Tag Archives: expat

Two years in Seoul

4 Replies

Ilove seoul.jpg

To mark the occasion of our two year stay in Seoul today, I wanted to share this drawing of a guy I once spotted inside Gangnam subway station probably returning from a trip, lugging his suitcase up the stairs towards the exit gate.

What caught my eye as he passed by me was not his very conspicuous cherry red Rimowa suitcase but the large ‘I love Seoul’ sticker pasted on it which got me thinking about my own relationship with this city. Would I ever consider making such a declaration?

To be honest, I’m not there yet. After a rocky start and a reasonable number of ‘oh wow’ and ‘aw snap’ moments we, this city and I have eased into a steady pace. Found our rhythm. And a certain fondness for one another. Like every relationship, this one’s a work in progress. And if experience has taught me anything it is to not make snap judgements and to never compare especially on occasions when things don’t work out (very hard to execute as it’s all I wanted to do in my first year here).

You have to take it slow, keep an open mind and have patience. I’ll keep enjoying this ride while I’m on it and who knows, maybe somewhere along the way I may reach for that same sticker!

Advertisement

Lunch dates

2 Replies

Once every month, I and my husband go on a lunch date. We just pick a date and show up at the same place, for the same thing.

In Singapore, it used to be for what I believed unequivocally to be the best dumplings in the city-state. Old Hong Kong Kitchen’s xialongbao could make your taste buds swoon in in ecstasy. And now having moved to Seoul the tradition continues at The Pig In The Garden.

crayon 2

Salad lunch at Pig In The Garden drawn using crayons

But with salads instead – big bowls of crunchy greens coated in a light and punchy vinaigrette, topped with tender proteins, plump fruits, berries, nicely roasted nuts and the sweetest and juiciest red tomatoes. Portion sizes are substantial and the food quality is consistently top notch.

We enjoy our meals at a table by the window over a nice chat and then head to Yeouido Park across the road for a stroll before getting back to work. This we repeat every month. Because wherever we may live, and how many new and exciting experiences we may collect on a regular basis, there will always be comfort in familiarity. Perhaps, our lunch dates are a nod to that.