Ingrid Gadabout: Yoga, The Jungle Book, and others

These are the Four that are never content, that have never

been filled since the Dews began--

Jacala's mouth, and the glut of the Kite, and the hands of the

Ape, and the Eyes of Man.

A Jungle saying

So it is the end of my first month (yay!) here in South Korea, and I am going to try and take stock of what's been happening to me so far, since I think that it's an important anniversary. Next major event-- 100 days in Korea!
The Sound of Silence
Is not really that profound. At least, not when it's purposeless. My iPod was stolen at the school when I accidentally left it in the computer room, and now my room is completely silent when I walk in at night except for the sounds of the neighbors coming through the walls. And I gotta say, their noises are not that interesting. Usually, I like being by myself and enjoying the peace and stillness, especially after an entire day of talking (who would think that it's possible to do so for eight or nine hours?). But I'm almost too intensely surrounded by this Presence, and I never thought that I might have so many non-thoughts running around in my head. It's not as though I appreciate every little moment or have better focus throughout the day because of it. I miss Lady Gaga crooning in my ears.
My own little bubble
Which led me to believe that yoga meditation might come a little easier for me because of it (no, not as a religious practice, but simply as a way to practice breathing). The entire point of it is to practice focusing on your breath, since it's your breath that guides your exercise-- you know, the way runners says "let your breathing control your breathing." I think I did well for about 30 seconds. It wasn't that I got distracted. It was that I kind of wandered into random thoughts.
Busy
All these little things to keep me busy and to try to finally get into a routine, and give some semblance of order to my life now that it's hit me that I'll be here for a year (10 1/2 months to go). The routine at the school is non-existent, since our class schedules constantly vary. The weekends are each different, as we explore the Korean sights. I'm still trying to make my room feel like my space, but I don't still feel quite comfortable when I walk in-- it doesn't smell like it's mine yet. I'm trying to make Sunday a true Sabbath day, to make it a fulcrum around which the rest of my days can try to balance.