Long Layover

It always warms this homestay mama's heart when she can see her former homestay students again. On his trip back from spending the holidays with his family in Seoul, Ki-Bum had a long layover in Seattle before his next flight left for Berklee School of Music in Boston.

His two friends Seok-Jin and Lim, (who are still students here in Seattle), and I met him at the airport.
Then we all went to a Korean restaurant several miles away for lunch. We had bubbling-hot tofu soup...
...and barbecued beef...
...that we cooked on the grill built into our table.
When they were done, Seok-Jin used scissors to cut the long strips into bite-size pieces.
It was delicious!
Before heading back to SeaTac, we took time to enjoy some coffee at Starbucks. When I stood up to take a picture of our group, a lady at the table next to ours offered to take the picture for me so I could be in it, too. The locals are friendly like that here in the greater Seattle area.

Seok-Jin, Ki-Bum, Lim and Homestay Mama

After she took the picture, we started talking--as ladies are prone to do. She too, had been a homestay mama several years prior, and I immediately felt a kindred spirit with her. Her name was Kris and she was up from Olympia visiting with her friends.

Diane, Kris and Rosie

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Ki-Bum.

He had given me a package from his family to open when I got home. What could be in this beautifully scarf-wrapped package?
Oooohhhh! My favorite! Sang-Ju Dried Persimmons...
...that come wrapped in a sturdily-constructed box...
...and arranged on a woven bamboo tray that can be used again and again for other things.
Thank you, Joon-Yul, Myung-Soon, Hyun-Wook and Ki-Bum. You surely know how to 'spoil' this homestay mama! I think gourmet Sang-Ju Dried Persimmons are heavenly!

Blessings to you!

With love from,

Homestay Mama