Arriving in Korea

Korea smells like fake fruit. Like fruit disinfectant wipes, or fruit scented Sanrio erasers. This is my first impression of the country and after spending a little over a week in this lovely place, I discover that it also often smells of mothballs and fermentation.
    It’s also very green. When I looked out the airplane window and starred at Korea for the first time, all I could see was a lush green mountain enveloped in fog. It looked more like what I’d imagine Ireland to look like.
    The day before I left it was an unbearable 100 degrees in Brooklyn. But in Korea it was foggy and sprinkling and I sat comfortably outside in a wool sweater and light weight floral pants. I went to Korea to visit my good friend Hannah Betterton, who moved to Bundang in February to teach English.
    The day I arrived I planned to meet her at the Ori bus stop. I sat on top of my luggage waiting for her to arrive.  I saw some Koreans walk by. From a distance I thought maybe one of them was Hannah and that maybe she just looked super Korean now. They walked closer. No. Not Hannah.

For the record, this is Hannah and that’s her Korean apartment in the background.