I've been back in Korea for two years, and something I hadn't needed to deal with during my return was "the Goodbye." My first year was a revolving door of people. By contrast, it seems my second stint has held a more constant presence of all my friends. Maybe because we all realized that as much as the n00bies might complain, it really isn't bad here in Korea, especially when you have wonderful people to share it with.
 |
| Thanksgiving Calzones @ Jamie's |
 |
| Pizza night @ Jamie's with Eurohot |
Mindy was one of the new people that I met when I came back. She was at a disadvantage because I thought (incorrectly) that I had ENOUGH friends in my life and no room for one more. Somehow, though, she managed to wrestle in and nest squarely in my heart! Not only that but she even helped to expand my circle by bringing ME into HER Anyang Gang. Now I have almost two years worth of wonderful memories attached to her name. From Sunday night dinners to our catastrophic Taiwan Trip, signing from our classes whether we wanted to shoot ourselves or the administration, teaching English lingo or sweet dance moves to our kindergarteners, we did these things together and it wouldn't have been the same with anyone else.
 |
| Let's Have S'more Fun Together |
She's talented in so many ways but this woman is truly a lyrical gangsta. She can articulate feelings and thoughts so right on, it's uncanny. Sometimes, all she has to do is look at the expression on my face and then can proceed to verbalize it. Whatever expression I had quickly turns into a look of awe and wonderment.
I love to laugh with her. Especially when she starts to cry when she's laughing. When the tears start to roll down her face, you know you hit a jackpot. She shares my love of horrible television and I'm never ashamed to tell her about the latest episode of the Bachelor or Gossip Girl. We're on the same internet meme level and can spend hours (at work) finding the most useless/entertaining things. A Sporcle partner is leaving me and I'm truly disheartened.
Mindy, you are a wonderful spirit and an amazing friend. This is not goodbye but just a delay until we're on the same side of the world again.
