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True Story
The Breakup That Led to Bliss
He ghosted me and I had no choice but to look within.
Although much of my life on Jeju Island was about drinking and other pleasurable pursuits, I managed to have a breakthrough spiritual experience there. While I was a teacher there in South Korea, I was dating a man who is now my ex-husband. We’d been hanging out together for about six months on New Year’s day 2014, and we decided to take a long walk along the coast near Seogwipo — the south side of the island.
It was a clear and mild day on the majestic island of Jeju, and the dark blue ocean was lined with jagged, black volcanic rock, inviting us to come closer to the edge and look into its depths. We had a lovely time trespassing on the grounds of abandoned resorts and looking at weird rock formations. At the end of it, we ate delicious pork belly on Lee Jung Seop Street in a restaurant with walls that were plastered with old newspapers. We went back to my place and woke up the next morning hungover as hell.
He’d never been great at handling hangovers. He did something that shocked me in a very offensive way and I flew into a rage. It did not end well.
My neighbor heard me scream. His phone ended up cracked and he walked out on me. I even chased him down the hill, getting dressed as…