We have been back in South Korea since February, 2016.  To make quite a long story much shorter and easier to digest, it has always been an option for us to come back in the hope of teaching at a University. With a year of University teaching experience (from teaching in China) under our metaphorical belts, along with the master's degrees required for a University job in Korea, we got jobs in Asan and found ourselves at Incheon airport waiting for the bus to take us to our new home.  Some may have decided that we have finally lost the plot of our own life story.  However, we are thankful for the opportunity to live in this strangely wonderful country once again and attempt to make the most of it, knowing that nothing in this life lasts forever.       

China is called "zhōngguó" in Mandarin which literally translates to "Middle Kingdom".  We have been in the Middle Kingdom for the past 7 months now and this post is long overdue. Our kitchen here is even smaller than the one we had in South Korea, with no cabinets and no storage space.  As a result, we have become quite innovative in the kitchen.  But that is not such a bad thing. Once we started cooking our own food at home again, we started to feel more at home.  We have a gas range, a toaster oven, a pot, a pan, two mixing bowls and the basic baking equipment (measuring cups and spoons).  You don't need much more to cook good food. 

So, one kitchen closes as we leave our new comfort zone in the South of Korea and another will soon open with new challenges awaiting in the South of China.     

Home is where the heart is, right? What if your heart is in FOOD and everything that it entails? Then home is where your kitchen is.  I like to think so. Even though it is a temporary one, I like to believe that Korea started feeling like home after I rekindled my love affair with FOOD.     
Although I love living in this country, moving to South Korea two years ago proved to be challenging on many levels. One of them is living in a small apartment with an even smaller kitchen.  At least, this was my view at the time, coming from a background which involves larger kitchens than the one I am currently calling 'home'.  I am ashamed to admit that I had the preconception that small kitchens produce 'small' tastes and flavors.  I was wrong.       

FOOD has the ability to bring about amazing things regardless of where you are.  Whether you are sitting on the stairs of the bank eating your favorite cheap meal from the corner cafe (which Louis and I did when we were dating) or at a waiter-with-white-napkin restaurant captivated by the way the food is stacked into a beautiful plate of art (which we also did - less), you will probably have some of your most memorable moments in the presence of FOOD.      

Living in Korea has taught me many things about my relationship with FOOD.  And I am still learning. I am learning that a willingness to try new things may surprisingly lead to a new-found favorite dish.  I am learning that judging a dish by its appearance (and with cultural bias) before you taste it is like judging a person's character by the color of their skin - a complete shame.  I am learning that the familiar way of cooking is not the only way of cooking.  

There is much to learn about a country's culture through the FOOD the people eat.  So, next time you are in a foreign country, be brave and taste something that you have never tried before. And if you are staying home - discover your metaphoric artichoke, try cooking something you've never attempted before and remember to love FOOD and love LIFE.