Heart and Seoul

So, I’m sitting in the back seat of a cab/minibus conversing with a cabdriver from Seoul. I have asked him three times now if he has any idea where we are going, and he just shakes his head and assures me,

“Understand. Understand.”

Well, I’m glad someone understands, because I sure as hell don’t. So, I guess I’m along for the ride. I trust this man, though. His eyes tell me that he will get me to my hotel safely-but for a price. And I’m happy to pay as he is knowledgeable of the city and keeps pointing out local flora and fauna as well as points of interest. I have learned in our exchange that he has four children. I joked that he must have two wives to have so many children. The joke was not lost.

Everyone is willing to help. Everyone is interested in you. I sat next to a young Korean couple on the plane, and from them I learned that I will be teaching at one of the most highly respected and popular language centers in Korea. They were also kind enough to point out the third longest bridge in the world, stretching across the Yellow Sea.

I must say that, when traveling in a strange land it is important to make friends and make them fast. Luckily, this has never been an issue for me and, since my cab ride will take an hour, my cabi friend and I have plenty of time for a deep conversation. Currently, we are discussing the tensions with North Korea. I have also discovered that my cabi likes Double Mint gum. Common Denominators.

The plane ride was surprisingly pleasant. We were served two meals: one traditional Korean dish, and an Italian assortment complete with Tiramisu. I had plenty of movies to watch, and even opted to try out Twilight in Korean.

No matter the language, Jacob Black still rings my bell, and taking your shirt off to reveal rippling muscles can be universally translated. I believe the phrase is “Hubba, hubba.”

I had a good deal of time to think on my long journey. Time to assess my motivations for teaching in a foreign country, time to ponder everything that I will miss about the states, and everyone. Essentially, I discovered that my true motivation is self-discovery. I find it difficult to learn a great deal about yourself when you are constantly bombarded with the same habitual cultural influences. Thrust yourself in a challenging and foreign situation, however, and you have to learn on the spot. You have to trust yourself, love yourself, and rely completely on your wits-and the good grace of Korean cabdrivers. As such, my foremost goal while staying in Korea is to learn all that I can about myself and the people who inhabit this mountainous peninsula.

As for those that will be missed. They are so dear to me that it hurts to write about them-I have pictures and memories and can only hope that life brings us together again one day. There are some that I am certain I will see sooner rather than later, and others that I suspect will go their own way, never to be encountered again. But what I am discovering is that you must feel blessed to have had a person in your life, in your presence, even if for but a moment. And, perhaps, in that moment with them you were both able to find the common denominator that links and binds you forever.