A Bad Case of FOMO

It’s the week before I leave for Australia for four weeks and FOMO is setting in.

Whilst this island is a consistent revolving door of people – mainly women – coming and going, those of us going typically fall victim to the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ or FOMO as we’ve come to name it here.  This is not helped by knowing I’m going to miss a Hen’s night and a weekend in Seoul to see the Pope.  I mean, come on, how often does that happen?!

Aside from Rob, my girlfriends, a wave from the Pope and the obvious social fun to be had, these are the top ten things I will miss most about Korea:

1. The random man who makes announcements over the intercom in our apartment that we obviously can’t understand but are clearly important.
2. Watching Korean’s get into the elevator and then immediately stare at themselves in the mirror for the entire journey. Even better when they have giant black glasses on with no lenses.
3. The safety element; going out and not worrying about bumping into the dickhead next to me and setting off an explosion, or walking from a train station and being attacked.  Okay, it’s a little melodramatic but you get my drift.
4. Kids riding in cars with their heads out the sunroof. Imagine that in Australia!
5. The smell of KimchI in the morning. Good morning KO-RE-A!!
6. The woman who cleans our recycling depot at the apartment complex and her condescending shake of the head, click of the tongue and wave of her finger as I do the humiliating walk each week to offload my wine bottles.
7. Walking out my front door to buy mainly organic fruit and veges straight from the garden plots, to our table.
8. Walking amongst rice fields in my own neighbourhood.  Like woven works of art.
9. NETFlix and HULUPlus (would you want to go back to Australian television?!  Seeing the ads for X Factor alone makes me want to poke myself in the eye repeatedly!)
10. Driving on the right hand side and reverse parking; I’ve just reached the comfortable stage where I am driving with one hand on the wheel and an elbow on the console.  No easy feat let me tell you.

Naturally this is offset by the excitement of sleeping in my own bed again, eating feta cheese and Lenard’s chicken, going to a movie, using appliances without translation, and of course, seeing my family and friends.

Farewell to my Korean friends and hello Australia.  Stock your fridges!