Yesterday was our last full day at home before I leave for Korea. 😎  

The reason for my week-long (9 days with travel time) trip back to the motherland is a cousin’s wedding. I was actually supposed to visit Korea earlier this year for another cousin’s wedding, but decided to cancel the trip in light of the $6k we owed in medical bills.

But now, with the bills paid off, my mother volunteering to watch the kids while I’m gone, and J encouraging me to take a vacation as well, I decided to go for it.

(J thought about coming along and making it a 2-week trip, 1 week in Korea and another in Hong Kong, but his office needed him. We’ve both traveled a bit these past couple of years — including his 3 trips to Hong Kong and my 2 to Los Angeles — but we haven’t taken a vacation together since our babymoon 4 years ago!)

I’m excited but admittedly a bit nervous. The last time I visited Korea was January 2001 — more than 13 years ago! — and despite my trying to keep up online, I know a lot has changed since then. I’m worried that I’ll stick out like a fat (literally, because I would be considered overweight in Korea), sore thumb. Additionally, my Korean isn’t nearly as good as it used to be.

Me donning my hanbok, walking down the street I grew up on
in Daegu (circa 1984).

But I look forward to it more and more as my departure time draws closer. Family (about half my extended family lives in Korea), food (my mouth is watering just thinking about all the glorious food I will gorge on), shopping (I really want to get some nice Korean children’s books for the girls), and so forth!

What’s more, the aunt with whom I am staying and I get along extremely well. I stayed with her the last time I was in Korea, and I’m pretty sure that we would be pretty close if we didn’t live so far apart. In fact, even my own mother admits that sometimes, she feels like my aunt understands me better than she does.

The girls will be staying with my parents while I am away, and J will visit them over the weekend. We’re all a bit nervous as to whether my mom can handle C&A, but the girls love their halmeh and will undoubtedly have a ball in the suburbs.

I’m not sure what the blogging situation will be like during my trip. I will be bringing my laptop and South Korea is one of the most well-connected nations in the world, but I really have no idea what I will be doing (aside from the wedding) or what my schedule, if any, will be.

So if you don’t hear from me until my return, adieu!

P.S. — If you have any non-touristy suggestions for Seoul, I’d love to hear it! TIA!