One Month Check-In

Tan and I landed at Incheon International Airport on August 22^nd.

One month ago.

It feels strangely longer, like we've been in Daejeon, South Korea for a year or more. Bangkok, and Thailand, seem like a world away, but then I've always been kind of present-oriented, and this particular present has been very intense, with lots to do and with many things that I need to get up to speed on. I guess time moves slow when you're changing cultures.

We've settled into our rhythms, and are slowly expanding our awareness of Daejeon and what it has to offer. Over the Chuseok Fall Harvest holiday, we finally made it to the “old downtown” area of Daejeon, which consists mainly of the long-standing open-air Jungang market, and a more modern Euneungjeongi Cultural Street where all the teenagers of the city seem to congregate. There is a gigantic video screen towering overhead at the latter place, which flashes K-Pop stars who advertise various things and a cartoon undersea world among other things.

During the same holiday period, we also got in a tour bus ride to the Expo Science Park (which looked and felt like a deserted Star Trek filming location), the KAIST campus (one of the main technology institutes in this city), and the hot springs of Yuseong. The tour guide spoke no English but we had fun being carted around.

Day by Dae-jeon

Yesterday, I was hiking alone along a ridge line high above our new town of Daejeon, in South Korea, and I come upon a sign. The giant wooden billboard tells me something I hadn't realized before, that I can effectively circumnavigate the periphery of the entire town via mile after mile of forest trail.

The Trailhead - 15 minutes from our apartment

How had I not realized that before? Our new home is ringed by a natural walkway. I begin dreaming of walking for days, of making my way around Daejeon, step by step.

Two locals, a father and daughter, walk up to me and smile. They want to help. We talk in limited English, pointing to the sign and maps. I don't have my Thai language to fall back on now. It's English or nothing.

Our back-and-forth is so confusing, and even though our conversation is filled with “yes's” and “understand,” I'm barely better off than I was before, but at least they've confirmed a few things for me. I know where I am on the map, and I know the trail across the road leads to a major mountain overpass. I still don't know how to get to the lake down below.

It's about moving forward day by day. Putting all the little pieces together. Learning on the go.

Baby steps.