A Weekend of Reunions

This weekend I was fortunate to reconnect with some of my Korean friends I had not spent time with in a while. On Saturday I went to Everland with my host family. Everland is an amusement park in Seoul that was suprisingly big. I spent the entire day on rides with my host brother although unfortunately he wasn't particularly brave and I was unable to go on the largest roller coaster in South Korea. Everland reminded me a lot of Six Flags, mainly because it had a safari and water park attached to me. The park also had a small zoo which made me a little sad. The animals just seemed so miserable and were in such small cages. Ironically, the animals are the only thing I photographed throughout the day.

My host family and I finished at Everland a little before dinner time. We were all exhausted because we left Hwacheon very early that morning and were in the sun all day. I said goodbye to my host family and happily hopped on a bus to Seoul where I was meeting my friend Rachel and her cousin, Amy, for dinner. I was extremely excited because Amy just returned from studying in America this week and I hadn't seen her since I spent Christmas Eve at her house. Amy and her family have been such a positive part of my experience in Korea and I am always eager to spend time with them. The three of us got dinner at a delicious shabu-shabu restaurant before heading back to her home for a sleepover. I loved being able to catch up with her and hear about her time studying at a SUNY.

Amy, Rachel and I at Amy's house.

This morning I ate breakfast with Amy and her family before heading to Chuncheon for another much anticipated reunion. Today I spent the day with my Chuncheon host family. We had been trying to meet up for several weeks now and I was relieved to finally spend time with them. When I arrived we headed to VIPS, a Western buffet, and enjoyed a very long lunch. It was great to be able to tell them what I've been up to in person rather than just through texts. After lunch, my host mom, brother and I met my host mom's friend and her daughter at a nearby cafe. I had met the friend and daughter during February so it was nice to see them again. The daughter is a 1st year middle school student but speaks English amazingly well. I enjoyed our conversation because HyooJoo gave me a really good understanding of what it's like to be a middle school girl in Korea. I love hearing her perspective on the Korean education system, Korea pop culture, etc.

The five of us outside the coffee shop

The biggest downside of both my reunions was making plans to say goodbye. I only have five more weekends in Korea and am traveling for four of them. During my last weekend I will meet Amy's family to say thank you and goodbye. Amy's parents have been so unbelievably kind to me throughout this year and I'll really miss visiting them. It's remarkable how close you can feel to people despite a language gap. Luckily, Amy will return to study in NY in the fall so I will be able to see her in America during her winters. I also made plans to spend my last night in Korea with my Chuncheon host family. The month I spent living with them was the most comfortable I've been in Korea. I absolutely adored the family and really felt like I was just another family member and not just an extended house guest. I was very upset when February ended and I had to leave their home. I am so fortunate that they are eager to have me sleep over my last night in Korea. There's no place I'd rather be. The family also in true Korean fashion invited themselves to my wedding and reminded me that I really should find a husband soon because I'm not getting any younger. I can only hope they really come to America whenever I eventually get married.

My Chuncheon host family and I at VIPS