My Dad and I went to the DMZ on Sunday January 3rd, and I was supposed to go back to work on the 4th, even though my Dad didn't fly out until the 6th. I spent an entire week preparing him to get to and from Seoul via the 5500 bus or the M4101, using the subway system, and getting to the places he wanted to see (I am sure he was annoyed of me but I didn't want to lose him in the big city!). The plan was for him to leave for Seoul as I was leaving for work on Monday morning and then be back in time for dinner....psyche. SNOW DAYYYYY!!!
Seoul got dumped on with more snow than Korea has seen in 103 years- about 11 inches in less than a day. With no snow plows, few shovels, some brooms and some home-made signs (used for scrapers) the entire city was a mess! What an unexpected blessing- one more day with my Dad! We ventured out in to the snow and I brought him to my school- he was able to meet all of my Korean co-workers and see the place where I spend most of my time! After that we headed to the nearest subway station on foot (I usually take a bus), because the buses were running hours behind schedule! We proceeded to take the insanely packed subway (that everyone else in Seoul was also trying to take) and headed to the COEX mall. We went to 2 movies back to back- a record for me..but right up my Dad's alley. We went to the movie Nine, and then I was bribed to go to the movie Avatar (even though I was convinced I would hate it). It turned out to be one of the very best movies I have seen in years. It might even end up being the only movie I will EVER see twice in the theater. Snow Day= successful!
The next day I only got half the day off- so instead of wasting his day sitting in Suji, my Dad finally got to use his skills when he ventured in to Seoul alone for the day! He went to a couple of Palaces, did some shopping, and of course ate some street food:) It was fun to see his face after a long (well, it felt long) day of work! I was very sad that he did not get to come meet my Kindergarten class, but such is life.
The next morning I walked him to the Airport Limousine at 7am and cried harder than I have cried in a very long time while saying good-bye. It was so wonderful to have him here, but it was much harder saying good-bye to him the second time. Since he was flying stand-by, I was secretly hoping he wouldn't make his flight and he would have to come back. Of course, that didn't happen because we truly were stumbling on grace all over the place that week, and in all seriousness I don't think I could have gone through that good-bye again. I felt a little down the rest of the week- but I am slowly getting back in to the swing of life!
Sharing my new life with my Dad is a memory and experience I will hold in my heart forever. And when I finally come home it will be helpful to have someone in my life who will have at least seen where I had been and gotten a taste for what I had experienced.
Sweeping away the Snow
Please note the sign used for scraping snow
Wishing you all a warm and happy start to the New Year!
love love love,
Shauna
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