"So This is Love"

As I approached my apartment building after school today, I had the sudden urge to keep walking past it. So, I gave into my urge. Initially, I had every intention of going straight home to seek the comfort and warmth of the ondol (underfloor heating system) as the onset of Autumn has brought on colder weather to Busan. However, as I walked the short distance from my school to my apartment, my intention changed.

On my way to the main road, I noticed a tiny cafe near my building that I never step foot in due to the entirely Korean menu and my lack of experience with reading Korean. Today, I felt confident enough to enter the cafe;   my knowledge of the Korean language has been slowly developing as a result of the Korean classes I attend twice a week so not only was this an opportunity to get something yummy to drink but it was also my chance to practice reading Hangul and to order in Korean. After standing in front of the menu board for a few minutes and trying to decipher my options, I finally decided on a cafe latte to go.

I ended up walking down to Gwangalli beach just in time to see the sun giving way to the moon. As if the scene created by the emblazoned sky and the crashing waves wasn't awesome enough, at exactly 5:43pm the Gwangan bridge came to life with its twinkling lights.  I can't be sure of how long I sat on the steps at the beach while sipping on my cafe latte. What I can be sure of is the unbelievable feeling I had. This sounds so cliche but I felt blissfully at peace. It was like my body refused to acknowledge the wind whipping against me. My mind was released of all its pestering thoughts and worries. I was just focused on the beautiful image that lay before me.

Eventually, the harsh realities of time, temperature, and hunger came rushing back to me and I decided I should head home. When I got home, I cranked up the ondol, sat down on the warm floor, and ate my dinner while watching The Last of the Mohicans (great movie by the way!). What a day!

As if you can't already tell, Busan, South Korea has officially seduced me; I have fallen in love with my new home. I guess I'm in what everyone refers to as "the honeymoon stage" of living here. I'm definitely OK with that.

P.S. Not sure if anyone picked up on the allusion in this blog's title but if you did, excuse my lameness =D