A breath of fresh air arrived on September 4th when my parents landed in Korea for a much-needed visit. It had been just a few weeks shy of a year since I'd last seen them and their timing couldn't have been better. That day at school felt endless as I waited for their phone call to let me know they were in the country. I told each class about their visit and watched as the kids' eyes grew huge with disbelief. "Teacher, your mother and father...Korea?! Wow..." One class commented on how happy I looked as I told them and I could see my excitement rub off on their faces as their smiles widened.
As the last class arrived, I finally received the phone call from my dad. They had made it safely and were sitting in my apartment waiting for me. A 40 minute class couldn't have gone by slower than that one, and when the final bell rang I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door. Without letting my sandals slow me down, I literally ran all the way home and laughed to myself as my own image conjured up thoughts of a sappy movie or commercial. It was worth the run when I busted through the door and saw them standing there—face to face, not on a computer screen.
With only a few short days before they headed to Japan we tried to make the most of our time together. They sampled a few ubiquitous Korean dishes (galbi, bulgolgi, and bibimbap), visited my school, strolled through my neighborhood, indulged in some shopping, met my friends, and experienced one of the largest palaces in Korea—Gyeongbokgung.
Although short, their visit was exactly what I needed to reenergize and refocus myself for the remaining month of school and two months of traveling. I was sad to say goodbye, but excited for the experiences they had yet to have in Japan. Sharing my life in Korea with them is absolutely one of my most cherished memories from this year.
With a stroke of luck, we arrived just in time to see the changing of the guards ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
A palace bedroom
The painted ceiling of a palace room
A tour guide in traditional Korean dress, hanbok.
The populated palace suddenly opened onto an expansive garden.
3 comments:
This was a trip that was better than Dad and I even dreamed it would be. The people we met and the places we visited were simply amazing. Of course, the best part was seeing you and giving you a hug, nothing could top that!
Love you, Mom
Hi Mr. & Mrs. Schuessler!
I'm so glad that your parents got to come and visit you in Korea. I know that was great for you and them. Can't wait to see you again.
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