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This is a short narrative post I initially set out to write for Groove Magazine‘s “Share Story, Win Trip” writing competition. The call came out for ‘funny’ travel stories where a lesson was learned. The winning pieces would be read out loud dramatically. Frankly, there just aren’t enough of these kind of encouraging writing opportunities in Korea. I could say more but I’ll get distracted.

I started writing mine and about two paragraphs from the end I decided that it wasn’t a travel story. So I stopped writing. I came back about a week later and took another crack at it, tidied it up but left it loosely over the 500 word limit, which kind of left it for any kind of flash litt and too short to be considered anything else. Still it’s a good story. You’ll laugh. I hope. 

Getting There

I use quotation marks for city only because Jangnim, not (yet, hopefully in 2014) on the subway line, is in a lot of ways a world away from Busan proper. One girl posting on the Saha-gu Foreigner and Friends Facebook page commented that this area feels like a more authentic Korea. The only foreign food easily accessible is in the food of cereal at Home Plus or the Chinese restaurants owned by Koreans. For Indian, you’ll have to take the bus to the nearest subway station, then travel about 5 or 6 stops to the next hub. 

And, it’s slowly becoming OK. Is there adjustment passed? Thankfully, yes. Is there adjustment still to come? Surely. But, I’m adjusting.

And, with that, here is the city below, as seen from the public balcony located just outside my apartment:

As I’ve said before, I’m not crazy about the cold. Yes, I’m from New England, but no, I don’t really ski, so winter for me is about the first magical snow (just one please, that’s enough) and then of course the oh so mature Christmas countdown. Sometimes January and February can leave me in a kind of funk. But this really hasn’t been the case in Korea.

My husband loves gim (김), Korean laver or seaweed. He prefers it roasted. We usually buy Korean roasted seaweeds in boxes, because those in packs don’t last a week. Last month, Omonim bought bundles of dry unsalted seaweeds, the ones that are not toasted yet. She said they are more delicious than the roasted seaweeds sold in packs. She taught me how to season and roast the seaweeds.

One of the recurring questions I wonder about as an expat is the question of home. How do different people define it? Where is it?