So yesterday after work, I went to pick Jin up from the airport. I wasn't exactly sure when he was getting in but I'd brought my book just in case. Well, as it turns out, I wasn't there 3 minutes when he stepped through the gate weighed down with twice as much luggage as when he'd left. (Good thing I'd taken the subway!) As it turns out, about 99% of the luggage was food. There was dried laver, kimchi, kongnamul, baechu kimchi and some ginseng candy. Some of the laver was for souveniers but the rest was all from Jin's mother. According to him, she had loaded him up just before he left saying, 'This one's for you, this one's for Kelly,' for everything. Apparently, he had mentioned my recent experimentation with Korean cooking and his mother was really surprised and happy. I can not believe how much delicious food there was...and how heavy it was on my way home. I couldn't fit everything in my backpack so it will end up taking 2-3 trips but tonight I made some Kimchi macaroni and cheese...the kimchi was great but my macaroni and cheese skills are still lacking. Tomorrow I'm thinking some kimchi soup sounds good.

I have met his mother and sister just twice now. Naturally, the first time I met them I was really, really nervous that they wouldn't like me but was so surprised at the way I was recieved. Even though I didn't speak any Korean, we managed to get along pretty well. After I returned to Japan, they even sent me some Korean text books to help me learn. This time too, his sister sent me a couple of Korean kids' books to read. I can't get over how nice his family is to me. I've been working at my Korean (especially in preparation for my next visit. I can't very well show up not knowing anything after they went through the trouble to help me learn) Anyways, I have to say, I'm not doing too badly-although, I find it difficult to practice because even when I am around Korean friends we are so accustomed to only speaking English or Japanese. Also, everyone makes such a fuss when I say even the simplest things that I get too self-conscious. I suppose I'll get over it. It's funny though, I don't remember having this problem when I started learning Japanese.