Tiger in Korea: Crossing the Pacific

When was the last time I wrote? What did I even have to say?? I guess I wrote back in August about my plans to study Korean and work as a real person here in Busan instead of a teaching robot-monkey. Well, I have finally made it back to the ROK and I have to say two things: It is so nice to be back! But, it was much harder to leave the US this time around.

I boarded a plane in Busan bound for Bemidji on October 4th and had one h@l! of a trip. I couldn't have been happier to be on my way to several great things: My best friend's wedding, my aunt's house and a big family get together, visiting my childhood friends, my sister & finally meeting her fiancee, Halloween in the US, and a trip to NYC. Getting to drive my car, eating amazing food, and the possibility of snow were just minor perks.

But this flight... oh, wow. I can NOT sleep on a plane like I used to. The token screaming baby and parents were seated right next to me, and this was no normal screaming baby. She had some kind of problem but the parents lied about it to the flight attendants. Great. It was all I could do not to just take the kid for a run up and down the aisle myself in an effort to tire her out. Finally she cried herself out and slept/cried only in intervals after that. Needless to say, I saw most of all 4 movies played on that plane (which did not have personal screens, might I add).

After the worst flight of my life, I had to curl up on two chairs pushed together in the MSP airport and try to get some sleep during my 8 hour layover. Gross. I felt pretty terrible when I finally reached Bemidji, and my ride from the airport had hit a deer and arrived 30 minutes late - had me so SO worried! Finally, I was safe in a warm basement bed and slept for 11 hours. Straight through.

On to better and far less screamy things. I spent a hot minute in Bemidji to start the sorting in the storage space and then drove to Minneapolis for a week of prep with Katy B. Her wedding was an amazing, beautiful, inspiring day filled with seriously pure true love.

All photos by Sonja Jean unless otherwise noted

Sarah Dos Photography

Sarah Dos Photography, with edits by me

After the wedding I spent afternoons visiting my friends from high school and college and a very valuable Saturday with my extended family. I could have then driven the mind-numbing 8-hour highway trip to Chicago and do an overnighter to get my visa... but I don't know anyone there and I priced out the gas vs. airplane ticket vs. doing something that sucks less and decided to hit the Korean Consulate in New York instead. I booked a round-trip for $215 and headed to the big apple. I have several friends in the city including one who offered me a place to sleep.

Central Park

Central Park ponies

Hot bubble tea in Williamsburg, photo by Krzysztof Matejkowski

Brooklyn Bridge (right) and Manhattan Bridge from East River Drive


Alice's Tea Cup Cafe, Upper West Side Manhattan

Warm pear & endive salad, "wedding tea"

I've never imagined scones this soft and scrumptious

After NY, I spent a final week in Minneapolis seeing what I missed the first time around and eating what I missed the past year, I headed up to Bemidji for one last weekend of work. I stayed longer than I had planned in Mpls and left myself too little time to do the work I needed to and I started to panic. In the end, my aunt came up to help me sort through all the stuff I and my family left in storage. It was a big job but between the two of us, the Kia, and her minivan, it all got done with time to spare. Amazingly, I was able to be there for a super-early Thanksgiving dinner the day before I flew back.