Korean Reunion

Rai, we know how it goes. You believe that your parents were always adults, always parents, and always together. In your world, it just doesn't make sense that there was a time when your parents were babies like you or when your parents lived thousands of miles apart, living separate lives that wouldn't converge until their 20s. Despite the shock that may result, we thought it time that we share the 'how we met' story with you.
It was a cold, early winter day in Seoul, Korea. I had just arrived and was in my first week of a one year work contract with a small electronics company. The president had recruited me while I was with my previous company in Tokyo. It was day number three on the new job so I did what any new employee does: I used the company internet network for personal use. I ended up at lifeinkorea.com where I browsed the community activity postings, looking for other foreigners in Seoul with similar interests.
It didn't take long for me to find a post put up by a lady named Ashley. She had written that she was interested in hiking and yoga. So was I! I wrote her back quickly, not noticing that her post had gone up more than a half year before with no responses yet. Ashley wrote back soon after, writing that she was happy to finally receive a response to her posting. Although she had been in Seoul for half a year already, she wrote, she was excited to make a friend that was outside the group of English teachers at her school that had become her group of friends in Korea.
Before agreeing to meet, Ashe insisted that I go through a 'new friend screening process'. A few days after our email contact, she called me. After the initial shock of "Oh, 'Maciej' is a man's name, not a woman's name", the screening questionnaire began. Your Mom, Ashe, asked me no fewer than 50 questions. Once the interrogation was complete, Ashe knew most important details of my life.
A few weeks later, we met for the first time. True to our postings on lifeinkorea, we made sure that our first 'date' would be a hike. Seoul is surrounded on all sides by jagged, granite peaks. We chose Gwanak-san in southern Seoul. Meeting at Seoul National University, we began the steep ascent up Gwanak mountain. Like most trails in Korea, the trail had a 30+% grade. This would be challenging on a summer day but here we were in the early days of winter in Seoul. As we got higher the amount of snow and ice on the trail increased and the number of times that Ashe slipped and fell did too. Along the way, a group of Korean hikers took pity on Ashe, giving her one of their cramp-ons.
Despite all the falls, it was a wonderful hike but your Mom was convinced that I'd never call her again after I had witnessed her fall so many times while I had emerged unscathed. Her worries were unwarranted. I called the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. We dated. We fell in love. We traveled. We got married. We traveled some more. Then, you were born!
A few years ago, a pair of teachers from Ashe's school in Seoul, James and Statia, moved to San Francisco. Now, whenever we meet up with them, it's like a mini 'Korea reunion' although, as the years have passed, we reminisce less about our days in Korea. Still, the old boss' name, John Lee, comes up at least once every time.
A few times per year, another former teacher from their school in Seoul visits. Megan was in this weekend so we all got together for, you guessed it, a Korean dinner! Rai, this was your first Korean meal and the look of wonder never left your wide eyes as you watched dish after dish arrive on our table. When the table was completely covered and could hold no more, a couple more dishes arrived.
With all those side dishes and entrees prepared faithfully, this was the most authentic Korean food that we've had since leaving Korea. That's another of the many beauties of San Francisco and something we know you will enjoy and hopefully not take for granted. Hundreds of ethnicities are represented in San Francisco's thousands of restaurants. Few places offer a chance to sample the world's great cuisines the way your home does.