feeling the disconnect

Last night, we went to Jinhae with our friend and co-teacher Grace after work. This has been a tough work week, as there are anywhere. Additionally, Steve and I have been in Jinyeong for the past two weeks, without an escape, and were growing tired of our isolation and solitude in this small town. Grace wanted to go to Jinhae to eat dinner at her mother's restaurant and get some "fresh air" by the sea. It sounded like just what we needed to get out of Jinyeong and our workweek funk, so we rode along. It was about an hour drive from Jinyeong and the sun was setting beautifully over the mountains as we made our way toward Changwon. Steve and I sat in the backseat and chatted with Grace the whole way about work and other things. It felt good to see mountains and tall city buildings and to ride in a car. We arrived in Jinhae at an outdoor market and walked down an alleyway to a small hole in the wall restaurant with about three tables. We met Grace's mother, were given a bottle of soju from the older men sitting next to us, and were served an amazing and complimentary meal of pork soup. I thought the soup was delicious and very comforting on this cold and tiring day. I know that this soup meant even more to Grace in the form of comfort, as it was her mother's soup. I longed to see my mother and eat a meal that she had prepared for me, to be comforted. Afterward, we walked by the sea to get some fresh, crisp air and recharge for the end of the workweek. It was a perfect evening escape and the perfect disconnect from work and Jinyeong.
Lately I have been feeling a disconnect from home and the rest of the world frankly. All that has happened in Japan and Libya, pop culture news, gas prices, budget cuts in schools, and the unfair bashing of teachers in America. I feel disconnected from all of it. I get my updates from family and the occasional internet search or stumble upon. I don't actively seek this news out as most of my time spent on the internet is trying to stay "connected" to friends and family. Speaking of friends and family, this is another area of disconnect. I skyped with my sister the other morning, as I do almost weekly, and I felt really sad afterward. It made me feel so far away. Seeing her on the computer screen is much different than sitting on the same couch and laughing and talking as we did a couple times a week at home.. Also, lately I have been really struggling with friendships. Some of the friendships that I thought were so strong before I left are seeming to fade away, as some of my closest friends have not made any effort to keep in touch with me. Another friend living abroad, had mentioned this same problem after she had returned home. I guess this is the chance that you take with moving the broad, the chance that you may disconnect completely from some. On a more positive note, I have reconnected with some family members through facebook and skype and have grown stronger in some friendships while I have been here.
As we approach April, I cannot believe how fast time is going. I know that some of my disconnected feelings will get worse with time over the remainder of our stay here. And I am sure that some of it will get easier with time. Despite this seemingly sad post, I am still really loving it here. I have a mile long list of things to do and see while I am here. This weekend we are headed to Busan to visit some friends and Steve and these friends will run in a race. Typically when I am feeling disconnected, Busan is just what I need to feel reconnected and recharged. Hanging out with cool foreigners, doing and seeing amazing things, and seeing a good friend from home is the perfect cure for the feeling of disconnect. So, I look forward to this. Thank you for reading and staying connected.
teaching english in korea. 
blogging here: www.teachingintherok.blogspot.com