Everyone, I’ve landed in my FINAL country!
It honestly feels like just yesterday I was excitedly planning for this summer trip back in America, but now my travels are almost over. It’s hard to believe how fast time has gone by.
My cousin and my aunt came to pick me up from the airport when I arrived in Korea. It was a refreshing and welcoming change to walk out of the ‘Arrivals’ gate and have my family members waiting for me. It was also really nice to get to see my relatives who I have not seen in a very long time. I have not been to South Korea in a few years, so I was super happy about the chance to catch up with everyone!
On the drive to my aunt’s house, I stared out the window of her car and looked at the city; I gazed at all of its tall buildings, the mountains in the background, and the big river. For the most part, everything looked new, but there were some places that I found myself recognizing from my previous visits. Every time I arrive in Seoul, it feels familiar and unfamiliar all at once. On one hand, I was born in this country. On the other hand, I have spent the majority of my life in the United States. I am unsure of exactly what I am here. Am I a tourist? Am I really a Korean? My sense of identity always seems to waver a bit in this city. I can’t help but wonder how I will feel throughout my stay here this time around.
Tuesday (Day 2): My mom and my brother arrived in South Korea today! It has been a few months since I have seen either of them. So, I felt really thankful to be reunited with my family. We all went to go get dinner together, and the food was AMAZING. Korean food is my comfort food! I remember when I was feeling particularly homesick one day in Northern Ireland, I walked 30 minutes across Belfast in the rain to eat at a 3-star Korean restaurant. So, being able to enjoy Korean food with my family after all of this traveling alone felt like a warm embrace.
Wednesday (Day 3): Early this morning, I took the train with my mom and my brother from Seoul to Busan: another city located in the southern tip of South Korea. The reason that we decided to go to Busan was to see my grandparents. My dad grew up in Busan, and my grandparents as well as many of my uncles and aunts live in this city. Today was actually my grandpa’s birthday. My dad’s entire side of the family gathered together to celebrate; my grandpa is in his mid-90s, so his birthday was an extremely momentous occasion for everyone! For dinner, we went to eat at a Korean Barbecue restaurant.
Following the dinner, my brother and I took a walk along the beach. Busan has many beaches as it is a coastal city. We walked barefoot in the sand and caught up. He told me what he had been up to during his last summer at home, and I told him about all of the weird and amazing things that I saw during my trip. He agreed that I shouldn’t eat raw meat anymore 😂 We also talked about how it felt for both of us to be in Korea again. Like me, he felt simultaneously comfortable and uncomfortable around our relatives; he found himself unsure if he belonged more with the foreigners or the locals we passed by on the streets. Our talk reminded me of how grateful I am for my siblings. At times, the emotions that come with being at the intersection of two different cultures are isolating, so it’s comforting to know that my feelings are not felt alone.
Friday (Day 5): We came back to Seoul late in the afternoon today, and after dinner, our uncle took us to a self-vending cafe near their house. I wanted to mention this in my blog because I found these places to be fascinating! There are so many self-vending establishments all around the city. They sell all sorts of items from ice cream to coffee to books. South Korea has a very high rate of surveillance, and there are security cameras everywhere. It was really cool to witness how this level of surveillance affects business practices in this country.
Overall, I am extremely excited to keep exploring this city and to begin my research here!
Thanks for reading 🖤