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Day Three

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Today was a day of mindless wandering.  I was on my own as Hyun Ji had an emergency she needed to attend to.  It worked out well as one should always have a day without an agenda and to explore.  I was curious about the little alleys between the streets. They were like these hidden little gems that winded through the blocks.  I found the large signs that took up most of the airspace above my head to be mesmerizing.  I've never really seen anything like this. I've found the Korean lettering to be quite beautiful to look at.  The alleys were full of small shops and cafes.  I thought they would be full of residences but I was wrong.  If I lived here, I think I'd do all my shopping in little alleys. There are hardly any people there and a welcome respite from the busy roads and intersections.  I didn't see English very often, but when I did, I enjoyed seeing how the words were used. I was not tempted to buy anything.  It was mostly things that seemed to fall e
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Day Two

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Day two was much more uneventful than day one.  I had an MSG reaction and ended up sleeping it off for most of the afternoon.  However the day was not totally without it's charms. The weather here is bitterly cold between 5 to 10 degree Fahrenheit.  It happens to be warmer in Michigan.  At least the sun has been out and that makes a difference. I had eaten breakfast at a small restaurant below the apartment that I was staying at.  I had thought that I would be safe from MSG but I was wrong.  The food was delicious, a combination of bone broth with thin slices of beef and rice with a side of kimchi. Radish Kimchi Breakfast. Bone broth with rice and slices of beef.  After breakfast, Hyun Ji and took a walk through the mountain to her home. It was a short lovely walk through the woods.   Morning walk up the mountain.  Looking behind me.   I was reminded of how I used to walk to work in the morning and I should do it again.   I arrived to Hyun Ji&
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Day One!

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It's funny to be posting "Day One" on day two. First off, jet lag is kicking my butt.  There is nothing like it to make you feel old! I barely slept on Monday night since I was flying. Tuesday night I couldn't fall asleep and ended up waking up after only 2 hours. Last night I finally got about 4 hours of sleep. The body is such a funny thing. It remembers its own rhythms. The pinnacle of the trip was the visit to the Eastern Social Welfare Society.  I must've dreamt about going to this place for years. What would I do when I got here? Would I melt into a puddle of tears? Would it bring back any forsaken memories? Would I finally be able to let go of some long held abandonment issues and be able to go on with the rest of my life, hopefully on the back of a white horse riding off into the horizon?  Whatever fantasies I had about this place, they were properly squashed.  It did not bring forth any sort of tidal wave.  In fact it was the epitome of an anti-c
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Flight

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I have arrived!!  This is a post from my flight.   Flight Menu Flight Menu It’s been nine hours already and four more to go.  Usually I sleep on the flights but this time I couldn’t.  It is always strange to me the time difference when flying internationally. I never quite know when to eat and what is dinner or breakfast.  So far we’ve flown 5034 miles and 1958 miles to go.  It is 14 hours ahead in Korea.  I will have lost half a day when I arrive.  Nine hours of sitting and one has a lot of time to think.  For whatever reason, I have completely blanked out mentally on any expectations of what is to come.  It is strange to me to think that I am going back to my country when I have always thought of the US as my home and my identity.  If you were to ask me today what I am, I would tell you without hesitation that I am American and Asian only by blood.   It will be interesting to me to see if I feel any association with this country.  If I will understand a cultu
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Tomorrow!

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This blog is for my mother.  Have you ever had those trips that you kept putting off and then realized that if you don't do it now, you'll deeply regret it? Well, this is one of those. For some reason, I always thought I'd take this trip with my mother, even though she hasn't been able to travel for years, much less an international one.  And perhaps that was why I kept putting it off.  As it is, her health has been declining and if I'm ever to share one last thing with her this would be it.   I was trying to figure out a way to update my mother in real time. It's been years since she's read her emails and if anything I thought I could get her to read a blog. So Mom, if this is you, I love you and wish you were coming with me.  And mom, this is a blog... But, if there are any grammatical or spelling errors, you can let me know.   I was talking with my mother last night.  It was curious to me how much I remember from the day I arrive
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Welcome

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Dear Friends and Family, For those who know me, know that I have travelled to India and maintained a blog, onindiangrounds.blogspot.com.   However, since I have been going to different countries, it no longer seemed appropriate to write on that site, hence the formation of this one.  If you are reading this now, it is because I wanted to share my own evolution and personal stories with you.  If you are reading this, it is because I love you dearly and enough to want you with me every step I take.  So, enjoy and always, may peace be with you.
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