I know it's bad to drink coffee when it's too hot, but I just love finishing when it's still a good temperature. It leaves your mouth a little tingly and numb. That's a great feeling.
It happened today in Busan as I was killing time, waiting to head to the hotel to have lunch for Janet's sisters wedding.
I found my way to the hotel and loitered in the foyer for a long time. Janet assured me there would be a couple of other waygookins arriving with a bus load from Seoul. They were nowhere to be seen so after a while I asked someone. They ushered me into the buffet place. It was massive. I sat by myself and a lady came and said hi. She was Korean American.
I debated for a while going to sit next to her and her husband but I bit the bullet and did it. It was not a mistake.
They were so interesting and friendly. She works at a university (networking alert!) and he for an English publishing company. We were talking for ages and then she mentioned she had a friend that moved to the North Shore of Auckland with the last name Bae. Well, I jumped on that and chucked out "Lara, Bryan, Michelle?" She flipped out.
I could not believe we had mutual friends. What a crazy world! She told me all about meeting them and how Lara went to her bible study and she helped disciple her. It felt so special to be hearing that in Korea, half a world away.
She took care of me after that too, travelling to the church, and then translating the service. It was beautiful. Janet sang amazingly. She sobbed through a verse, but the congregation clapped her back into action and she finished with a bang. It was beautiful.
Then I got to hang out with her and her Korean friends before heading home. They're a laugh and a half! It was great fun.
I walked out of the bathroom at the church and there was Janet. For a moment I didn't realise how long it had been and it was just like, "oh yeah, there she is." Then I was like, "Wait. There she is!!" Ahhh I've missed her hugs and her laugh, even the way she hits me.
One thing had changed. I was flabbergasted. She speaks in a thick American accent. It's mental. I didn't know who she was and I'm still not adjusted after hours of hanging out. Crazy girl. When it was just our conversation she was kiwi as, but as soon as anyone else got involved, it got weird indeed.
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