Around this time of year, I had to wrap up my life in San Francisco to head back to Seoul. 🌆
Tidying up meant tackling endless tasks I never anticipated. I arranged to disconnect the internet, electricity, and gas through different services for my departure day. I met the sweet landlady, whom I last saw when I lost my apartment keys ten months ago, to end my rental agreement. She always preferred her rent via checks at the post office, which I found a bit old-school. But then she surprised me by saying, ‘I’ll transfer the deposit to your account. Just give me your bank details.’ While I was relieved of the hassle of dealing with checks, memories of my monthly post office trips flooded back. The post office staff were always kind but oh-so-slow. 🐢
Big items were shipped to Seoul via a moving company, and the cheerful Mexican movers accidentally took my knife. 🔪 I returned borrowed items to friends, gave my vinyl collection and turntable to a music-loving friend, and donated my bedding, mattress, and desk to a local center. I had to throw away all the groceries stocked in my fridge. (If you’re moving, stop stocking your fridge a month in advance.)
Some online orders, like wireless earbuds and a utility knife, probably wouldn’t arrive in time, so I let go of that hope. With the arrival of a mechanical keyboard and a powerful wireless router, my year-long Amazon shopping spree finally concluded. I wonder if the Amazon delivery guy, who always cleverly hid my packages behind the garden pots, is doing well. 📦
The day before departure, I enjoyed a last lunch in the neighborhood and bought eggs, spinach, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese from a weekend market. I also got a bag full of two kinds of plums from a nearby fruit cart. Mom always said I should have three proper meals a day, though I wasn’t always the best listener…
On the morning of my journey, I tossed all those ingredients into a makeshift omelet. A few weeks back, a high school friend in Irvine had made me a similar dish. I’m not sure why I craved it, but as I ate, I wondered if I’d see that friend again. His omelet was way better than mine, by the way. I finished it off and devoured the entire bag of plums. 🍑
‘I’ve done everything I needed to do here.’
With that thought, I called an Uber and my whirlwind year came to a close as one of the most dynamic times of my life. 🚗
Every time, organizing feels tougher and more draining than starting. Even if the effort seems similar, the emptiness and loneliness of tidying up can’t compare to the excitement and anticipation of a new beginning. The difference is indescribable, suggesting they were never meant to be compared. Accepting it quietly is the only way. In life, when faced with overwhelming tasks, most times you just have to wait it out and let things pass. 🌿
Once COVID is over, I want to revisit that house on California Street where I once lived. 🏡
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