Airport World

"In transit. If two sweeter words exist in the English language, I have yet to hear them. Suspended between coming and going, neither here nor there, my mind slows, and amid the duty- free shops and PA announcements, I achieve something approaching calm. I've often fantasized about living in Airport World. Not one airport, mind you, but a series of airports. I would just keep flying around the world, in a state of suspended aviation. Always coming, never arriving. But here in this airport lounge, my fantasy is less appealing. Humans, even nomadic ones, need a sense of home. Home need not be one place or any place at all, but every home has two essential elements: a sense of community and even more important, a history."
- "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner


I love Airport World. I love everything about it. The duty-free shops, makeup counters, Starbucks around every corner, and the eerie clam that envelops me as I sit and people watch. I will be back in Airport World exactly one month from today. The anticipation feels different than other trips I have taken before. I am in between homes right now for an extended time. This is a first for me. South Korea is technically my home base right. It feels exhilarating and foreign to visit America for a holiday.

Reflection about the past year has begun to take shape as the countdown to America unfurls itself. I love reminiscing about the sights, conversations, people, animals, books, ideas, discussions, desires, frustrations, and realizations that have come across me this year. I love that I have survived the first whirlwind year of overseas living. I ponder about the future. Questions and thoughts pervade my thoughts during my off moments. Will I like America when I go back? Seasoned expats continually warn me about the hardships of reaccelerating myself to the materialistic, myopic, and individualistic aura of America. Others claim I will slide right back into my old routine. Will this be my only stint overseas? Will I became a lifer?

My answer to the first question is a resounding yes. I am reunited with family and friends. Old haunts will beckon me back for visits. The sparkling lakes will coolme from the hot summer sun. The rest of the questions remained unanswered in my mind. For those that know me well, I’m actually ok with that. I have absolutely no idea where Korea will lead me next. I fantasize often about the myriad of directions my life could go in the next few years, but I have learned to stop and breathe. Take the moment in. Stop and inhale the yellow dust. :)