Yearling

A lot has changed in the last year.

A year ago today,

 I was riding my bike through Sokcho

letting the wind and sea air line my lungs as I raced

to trade soup for bread with the one friend I allowed myself to make.

Today I'm meeting the same friend 

as we prepare to say, "Goodbye!"

and he is swept away by my other bestie,

Babbie, to the good old US of A.

A year ago,

I was also saying, "Goodbye!"

To my first school of students.  

Preparing, myself to move from Sokcho 

to the unknown world

that is Anjung-eup.

A year ago, 

this is what my first garden looked like

 before I left it behind to start my life all over again, again.

 One year ago, 

I looked forward without hesitation and road the waves without question.

 

I hope that I can continue to as brave as I was,
or at least appeared to be,

one year ago.

Study Buddies

Learning Korean in Korea is not as easy as one would think:

• There aren't a lot of classes & tutors.
• Work schedules get in the way of classes that do exist.
• Korean's want to speak English with you.
• Korean isn't supposed to be spoken in classrooms.
• Most foreigners don't aren't learning Korean so you don't have study buddies.

So I've had to tie back into home roots.

Pull myself together,

and teach myself.

Pulling from a the following resources I've managed to build a language plan:

• Foreigners studying at Universities.
• Co-teachers and students.
• iPhone apps of all shapes and sizes.
• Old text books from former teachers.
• Free classes near my town and in Seoul.
• LiveMocha  whenever I have a minute.
• Designing my own study plans

As always, coffee shops provide the place  to pull all these different threads together.

As always, 

the struggle has been worth it.

Each week I accomplish something new.

Each week everything around me becomes easier.

Each week my experience in Korea grows more dynamic.

How Does Your Day Start?

An Open Letter to Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes

 Dear Deliciousness,

Before coffee, chocolate, or fruit tarts - you were there for me Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes.  You have never wavered.  Thank you for comforting me when I'm down, making weekends brighter, and providing continuity to a strange and wandering life.

Your sweet, tangy wonder wakes up my mouth and reminds me that there are adventures everywhere and that one persons "yuck" is another person "yum".

As you sizzle in the pan I smell the wood smoke and see the lamps flicker.  You are my sweetest and most sorrowful moments in one bite, most delightful Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes, I love you.

Hearts & Hugs,
Lanae

Practice Makes Perfect

The new grill, brats & a fresh pot of sauerkraut 

was burning a hole in our pockets.

So we had a little practice BBQ.

Tested it out on a new guest.

and agreed that this summer 

was going to be might fine indeed.