Mr. & Mrs. Vandebilt + kids

We’ve only been in Korea for just over 6 weeks now but already it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It’s difficult to describe how different, rewarding, challenging, and amusing this whole thing is. We’ve been luckier than I could have ever asked for with the time we’ve had here. We’ve made so many great memories already, collected some hilarious stories and made some lifelong friends.

One of the things that makes Korea so different is that everyone’s time here is limited. You don’t really connect with the Korean way of life because it is so opposite from what you know and you have such a short period of time that it’s not really possible. Instead, if you are lucky, you meet up with some other foreigners and start a family away from home.

When we got here we were so fortunate to find Zanelle and the rest of her South African family. She quickly adopted us into her group despite us not speaking Afrikaans and being Canadian. In the short time we had together she grew to be someone who I now consider part of my family; one of my dearest friends.

This past weekend we had to say goodbye to Zanelle (or Zee-Sam as she is more affectionately known) as she headed back to South Africa. While we were very sad to see her go, we were equally happy for her because she was going home. She will be sorely missed as she was our first friend here and without her we would still be struggling with everyday tasks. She helped us more than we will ever be able to express.

Zanelle leaving also serves as a reminder that our time here is limited. We are lucky that we still have such a long time left and the adventure is just beginning, but time, as it has a habit of doing, will fly. So here’s to making the most of it.