Hi friends,
I’m gonna do a better job of replying to comments from now on - I read and appreciate all of them, don’t worry! As always, I invite your reactions, suggestions, and feedback.
First big “oopsies” of the trip: I lost my wallet which contained all of my credit cards, ~$200 in cash, NY driver’s license (with Real ID), and most importantly, my Costco membership card. I grabbed lunch with my cousin in Seongsu, paid, then stuffed my wallet in my backside pocket (as I am known to do). Then we quickly browsed through a vintage store then headed to what I think is one of the best clothing boutiques I have ever been to (PRTPRT). I picked out a cute T-shirt and some shorts, and as I went to the counter, realized my butt felt a little light. I patted around my pockets, not too worried. Then I felt around my Kaan tote bag once, twice, before panic kicked in.
Honestly, I say I lost my wallet, but I truly think it was stolen, which is a huge accusation according to my cousin. Korea likes to think itself as a very safe and law-abiding country, and for the most part it really is. Everyone leaves their phones unattended here, with no repercussions. Unfortunately that sense of security didn’t apply to my wallet. My cousin and I walked the maybe 200 meters between the lunch spot and the boutique three separate times, asking store owners along the street if they’d seen a black wallet. Nothing. Despair.
I know there are some of you reading that may be saying “good riddance” at this news, as ya’ll poked fun at my wallet for being too big and thick, but I’ll have you know the wallet was a gift from my dad, so I hope you feel terrible about yourself (as much as I feel terrible about myself). Through it all though, I am so grateful I had my cousin with me. She’s the one who started to ask random store owners and underneath parked cars under the 90 degree sun for an hour. She’s also the one who offered me her credit card to use as mine, until my dad gets to Korea with my replaced cards (he was already planning to come, not just to deliver my cards). It’s great to have reliable family.
In happier news, I joined a nearby bouldering gym (The Climb). A couple of observations: 1) really great, fun, dynamic (not in the bouldering move way) problems for beginners and intermediates. I notice there’s not a lot of super hard problems (V7+), but that’s perfectly okay for me. 2) there are SO MANY people with tripods, like at least two thirds of people are filming themselves. I want to believe it’s for them to improve their climbing, but I’m pretty sure it’s for Instagram purposes. It’s totally harmless, and I’m being a boomer, but I am weirded out. People here must have a lot of storage on their phones. 3) there’s a foot washing station and I think all gyms should have one. 4) no gym equipment, not even dumbbells. Probably because of the plethora of actual weightlifting gyms around, or maybe a stronger sense of separate entities in Korea (i.e., bouldering is only for bouldering, weightlifting is only for weightlifting). But a little bummed after getting used to almost all bouldering gyms in the U.S. having a workout area (even my tiny UES Vital had a small section).
I can’t believe it’s been close to a month since I’ve left New York, and that I have only / still a month left in Korea. Time feels both so quick and so slow. I can’t believe I’m 25. I swear I was just listening to the newly released Hello by Adele at Aimee’s dad’s house on a random snowy Friday with Grace and Brian. I feel like I’ve grown a lot since then. I understand the world a little better. I understand my parents, my sister, and my family a little better, the choices they made and the advice they gave and continue to give. I more deeply resonate with song lyrics and masterful stories. I’m less paralyzed by all the possibilities; I feel okay shutting some of the open doors, maybe some of them were never really open. And yet, simultaneously, I still feel very much 16.
Do you think this feeling ever goes away?
What I’m reading: The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves by Dr. Shawn Ginwright. I am still getting through this book. My latest reading was on belonging, and from my understanding, how a stronger sense belonging (amongst our friends, family, community, humans) is critical not only for our health, but also in our capacity to engage in engaging, good-faith discussions with people we may disagree with. I also saw the Denver Foundation recently launched its “Belonging Colorado” initiative (being connected to Nathan brings fascinating news), which aims to fund organizations that aim to “advance innovative local programs and approaches to building connections across lines of difference”. This initiative comes as the “National Belonging Barometer” finds one in five Americans report feeling non-belonging across every part of life Project Zero measured - friends and family, workplace, local community, or the nation. Concerning and scary. As we (in the national sense) continue to become polarized along economic, political, and social lines, how do we foster connection with others, especially those that may not act or think like us (in the friends and family, workplace, and local community sense)?
Miscellaneous videos/photos that didn’t make the cut:
if you see any big booba one piece shirts buy it for me please
Goatjo shirt would have went so hard in Chicago