Creative Meanderings

One of the things I have noticed in the past 24 hours is that Koreans not only love to eat – evidenced by the ever-present food stalls and numerous restaurants- but also they love coffee shops! On every corner I have seen a coffee shop and so now I write in Coffee Lab near SY’s
place where they are working/studying and I, for the first time in ages, sit and ponder where I am.

I slept well last night. After waking at 9, which is already amazing, I fell back asleep until nearly noon!!! I haven’t done that in …who knows how long!!

Kim made a tasty brunch while we chatted and then we were off to Hongdae area so that Kim could get her cell phone sorted out with SY’s help. We walked around noting all the food areas, stopped off for a coffee at Angel-in-us Coffee and then are back in another shop. Hahaha, what a life, huh?

For the first time, I actually considered what my birth mom might look like if she is in her early 50’s and does she dress in the typical middle-age outfits that others wear? Strange question.

Before I didn’t sense such a similarity to Japan, but this time it feels almost like the same place only in a different language. Hmmmm… What does it mean???

– Tara
Sent from my iPhone

It’s been a long, but fun day.

After arriving at Hapjeong bus stop, Kim met me and we walked back to her friend’s place, who has very kindly allowed me to stay as well. Once I dropped off my stuff, we went around the comer for lunch and coffee.

While I am quite comfortable with not speaking Korean, it would definitely come in handy to know a few phrases for ordering food. Somehow we managed base on Kim’s prior experience there. So a lovely meal and much needed coffee was enjoyed as we started to catch up for the past 7 (according to Kim) years. While we have kept in touch seeing each other and talking is different.

Sated by the coffee and food, we went to window shop on the streets nearby the top art uni in Korea. Walking made us tired so we went to the 405 cafe for some sangria. Mmmm sangria!! Feeling relaxed and in need of a snack before the concert, we moved on.

We passed time in the Art Square building looking at books and where I bought a mini subway map. Around the time we agreed to meet we went outside and SY arrived saying the concert had started nearly an hour before.

Dear Cloud performed tonight as a club opener and perhaps released a new album. They were good and fun to watch even if we missed a bit.

After the concert, eating commenced. Nothing on earth is comparable to Korean food in my opinion! We ate, talked, drank, and watched Korean TV, which is sadly too similar to Japanese tv.

Now the end of the day has come. The second major goal behind eating is to sleep and so I sign off for today!!!

-Tara

Sent from my iPhone

I am on a bus going into Seoul from Incheon airport. I have already had to adjust to the culture and body block an older woman from cutting in front of me to buy a bus ticket.

It smells like kimchi on the bus and I am enveloped in sounds of a language I barely know anything about. Yet as the other two times I have been to Korea, I feel a sense of calm and peace even though I have no clue as to what people are saying to me.

Somewhere in my memory must be a time when I felt safe though I was not yet fluent in the language.

So I am on my way to see a friend I have only met a handful of times since we were 8/9 years old, but with whom I share an experience – of being adopted from Korea. The years have passed as letters were exchanged, emails sent, facebooked and with sharing our stories of life so far.

Now we reunite again in the land of our birth…

More to come –

-T
Sent from my iPhone