On my birth certificate, Seoul is listed as my place of birth. I've always enjoyed answering the "Where were you born?" question because it was different than almost everyone else. I might not be able to say what hospital I was born in, but I could tell everyone that I was born in another country.

There is an ice breaker out there that I have suffered through many times since I reached adulthood. They give you a list and you have to find a person that fits each one the categories - find someone with green... more

One of the things that I am constantly doing is fighting my earliest perceptions of Korea. A part of my brain is constantly seeing it through the eyes of M*A*S*H. When I was little, we watched M*A*S*H as a family and that was how I viewed Korea for a long time. It wasn’t a bad perception. It was just a little skewed.

Now, I know that Korea has its mega metropolis areas and the rural areas – just like here in the United States. However, I still often picture a dusty rural environment first. It is amazing how hard it is for me to shake those early perceptions.

In a way, I was a little disappointed... more

Several people have written to me because they are concerned that the area they live in is not multicultural enough. Some have expressed the desire to move while others are not able to make such a drastic life change. Here are some ideas that I have thought of (or heard of) that can help you bring Korea to your home.

1. Travel To Korea – Okay, I know this isn’t exactly your home, but traveling can bring the experience home and it’s something your whole family will have forever. If you’re not comfortable traveling on your own, join... more

The first few times we cooked with tofu, it was a complete disaster. We almost gave up. We tend to favor the tofu that is packed in water. Even the extra firm tofu wasn’t staying firm for us. By trial and error, we learned that it stayed a lot firmer if we used a towel to soak out some of the extra water.

Awhile back, I wrote that I was going to cook Korean food. Well, my mother gave me a Korean cooking set for Christmas. She created a basket with rice bowls, chopsticks,... more

Tofu is something that turns up in many Asian dishes. When the word tofu is spoken, I generally get one three reactions:

1. What is a tofu? 2. Yuck 3. I like tofu.

My husband and I are in the third category and my mother is in the second category. So, you know my fondness for tofu is not because I grew up with it. We started eating tofu about five years ago. We’ve discovered that firm tofu can replace almost any meat (if done right). We have tofu tacos, tofu goulash, tofu stir fry… Even better, my son loves tofu.

What... more

I’ve discovered that I’ve become used to diversity. Isn’t that something to think about? While we were visiting my parents for the holiday, we all went to the local grocery store. The grocery store, Buehler’s, is kind of a local landmark. Once you’ve been there, no other grocery store looks quite as good. I miss having it where I am.

Anyhow, everyone had split up and I was standing in the drink aisle with my son. It was our designated “meet back here” spot. While I was standing... more

There is probably no way to tell, but we might be able to find out if my son is related to Ghengis Khan.

We were coming home from IKEA. We had just bought my son his big boy bed for his birthday and I was listening to NPR. I rarely listen to NPR after I get home from work so I’d never heard Radio Lab before, but I found it fascinating. I listened to two stunning pieces, but this one struck me because there is a chance (though less of one in Korea) that we could be related to Ghengis Khan.

There was a team that was going to different areas and they were using DNA to study where people came from. From what I understand, DNA is always changing. However, there is a “Y” chromosome... more

We had just gotten to the FFC/Korean Christmas party and my son was starting to warm up to his surroundings…which means he was starting to run wild in all directions. He had gotten a head start on me, but I wasn’t in a hurry because I saw him go into the Christmas tree room (which only had one door). A Korean gentleman stopped me and asked me how old I was.

At first I was a little shocked and I wasn’t sure what he had asked me. Why in the world would he be asking me how old I am? He must have seen my confusion, because he asked me again. Yep, he really wanted... more

Part 1:

When I received the invitation to the party, I was immediately fascinated by the fact that there would be a Korean Santa Claus. What would a Korean Santa Claus look like? I was relieved when I wasn’t alone in my question. Everyone I mentioned asked me the same question.

So, when the announcement was made that Santa Claus was in the building, I made sure that I could see. I had dozens of expectations in my head and I’m afraid that... more

Today, I reaffirmed something that I’ve always known and have never hidden. I am really not cut out for public life. As much as I like to go to parties and events, I also hate them with a passion that can’t quite be explained. In my comfort zone, people often beg me to stop talking…in this setting, I can’t think of word to say. I have two more of these parties coming up in the next week, but I have a secret weapon. I’m bringing my mother to both of them. She can talk for me. I can’t tell you what a comfort that is to me. (Hi Mom!) ... more