Do You Have Bread?

I'll never forget my proudest moment in Korea.

I asked for bread at a grocery store.

I was vacationing on Jeju Island, Korea, over Thanksgiving Break in September '10, and, in need of bread to make a peanut butter sandwich, I scoured the store for a loaf. With no success, I opted to try out what little Korean I picked up in the past 11 months on the cashier. "Bbang iseoyo?" Do you have bread, I asked hesitantly. She answered, in Korean, that they did not have bread.

And. I. Understood!

Living in Korea is sometimes like living in your own little autistic bubble--the buzzing of a foreign language in your ear creates a certain solitude that allows you to drown out the constant commotion surrounding you and simply focus on your own thoughts. While I appreciated that peace, it isn't exactly helpful for asking about the location of bread in a grocery store or explaining to your boss that the reason for your recent doctor's visit is none of her business. But that's a story for another day.

xx
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