Much Like November

The neon-yellow gingko leaves have fallen everywhere in Gwangju. The air doesn't smell as much like November as it did in the states this time last year. The chill that hits my face in the morning is different, and my scarf doesn't wrap itself around my neck the same way. Halloween has come and gone, without much mention of pumpkins or candy-corn. Having to explain jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treat again and again seems to have punctured some of the magic that makes me love Halloween so much. I worry that the fourth Thursday in November will pass me by, since I keep forgetting about it until someone reminds me. I get nervous when I have to explain Thanksgiving to someone, and I realize that all of my closest friends here aren't American, so they can't back me up. But how hard is it to explain American Thanksgiving to someone, really? (Whistles and turns head.)

Aside from really missing this time of year in the states (and aside from my inability to properly explain third-grade American history), I'm glad I'm here. It is my home and I'm at peace with a lot of things here. My boyfriend of one year is here visiting me from Virginia, so that adds to my peace. It had been six months since I last saw Mike standing in front of me. And when I met him at the bus station here in Gwangju, he looked good. Better than I remember. We stared at each other for a few minutes, saying nothing. It was nice to hold his hand on the cab ride home. I've missed that. I've missed him.

It's been fun having Mike immerse himself in the life that I've made for myself here. Unfortunately my job doesn't offer personal vacation days, so I've had to work the entire time that he's been here. But while I'm at work, the day is his, and there's a lot to explore.

Last weekend we went to Damyoung, which is an area of bamboo forests about an hour away. I usually prefer doing my own exploring on my own schedule, but one of my Korean friends found a pretty good and inexpensive day tour that went all over Damyoung. So, conveniently enough, we just followed a large group of non-English speaking Koreans around the whole day and made up our own history of locations, since we had no idea what our tour guide was saying. Despite the many other tour groups dashing about, the bamboo forests were beautiful and, at times, peaceful. The tour included lunch at a restaurant that served rice from pieces of bamboo that you can take with you as souvenirs. Lunch was pretty tasty. Typical Korean cuisine: marinated pork, kimchi, fish, something green and spicy, and ten other unidentifiable dishes. And as much as I'm used to it, it's still never a comfortable feeling having twenty-five Koreans stare at you while you eat.

In contrast with having a relaxing two weeks with my boyfriend, I do feel pressure to make sure I can show Mike as much of what I love (and don't love) about Korea as possible, without completely overwhelming him. This weekend we'll head up to Seoul. Maybe meet up with a few friends, show Mike a few temples and get lost on the subway. He leaves when our weekend in Seoul is up and I anticipate a pouty lip at the bus station. I have a lot to look forward to with Mike in my life, so I won't let myself stay sad that long after he's gone back to the states. Just long enough to guilt him into sending me stove top stuffing and pumpkin pie filling.