In late May, I took a 10-day trip to South Korea for the first time in 5 years. The last time I visited Korea was after my college graduation in 2017, so it had definitely been a while! My sister recently graduated from high school (you read that right – we have a 10-year age gap), so the timing to go to Korea with my family could not have been better. The purpose of the visit was to visit relatives and to take my first proper vacation in 5 years (you also read that right).
10 days is short for an international trip (which really comes out to ~8 days after accounting for travel time) but this was the most I could realistically take off from work while walking on eggshells, ha. Every day in Korea had a jam packed schedule to ensure I made most of my time. I visited family and enjoyed exploring how much Seoul had grown and changed since my last visit. This time, I wanted to enjoy Seoul on a more local level if that makes sense: checking out the “hot places” that locals were excited about: restaurants and cafes, shopping, visiting exhibitions, and meeting up with old and new friends. I also got professional portraits taken, which was really fun!
Throughout the trip, I noticed how much happier and free I felt this time compared to my trip in 2017. Back then, I was happy to have graduated college but, to be completely honest, I was consumed with thoughts and concerns about what was to happen later that year: moving to Boston, starting a job in consulting… This time around, I felt more settled in the real world and much more comfortable financially to do everything I wanted (as I had not started working at the time of my 2017 trip).
Over the past 5 years, I was burned out and spread thin emotionally mostly from work, and the first quarter of 2022 felt like a never ending roller coaster ride due to personal circumstances, so I welcomed this break with open arms. Although my mind is always preoccupied, I was able to enjoy my trip and be present in the moment.
When will I be able to visit you again, Seoul? Hope to see you soon and more often… Curious to see how much both of us will have changed the next time we see each other.
Phyllis
