Travel with Me: Not a Screenplay

1

Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Manila. The ESL tour as I call it. My plan after graduating from college was to live in each city for a year and teach English. As I walked off the plane at Incheon Airport, on February 2, 2020, I was ready for my new life to begin. Nothing was going to stop me from living my dream.

My aunt, my mom's Korean adopted sister, met me at the baggage claim. She was the one who gave me the idea of starting in Seoul after I told her about my desire to travel the world. Here she was in her native country of South Korea, already doing what I wanted to do. So I followed her advice and came here.

"Annyeonghaseyo, Aelee!" 

Auntie gave me a big hug as I wrapped my arms around her petite frame. I noticed she was wearing her hair long for the first time since her husband passed away three years ago.

I bowed and replied, "Annyeonghaseyo, Auntie yee-moh."

"Good, already acclimating to the culture." She gave me the elevator eyes. "Have you lost weight?

I glanced down at my fitted top and skinny jeans and touched her arm enthusiastically. "I finally shed the 'Freshman Fifteen' from college."

She nodded approvingly as only an elderly Asian woman can without seeming too blunt. "How long are you going to grow your hair?" she asked, reaching over to tug a few espresso-colored strands on my back.

"I like it," I insisted. The crowd in the airport surged forcing us to move from our spot. We each grabbed one of my suitcases and rolled them down the lobby toward the doors. "Auntie, I looked up that Korean pop group you work for. I had never heard of them but they seem really talented."

"You watched a video of BTS?"

"Hmm...not me binge watching their YouTube content during the flight. They look like fun guys," I said as I shifted the huge backpack on my shoulder.

"I hope you don't think just because you will come with me to lessons you can hang out with them."

"But that's what I want to do here. Meet the natives, learn the language, live like the locals do."

Auntie dismissed my silly notion of those "natives" being pop stars, by rolling her eyes. It was stupid of me to think that but I really did want to make friends here.

We reached the doors and exited the airport. In the taxi, on the way to her apartment, I looked out the window in awe at the soaring skyscrapers of downtown Seoul. Back home in Los Angeles, there were tall buildings, but not so densely constructed in one area. When I recognized a face of a young Korean man on a billboard, I pointed it out to Auntie.

"Is that the BTS guy you tutor?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I am not allowed to tell you. I signed a non-disclosure agreement."

I shrugged my shoulder and noticed these Korean pop stars faces were everywhere. We drove for another half hour passing by more advertisements and posters. Auntie lived in a district called Gangnam. After we dropped off my luggage at her place, we grabbed a bite to eat in her neighborhood. I practiced my halfway decent Korean and ordered a bowl of tteokbokki all by myself. Auntie looked impressed.

"5,000 won?!" I faked surprised when I saw the cash register. Auntie looked confused. I chuckled. "Just kidding. I know that's only $4.50."

As we brought our food to a table, I noticed how some customers were staring at me. One middle aged woman even muttered something in Korean that I didn't understand. I looked sheepishly at Auntie thinking I was too loud in this small café. But she told me, "It's because you're oegugin. Foreigner. Good thing you're with me."