers who sold his land for this area to exist. He is only a year old than I am and was more than willing to share his good fortune over some complimentary bottles of soju and a little Nactee Anju (squid appetizers). Somedays are just plain good days.

So I am thinking about visiting home for Christmas. I am not quite sure yet though. I was wondering if anyone would be in town then? Maybe we could get a little celebration together. It's strange, I'd be spending roughly 3000 for 3 days of fun. Single-handedly the largest lump sum I've ever paid for a good time. But it'd be nice to see everyone. I've already decided that I am going to go on atleast a two month hiatus with my friend Kathy when my contract is up. God bless that girls heart, she's got my same ambition to see the world and seize the day. Plus it will work out perfectly, she just landed a contract here for a 6 month stint starting August. So we'd both be out in February. I am so excited, it will be nice to share this experience with someone in person. Words can not even begin to describe my day to day life. I am hooked on travelling. It'll be a great many years I think before I will even start to fight the cravings. I am a changed man, everyday I grow a little more, see the world a little differently. I am happy again, I am alive again, I no longer feel the grip of the mundane drowning me. I feel interesting again.

Art, music, culture, travel. I want it all. There is so much out there to experience and in our time it has become so accessible. From Opera to U2, to exhibits in the Art Museums and displays at cornerstore galleries. I want to get lost in used bookstores that have not a single text written in English. I want to uncover dusty collections of old baseball cards. I want to swig beer at a cricket match in India, or even just eat a Korean Style Hot Dog at a Samsung Lions game in downtown Daegu. Travelling so far away has made me realize that I don't need to go far to see something new, I just have to stop excussing myself from life. There was so much around me back home that I never went to see. I used the excuse that I had no one to go with, but I realized thats the beauty of it all. As it was spoken by God in the Field of Dreams, build and they will come, or my case, go there and others will follow. I will grow, I will pursue more education, I will find a job eventually and settle down for whatever that is worth, but I will always be studying life, breathing it in and experiment, this is just another step.

As I told Taylor the other day, I feel like I am finally putting the furniture in my home -- bear with the analogy. So far in my life I have building a house that is my reality. I started with a foundation (my family) then started building the frame work (elementary, middle and highschool). I put up the walls (my friends), made a few windows (stories that I wont be telling my children) and finally put the roof on the house when I graduated college. This is my first actual decision, my first actual move. I have moved out on my own, I am supporting myself, totally cut off, this my furniture stage.

Well I am done rambling for now. I sent off my first wave of postcards today, as soon as I find a place to buy more I will continue sending them out. I hope maybe I'll get a few replies but I guess we will see. I wish everybody the best. Till the next time!

- Matt

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