What It's Like..... To Fall in Love with Korea

I can't even remember when I first heard about a far away small yet heavily populated country called Korea. I can't remember the first time I met a Korean. I do remember meeting a girl in middle school who was adopted from Korea by Italian parents. Yes, I live in little Italy. Being half Italian myself, living with people butchering my Italian surname, who would ever have thought that I would someday fall head over heals for a place on the other side of the world. My middle school friend was so beautiful and hilarious, I don't know -- perhaps she had a bit of influence. I also remember having an attraction to martial arts and the men who could do them, kkkkk. I still can't remember when I started openly proclaiming my attraction for Asian men, in particular, Koreans.

In 2007, I had the opportunity to go to Korea for a missions conference with Campus Crusade for Christ. It was only a week, in Busan, but I absolutely loved those few days. I didn't get to experience much of the city because the conference took up so much time, but the people were so hospitable and so beautiful. I still remember riding the subway and an elderly woman coming on. My friends and I stood up so she could sit but she grabbed my arm and pulled me down next to her, the rest of our ride she was talking to me in hangul mal (Korean) and all I could do was smile. Another "incident" I remember is when I walked up to a vending machine for a Coke. There was a Korean boy and girl about my age in front of me, but once they saw me they ushered me to go ahead of them and then the girl said, "he wants to buy you something." He smiled so big when he handed me a Coca Cola in its cute skinny can. They were both so cute.

The market in Busan... I love how colorful it is

So, what is it like to fall in love with Korea? Amazing! Korea is so different and to an Italian American girl, mysteriously seductive. Everything new I learn makes me more excited to learn and experience more. I hope that Korea never gets old.