Top 10 Common Scents in Seoul

1. Seafood 
2. Fried food 
3. Sewer 
4. Garbage 
5. Waffles 와플 
6. Steamed silkworms 번데기 
7. Fresh vegetables 
8. Garlic being cooked 
9. Grilled meat
10. Car exhaust

Visiting with my Korean father.

My 3rd meeting with my Korean father was experienced this past weekend.  As usual, it took place at Eastern in a little room with the same social worker to translate, and just like the first two times, it was a little bit nerve-wracking.  I still feel slightly out of body when I am around him.  I don’t know, it’s still strange to me to be around my actual biological father.  I knew this time I would pressure him to consider telling his family about me and to see if he could do anything else to help me with finding my Korean mother.  As I sat there a part of me wanted to say “Nevermind, it’s ok…I don’t need to find her…you’re enough,” but then I didn’t because in reality I do want to push for more information since I’m here now.  An uncomfortable question that I asked was, “Do you think she would even want to be found?”  His opinion of her is very low so he didn’t think there was much of possibility for her being thrilled in meeting me, but he still offered a new piece of information: Her high school.  I want to believe that Eastern will truly investigate to the best of their ability with this new piece of information.  It might not lead to much, but then again it might.  We know she was born in 1948 and what her real name is and her high school.  No identification number, but don’t high schools keep records?

I realize she might actually be found and then she could refuse to meet me.  Maybe she has already passed away.  Maybe this isn’t enough information to locate her.  Who knows.  But it’s good that he offered up a little more information anyway.  He still isn’t going to tell his family but said he would take a more up-to-date photo of his children.  His daughter’s name is Sun-Young and she’s 2 years younger than me.  His son is 4 years younger than me but I forget his name.

I brought Joseph with and it was nice to have his support and command of the Korean language.  He said the social worker translated everything spot-on, but he also added his interpretation of what was being said, and I appreciated that.  The most surprising part of the visit was toward the very end when I asked my Korean father what kind of communication he prefers with me in the future…does he just want me to update Eastern whenever something interesting or new happens in my life?  Does he even want to know what’s going on with my life?  His answer was to give me and Joseph his business card with his cell phone number.  He said there is actually a lot he wants to say to me, but with the language barrier and formality of meeting at Eastern he has held back a bit.  However, he feels that since I have someone who can speak Korean so well in my life, maybe now we can communicate more often directly.  I was shocked.  I had assumed he would never want to reveal his personal number to me.  I am not expecting miracles or that suddenly we’ll talk on the phone often, but it feels nice to know he offered that up.  It was like some kind of break through for me.  I have felt for the last 4 years everything was so dependant on Eastern and that I couldn’t really have direct correspondence with him.

Spring is definitely here

70 degree weather is bestowed upon me.  Finally!  I cringe when I look at the temps back in Minnesota.  How did I/will I put up with such long winters?  The Minnesota girl in me relishes in the wonderful temperatures found here in Seoul.  I’m so happy to shed my jacket layer and just walk out of my apartment in a short-sleeved shirt or cute one piece dress. I’m not as thrilled though about this yellow dust from China or how the rising temps seem to make the pollution worse.  Oh how I miss cleaner air…I miss wearing contact lenses!  

April is whizzing by and I don’t have much to really report.  Tomorrow I will meet with my Korean father again and see how it goes.  I’m only slightly nervous at this moment in time.  We’ll see how I am at 4:30pm.  :S

The cherry blossoms are gorgeous here, so another weekend at the park will be full of great photo-taking opportunities.  The plan is that I will be back to the States by this time next year, so this may be my only Korean spring, so I am trying to soak it all in.

These days I find myself more and more not feeling really here nor there.  I feel really caught between a lot of places, circle of friends, time zones, eras, and cultures.  I feel the longer I live away from Minnesota the more distant everything and everyone there seems.  Yet I still can’t say this place feels like home or where I am really finding my niche.  There are a lot of good people here, but there are also a lot of distant people here, too.  Such is life everywhere I guess.  *shrugs*  Maybe people are just still waking up from the dormant winter months.  I’m so ready for positive energy in this city!  

Today marks 3 months of dating Joseph!  Time flies by when you’re having fun and happy.  Since it’s a Friday we can actually spend it together and so after work we’ll get dinner near where I work and then engage in an awesome Friday night activity: grocery shopping.  I’m so low on the essentials and need to keep cooking at home more!