Personal Reflections and Journal Entries
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Personal Reflections and Journal Entries Inner Healing Trip to Korea 8-8-03 to 8-25-03 Jeff L. Kane 8-8-03 Travel to Korea I’ve just said good by to my fiends a colleagues at Seafarer’s and International House. I survived CPE, and I suppose that in itself is a good thing. It was a good place to work for the summer, and I enjoyed to work of being a port chaplain. It’s hard to believe that in less than 24 hours I will be half way around the world, in a different country… I wonder what it will be like, I mean I’ve been around large numbers of Koreans and done Korean culture camp etc. but something tells me this is going to be much different. I hope everything went well for Krista, Candice and Pr. Park’s travel arraignments. I’m finally settled in on the plane. Dinner was interesting as it was a Japanese ‘Obento’ meal. I had some stuff that tasted very good, even if I don’t know what it was. Reading a bit as usual and also browsing through the movies. It’s a bit daunting to finally be on my way. I really don’t know what to expect. First of, I am really thankful for the opportunity to go, but having never met Pr. Park or the others, I have to wonder what everything will be like. It’s been a long trip for me even to get to this point as well. I think that for a long time, I was dis-interested in my history and Korean background. It was hard to think about this growing up. There were few other Asians, let alone Koreans in my town and then again in College, there were only a few Asians. Not really enough to form a community. It was easy to just ignore my ethnicity and while I don’t think I consciously wanted to be white, at least I wanted to blend in and not emphasize the differences. Also, I’m not sure a few weeks of Korean language tutoring is going to be up to three weeks in Korea. At least there will be other English speakers in the group, so I hope this will reduce at least some of the language anxiety. Well, it’s time to finish up the sermon. I’m very glad that I was asked to preach, but since I really don’t know the context well, it has been hard to discern the kerygma.
After a brief layover in Narita Japan (quick cup of coffee here and a restroom break), I have finally arrived in Korea!!! Thank goodness. I was met by Elder Kim at the airport. When I first got off the airplane, I wondered if he could make it into the gate area. I gathered not, at least not if security is anything like it is in the US. Then I made it through immigration and started looking around but realized that I still had customs yet to go. A quick nod and I’m through, then through a big set of double glass doors. Right in the middle is Elder Kim with a big sign and my name… Very easy to recognize. During the drive into Seoul, I’m trying to stay awake but am having great difficulties. We stopped at LG Gas station; LG, after hearing about this company from my friends, it’s one of the things that made me realize that I’m really in Korea (as if the Hang Gul script wasn’t a give away). Then we arrive at church, but since it’s dark and since I’m really out of it, I don’t realize this until about 200 people rush out of the other room to greet me. Ok, I guess it’s more like 15 or so, but in my condition, I couldn’t tell. I quickly meet my host parents and then it’s off to their house. I am tired at this point, but also very excited to see the place where I will be staying for the next couple of weeks. I am able squeeze in a shower, which also helps me feel like a member of the human race again, and after some introductions it is off to bed. Oh yes, the shower… There is no shower curtain. After a careful inspection of the bathroom, I think this is OK for Korea, there is a drain in the floor and as long as I don’t hit the towels with water everything should be all right.
I woke up at 5am today, must be the jet lag. I can’t believe that I’m really in Korea. It’s like I fell down the rabbit hole and am just in an odd place where there are a whole lot of Koreans, but not necessary a whole country of them. I hope this feeling wears off… Back to sleep for a bit, then at about 7am, I peek out of my room to see my most of my host family up and moving around. After another shower (there is much water on the floor, so I am thinking that the shower curtain thing is normal) I am ready to meet the new day. Breakfast is the first item, and to my surprise and delight, my host family has put together an American style breakfast. Eggs, toast, cereal and yogurt. I am very thankful but I also wonder, this isn’t what Koreans usually eat for breakfast, right!? Back to Church… First, I was able to print my sermon, and am better able to enjoy the day now that I have the manuscript in hand. I must say that I am struck by the amount of activity that is apparent at Dong An. Most American churches are much smaller with one or two services on a Sunday which everyone attends. Here, it appears there are many different services and activities all happening at once. It’s a wonder that people can keep track of where they need to be when. At the DEW service, Candice gave her testimony and I preached. I think I got through it all right, but in the middle I had to stop my knee from shaking. Candice’s testimony was very moving, and I am thankful that she was able to share her experiences with all of us. Meeting with the ‘global village’ group was fun and I hope we can do it again. Bible study with another group was interesting. I hope I didn’t disrupt their plan too much. Here, in the bible study, it is possible to communicate, but I am keenly aware that some people speak English better than others. Of course, my Korean isn’t up to more than hello and thank you so I am completely dependant on other people’s English or translating skills. I can already tell this is going to be very frustrating. This evening, we went to a dinner meeting with the Ah’s friends/prayer group. I should have brought a change of clothes, as I feel a little over dressed for dinner, but oh well. There are lots of questions during dinner. Many questions for me. Already I am getting used to telling people that I am 25 years old American (26 Korean), single, no… I don’t have any immediate plans to get married etc. It’s really nice to get to know these folks though, and I’m able to ask many questions about Korea as well. Toward the end of the night, I asked a few about politics and Korea/US relations. I hope this isn’t an impolite subject at dinner, but I am very curious as to what Koreans think about this situation and how this view differs from media reports in the US. Then it’s home, where I was able to give my family a few housewarming gifts. I hope they like the Salmon, which I would assume is available in Korea but I don’t know if smoked Salmon is popular. It’s been a really really long day and I’m both tired and energized at the same time. I hope that I can sleep as it is about 10am in the US. Over all, I think the trip has gotten off to a great start.
Woke up early this morning. Didn’t fall back to sleep but got up and went out to the porch. On the 7th floor of the Ah’s apartment there is a great view of Seoul. Things are quiet now, and there is a mist that has settled on the horizon. I can look down and see all the rooftops, and Korean houses from here as well as all the shop signs in Korean. An American style breakfast again. I’m really curious as to what the Ah’s eat for breakfast on a regular basis. Then meeting at the Church to go to the Korean folk village. The ride gives me time to chat a bit with the others, Krista Candice and Pr. Park. It’s all pretty new, so I am more than a bit overwhelmed. Korean folk village was great. It was really interesting to see how people lived prior to the modernization (and prior to great western influence) of Korea. You know, as a kid, I often went to Old Sturbridge village near my home back in Massachusetts. This was also interesting, but of course, there are no Koreans as part of that history. I think it was hard for me to identify with that history in the way I can with the Korean folk village. I mean, looking around here, I can imagine my ancestors living, working and being part of what I am seeing here. To put it another way, I feel like I fit into the history that I am seeing here more than the history back home. I particularly like the Korean papermaking mill. We all took turns of the Korean seesaws but I don’t think I could do it very well with out breaking something. Of us all, I think Pastor Park is the best at all the things we tried! I liked the giant swings though. I’m also glad that some of the people from the church went along. It gave me a chance to interact with them as part of the tour. Also, for lunch, I had Bi Bim Bap. Now, of course, I’ve had Bi Bim Bap before but this was the first time I’ve had it in Korea. It was very good. Next we traveled to the UNESCO building to meet up with the YeDarm church group. To be honest, I really didn’t know where we were going or whom we were meeting. Of course, this is only my second first full day in Korea. We pulled up to the building, and after bringing our luggage in, Pr. Park and the others from Dong An departed for Seoul. This was a bit unsettling… I couldn’t believe that he was leaving us. In a short while, the young adults from Ye Darm returned from their daytime excursions. After meeting several people, and being given a nametag, I was introduced to a wide selection of Korean snacks! I wasn’t really hungry, but since this was a church retreat, I found this comforting and familiar. As the evening wore on, I was able to meet people and participate in the events of the evening. Unfortunately, the jet lag was still with me and later in the night, I was nodding off. Finally, I gave up and went to bed. The next morning I went off in search of the showers and noticed that another early riser was washing his hair in a modified sink arraignment next to the bathroom. These sinks were set up so water splashed out of the normal basin would still flow into the drain. Luckily Baum, a leader I had met from the night before happened along and I was able to ask about showering options. Then, for breakfast, it was KimChee, fish and other Korean foods. Ah, so this was my first Korean breakfast. It was great. Nothing like Kim Chee and coffee to get the morning going. The morning was filled with large group sessions that several of the Korean students translated for us, small group sessions, workshops. Then, after lunch, there were more workshops as well as a period of time where people could choose their own activities. I spent most of this time talking with people in the ‘coffee shop’ and then for a walk on the grounds. I had a great time, and was able to make some great friends even in this short time. Many of the participants were the same age as myself, Candace and Krista which made it a great opportunity to get to know people our own age. The walk was also a good opportunity for me to think a bit about the trip, returning to Korea and what lay ahead. Then, much to quickly, it was time for dinner and to prepare to depart. This came much to fast, and it would have been nice to spend a few more days there, but such was not possible.
This morning Krista and I headed to Holt, our agencies in Korea. I approached this trip with much trepidation, and didn’t really feel like going to Holt after such a positive experience on the earlier part of the trip, but thought in the end that it was something that I should do even so. We first went to the wrong Holt building, which was an older building that was not prepared for the general public. Here we were directed to another Holt building nearby. I have heard of the existence of these two buildings and wonder what records are kept at the first building. I noticed that this building held the central records room and the computer room. Presumably, most of the records, excluding the post adoption files were kept here. I couldn’t help but wonder as we left this building if most of the information that adoptees are searching for is kept at this building out of sight. We made it to the other Holt building, and were greeted by a much more modern and airy building. After meeting a few of the staff, we were introduced to the post adoption services social worker. Krista went for her interview first while I went upstairs to visit the nursery. Here we found several adorable infants and all took turns passing them around and bouncing them all up and down. One particularly cute little guy like to climb onto anything he could get a hold of, including me. Then I headed down for my interview. A while back I had gotten in touch with Holt through wide Horizons my US agency. The information I received confirmed what my grandparents had been able to discover on their trip to Seoul during the Olympics. Unfortunately, no confirmable information had been found with me or recorded at the police box where I was taken many years ago. While I did not really expect any different information I still interested in reviewing my file at Holt and was able to go over some of this information this day. Also, the social worker remembered my original inquiry from the US and had also seen me at the KAAN (Korean Adoptee Adoptive Family Network) conference earlier in the summer. At first she seemed surprised that I had come to Holt. I must say, I wasn’t very comfortable with the setting after that. While I understood that it would be difficult to search for my birth parents, my understanding of search has changed over the years. One piece of information, that I wanted to confirm, was if my Korean name, Lee Nam Young was my given name or if it had been assigned. I was disappointed to learn that this had likely been assigned either at the police box or the orphanage. I had already known that my birth date as assigned. After leaving Holt, were invited out to Lunch. I’m afraid that I really wasn’t in the mood to be sociable at that point, and really wasn’t looking forward to lunch with other people. However, I ended up sitting across from a Korean American young woman who was raised in the states and had gone to school in Boston. She was a very animated person, and after a few minuets I was drawn into the conversation and for a while I put aside my feelings of disappointment and loss. After this experience, I really don’t think that adoption agencies should provide the bulk of post adoption support. I’m much more comfortable with the third party agencies that are starting to focus on adoption issues. They seem to be much more willing to really listen to the concerns and issues that adoptees raise. While I am thankful for the work that both Holt Korea and Wide Horizons has done, I didn’t have a good experience with their post adoptive services branches. In the afternoon, we headed over to Kyung Hee University. I enjoyed to tour and the chance to walk around outside. It was nice to hear that Kyung Hee is making their Korean Language program open to adoptees who wish to learn Korean, and I may consider taking courses their next summer or at some point in the future. I also enjoyed the tour of the University Museum. Dong An Church: I can’t believe there are this many people here on a Wednesday night!
This morning we met the Rev. Dr. Roh as the first formal part a series of inner healing sessions. I found that it was easy to talk with Dr. Roh as he seemed to have an understanding of both American and Korean cultures and the complexities of trying to move between both. Since he was educated in the US, I felt that he had the background to begin, even just to start, to understand the issues of being a Korean adoptee. We talked about many things, and I also felt like he wasn’t trying to get me or others to validate our own experiences, as often happens in the US. I wish we had more time with him. After the session, Dr. Roh took us out to lunch, and I discovered my favorite dish in Korea. The Shabu Shabu was excellent, and I hope it is available in the US. Of course, this also gave us more time to chat and I enjoyed this as well. This afternoon, we went to Aeranwon house for unwed mothers. I must say, I wasn’t looking forward to this part of the trip; especially after the Holt experience the other day. It wasn’t easy to visit the house, and it was very difficult to talk with one of the residents with so many other people around. This evening, we went to Elder Kim’s house. It was great to get to spend some time with him. Especially after he had done so much for our trip here in Korea. The food was wonderful. You know, I really don’t miss any American foods. We also got to learn a little bit of Elder Kim’s history with other adoptees and Pr. Park. It helped put some of the pieces in place, and I am yet again thankful for this opportunity to return to Korea.
This day we spent with Dr. Son at Konkuk University. The horticultural building was very interesting. Mostly plants, technical equipment and many books. Dr. Son’s office reminds me of an office in the basement of MIT. Books stacked everywhere, plants, scientific glassware and a few chairs thrown in for people to sit on. This day was another day where we could reflect on our adoption experience. I don’t think I had the chance to say as much as I did in the other inner healing session. At the end of the day Dr. Son offered us each the chance to receive spiritual healing during a time of prayer with him. At the beginning there was some confusion about who was going to go first, and this was a bit frustrating for me. If it had been clearer I would have taken several items with me prior to leaving, but it did give me another opportunity to think while Candice and Krista went first. This type of spiritual healing was a new experience for me. I wanted to be open to this new experience, even though it was very different from the other healing services that I had been to in the past. I am glad that I had this opportunity and that Dr. Son was so giving of his time and spiritual gifts. There were times when I was uncomfortable however. While I might wish at times for healing of my various physical impairments, I have also come to not only accept them, but see the ways in which they are also an important part of who I am. So, while I may have asked God in the past why I have these impairments, I now pray that God will continue to guide me and to use me as I am. I’m not sure if this was something of a language difficulty, but I’m not sure I was able to get this point across when speaking with Dr. Son. After the session, we were able to go out to eat with just Candice, Krista, Pr. Park and myself. I have really enjoyed meeting people on this trip, but having a meal with just the adoptees present and Pr. Park allowed us to relax more than we usually do when others are with us. This was nice and allowed us to talk candidly about some of our experiences. After arriving home, my host family was worried that I hadn’t eaten. I told them as politely as I could that yes, I had eaten. So, we had grapes and watermelon. A nice way to end the day, and I told them a bit about what we had been up to. I think I’m getting over the jet lag as well so it is easier to have conversations later at night.
Well, road trip isn’t exactly true. We are taking a rail trip down to Busan. It’s a four + hour trip, so I hope to get the last details of my testimony finished up. It’s a nice trip. The scenery on the trip down was beautiful and gave us a chance to see what the countryside was like. I was struck the number of mountains and all the small farms we saw. I also found the small villages interesting and wonder what life must be like outside of the city. When we arrived in Busan, some very nice folks at the train station met us and then we all split up into our individual cars. I didn’t exactly know where we were going, by my hosts were very nice and easy to talk to. I soon discovered that my host mother had studied in the US on a Full bright scholarship to study English. We went to a local park in Busan, where we saw some lovely cliffs and the ocean that went into the Sea of Japan. You know, if I could walk across the water, I would eventually come to the Pacific coast of California which I have been to once. After this, and since it has started to rain, it looks like the beach trip is out. So, we proceed to dinner, that is going to be at TGI Fridays. Now, I should mention that we had American style pizza at Konkuk university and so this was to be our second experience of American style food in Korea. We also met several people from Oncheon Jeil Church at this dinner. One interesting thing, we have gotten pickles at each American style meal we have eaten. I don’t know exactly. Maybe Koreans in Korea think that Americans eat pickles at each meal or maybe Koreans really like pickles and eat them instead of Kim Chee with American meals. At my host parents home, I went to a PC Bang with Kang So Young the eldest daughter. There, the staff person tried to explain to me that the printer was broken but of course this was done in Korean. I smiled and nodded while So Young looked on. Thankfully she interjected a few comments, which prevented me from having to respond in this conversation. Then, she explained a bit more of what the guy was saying to me and laughed a bit about the situation. It’s at times like these that I’m really glad we have people that can translate for us. It was fine to laugh about it in this situation, but if I hadn’t had So Young with me, I think it would have been a much more negative experience. Back at the house, I chatted with the Kang’s for a bit and then it was off to bed.
The next day, we attended Church all day. Oncheon is still larger than most churches in the Northeast US but not as large as Dong An. Luckily, this meant that we didn’t have to switch services, and were able to stay for all of the service. I think that there are too many people at church for us to meet. It’s very difficult to be constantly greeted by people, introduced and then never really get the chance to meet them again. Today, we decided to head back to the Kang’s for some rest. I’m not actually tired, but I don’t know if I can constantly keep up with the steady flow of people and the language difficulties presented here at Church. After this, we have another service this evening where Pr. Park preached and I gave my testimony. Giving a testimony, which is something that I’m not used to, was difficult. First, I had to keep my testimony from blebbing into sermon type stuff. I think I was able to get through it ok. It was odd giving the testimony in front of a group of people that I don’t really know. I think though, that here in Korea the pain and loss of adoption is better understood that in the US. So, naming and recognizing this has been an important part of the healing experience for me. The next morning, I had a nice chat with one of the pastors that I had met at dinner last night before heading out to Kyung Ju.
Today, we leave Busan and head for Kyung Ju, and area that holds some of the oldest parts of the Korean peninsula. It is also a very rainy day, and we all got very wet even with multiple umbrellas. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the right clothing for the trip. I’m a bit worried about the kids, as it is chilly out. Oh yes, there are a few children with us from Busan. They make the car trip quite, well loud, but it strikes me as a sort of family outing, and is oddly comforting. At the end of the day, we head for dinner in Degu. Now, since we were sight seeing today, we all dressed in pretty casual clothes. However, when we arrived for dinner, we found it to be a pretty formal affair. Underdressed, but we will just have to make the best of it. It was interesting to watch the interactions between the members of the ‘wise men’. At once, it was similar to other professional and Christian fraternal organizations I’ve been a part of and at the same time, it was different with Korean mannerisms and customs. Then it was off with my new host family. On the way home, we stopped at E-Mart and go some groceries. My host dad gave me a tour and introduction to Korean food that was available. Then, at home, I met the rest of the family and their son who is also in seminary.
Today we head out to Mt. Jurisan. After meeting the Pastor and having a wonderful lunch outside, we drive quite a bit up into the hills. On the way, we stop by a rushing river by the road. Along the way, we have seen many small shops, resting places and camping areas. Pretty soon, we all ended up in the river, some of us wetter than others. The sound of the rushing water, beautiful scenery and the nice setting, made for a really relaxing stop. Afterwards we all got coffee or tea to warm up. Here, it is several degrees cooler than the surrounding area. Must be the mountain water. At the top of the mountain pass, one side had a spectacular view with the trees and shrubs laid out like velvet emeralds across the landscape. Then, the other side had a path that lead up to the grounds where an old fortress guarding the pass used to stand. If you stood at just the right place you could see down into both sides of the pass. Oh yes, I should also mention that we had received several stuffed animals as gifts from Krista’s host mother. My dog was quickly adopted by Min-A, one of the kids along on the trip. It went pretty much everywhere with us, including up Jurisan and even got various wreaths of flowers as the day went on. After Mt. Juri we made our way to a local area that showcased many examples of traditional and modern Korean pottery. Then, it was a dinner of traditional Korean foods. Back at the house which was being restored by Pr. Oh, we had an evening service and then turned in for the night. Needless to say, I think we all fell asleep pretty fast.
This morning, in order to make the bus back to Seoul, we rose early and held a worship service at 6 in the morning. Pr. Park was able to handle the translation for us. These few days at Mt. Juri have been very relaxing and have given me time to reflect on all that has happened since arriving in Korea. It is a sort of retreat, in the midst of our journey. After church I was introduced to a real Korean style shower. I used water out of a big basin, as well as out of the showerhead to rinse. The water was cold, but it was probably a healthier way to start the day than a cup of coffee. During the bus ride home, most of us slept. It was a quick goodbye at the station, and I will miss everyone we had met on our excursion, especially those with us in the van. We did get one break to eat a quick lunch, where I had Bi Bim Bap. It was very good compared with what I would expect at an American rest stop. Certainly beats Burger King or McDonalds any day. This evening, we went to YeDarm Church, the same church that put on the retreat at the UNESCO center that we were at earlier in the trip. The Pastor welcomed us quite warmly. Prior to coming to the US, I have heard that Korean pastors can be very formal and autocratic, but after meeting several in Korea, I have not found this to be the case. I don’t know if this is because this is an American stereotype or if the ones we are meeting have extraordinary examples. Never the less, I have found the churches here and the pastoral leadership goes to great length to see that we are at ease, which is very much appreciated. At the evening service, Candice gave testimony, and was invited to do so from the high altar. I thought this was a very nice gesture from the pastor. I don’t know how much women participate in the service leadership in Korea, but I was glad to see that Candice got this opportunity. A few students whom we had met earlier were present, and it was great to get to chat with them again, however briefly. Then, it was back to our Seoul host families for the night. As we were wrapping things up at YeDarm, I thought about going home, and I wasn’t thinking about the US, or New Hampshire but the Ahn’s in Seoul. I had wondered how things had been while I was away… So, upon arriving at the apartment, we sat down for a nighttime snack, the usual of grapes and watermelon, where the Ahn’s asked me all about my trip. I was able to tell them much with Esther’s help in translating.
This morning we headed out to the DMZ, about an hour north of Seoul. According to Pastor Park, we were not able to get to Panmunjom but Elder Kim has been able to arrange another event. As we get closer, I note there are more fences along the road, and as we start to see signs for Panmunjom, we note more barricades and barbed wire in evidence. Finally we come to long bridge, I believe it is called Freedom Bridge, where there are several yellow and black barricades across the road and a military guard post. It’s pretty clear that security is taken seriously here. At the guard post, we are met by an army official who then accompanies us for the rest of our time in the secured areas. Following this car, we make our way past several more checkpoints, each with more intense security in evidence to a military building where we get out. At this point, I’m really glad we have the escort so to keep us out of trouble. At this military instillation we are given a short talk in front of a model and map of the DMZ in the local area, including the Panmunjom facility. After this, we are permitted to walk out onto an observation area. Here, we are instructed only to take pictures behind the yellow line, which is well away from the edge of the platform. Standing at the platform, I can see into North Korea, and see the several landmarks in the DMZ area. It’s a bit surreal. On one hand, there is no insurmountable physical obstacle that exists such as mountains or a sea, between North and South Korea. One can see right into the North, and could even walk it if not for all the security barriers set in place. However, at the same time, I feel like the distance stretches almost to eternity; the invisible lines that exist, the MDL is in fact something very much alive and real that claims much of both countries’ energy. After departing this area, we go an area that has more tourists and enter the “third infiltration tunnel”. Riding down a very small tunnel, we go about 1000 feet below the earth and walk underground into the DMZ to observe a tunnel that North Korea attempted to build for the purposes of having access to the South. Again, I am reminded that Seoul lies only an hour’s drive from the DMZ. Not very long at all. It would be like Manchester being a hostile country ready to invade Boston at any time. On the way out, we stopped at the ‘gift shop’. What a perverse thing to have at the DMZ. While the North and South are no longer at war, neither are they at peace and no more this more evident than at the DMZ. There is a nervous tension that permeates the air here. And, in the middle of this, you can by a Korean family to take home to the kids. Now, there really isn’t anything wrong with this per se, but the whole situation seems much more grave and profound that simple gifts could ever convey. Where war leaves death and destruction, we are reminded that the world is not whole and the peace of Christ is desperately needed. At first I didn’t think that I would purchase anything here, but the notation given with a piece of wire fence from the DMZ read “with the dearest wish for Peace for mankind”. In this hope, the hope for peace that passes all knowledge and understanding, this became my one purchase from the DMZ. I was also reminded here at the history of the Korean War is part of every adoptees history. Of course, the great numbers of Korean orphans first occurred during and in the years following the war, spurning the need for international adoption. So, the Korean War is part of each adoptee’s personal history, their ethos and mythology. It’s hard to believe this is the last day of the ‘official program’ here in Korea. At once it seems like we have been here for months, but conversely, the time has flown and now that the end is near, I wonder where all the time has gone. Dong An has prepared a wonderful farewell dinner for us, and many of the people we have met over the last few weeks are there. It is both a happy time but also a sad one as I prepare to return to the US and say goodbye to people. I’m so happy to receive copies of pictures from the trip, and the album as well. It will be a perfect for other pictures as well as other mementos of the trip.
I’m leaving on Monday so I have a few days free. Saturday morning we have a late breakfast, Korean style… At this point, I don’t even want to think about American food. Then, it’s off to InsaDong for shopping. Krista and Candice went prior to my arrival but this is my first time. It was fun to wander in and out of shops. For lunch we had a wonderful soup at one of the small resturaunts. I was quite surprised to find out that it was ox head soup. I’m glad I discovered this after the meal! Oh yes, they also had a section of the wall that slid open to find the bathrooms. Sort of like being on a space ship… Then, I mentioned that I was planning on buying several items to bring back to the US. At this, my host mom said we should try another area. So, we took a taxi (by the way, taxi’s are really cheap in Seoul compared to Manhattan, but traffic is proportionally worse) to another area. After winding through tightly packed streets we entered a large building where I found floors crammed with stalls selling merchandise similar if not identical to the items over at InsaDong. Also, Mrs. Ahn was able to help me (actually, I provided very little help other than making it clear what I was interested in) with bargaining and setting prices. This was yet another small element that really added to the overall positive experience of this trip. Now, I should also mention that I had gotten in contact with one of the students who I met at the YeDarm retreat and we had emailed each other about meeting prior to my departure from Korea. Luckily A Young was very close to Insadong so after shopping we met there. We went to the Tteok and traditional Korean food museum. For dinner we were able to find a place that served Shabu Shabu!
Today, I have the opportunity to learn how to make Kim Bap or lavar rolled over rice and vegetables. In the US, it is hard to get anything other that Japanese style sushi, so I am happy to learn how to make Korean style rolls. My friends claim not to be able to tell the difference, but I think there is quite a distinction. Then its off to church where we attend the Dong Ahn English language service and then part of the young adult service afterwards. We were given the option of going to bible study, but I am finding it quite difficult to keep up with meeting new people today. For me, as I am getting ready to say goodbye to all the people that I have met and to Korea itself, it is hard to meet new people and be sociable. I’d really like to either go for a walk alone or perhaps spend a few hours in the after noon just chatting with people whom I already have met. Just to bring things to a resolution and prepare to head back to the US. I did say at church however until the evening because Mr. Ahn is leading part of the evening worship. This worship service was really neat. They had many of the youth groups and school sections participating and offering songs, dances and other great items in the middle of the service. Dong Ahn TV has also put together some videos that were shown. It was a really nice way to have a final worship experience at Dong An. The evening of course is largely saying goodbye to my host family. They have been so great and wonderful these past few weeks, this is really hard. They have given me an extra suitcase as my small duffel will not fit everything. I have also discovered that both of these suitcases expand! Now, I think I could fit Jae Ha in there along with just about everything else. Unfortunately, it turns out that I have to choose between the floor pillows that I purchased or Jae Ha so I guess he will have to visit the US another day. After a really nice conversation, I head off to my room (soon to be Jae Ha’s room again!) to finish packing.
The next day, we head out to the church, where Pr. Park, Krista and myself will depart for the airport. This is it, we are leaving. I’m not particularly looking forward to going home at the moment. While I am looking forward to seeing some of my friends in the US this fall, I really don’t want to give up all that I’ve discovered here in Korea. We drive to the airport and see about getting checked in. It turns out that one of my bags is overweight and oversized. But, I am able to shift some stuff around, expand one bag and shrink another and I squeeze both bags on just at the weight limit! Unfortunately, Pr. Park ran into a similar problem… But eventually we are all checked in with boarding passes. As we are eating, I realize how different Incheon airport is from when I first arrived. Then, everything was a bit odd, alien and new. Now, seeing signs with Korean script, seeing Koreans everywhere and hearing the language spoken around me is completely normal, comforting even. Then, it’s time to head to our gates, we get in line to get our passports stamped. Here, everyone who has come to see us off gathers around. And then Jin-hyung Suk arrives. I’m really touched that she has come out from Seoul to say goodbye. I’m standing behind the rails in line for the first checkpoint line to leave Korea. I know that with a few more steps there will be no more direction but forward… While I will always have the memories and I may come back for a visit, I will be separated from what has gone before. It’s really hard to walk these last few steps, to move with the line and be swept beyond the frosted glass doors that will lead to our departure gates. As I turn to look back, in the last few instances before that threshold, I realize that everyone has left. It’s both painful but also an impetus to look forward, to move along and make that last break. So, we walk through the doors and proceed through further processing and then its on to our gates. I walk Krista and Pr. Park to their gate, which is boarding and then make a quick stop in one of the shops to pick up a bunch of small Moshi Moro dolls which I know my Korean friends in the states will like (especially those with Kids). Finally, I board and settle into my seat for the flight to Japan and then on to the States.
I made it through immigration with out any problems, much to my relief… (I’ve been detained attempting to return from Canada on several occasions). In one of the lines, I am standing next to a woman and her son who answers her cell phone with ‘anyong Haseo’, boy do I miss Korea. I enjoy hearing the words, even though I have no idea what they are saying. Then, after waiting for the bus, I finally make to Newark airport and then hop in a cab for the quick ride over to Seaman’s Church Institute in Port Newark. Unfortunately, when I arrive, I discover that my car will not start. Now, I can fix just about any computer, but can barely check the oil in a car. I suspect that it might be the starter, or the battery. After several calls, I finally get through to AAA and they are sending a wrecker that can either tow me or give me a jump. One of the Lutheran chaplains at SCI is going to be stopping by, and said he would offer assistance. After a few hours wait, AAA has arrived and given me a jump-start. It’s now about 11:30pm and I am finally on my way back to New England. Now, I am starting to wonder if I’ll ever get back. There is roadwork on 10 exits on 95 which has turned the lower Connecticut portion into a parking lot. At about 6am, I arrive at my parents place in Hopkinton, take a shower and watch some TV for a while. After a short nap, I leave for New Hampshire to start loading stuff into my car to move into Boston later that day. Yüklə 48,74 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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