Painting the town a pale shade of red

Well, tonight was not what I hoped it would be, although it was good in its way. Graduation was weird...some vibe was definitely off, and I couldn't put my finger on it. Not the same energy, maybe...the kids weren't into it like they usually are. Plus, graduation these past couple weeks has been shortened due to required snack time at 8 because these kids are being sponsored by a local business. So, I didn't even have a chance to get wrapped up in the emotion of the moment--my last graduation, saying goodbye to my friends, weeping copiously. I was so busy signing kids' notebooks that I hardly even noticed that the time had passed. Unfortunately, it wasn't the cathartic tear-fest I had envisioned.

After graduation, we went to see Kane play in the finals for the acoustic singing competition at Rocky Mountain Tavern. I wish I could tell you the results, but I shamefully snuck out before the winner was announced. Why? I don't know...smokey bar, tired ass, oncoming sore throat. A combo. We had decided beforehand that we (and when I say we, I mostly mean me and Daniel) would go to Polly's Kettle for a little dancing as part of my going-away experience. If I hadn't left the RMT when I did, I probably would have just headed home. As it was, we went to Polly's for a bit and had a decent time. They play hip hop music, which I like, but the crowd just wasn't there. In fact, after awhile, the place was mostly filled with SEV people. It gave the place an odd Tradewinds-like feeling (that's my dad's bar), because everywhere I looked were people I knew.

My friend Cade was nice enough to spring for a Soju and orange Kool-Aid drink for me (served in a cut-off 1 liter plastic jug), which I had never had before. Thank you, Cade. I'd also like to put a note here for Mitch---Cotter, I, too, will miss our very serious political discussions. I hope the kindie think tank will be substitute enough for a cosmopolitan world citizen like yourself. ;-) And PS-nice dance moves.

Getting a taxi home from Itaewon was an absolute bitch, as ever. Drizzling rain, freezing cold, and no cab driver would stop for us. They would pull past us and pick up some Koreans. I started doing what I always do when cabs pass us by--shouting at them. It makes me look like a crazy American bitch, but I just can't help it. I'm in the street, in the rain, begging them to stop. "Please sir! Please!" It's practically Dickensian. ("Please sir, may I get in your taxi?") When they inevitably pass us by, I scream, "We know how to tell you where to go!" at the top of my lungs. It's not pretty. I'm sure it proves to them that they are wise in not picking up crazy foreigners. Ahhhh...one of the things I will definitely *not* miss about Korea.

Now all that's left is for me to start packing up my Korean life. My laundry is done, my room is vaguely tidy. I'm hoping that I will have finally learned from repeated experience that it is NOT a good idea to leave packing and cleaning to the last damn day. We'll see how that goes...