California Dreaming Summer 2023

 

Sagye Beach

When we got to Jeju, we arrived late in the night, in the dark. We didn't know where we were. There was no map in my brain. I was disorientated by lack of sleep and travel that I was not paying attention to. Staying in the home for quarantine for two weeks only prolonged that feeling of disorientation, adding more questions to our list. What is that building we can see from the third floor? Can we walk through those trees? Is the beach by those big hills? I wonder how long it takes to walk to school? During quarantine we ate well and I did multiple workouts and yoga classes each day. I kept moving in the space provided. I felt lucky to have a back yard and to be able to do workouts in the fresh air. If it rained, I worked out in different rooms in the home. I danced the whole house during one monsoon rain. We made it work. When we were released from quarantine, Jonny didn't even want to leave the house. That was so strange to me. He didn't leave. He had gotten accustomed to just being in the home. What is the rush? Why are you so excited to go out? Biggy and I went out for a walk. The school is close. The store is close. Pizza is close. We started to build new maps in our brains, two weeks later than we normally would have, finally distilling the disorientation of travel. I still had one big question in my brain, how far is the beach and can I run there? I couldn't this question and without the hope of ever getting a car here, I thought I would keep building my map the old fashioned way. I got up at 6am, without brushing my teeth, threw on my running shoes, and went out the door. I ran the way the school bus had driven us once, working from my ever expanding maps. My route there: Run right down the brick path, turn right at the round about, follow that road, turn right at the GS25, follow that road, turn left and go past the local school, turn right into the town, turn left at the GS25, turn right at the light, that hill that looks like a dragon is on your left now, follow that mountain around to the left and down the hill, go past all the farms, turn right and then left down the alley. I followed that alley two blocks in and saw people waking up and starting their routines. I was soaked in sweat. It had been about one and a half hours at this point and I still had to get home in time for school induction which started at 11am. I decided to turn around and get home. This never ending, twisting alley was going to confuse me and I didn't want to get lost. (Foreshadowing).

I turned around and ran back. I was thirsty and I was tired now. The ideas that were blasting through my brain on the way there: how I have such awesome perseverance once I set a goal and actually jumping in the ocean had dissipated with the act of turning around. I had failed to find the beach. Now, I just had to get home. My brain was fogging up and I couldn't remember where I turned. I got mixed up but found the local school and was relieved I was on my way again. But, I missed another turn and ended up by a fishing hole that I didn't recognize. A young man was finishing his morning fish and jumping in a Mercedes. (That is how it is here.) He didn't know what I was saying but used his phone to try and help me. He pointed me in the right direction but it still wasn't the road I had originally taken. I ran on. I had started taking walking breaks at this point. My legs were starting to cramp up. Why didn't I drink water before I left? Why didn't I bring water? Why didn't I bring my phone or money? Why didn't I brush my teeth? Gross. I am gross. Gotta keep moving. Have to get home before school. Don't cry. You do this every time you go to a new place, you run, you get lost, someone helps you, you have a new map. It is what you do. It is ok. Just keep moving. I got out of that street and there was a highway type road. Well, not a real highway, more a normal road like Granville, Oak, or 200th. I didn't know which way to go, I went one way, then back the other. Now what? I am wasting my energy not knowing. I asked someone in the GS25 without going in. No English. I kept running. This went on for a while until I really coudn't go anymore. My legs were cramping. I had no energy. I ran past a 711. No English. I kept going. I couldn't. I ran back to the 711. Can you call me a taxi? Taxi? Old man comes out and calls me a taxi. We wait in silence. He tries to communicate. I say Canada. He says oh. The taxi comes he laughs at me. He knows where I live. He takes me there. I run upstairs and bring him money. He sees my son and smiles and says hi to Christian. I get in the door and sit on the floor and drink a whole big bottle of Pocari Sweat. I shower and go to school. A walking tour of NLCS. YAY. I can't walk.. up and down stairs making new maps in my brain. So many new maps this morning.

Fast forward to yesterday. Geoff and Jenna gave us their old Hyundai mini van, Ferg. Christian and I drove the route I ran. He was testing out the back, back seat, looking out the window and writing down things he saw in his notebook. His little legs crossed and his pen scrawling out words that he is just mapping out in his own mind. His ever expanding map of where we are, how things worked, and how they might be spelled. We got to that spot where I turned around and this time Ferg kept us going forward. We went right in the next alley, choosing the widest alleys to drive down but still heading right as much as possible. We drove maybe three more blocks and there we popped out at the beach were we had been with the school. The beach where we had sat and had beers at the roof top patio. We parked there and run and put our toes in. We made it to Sagye beach. I had almost run there. I could run there if I didn't have to run back. (I am never running back there! hahaha!)