In fact, I didn't want to write about her but I can't think of anything except her now.
That was the first time I landed Seoul, year 2002, yeah, 14 years before.
I came out from the plane and walked through the corridor to the immigration sector. The immigration was still using 586 computers with big monitors. And I was quite nervous at that time because I was struggling to remember few Korean sentences. Then I came to the counter and give them my passport.
"Why you came to Korea?" The officer asked me.
"Tour!" I can only remember I answer her by this simple Korean word.
After she heard my answer, then with a sound "Pang", she stamped my passport and let me go.
Everything was very primitive.
There were no electric sign boxes, no big banners. What I can only remember is the slogan – "Welcome to Korea!", white color characters with a deep blue background.
The ladies talks loudly in the lobby and the gentlemen smoked immediately when they came out from the airport. And I was busying to find the air-shuttle bus counter to get a ticket to Cheongnyangni. Finally, I got the place.
"What?" She replied
"I want to go to Cheongnyangni." I use my dump Korean language to ask her again.
After several conversations, mixed with Korean and English, it seemed that she understood what I mean and show me the way to the shuttle bus terminal.
"You need to hear carefully on the bus. Cheongnyangni is not the final stop!" I thought I got what she mean and it made me nervous again.
I got into the shuttle bus and it started to move. I have to confess that it was the longest time in my life when I travelled in it. It seemed that every noise stirred up my mind and nothing would be more important than to hear the word "Cheongnyangni" from the driver's announcements.
I was like a chick for almost 2 hours and then I finally heard the words in Korean "Cheongnyangni station". I got all my languages out from the bus and counted whether anything was missed before the shuttle leaved the place. I was thinking that I brought lots of snacks, instant noodles, chocolates, candies… to her. Suddenly,
I turned around and looked at her, she smiled to me.
We stared for few seconds or more than few seconds… maybe.
That is the most beautiful smile I never see before.
The part where you described how you were like a "chick" for almost 2 hours made the experience really real to me. I have been in Taiwan once, and I have experienced how not being able to communicate language can be really difficult. I could not understand whether you had a specific reason for thinking that her smile was beautiful in the end or not though. I can only guess at the reason-- maybe you thought so because she was the one to give you the specific and real directions? Am I correct? So considering how she is the strongest memory you have of Korea, I think I can relate to the first paragraph really well. I really loved your beginning. I would have read on in other circumstances as well. You mostly use past tense, and continue using past tense, which makes sense when we consider the fact that you are thinking about past events. It really was helpful in making me go back with you in the experience. When you revise, I would love to get more details on how foreign country, Korea, looked to you at first sight. Korea has always been my home country to an extend- I am curious of what it might look like (especially the airport and maybe the culture and the language) to the foreigners. Loved your writing!!
ReplyDelete201501855 Jung Aa Ahn
What a warmheart person!And you were such a brave. I really like your writing:) I grasp your emotional states easily so can concentrate on your story. Thank you for giving me a talk.
ReplyDelete201501670 chaeyoung son.