The highlight of my life so far!

The TaLK program is something unforgettable in every aspect of the world. There were ups, down, and all around amazing experiences.

While living in the rural countryside, I learned to become independent and responsible not just for myself, but for all the children I was teaching. The students you have will make you both want to rip the skin off your face and fill you with so much pride your chest feels like it will pop. While the language barrier can be something difficult to overcome, I learned that patience and perseverance is the key. They want to understand you as much as you want to understand them.

Traveling was one of the best things about living in South Korea. Feel like heading to the Haeundae beach? Hope on the train or bus and go! Its that simple! The cost is next to nothing and transportation in mind-boggling fast. It got to the point where I was traveling somewhere new every weekend that I always had a small travel bag ready to go at the drop of a hat.

So many of the cities are rich in history and seeped in South Korea's cultural identity. In my year and a half there, I've seen and lived with monks, been inside castles, temples, and breath taking museums. One of the more interesting being the Love Museum of Jeju Island. That's one everyone has to see at least once, if not for giggles.

Don't get me wrong, there have been some serious hardships as well. The language barrier is one of the most prevalent. But the lessons in Korean offered during the orientation and training has been an incredible help.

Weather, if you aren't used having a range of it, can be daunting. South Korea is the land of four distinct seasons. Spring is stunning as the cherry blossoms come into bloom (along with the allergies) and weather is mild... for all of two weeks. Then the blazing, humid summer is in full drive and the hum of cicadas a common background sound in day to day life. The air is so thick with moisture that you practically swim from place to place. The autumn season is unrivaled in its beauty as the trees turn into an array of amazing colors. The cooler temperature is relief from summer and before you can blink, its the dead of winter. Snow and sleet are heavy and it actually hurts to breath at times.

Mosquitoes, I learned the hard way, are beefed up and probably on steroids in Korea. During the summer, if you're not careful, they will eat you alive. They drove me mad as the made a meal out of me, even through the jeans of my pants!

The TaLK Program was the best thing I've ever done for myself and will be for a very long time. The people I've met, from all over the world, have touched my life and I know I'm a better person for knowing them. Immersing yourself in an environment so completely different and alien can be terrifying, yes, but just as rewarding. The memories I've made and the things I've done there things that some people will never get to experience in their lives.

Don't be afraid to a step off the edge. Don't let yourself get complacent. Don't make excuses for yourself. Learn to live! Learn it in South Korea.