that's my momma!

i called my mom last night, 3 am seoul time, 12-noon baltimore time. she was cooking, kimchi jigae, kimchi soup with pork and tofu. now, i've certainly eaten my fair share of kimchi soup in korea, but, nothing is nearly as good (or comes as close to being as yummy!) as my momma's. i told her that i wanted to eat her soup and she said, "well then, run home, i know you like to run!" when i responded that i wouldn't be able to run that far, she said,"when you get tired of of running, start flying!" how cute is that?!?!?! and you think i'm wacky...

i told her that i missed her and listed a few other things that i miss about america. i miss shopping without having anyone watching your every move or pestering you to buy something you don't like, at all. i miss meandering through thrift stores or slightly imperfect stores with tons of random goodies like marshall's, tjmaxx and yes, target. she told me to tell those pesky salesladies, "please stop talking, you're giving me a headache." wow! go momma! i love her bluntness, her forthrightness! and i wish i could be so bold, but, as a younger looking korean woman, i'd probably get slapped in the face if i said that. however, when my mom comes to visit, i want to see HER say that! and since she's older, she has every cultural right to.

what made me soooooo happy, in addition to simply hearing my mom's voice, was the fact that we spoke in korean 95% of the time. hell's yeah! i think i can be really demanding of my own goals and of making sure that they are being met, and i was pretty bummed out when i couldn't continue my korean classes this term. but, imagine my contentment when i realized that i spoke to my mom for over a half hour, in korean! and, to make it even better, when i told her that korean koreans often tell me that my korean is strange, she told me to tell them, "of course it is, i'm american!" and she said it with much sass and attitude!

then she asked me if i was eating well, (yes!) and taking care of my health (yes! i've been going to the gym nearly every day) and then she asked me if walnuts were expensive in korea. yes, yes yes they are. along with almonds and fresh fruits and vegetables. she then promised to bring over a huge bag of walnuts and other goodies when she visits. awww mom! you're the best!