Dears!

Since deciding (yesterday) that I would travel to Seoul to re-visit the past (maybe rewrite it, too), I’ve made headway on an itinerary.

I found my old school, ELS Gangnam, on Facebook and have requested a tour. I also found (on LinkedIn) the man who hired me and have reached out to him. He quickly accepted my invitation to connect.

I’ve contacted an editor at the Korea Herald, and have requested a visit to the newsroom.

I’ve booked a USO tour to Panmunjom and the DMZ.

I’ve discovered that the Nashville Club in Itaewon still exists. And it looks like some version of the Heavy Metal Club still exists. 

I read that the Olympic Natatorium is now open to the public. I got all excited about having the chance to swim in the pool where I saw some of the greatest in my sport compete.

That was until I read this about the facilities: Membership is not available to foreigners.

Things were going so swimmingly. (BTW, I think I can still swim on a day pass.) But that simple phrase plunged me back to the deep end of my time in Korea.

Back to us vs. them. Back to the DMZ in me.

And I’m not even back there yet.

Undoubtedly, this will be the first of many “trips” down memory lane. (This inaugural one over access to a pool lane, no less.)

Should I just walk around Seoul with a bright orange floatation device around my neck? A metaphoric warning for me as well as them?

Be careful people, I’m in way over my head here. 

Love,

Nancy