When I left South Korea three years ago, I barely had time to establish any sort of lasting friendships. Luckily, there were a few, made mostly during the EPIK orientation in Jeonju.

Some of those friendships have faded, and some of those that have and have not have moved on to other parts of the world. Some have left Korea only to return. And, some of those will leave again soon. It’s the painful truth of the expat lifestyle.

I got to see three of those friendships reborn Saturday night, when I met up with Sam, Jenna and Tony for dinner and drinks in Seomyeon. Sam and Jenna came with me on the orientation. Now, they are veterans of Busan. For me, it’s like the clock stopped in April 2010, only to kick back on a few days ago. Like suspended animation.

Tony came via EPIK the semester before. He is for certain the most senior expat now of those I consider friends. His most recent contract will be up in August. What then? It was Tony who predicted, at my going away party in 2010, that I would be back by the end of the year. That may have been overestimating but, when you stop time, does it even really matter?

It was a great night out.