June 11, 2024 • 50 mins
When the melodies of K-pop first enchanted Tara Siano, little did she imagine that this beat would lead her on an odyssey to the heart of Seoul, pursuing a master’s degree in Korean culture and communication. Our latest episode chronicles Tara's gripping saga of adaptation and personal evolution, as she navigates the thrills and spills of life in a dazzling metropolis during the pandemic's peak. From quarantine conundrums to cultural epiphanies, Tara's reflections on building a community in the midst of towering skyscrapers and teeming streets are as heartening as they are enlightening.
Imagine mastering a language as intricate as Korean, where every syllable is a step closer to the soul of a nation. Tara shares with us the vertiginous highs of decoding the script and the trials of achieving conversational fluency, painting a vivid picture of her linguistic rollercoaster. Her anecdotes serve as a tapestry of tips and triumphs for language learners everywhere, providing a glimpse into the delicate dance of immersion while maintaining a sense of self among a sea of non-native tongues.
As Tara turns the page on her academic chapter, she looks out onto a horizon rich with travel aspirations and cross-cultural connections. Her stories weave through historic Kyoto streets, animate the festivities of Korean holidays, and recount her plans to repay her parents' unwavering support with the gift of globetrotting. Each tale is a patch in the quilt of Tara's journey, showcasing how deep immersion in a culture leaves indelible marks on our identity and propels us toward a future infused with gratitude and boundless curiosity. Join us as we traverse the landscapes of learning, living, and longing in a world that's beautifully smaller than we think.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, I'm Tara Ciano .
I hope when you look back atyour life, you have the chance
to experience another culture,because you only go once.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello friends, welcome to another episode of
you Only Go Once.
I am Aileen Grimes and I amhere with my amazing and
wonderful friend and co-host,cheryl Cantafio, this podcast.
We explore stories around thelimited time we have on this
earth to create a fully layeredlife, and we are so excited to
(00:34):
have the guest we have ontonight.
I just can't wait.
I have so many questions, but Iwill let Cheryl introduce
before we jump in.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Cheryl, to you.
Thanks, eileen.
Tara Siano is a recent graduateof Yonsei Graduate School of
International Studies, with amaster's degree in Korean
culture and communications.
While studying in Seoul, southKorea, she focused on Hallyu 2.0
, also known as the digitalspread of Korean media, along
(01:02):
with East Asian communicationstrategies and technologies.
Currently, tara has relocatedback to the United States and
has a communications specialistposition at Guided Wealth
Management, handling externalcommunications.
Everybody, please, welcome TaraSiano.
Tara, it's so good to have youhere again.
Welcome back, oh, my goodness.
(01:25):
So just for the audience'sknowledge, eileen, tara and I
used to Korea to get her degree.
So, tara, what was the impetusbehind your interests with
(01:50):
Korean culture andcommunications?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Everyone always asks but it's like really long and
deep.
So I'll tell you kind of likethe quick version.
But basically ever since I wasreally young I was really
interested in like East Asiancultures.
Like I remember like ageappropriate things, like I
really liked anime from Japanand I learned a lot about
Chinese tea ceremony my mom andI used to go and and things like
(02:15):
that.
So just from when I was young Ihad like the like interest and
even like in high school I wouldwrite papers about like the
Chinese Civil War instead oflike what my other classmates
are studying, like American Warsand things it just always.
And then I kept liking thingslike like I love K-pop.
Most people know that about mewithin like five minutes of
(02:38):
meeting me.
But I also went to acommunications conference in
Chicago when I was in undergradand while I was there I listened
to the Korean AmericanCommunications Association's
presentations and they had a lotof different Korean scholars
presenting and they just seemedlike really far ahead of the
(02:59):
American presenters, I felt.
And actually Korea has a higherliteracy rate and a higher
Wi-Fi accessibility rate thanthe US and their people are much
more adaptive to newtechnologies.
So because of that they tend tolike.
When LinkedIn drops a newpossibility on the platform,
maybe, like they tried Reels fora little bit, koreans will use
(03:22):
that immediately.
They'll just go for it, but alot of American businesses will
hold back and wait to see whatother people do.
So I think it's it lends itselfto studying these technologies
better.
And anyway, when I wrote mythesis in undergrad, all of the
professors of research I waspulling.
They were all Korean names.
(03:43):
So I was was like it seems likethis is the best place to go to
study.
Plus I love k-pop, plus asianlanguages.
Uh, like hangul is the easiestto learn that the korean letter
writing system.
So I decided to learn that onebecause I didn't want to have to
learn katakana or like Mandarin, like it was too difficult.
(04:04):
It's really easy so,comparatively.
So that's why I picked Korea.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
That's amazing.
So how long ago was it that youcame back?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I only came back like a little less than a month ago.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Wow, wow, wow, and we were talking a little bit
before the before we startedrecording.
But what, what has that beenlike?
I mean, what was it like to gothere and transition, and then
what's it been like then totransition back?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
So when I first went, it was COVID and they had a
like, if you, if you enter thecountry, there's a mandatory.
It was two weeks when I wassigning up to go, but it changed
to 10 days like a week before Iwent.
So I had like 10 days ofquarantine in like an Airbnb and
then, um, I was supposed to goright to Seoul, but instead I
(04:53):
ended up um having like threeextra days, and Incheon is the
city that you fly into and um,first of all, I had to like get
in a taxi, um in quarantine, togo to like a COVID testing site.
I also couldn't get any foodbecause I thought it would be
(05:14):
easy, but it wasn't.
So my neighbor at home isKorean and she had to like send
food for me to my Airbnb so Iwouldn't starve.
Oh, wow.
Oh my goodness, my Airbnb so Iwouldn't starve.
I had to find a way to likehail a taxi when I'm not allowed
to leave my house except for myCOVID check-in.
So it was really scary.
And then the first day I wasallowed to leave I was like
(05:35):
scared to even buy anythingbecause I just was anxious at
that point.
Like what if I try to buy likethis Onigiri or well, it's not
Onigiri in Korea, it's SamgakKimbab.
It's like a rice triangle, likeI want the rice triangle for
lunch.
And I was like what if my carddeclines and I have no money in
Korea?
Like I don't even want to knowif that happens, like I'm not
going to buy it because I don'twant to know.
(05:56):
I don't want to know yet ifthere's a problem.
So it was really stressful.
And then the next three weeks Ilived in a new Airbnb while I
was apartment hunting, but thistime in Seoul.
And like, when I entered thecity I drove through this area
called Hongdae, which now I love.
It's like my favorite part inKorea and like I would go there
(06:17):
every weekend to have fun withmy friends.
But it's like a really busykind of nightlife area and
there's like this main roadthat's really fast, and I just
saw so many people outside andall these like stalls selling
like hair accessories and Idon't know like other tchotchkes
, and I was like so stressed outI couldn't leave like 24 hours.
(06:42):
But then, well, actually I won'tsay it was so great at first,
like I remember there's this onerestaurant and every time I
pass it I remember sitting inthere and crying because they
play a lot of like slow TroyeSivan songs.
I would always just like loseit.
But eventually I found anapartment and then I found like
a church and I met my bestfriend from Korea.
(07:04):
Her name is Emma, she'sactually from the Netherlands
and like yeah, we met reallyearly on and so like ever since
we've just done everythingtogether like she's the best.
So, yeah, mostly because of her.
Actually, we always tell eachother like if it wasn't for you,
I would have left, but we werelike close right off the bat.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It's amazing how those relationships can
definitely make a difference.
I've said that to Cheryl abouta lot of things before, but
really having those socialsupports is incredibly helpful
and when you don't have, I meannot the same obviously.
But you know, I have moved manytimes, even, you know, in
(07:47):
adulthood, and you know living,lived in Washington for a while
and then moved down to SanFrancisco Bay area and then
moved over to Philadelphia,pennsylvania, and like to uproot
yourself, right and no, nobodyis already a huge thing to do,
let alone with a very newlanguage and you know cultural
(08:10):
differences and things like that.
Like that's a huge shock to thesystem and I now, having
understood more sensory things,like to have all of that input
that you're seeing right asyou're in this.
Like that's a a lot to dealwith and that's just a lot to
even try to like process what'shappening.
I would have also probably juststayed inside I needed, like I
(08:31):
needed a reset.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I was like there's a lot of you know, also like neon
signs and like, like, likekorea's very built um, like
vertically.
So sure really tall buildingswith like many stores going up,
so it's like layered, so you'resitting in one place, but it's
like a whole like town aroundyou, just on one block corner.
(08:53):
So yeah, it was intimidating atfirst but I love it now like
it's my favorite, and my familyactually visited and they had me
as their guide so they loved.
Like they they're kind ofrebranding the area it's called
the red road and it's alwaysbeen a red road that you can
walk down and go to all the likelittle Hongdae shops and the
(09:14):
karaoke rooms and stuff likethat.
But yeah, my family, like theyloved going out on the red road
and like going shopping andseeing everything and getting
street food.
So yeah, I highly hongdae areabut okay, it was scary at first
yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Did you find it more difficult to write in korean
versus speak in korean, or wasit the reverse?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
the reverse.
It's so easy to write actuallyokay, writing in Writing in
Korean is very easy.
Reading in Korean is very easyI mean spelling aside when I
forget how to spell words.
Sure, even speaking is not sobad, because Hangul is sometimes
on lists of some of humanity'sbest inventions because of how
(10:03):
fast the literacy rate improvedin korea after its invention.
And the reason why it's soawesome is because the letters
are shaped like the way thatyour mouth is shaped when you
make the sound.
Oh yeah, so um, like the m iskind of a square, because your
like lips make almost a squareshape when you make a sound.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
And yeah, so on and so forth.
The N sound is like Nian.
It's like your tongue kind oftouches the top of your teeth
when you make that sound.
So it's shaped this way andyeah, anyway, it's really
interesting, so it's really easyto pronounce it.
There's like people who say youcan learn how to speak Korean
out loud within like fiveminutes because it's really fast
(10:48):
to learn the letters, but thelistening is impossible for me.
Like, even taxi drivers try totalk to me and I'm like, can you
say that again?
Like, or I say like slow, Ineed you to slow down.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, I mean it's.
I just just that's what anyonelearning learning English Like.
I can't even imagine that beinga second language to come into
and try to get.
I don't even understand thecomplexities of it.
Sometimes, luckily, like beinga native speaker obviously has
put me at an advantage for that.
(11:23):
But I mean, if you which, whichis which, like that's just mean
Sure, so mean Yep, right, andthere's a lot of beauty with it
too.
But geez, louise, it is.
It is a complex one to learn.
So, yeah, I just and it's suchan amazing gift to be able to
(11:44):
speak multiple languages Did yougo so when you were going over
there?
Did you go through a program tolearn the language?
Or how?
How did you sort of approachthat?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
with um.
Okay, there's like a programcalled topic guide and I'm gonna
be honest with you, it was kindof a bad omen, but I did really
poorly on my topic.
Is that it's test ofproficiency in korean t-o-p-i-k.
Oh, okay, okay, um, I took mytopic exam before I went and I
did not do well.
I really, um, like I kind of Ilike I've never experienced like
choking during a test before,kind of you see someone freezes
(12:31):
and their hand is just shaking,but that really happened to me,
like, so I did do well on thattest, but anyway I was.
I felt like I could read someand it's true, even when I first
landed, I would be in theconvenience store and I knew the
food at the convenience storebased on the wrapper, what type
(12:53):
of flavor it was, or somethinglike that.
Sure, or I'm going down thestreet and I'm like that's a
pharmacy, that's a grocery store.
I could read enough to get byand I could say hello and thank
you and things, but I couldn't.
It was like survival, korean,not conversation.
For my major you have to get tothe topic scores out of seven,
(13:15):
so you have to get to four tograduate.
So I got to four, but I stoppedstudying my last semester
because it's hard to like do mygraduate research and learn
korean at the same time and alsolike have a job.
So I am not destitute.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I was like I have to pause small things, yeah yeah, I
would imagine, as you know, weworked with, um uh, folks from
Japan and it was alwaysinteresting to see them pause
and then answer a question,because we would ask a question
in English and how it wasexplained to me was they would
(13:56):
hear it in their language andthen they would translate it
into English and then they wouldsay it.
You know, they would give theanswer in English.
There was always like a smalldelay for people just coming
over to the United States and I,I would imagine it's the same
way.
Right, you're translating.
(14:16):
You know you're hearingsomething in Korean and you're
like what does that mean?
And you're you're translatingthat in your native language and
then you've got to respond inKorean and it's probably like I
mean, I know, and this is such alame story, but I was in Paris
for like five days and I feltlike it felt very claustrophobic
(14:40):
to me initially becauseeverybody spoke French and I
massacred the language, but Istill tried to do it.
But I remember being on theirMetro and somebody was speaking
English and I thought, oh, saymore, please say more, because
you miss it.
Like there's sometimes whereyou miss it.
Did you have those momentswhere you missed hearing um.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
You know your own language there's kind of like a
phenomenon that happens where,like when you first move there,
like you hear other englishspeakers and you're like a
possible friend and you getreally excited but, then it's
not just me.
It's like a, like apsychological thing where, like
immigrants if you count me as animmigrant, I'm like a student
(15:24):
visa holder, but you know what Imean they tend to start
avoiding people of their ownkind once they feel like they've
acclimated to the culture.
So by the end, if I heardEnglish, I was like they better
not be looking at me, like I donot want to help them get
wherever they're going.
Interesting, yeah, yeah, my day.
But it's like, um, kind of likea, a survivalist thing where
(15:47):
you're trying to fit in and also, um, it goes in with that idea,
like, if you've sufferedsomething, you're not empathetic
to those who are going throughthe same thing as you, because
you're like I got out on my own,like you figure it out anyway.
But yeah, at first I would hearenglish and I would really want
to go talk to those people, butthey would like avoid me and
(16:09):
then I think I probably ended upthat same.
I really tried not to be, butlike, sometimes I would be like
no, I'm really trying to getsomewhere, like I'm not on
vacation, yeah, right right, soit would just depend but like um
, there are like more touristareas in seoul.
And if I was there and there arelike more touristy areas in
Seoul, and if I was there andthere were like girls next to me
like talking about their trip,I'd be like you have to go to
(16:31):
this place and like my favoritespots.
So it just would, I think, moredepend on like what I was doing
.
If I'm like trying to go towork, it's one thing, but if I'm
hanging out at a cafe with myfriend, then I'm more excited to
talk to new people.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Sure, yeah, sure.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
That makes sense.
Did you always have the I don'tknow, I mean like to go you
went by yourself, right, youdidn't know anybody there.
Have you always sort of hadthat independent mindset streak
of like wanting to do thingslike I mean like that takes a
lot of courage to to go outsomewhere completely new by
(17:09):
yourself and explore this wholeother new place?
Has that, has that been sort ofa lifelong thing for you?
Or like what got you to evenbeing able to feel like you were
ready to go do something likethat?
Speaker 1 (17:27):
able to feel like you were ready to go do something
like that.
Actually, when I was in likehigh school, I went to summer
camp for like a week and I'venever had a migraine before or
since.
But I was so stressed out thatlike I thought my head was
splitting apart and I could onlylike lay on my mom's lap and
cry.
I was really scared to go tosummer camp.
But this summer camp theypurposely like want a lot of
surprises so they don't tell youmuch about what you're doing.
(17:47):
But my mom had been at thecampus like a like a adult guest
once.
So she told me like ABC, likeexactly what would happen each
night and I I ended up going.
But yeah, I was like never oneeven like vacation.
I was like, can we not stayhome?
But then in college I reallywanted a study abroad experience
(18:08):
and my friend Lisa had donethis thing called semester at
sea and it's where, if you'vewatched like Suite Life on deck,
it's just like that where whenwe're at sea we study and then
when we're in a port we can likeexplore a new country.
In a port we can like explore anew country, and I didn't know
(18:29):
anybody on that trip andactually I was really scared,
like even for like a week I waslike really anxious and shaking
like whenever I like just justpaying for it that week, give
them the money.
I was like really freaking out.
But there was this girl incollege who I didn't like and
she said, oh, tara's never goingon that.
Like can you imagine likesomeone like Tara doing a trip
like that, as if?
(18:50):
And I was like, ah, that's it,that's right, challenge accepted
.
So I did.
And then ever since I've beenlike once, once you're at sea
with no, you can't, there's noWi-Fi or like phone plan in the
middle of the ocean, so likeyou're really cut off.
So even like when I wasplanning to go to the next
(19:12):
country on that trip, like Icouldn't really plan that much
because the only thing we hadaccess to was Wikipedia.
So you just kind of like landand have to find like a cafe
with internet and like a likeMyanmar or something and then
make your plans or you have tolike do it while you're
traveling the last country.
So anyway, after that I'm like,whatever I can do, anything
(19:33):
like that was, I did that likewhat's the next thing?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
oh, that's incredible .
Yeah, I love that.
I always love the idea of thatthe semester at sea.
I just get very seasick.
So, um, I'm glad you enjoyed itand um, like I said, I would
love to do it, but I know that Iwould just be terribly sick the
whole time.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Um, not do it.
You could do the same trip forlike a third of the price,
without semester at sea.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So which is totally fair, um, what?
So, of all the places that yougot to visit during that, what
was, what was the mostinteresting for you, or what was
sort of the, the one that youknow sticks in your memory the
most?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
um, I always say, like my first favorite was japan
, because I watch a lot of anime.
So when I was there, like I wasin kyoto and I watched a lot of
Kyoto animations, shows andthey, they do something called
rotoscoping, which is where theylike take a picture and then
trace it so they can have theback anime like Sure.
(20:36):
And so like I would be on thetrain and I would be like I know
this train, that was reallyexciting.
Or like my favorite show at thetime is the show called haiku.
It's a volleyball show and, um,they eat like meat buns after
practice and I was walking and Isaw like a meat bun stand and I
(20:57):
was like we have to eat there.
So that one I really liked.
But then my number two andnumber three are I liked Vietnam
and I actually really likedMyanmar, which is I'm really sad
about what's happening therenow.
But yeah, vietnam was greatbecause it's really cheap.
Massages and spa care, okay,okay, yeah, and I did a lot of
(21:20):
art tours in Vietnam.
So I think I like that.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Gotcha, okay, I've heard amazing things in Vietnam.
So I think I like that, gotcha,okay, I've heard amazing things
about Vietnam.
Um, like, my brother and hiswife went at one point and they
just had an amazing time, so, um, they recommended it.
I, uh, I also enjoy some animeand my son is very into anime as
well.
So, um, japan is definitely onhis list of places that he
(21:45):
really wants to go and visit.
And I, I mean, like I don'tknow a lot, I don't, but I, you
know, I used to.
I grew up watching Dragon Ballsand I always liked, like Sailor
Moon and stuff like that.
So, but anyway, yeah, so that'sdefinitely on our list, cause
(22:06):
he was like, and like he lovesPokemon, so, like, wants to go
see where all of this stuff isfrom and, um, yeah, I think it'd
be a lot of fun to take him atsome point too.
So that's on our list fortraveling.
Uh, so, so, with your, with yourstudies I don't know what's
(22:27):
sort of the having now livedsomewhere and you're back for
just a month, right, what?
What do you hope to take fromthat?
Obviously, the education thatyou got from there.
Um, but what are some of thethings you think you might be
maybe translating from, fromthat experience into what you
(22:50):
might want to do in the future,or, um, obviously you don't have
to have a plan that's the worstthing to ask somebody, I think
but I know what were some ofyour learnings just from from
being there.
Um, and what are you bringingback?
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Um, I really like being in an international
community.
Not everyone is great at likeinternational, like
cross-cultural, likecommunications and relationship
building, so I really it's morelike a soft skill that I learned
at that school and on semesterat sea, but I would really like
(23:25):
to be able in the future with mywork Like I work in
communication, so it seems likepossible but I love to help like
bridge countries together,especially as the world's
becoming more globalized.
But I'd really like to do thatalso in a really like thoughtful
and ethical manner, becausesomething more like academic I
(23:47):
studied is how globalizationlike affects um, like they they
like to say like central andperiphery states differently.
So, yeah, I would really liketo use my skills to benefit
everybody, I guess, and have alike more harmonious world, at
least my, my little part of it.
So, yeah, that's something I'dlike to do.
(24:09):
And then I would really like Ithink I lost my train of thought
, but I worked with kids when Iwas there, so I just really care
about young minds too, I guess.
And it's really interesting likehow kids are different in every
country and like they all havereally different struggles.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
So I don't know some.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Some part of me is thinking like maybe I should
work for a nonprofit like aglobal health organization or
something to like help kind ofremove some of the difficulties
that I see with kids all aroundthe world.
I don't know about that.
That's kind of very niche goalto move forward towards, but it
would be a really nice fit forme as well.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Sure, and I could see you working with kids too, like
I think you have.
You know, you have that energyand that spirit, and also you
know the fact that you can, youknow, talk up a storm about
K-pop and you know, like all theanime stuff they would be like
I'm hanging with her.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
This sounds great that happens all the time at
work.
Like I know the names of themembers of this band called TXT
and the kids are like really,and then we talk about TXT
forever.
There's this girl group, it'scalled New Jeans and they have a
song called Super Shy.
That was like super big.
I mean it's still really big,but like I know the dance to
(25:31):
Super Shy and when it comes itcomes on all the time.
So whenever it comes on, allthe like seven year old girls
are like dancing and I join themand they were like what?
Speaker 3 (25:45):
So cute, that's great .
So when you were in Korea andyou're going through your study
and you're going through theprocess of learning the language
and understanding the cultureand meeting friends and all of
that, was there anything thatwas for lack of a better term
was there anything that was likeah, I'm in the right spot, like
(26:07):
, was there any particularexperience that you were like
yep, this feels good?
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Yes, I think I would be remiss to talk about my
experience and not mention likemy closest like family friends.
I would say, now they're, myfriend calls me her my mom.
She's like, because my friendcalls me her my mom, she's like,
I'm your mom, tara, but she'sreally close to my age, but
anyway, yeah, so I worked atthis company called Carrot World
(26:34):
and they do like programmingfor kids, but just in English.
So if you're learning English,you can practice in a really
casual like environment, like wego to museums or we do crafts,
and they can practice englishwithout like doing memorization
study yeah it's like a soft,practical skill, kind of yeah,
(26:55):
um, but anyway, one of myco-workers was her name is putam
and her son is wani and theylike are such a safe, happy
place for me.
So, yeah, whenever, like, um,whatever, like we would be
together, I would feel likeeverything was fine and it's.
It's actually kind of funnybecause she started working at
(27:16):
my company like the same weekthat I met my now ex-boyfriend.
But, um, like, basically I metWani, the five-year-old who
loves me, and Jahun, myex-boyfriend, at the same time
and they would always becompeting.
So, like on white day, which islike kind of like valentine's
day, like Wani gave me chocolatefirst.
(27:38):
So I'm like Jahun, you betterget me chocolate, because Wani
and then like oh my gosh when acherry blossoms bloomed.
I happened to give a tour ofthis one park with wani, so we
saw them together first, and I'mlike you better see these with
me, jahoon.
And then um for my birthday.
Like I actually tutor wani onthat day, so like he gave me a
(27:59):
present and I'm like you betterhave a present plan for me,
jahoon.
He just would get eked out likea little bit by wani.
So, anyway, like I'm hopingthey'll come visit me in the us,
but I stayed with them like mylast week there.
So they were like a really likenice.
They like came to my graduation, um, her and her husband.
(28:20):
And also just a funny note myfavorite k-pop idol is kim
taehyung.
Like most people know thatabout me, but, um, her husband's
name, coincidentally, is alsokim taehyung, so like whenever
she would buy dinner she'd holdup his card and be like kim
taehyung is treating or like Iwas.
I was um texting my friend likeoh, don't worry, kim taehyung
(28:42):
is driving me to the airport andshe's like Kim Taehyung is
driving you to the airport andI'm like I wish that one, but no
, my friend, yeah, anyway.
And then I also have like someother good friends, like I have
like students from school likeBinnie and Eileen and yeah, like
I think, and even like when Iwas leaving I was saying goodbye
(29:04):
to all the cafe workers on mystreet, because I have like four
cafes that I like kind of gobetween.
Koreans drink three cups ofcoffee on average per day.
So I'm like drinking a lot ofcoffee and going to a lot of
cafes on there.
But they all like gave mepresents, like they were all sad
that I was leaving, like one ofthem even cried.
So I really felt like at homeon my street, I guess.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Yeah, I love that yeah, I even have a fishmonger.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Oh, because I live next to a really old style like
market and I would always buy myfish from him and like we took
a picture together, I'm like I'mleaving you Like no.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's great, like no that's this is not surprised me
at all that you would have justdeveloped these relationships
with people and made such animpact on them like you were.
You were just such a light, Imean even when.
I mean like we didn't even workin the same you know area or
department, but you were justalways such a light whenever we
got to to interact and it justit's.
(30:14):
For you to have built thoseconnections while you're there
is not surprising in the leastand just so wonderful to hear
too well, that's really nice.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
I like I felt really surprised actually when I was
leaving about like the peoplewho would be sad that I was
going.
But, um, yeah, I'm hoping, likeI was always like it's not my
last time there, like I willdefinitely go again, obviously.
And yeah, putum's always like,come back, you can stay in my
guest room, like yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
So how long were?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
you there?
How long was the entire stayfor you?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Like a little over two years.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Okay, wow, yeah, that's amazing.
I, I don't know, cheryl, youhaven't have you.
You've never gone anywhere doneany like traveling like that,
right?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
no, no not not anywhere, for you know, if it
was a week that was lot.
So that's two years is amazing.
Yeah, you know I applaud youbecause you really followed your
passion and you really went forit.
And you know, I did take asneak peek at your Instagram and
(31:26):
you did have a moment to kindof say, hey, I'm really proud of
myself.
So I think it's a lovely, it'sa lovely post.
So would you mind sharing witheverybody what you walked away
from, what you walked away withrather in terms of academics,
because I think it's reallyimpressive.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, I have my master's in Korean.
Well, it's technically calledKorean Studies, but, like my
branch of it was korean cultureand communications and with that
I can now speak conversationalkorean, which is like a huge
deal to me personally, becauseI've never had strong language
skills, like I always would getmy worst grades.
(32:08):
Like I tried to learn french Idon't know anything now in high
school and then I switched fromfrench because I was so bad at
it in college and took Spanishand I I remember like like
studying the hardest I've everstudied and getting like an A
minus, which is not like me.
So it was like really, reallyamazing for me personally to
learn Korean.
And then I also like I'm reallyproud of myself because I like
(32:32):
maintain two part time jobswhile I was working there, so I
didn't go into debt because ofit, which is like a really big
deal for me because I have a lotof financial anxiety.
So I'm really proud of myselffor that, because it was not
easy to do both at the same time.
Yeah, and I was able to learnfrom some like really amazing
(32:54):
professors.
Like some of them advise likethe president in Korea.
And then one of my professorsis amazing.
He's like one of Korea's onlyfive chess masters and he has
like a celebrity citizenshipthere and he has like a million
world records.
His linkedin isn't gosh.
(33:14):
So every semester I'm like Imust take a dr high on class,
like I need to learn from him.
So and um plus, I was able tomake like international friends
from like all different cornersof the world and just like in
general, I think it I'm prettyproud of myself because korea is
very homogenous.
So, like anytime I left thehouse I just looked completely
(33:36):
different from everyone and like, even if I'd been living on
that street longer than anybodyelse, like I well, not anybody,
but a lot of students live in myarea, so even if I've been
living here longer than them, Ilook like the odd one out.
So yeah, just like acclimating.
In those ways I was reallyproud of myself.
And yeah, and I'm also proud, Imade so many halabuchi friends
(33:59):
in the park.
That's grandpa, grandpa friends, because I live next to um this
like like memorial park, umlike uh, it's like donglimun
park and it has a like prison,like kind of like a like sad,
but like a korean concentrationcamp that the japanese had set
(34:19):
up when they invaded.
So, anyway, there's a lot of um, there's a lot of like older
korean people who frequent thatpark and like either kind of
reminisce on all of thedifferent wars that have been
fought in Korea or they becausealso like during the Korean War,
there were like different likefree kind of thinkers kept in
this prison.
(34:40):
So, yeah, there's a lot ofveterans there.
So, anyway, but my, my neighbortold me to just like smile at
all of them and bow, and so Idid, and then now they give me
free candy, which maybe Ishouldn't accept, but I'm still
glad we made friends.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
That's very sweet.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
That is so sweet.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
I love it.
I love it, oh my goodness.
So, Tara, when you returned tothe US, what was the first thing
you did?
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Well, that's a good question.
I mostly went straight to sleepBecause it's like 26 hours to
get from where I was staying inSeoul to my house I think like
18 of those.
So it was really exhausting.
(35:33):
But this time I'd actually beenhome for like a week for
christmas, so there wasn't likeanything that felt like really
pressing, like I have to havethis now I will say I really
missed mexican food, so mexicanfood was really high on the list
.
And also, um, like seeing mygrandma and seeing my best
(35:53):
friend here.
Well, one of them, her name isKim.
Actually, her first name is Kim, her last name is Kim.
So Kim Kim and she came to myhouse and we ended up both
falling asleep.
I was jet lagged and it wasafter her work week and she like
well.
So she just passed out and metoo.
I'm like neither of us couldwake up.
So yeah, I guess seeing a fewpeople.
(36:15):
But the last time I came home Iwas so sad because I wanted a
spicy chicken sandwich fromChick-fil-A like so unbelievably
bad, like I would be dreamingabout it.
But after spending like twoyears in Korea, the spicy
chicken sandwich is like not atall spicy to me.
I literally thought it was thenormal crispy sandwich and was
like this is the spicy one.
(36:36):
So anyway, it's ruined.
But yeah, that was the otherthing I was really craving.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
That's great.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Do you like the spice now Like, do you miss that from
being over there?
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, because right now I'm staying with my parents
because, like, I just moved homeand I'm looking for a fine
position, but neither of themreally eat spicy food and they
also don't really like pickledfood very much, which is kimchi
yeah, kimchi, but like they havemany types of kimchi.
So there's like the typicalcabbage one you're thinking of,
but, um, like I like a radishone a lot, and there's like a
(37:13):
green onion one, like there's somany, and there's like white
kimchi, red kimchi, like, etc.
And even their pickles are alot different.
It's like a bread and butterpickle, but, yeah, I really miss
pickled things and I reallymiss spicy things.
But it hasn't been too long andmy, my, my neighbor actually is
Korean, so like we'll eattogether a lot.
(37:35):
She really likes spicy food,but she, she's scared to give me
spicy food and I'm like, no,jen, I can do it now.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Oh, that's funny.
Oh, my goodness.
Um, so I'm curious, cause youwere talking about how there's
like a Valentine's Day.
That's over there.
What are some of the otherholidays or you know things that
you got to learn about orcelebrate while you were there
(38:01):
that were obviously differentfrom what we have in the United
States?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Yes, so they have like some cute ones like they
have.
They have Valentine's Day and Ican't remember exactly, but I
think it's like girls give boyschocolate on Valentine's Day I
made my ex-boyfriend chocolate,I just can't remember which day
it was but and the girls usuallymake it.
Then a month later, on March14th, the boys reciprocate and
(38:29):
they give white chocolate,usually, or like a gummy fruity
thing, to the girls, if theydon't make it, because they're
losers.
And then another month later,april 14th, they have black day
and there's this korean noodledish called jajangmyeon and it's
made with um, like black bean,kind of like okay, kind of like
(38:50):
very creamy.
Lo mein is the best thing I cancompare it to.
Okay, but it's black.
And so the single people cryand eat jajangmyeon alone on
that day.
Okay, got it.
We hadn't broken up by thatpoint, but I did eat jajangmyeon
that day because it's like thebig thing to do sure.
And then there's a, there's asnack, it's called pepero, and
(39:12):
they and they're like like Pocky, pocky, pocky sticks, oh sure.
Yep, yep, yeah.
And on 11-11, it's Pepero Day,because it looks like four
little Pepero sticks and yeah,my friend gave me Pepero and I
remember being like, well, I sawthe Pepero on sale today.
Like every convenience storehad like and like get this and
(39:34):
like big gift sets, but yeah,and then then they have
something called two sock andit's like Korean Thanksgiving
and you go home and usually youlike it's it's for the
veneration of your likeancestors, sometimes like
Christian families if they'relike monotheistic, because it's
(39:56):
a little Koreans.
Korea has a culture ofmultiplicity with religion.
So even if you think of it as amonotheistic religion, they
might practice like a few, butChristians tend to not want to
do that.
So, anyway, it's debatable ifit's secular or not like, but
regardless, um, the they havethis thanksgiving day and they
(40:18):
eat like some typical culturalfoods.
So I got to have that with oneof my friends, um, her name's
atira and she lives in a hanuk,so that was like a traditional
house, so that was really cool.
And then, um, also they have anew, it's called solal and it's
a new year's celebration, andthen I didn't really participate
(40:39):
in that one because I don'thave any.
That that's when they bow totheir grandparents and get money
and I don't have anygrandparents in korea, gotcha,
yeah.
But last one was actuallybuddha's birthday, which I went
to the the lantern celebrationfor buddha's birthday they have
like a parade, so yeah, anyway,there's a lot of cool,
interesting holidays there yeah,I just I find that stuff
(41:01):
amazing and fascinating, and tobe able to take part in that and
be a part of that while you'reliving in that is just
incredible yeah, I really theswere amazing.
Like it was really cool to seethem walking down the street and
all that.
The Korean traditional outfitis called a hanok.
Okay, oh, my gosh, I'm sorrythat's the house Hanbok.
(41:22):
Anyway, it was really coolbecause they all wear their
hanboks and hold their lanterns,so that that holiday was really
excellent to see.
And actually the second year Iwas there I forgot it was
Buddha's birthday.
And where I go hiking I usuallyhike through like a temple,
because temples are usuallyreally high on the mountain.
So I accidentally went to likea really big ceremony with like
(41:46):
singing and incense and I'm like, let me get out.
I don't mean to interrupt, butyeah.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Oh man, that's funny what an amazing experience you
had.
I mean, it's I don't know.
I hope you can find a way tokind of like decompress and
really reflect on the time,because it's, you know, we've
obviously asked you a fewquestions, but you know, two
years is a long time to beanywhere and to experience such,
(42:19):
you know, such a differentculture from, from the United
States and everything like that.
It's, and it sounds like thethings that you participated in
were absolutely beautiful and Ilove that you had all these
great experiences with peoplefrom all different ages and it's
just, yeah, it just it justsounds like such, it's such a
(42:42):
great vibe.
It just, it's just a beautifulthing that you've done.
And I guess I'm going to handit over to Eileen, because
Eileen has a famous questionthat she asks all of our guests,
because you've had quite anexperience and you're kind of
coming back, you know, to yourhometown and figuring out some
(43:05):
of the things.
So, eileen, why don't you goahead?
Speaker 2 (43:07):
and ask your famous question.
Yeah, so you know, we kind oftalked a little bit just in
terms of what you're bringingback and you know what you're
thinking about wanting to kindof do with that.
But so this is happening.
Right, it's a statement that wemake.
I make more specifically when Ihave fully committed in my
(43:32):
heart to knowing that somethingis going to exist in this world.
Right, it's a podcast, it's thebook that I wrote.
Like, I just know that,whatever it is, I have made this
determination that something isgoing to be happening in my
life.
Um, whether from thisexperience or just how, now
being back, being back, is thereanything that you're feeling
(43:56):
like is on your heart, that youknow that this is going to be
happening anytime in the nearfuture, long future, any of that
, but this is happening for Tara.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
That's a good question, because I feel so like
adrift right now.
I've had like such a clear goalthat I was working towards and
now I've graduated and completedit, but it's maybe it doesn't
sound like a big goal for now,but I have two kind of two kind
of small goals other than, like,getting a job and maybe being
(44:30):
married one day or something.
But, um, the small interim onesthat I feel kind of more
control over, I really want togo on.
Well, I want to take my mom ona trip in canada.
It's a, it's a train and youdon't sleep on it, it's a
sightseeing train, but it goesfrom um, uh, I, literally it
(44:51):
goes from banff to vancouver andit looks amazing.
It's very expensive to go on it, but, um, that is like one of
that's dream.
Number one is to go on thistrain, like and see.
You get to see, like thecanadian wilderness and if you
go the right time of year, youcan see salmon migrating and
(45:11):
yeah, it looks gorgeous.
So I would really like to dothat.
And my other goal where I'm likethis is happening is, um, my
poor father.
He picked me up in Germany whenI finished semester at sea and,
like, if you know my dad, he'slike Italian American, like,
trust me, he has no interest ingoing to Germany.
Like he is, like he knows whathe likes and it's it's Italy and
(45:37):
here.
So anyway, and then he came andvisited me in Korea.
So I'm really grateful for himand I really want to take him to
Italy.
So as soon as I get a job, I'mmaking the savings account and,
like I will be taking him.
Like he has done too many stupidtrips he doesn't want to go
Well, he loved it, but liketrips he doesn't really want to
(45:57):
go on.
So I'd like to on one he likethat's been like a lifelong
dream of his, especially causemy grandparents both immigrated
from Italy when they were likekids.
So I guess maybe their theirparents did, but anyway they
lived like like my grandpa was atailor and had eight kids, so
(46:17):
no money, and it's like amiracle that my dad like was
able to work and study and getto the position he is now.
But like for any of them to beable to travel internationally
like based on their upcomings,like any of his siblings, it
would be really incredible.
So I really want to take him.
Yeah, he probably doesn't needme to pay for him.
He could, he could definitelypay for it himself, but I want
(46:38):
to do it.
It's like.
It's like the, the, theprinciple, so yeah, that's
happening that's lovely, that'sreally.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Those are big, I mean those are big, that's not small
no, not that they have to bebig, but those are big, yeah.
Or for people, maybe for somepeople that don't move all the
way to South Korea, but thoseare big.
Learn a language.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
Right, true, that's true.
Thousands of dollars, likecompared to.
I had to stay for my tuition soit was like a lot more, but
yeah, anyway, it's smallcompared to moving somewhere.
I guess that's fair.
Yeah, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
I've heard.
So I'm.
I live in Washington state andhave been to Vancouver, love it
dearly.
I've heard Banff is justamazing, so I can't wait to see
pictures and things of that triphappening and it sounds like
something my son would be veryinterested in because he loves
trains, so I might have to checkthat out.
Speaker 1 (47:37):
Or if you want to send me some stuff on that, I
would love to see that, becausethat sounds amazing.
There's a lot of options,because the one I'm thinking of
is like a two day trip, but youcould also do like much shorter
trips for less for less.
But the reason why it's veryexpensive is there's this like
gold, platinum member orsomething like that, and they
give you little canapes and likefree drinks and like really
fancy.
So, yeah, that's why I'm likeit has to be that one, like
(47:59):
we're going.
So I'm like oh, I need a job soI can pay for this, so we can
go.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
That's so wonderful.
Oh my goodness, tara, how dopeople connect with you?
How can people connect with you?
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Oh yeah, my Instagram is probably the best way,
although if you're Korean andyou're listening, you could
connect with me on Kakao.
I'm Tara Siena, with no spaceon Kakao, but then on Instagram
I'm Tara Gracie Lacey.
My middle name is Grace andthat's what my dad calls me Tara
(48:34):
Grace Lacey.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
Lovely.
All right, everyone.
I can't believe we're at thehour with this, but, tara, it
was a pleasure and I'm so gladwe had the opportunity to catch
up.
We wish you continued successand travel adventures, and may
the world be your oyster,because you have done so many
things and we're, you know, aswork alumni, as you and Eileen
(49:02):
are work alumni, I'm super proudof you, folks.
This concludes our episode ofyou Only Go Once.
On behalf of my lovely co-host,eileen Grimes and myself, enjoy
your evening and we'll talk toyou soon.
Take care Bye.
Hello, I'm Tara Ciano .
I hope when you look back atyour life, you have the chance
to experience another culture,because you only go once.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello friends, welcome to another episode of
you Only Go Once.
I am Aileen Grimes and I amhere with my amazing and
wonderful friend and co-host,cheryl Cantafio, this podcast.
We explore stories around thelimited time we have on this
earth to create a fully layeredlife, and we are so excited to
(00:34):
have the guest we have ontonight.
I just can't wait.
I have so many questions, but Iwill let Cheryl introduce
before we jump in.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Cheryl, to you.
Thanks, eileen.
Tara Siano is a recent graduateof Yonsei Graduate School of
International Studies, with amaster's degree in Korean
culture and communications.
While studying in Seoul, southKorea, she focused on Hallyu 2.0
, also known as the digitalspread of Korean media, along
(01:02):
with East Asian communicationstrategies and technologies.
Currently, tara has relocatedback to the United States and
has a communications specialistposition at Guided Wealth
Management, handling externalcommunications.
Everybody, please, welcome TaraSiano.
Tara, it's so good to have youhere again.
Welcome back, oh, my goodness.
(01:25):
So just for the audience'sknowledge, eileen, tara and I
used to Korea to get her degree.
So, tara, what was the impetusbehind your interests with
(01:50):
Korean culture andcommunications?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Everyone always asks but it's like really long and
deep.
So I'll tell you kind of likethe quick version.
But basically ever since I wasreally young I was really
interested in like East Asiancultures.
Like I remember like ageappropriate things, like I
really liked anime from Japanand I learned a lot about
Chinese tea ceremony my mom andI used to go and and things like
(02:15):
that.
So just from when I was young Ihad like the like interest and
even like in high school I wouldwrite papers about like the
Chinese Civil War instead oflike what my other classmates
are studying, like American Warsand things it just always.
And then I kept liking thingslike like I love K-pop.
Most people know that about mewithin like five minutes of
(02:38):
meeting me.
But I also went to acommunications conference in
Chicago when I was in undergradand while I was there I listened
to the Korean AmericanCommunications Association's
presentations and they had a lotof different Korean scholars
presenting and they just seemedlike really far ahead of the
(02:59):
American presenters, I felt.
And actually Korea has a higherliteracy rate and a higher
Wi-Fi accessibility rate thanthe US and their people are much
more adaptive to newtechnologies.
So because of that they tend tolike.
When LinkedIn drops a newpossibility on the platform,
maybe, like they tried Reels fora little bit, koreans will use
(03:22):
that immediately.
They'll just go for it, but alot of American businesses will
hold back and wait to see whatother people do.
So I think it's it lends itselfto studying these technologies
better.
And anyway, when I wrote mythesis in undergrad, all of the
professors of research I waspulling.
They were all Korean names.
(03:43):
So I was was like it seems likethis is the best place to go to
study.
Plus I love k-pop, plus asianlanguages.
Uh, like hangul is the easiestto learn that the korean letter
writing system.
So I decided to learn that onebecause I didn't want to have to
learn katakana or like Mandarin, like it was too difficult.
(04:04):
It's really easy so,comparatively.
So that's why I picked Korea.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
That's amazing.
So how long ago was it that youcame back?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I only came back like a little less than a month ago.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Wow, wow, wow, and we were talking a little bit
before the before we startedrecording.
But what, what has that beenlike?
I mean, what was it like to gothere and transition, and then
what's it been like then totransition back?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
So when I first went, it was COVID and they had a
like, if you, if you enter thecountry, there's a mandatory.
It was two weeks when I wassigning up to go, but it changed
to 10 days like a week before Iwent.
So I had like 10 days ofquarantine in like an Airbnb and
then, um, I was supposed to goright to Seoul, but instead I
(04:53):
ended up um having like threeextra days, and Incheon is the
city that you fly into and um,first of all, I had to like get
in a taxi, um in quarantine, togo to like a COVID testing site.
I also couldn't get any foodbecause I thought it would be
(05:14):
easy, but it wasn't.
So my neighbor at home isKorean and she had to like send
food for me to my Airbnb so Iwouldn't starve.
Oh, wow.
Oh my goodness, my Airbnb so Iwouldn't starve.
I had to find a way to likehail a taxi when I'm not allowed
to leave my house except for myCOVID check-in.
So it was really scary.
And then the first day I wasallowed to leave I was like
(05:35):
scared to even buy anythingbecause I just was anxious at
that point.
Like what if I try to buy likethis Onigiri or well, it's not
Onigiri in Korea, it's SamgakKimbab.
It's like a rice triangle, likeI want the rice triangle for
lunch.
And I was like what if my carddeclines and I have no money in
Korea?
Like I don't even want to knowif that happens, like I'm not
going to buy it because I don'twant to know.
(05:56):
I don't want to know yet ifthere's a problem.
So it was really stressful.
And then the next three weeks Ilived in a new Airbnb while I
was apartment hunting, but thistime in Seoul.
And like, when I entered thecity I drove through this area
called Hongdae, which now I love.
It's like my favorite part inKorea and like I would go there
(06:17):
every weekend to have fun withmy friends.
But it's like a really busykind of nightlife area and
there's like this main roadthat's really fast, and I just
saw so many people outside andall these like stalls selling
like hair accessories and Idon't know like other tchotchkes
, and I was like so stressed outI couldn't leave like 24 hours.
(06:42):
But then, well, actually I won'tsay it was so great at first,
like I remember there's this onerestaurant and every time I
pass it I remember sitting inthere and crying because they
play a lot of like slow TroyeSivan songs.
I would always just like loseit.
But eventually I found anapartment and then I found like
a church and I met my bestfriend from Korea.
(07:04):
Her name is Emma, she'sactually from the Netherlands
and like yeah, we met reallyearly on and so like ever since
we've just done everythingtogether like she's the best.
So, yeah, mostly because of her.
Actually, we always tell eachother like if it wasn't for you,
I would have left, but we werelike close right off the bat.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It's amazing how those relationships can
definitely make a difference.
I've said that to Cheryl abouta lot of things before, but
really having those socialsupports is incredibly helpful
and when you don't have, I meannot the same obviously.
But you know, I have moved manytimes, even, you know, in
(07:47):
adulthood, and you know living,lived in Washington for a while
and then moved down to SanFrancisco Bay area and then
moved over to Philadelphia,pennsylvania, and like to uproot
yourself, right and no, nobodyis already a huge thing to do,
let alone with a very newlanguage and you know cultural
(08:10):
differences and things like that.
Like that's a huge shock to thesystem and I now, having
understood more sensory things,like to have all of that input
that you're seeing right asyou're in this.
Like that's a a lot to dealwith and that's just a lot to
even try to like process what'shappening.
I would have also probably juststayed inside I needed, like I
(08:31):
needed a reset.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I was like there's a lot of you know, also like neon
signs and like, like, likekorea's very built um, like
vertically.
So sure really tall buildingswith like many stores going up,
so it's like layered, so you'resitting in one place, but it's
like a whole like town aroundyou, just on one block corner.
(08:53):
So yeah, it was intimidating atfirst but I love it now like
it's my favorite, and my familyactually visited and they had me
as their guide so they loved.
Like they they're kind ofrebranding the area it's called
the red road and it's alwaysbeen a red road that you can
walk down and go to all the likelittle Hongdae shops and the
(09:14):
karaoke rooms and stuff likethat.
But yeah, my family, like theyloved going out on the red road
and like going shopping andseeing everything and getting
street food.
So yeah, I highly hongdae areabut okay, it was scary at first
yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Did you find it more difficult to write in korean
versus speak in korean, or wasit the reverse?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
the reverse.
It's so easy to write actuallyokay, writing in Writing in
Korean is very easy.
Reading in Korean is very easyI mean spelling aside when I
forget how to spell words.
Sure, even speaking is not sobad, because Hangul is sometimes
on lists of some of humanity'sbest inventions because of how
(10:03):
fast the literacy rate improvedin korea after its invention.
And the reason why it's soawesome is because the letters
are shaped like the way thatyour mouth is shaped when you
make the sound.
Oh yeah, so um, like the m iskind of a square, because your
like lips make almost a squareshape when you make a sound.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
And yeah, so on and so forth.
The N sound is like Nian.
It's like your tongue kind oftouches the top of your teeth
when you make that sound.
So it's shaped this way andyeah, anyway, it's really
interesting, so it's really easyto pronounce it.
There's like people who say youcan learn how to speak Korean
out loud within like fiveminutes because it's really fast
(10:48):
to learn the letters, but thelistening is impossible for me.
Like, even taxi drivers try totalk to me and I'm like, can you
say that again?
Like, or I say like slow, Ineed you to slow down.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, I mean it's.
I just just that's what anyonelearning learning English Like.
I can't even imagine that beinga second language to come into
and try to get.
I don't even understand thecomplexities of it.
Sometimes, luckily, like beinga native speaker obviously has
put me at an advantage for that.
(11:23):
But I mean, if you which, whichis which, like that's just mean
Sure, so mean Yep, right, andthere's a lot of beauty with it
too.
But geez, louise, it is.
It is a complex one to learn.
So, yeah, I just and it's suchan amazing gift to be able to
(11:44):
speak multiple languages Did yougo so when you were going over
there?
Did you go through a program tolearn the language?
Or how?
How did you sort of approachthat?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
with um.
Okay, there's like a programcalled topic guide and I'm gonna
be honest with you, it was kindof a bad omen, but I did really
poorly on my topic.
Is that it's test ofproficiency in korean t-o-p-i-k.
Oh, okay, okay, um, I took mytopic exam before I went and I
did not do well.
I really, um, like I kind of Ilike I've never experienced like
choking during a test before,kind of you see someone freezes
(12:31):
and their hand is just shaking,but that really happened to me,
like, so I did do well on thattest, but anyway I was.
I felt like I could read someand it's true, even when I first
landed, I would be in theconvenience store and I knew the
food at the convenience storebased on the wrapper, what type
(12:53):
of flavor it was, or somethinglike that.
Sure, or I'm going down thestreet and I'm like that's a
pharmacy, that's a grocery store.
I could read enough to get byand I could say hello and thank
you and things, but I couldn't.
It was like survival, korean,not conversation.
For my major you have to get tothe topic scores out of seven,
(13:15):
so you have to get to four tograduate.
So I got to four, but I stoppedstudying my last semester
because it's hard to like do mygraduate research and learn
korean at the same time and alsolike have a job.
So I am not destitute.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I was like I have to pause small things, yeah yeah, I
would imagine, as you know, weworked with, um uh, folks from
Japan and it was alwaysinteresting to see them pause
and then answer a question,because we would ask a question
in English and how it wasexplained to me was they would
(13:56):
hear it in their language andthen they would translate it
into English and then they wouldsay it.
You know, they would give theanswer in English.
There was always like a smalldelay for people just coming
over to the United States and I,I would imagine it's the same
way.
Right, you're translating.
(14:16):
You know you're hearingsomething in Korean and you're
like what does that mean?
And you're you're translatingthat in your native language and
then you've got to respond inKorean and it's probably like I
mean, I know, and this is such alame story, but I was in Paris
for like five days and I feltlike it felt very claustrophobic
(14:40):
to me initially becauseeverybody spoke French and I
massacred the language, but Istill tried to do it.
But I remember being on theirMetro and somebody was speaking
English and I thought, oh, saymore, please say more, because
you miss it.
Like there's sometimes whereyou miss it.
Did you have those momentswhere you missed hearing um.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
You know your own language there's kind of like a
phenomenon that happens where,like when you first move there,
like you hear other englishspeakers and you're like a
possible friend and you getreally excited but, then it's
not just me.
It's like a, like apsychological thing where, like
immigrants if you count me as animmigrant, I'm like a student
(15:24):
visa holder, but you know what Imean they tend to start
avoiding people of their ownkind once they feel like they've
acclimated to the culture.
So by the end, if I heardEnglish, I was like they better
not be looking at me, like I donot want to help them get
wherever they're going.
Interesting, yeah, yeah, my day.
But it's like, um, kind of likea, a survivalist thing where
(15:47):
you're trying to fit in and also, um, it goes in with that idea,
like, if you've sufferedsomething, you're not empathetic
to those who are going throughthe same thing as you, because
you're like I got out on my own,like you figure it out anyway.
But yeah, at first I would hearenglish and I would really want
to go talk to those people, butthey would like avoid me and
(16:09):
then I think I probably ended upthat same.
I really tried not to be, butlike, sometimes I would be like
no, I'm really trying to getsomewhere, like I'm not on
vacation, yeah, right right, soit would just depend but like um
, there are like more touristareas in seoul.
And if I was there and there arelike more touristy areas in
Seoul, and if I was there andthere were like girls next to me
like talking about their trip,I'd be like you have to go to
(16:31):
this place and like my favoritespots.
So it just would, I think, moredepend on like what I was doing
.
If I'm like trying to go towork, it's one thing, but if I'm
hanging out at a cafe with myfriend, then I'm more excited to
talk to new people.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Sure, yeah, sure.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
That makes sense.
Did you always have the I don'tknow, I mean like to go you
went by yourself, right, youdidn't know anybody there.
Have you always sort of hadthat independent mindset streak
of like wanting to do thingslike I mean like that takes a
lot of courage to to go outsomewhere completely new by
(17:09):
yourself and explore this wholeother new place?
Has that, has that been sort ofa lifelong thing for you?
Or like what got you to evenbeing able to feel like you were
ready to go do something likethat?
Speaker 1 (17:27):
able to feel like you were ready to go do something
like that.
Actually, when I was in likehigh school, I went to summer
camp for like a week and I'venever had a migraine before or
since.
But I was so stressed out thatlike I thought my head was
splitting apart and I could onlylike lay on my mom's lap and
cry.
I was really scared to go tosummer camp.
But this summer camp theypurposely like want a lot of
surprises so they don't tell youmuch about what you're doing.
(17:47):
But my mom had been at thecampus like a like a adult guest
once.
So she told me like ABC, likeexactly what would happen each
night and I I ended up going.
But yeah, I was like never oneeven like vacation.
I was like, can we not stayhome?
But then in college I reallywanted a study abroad experience
(18:08):
and my friend Lisa had donethis thing called semester at
sea and it's where, if you'vewatched like Suite Life on deck,
it's just like that where whenwe're at sea we study and then
when we're in a port we can likeexplore a new country.
In a port we can like explore anew country, and I didn't know
(18:29):
anybody on that trip andactually I was really scared,
like even for like a week I waslike really anxious and shaking
like whenever I like just justpaying for it that week, give
them the money.
I was like really freaking out.
But there was this girl incollege who I didn't like and
she said, oh, tara's never goingon that.
Like can you imagine likesomeone like Tara doing a trip
like that, as if?
(18:50):
And I was like, ah, that's it,that's right, challenge accepted
.
So I did.
And then ever since I've beenlike once, once you're at sea
with no, you can't, there's noWi-Fi or like phone plan in the
middle of the ocean, so likeyou're really cut off.
So even like when I wasplanning to go to the next
(19:12):
country on that trip, like Icouldn't really plan that much
because the only thing we hadaccess to was Wikipedia.
So you just kind of like landand have to find like a cafe
with internet and like a likeMyanmar or something and then
make your plans or you have tolike do it while you're
traveling the last country.
So anyway, after that I'm like,whatever I can do, anything
(19:33):
like that was, I did that likewhat's the next thing?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
oh, that's incredible .
Yeah, I love that.
I always love the idea of thatthe semester at sea.
I just get very seasick.
So, um, I'm glad you enjoyed itand um, like I said, I would
love to do it, but I know that Iwould just be terribly sick the
whole time.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Um, not do it.
You could do the same trip forlike a third of the price,
without semester at sea.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So which is totally fair, um, what?
So, of all the places that yougot to visit during that, what
was, what was the mostinteresting for you, or what was
sort of the, the one that youknow sticks in your memory the
most?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
um, I always say, like my first favorite was japan
, because I watch a lot of anime.
So when I was there, like I wasin kyoto and I watched a lot of
Kyoto animations, shows andthey, they do something called
rotoscoping, which is where theylike take a picture and then
trace it so they can have theback anime like Sure.
(20:36):
And so like I would be on thetrain and I would be like I know
this train, that was reallyexciting.
Or like my favorite show at thetime is the show called haiku.
It's a volleyball show and, um,they eat like meat buns after
practice and I was walking and Isaw like a meat bun stand and I
(20:57):
was like we have to eat there.
So that one I really liked.
But then my number two andnumber three are I liked Vietnam
and I actually really likedMyanmar, which is I'm really sad
about what's happening therenow.
But yeah, vietnam was greatbecause it's really cheap.
Massages and spa care, okay,okay, yeah, and I did a lot of
(21:20):
art tours in Vietnam.
So I think I like that.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Gotcha, okay, I've heard amazing things in Vietnam.
So I think I like that, gotcha,okay, I've heard amazing things
about Vietnam.
Um, like, my brother and hiswife went at one point and they
just had an amazing time, so, um, they recommended it.
I, uh, I also enjoy some animeand my son is very into anime as
well.
So, um, japan is definitely onhis list of places that he
(21:45):
really wants to go and visit.
And I, I mean, like I don'tknow a lot, I don't, but I, you
know, I used to.
I grew up watching Dragon Ballsand I always liked, like Sailor
Moon and stuff like that.
So, but anyway, yeah, so that'sdefinitely on our list, cause
(22:06):
he was like, and like he lovesPokemon, so, like, wants to go
see where all of this stuff isfrom and, um, yeah, I think it'd
be a lot of fun to take him atsome point too.
So that's on our list fortraveling.
Uh, so, so, with your, with yourstudies I don't know what's
(22:27):
sort of the having now livedsomewhere and you're back for
just a month, right, what?
What do you hope to take fromthat?
Obviously, the education thatyou got from there.
Um, but what are some of thethings you think you might be
maybe translating from, fromthat experience into what you
(22:50):
might want to do in the future,or, um, obviously you don't have
to have a plan that's the worstthing to ask somebody, I think
but I know what were some ofyour learnings just from from
being there.
Um, and what are you bringingback?
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Um, I really like being in an international
community.
Not everyone is great at likeinternational, like
cross-cultural, likecommunications and relationship
building, so I really it's morelike a soft skill that I learned
at that school and on semesterat sea, but I would really like
(23:25):
to be able in the future with mywork Like I work in
communication, so it seems likepossible but I love to help like
bridge countries together,especially as the world's
becoming more globalized.
But I'd really like to do thatalso in a really like thoughtful
and ethical manner, becausesomething more like academic I
(23:47):
studied is how globalizationlike affects um, like they they
like to say like central andperiphery states differently.
So, yeah, I would really liketo use my skills to benefit
everybody, I guess, and have alike more harmonious world, at
least my, my little part of it.
So, yeah, that's something I'dlike to do.
(24:09):
And then I would really like Ithink I lost my train of thought
, but I worked with kids when Iwas there, so I just really care
about young minds too, I guess.
And it's really interesting likehow kids are different in every
country and like they all havereally different struggles.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
So I don't know some.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Some part of me is thinking like maybe I should
work for a nonprofit like aglobal health organization or
something to like help kind ofremove some of the difficulties
that I see with kids all aroundthe world.
I don't know about that.
That's kind of very niche goalto move forward towards, but it
would be a really nice fit forme as well.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Sure, and I could see you working with kids too, like
I think you have.
You know, you have that energyand that spirit, and also you
know the fact that you can, youknow, talk up a storm about
K-pop and you know, like all theanime stuff they would be like
I'm hanging with her.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
This sounds great that happens all the time at
work.
Like I know the names of themembers of this band called TXT
and the kids are like really,and then we talk about TXT
forever.
There's this girl group, it'scalled New Jeans and they have a
song called Super Shy.
That was like super big.
I mean it's still really big,but like I know the dance to
(25:31):
Super Shy and when it comes itcomes on all the time.
So whenever it comes on, allthe like seven year old girls
are like dancing and I join themand they were like what?
Speaker 3 (25:45):
So cute, that's great .
So when you were in Korea andyou're going through your study
and you're going through theprocess of learning the language
and understanding the cultureand meeting friends and all of
that, was there anything thatwas for lack of a better term
was there anything that was likeah, I'm in the right spot, like
(26:07):
, was there any particularexperience that you were like
yep, this feels good?
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Yes, I think I would be remiss to talk about my
experience and not mention likemy closest like family friends.
I would say, now they're, myfriend calls me her my mom.
She's like, because my friendcalls me her my mom, she's like,
I'm your mom, tara, but she'sreally close to my age, but
anyway, yeah, so I worked atthis company called Carrot World
(26:34):
and they do like programmingfor kids, but just in English.
So if you're learning English,you can practice in a really
casual like environment, like wego to museums or we do crafts,
and they can practice englishwithout like doing memorization
study yeah it's like a soft,practical skill, kind of yeah,
(26:55):
um, but anyway, one of myco-workers was her name is putam
and her son is wani and theylike are such a safe, happy
place for me.
So, yeah, whenever, like, um,whatever, like we would be
together, I would feel likeeverything was fine and it's.
It's actually kind of funnybecause she started working at
(27:16):
my company like the same weekthat I met my now ex-boyfriend.
But, um, like, basically I metWani, the five-year-old who
loves me, and Jahun, myex-boyfriend, at the same time
and they would always becompeting.
So, like on white day, which islike kind of like valentine's
day, like Wani gave me chocolatefirst.
(27:38):
So I'm like Jahun, you betterget me chocolate, because Wani
and then like oh my gosh when acherry blossoms bloomed.
I happened to give a tour ofthis one park with wani, so we
saw them together first, and I'mlike you better see these with
me, jahoon.
And then um for my birthday.
Like I actually tutor wani onthat day, so like he gave me a
(27:59):
present and I'm like you betterhave a present plan for me,
jahoon.
He just would get eked out likea little bit by wani.
So, anyway, like I'm hopingthey'll come visit me in the us,
but I stayed with them like mylast week there.
So they were like a really likenice.
They like came to my graduation, um, her and her husband.
(28:20):
And also just a funny note myfavorite k-pop idol is kim
taehyung.
Like most people know thatabout me, but, um, her husband's
name, coincidentally, is alsokim taehyung, so like whenever
she would buy dinner she'd holdup his card and be like kim
taehyung is treating or like Iwas.
I was um texting my friend likeoh, don't worry, kim taehyung
(28:42):
is driving me to the airport andshe's like Kim Taehyung is
driving you to the airport andI'm like I wish that one, but no
, my friend, yeah, anyway.
And then I also have like someother good friends, like I have
like students from school likeBinnie and Eileen and yeah, like
I think, and even like when Iwas leaving I was saying goodbye
(29:04):
to all the cafe workers on mystreet, because I have like four
cafes that I like kind of gobetween.
Koreans drink three cups ofcoffee on average per day.
So I'm like drinking a lot ofcoffee and going to a lot of
cafes on there.
But they all like gave mepresents, like they were all sad
that I was leaving, like one ofthem even cried.
So I really felt like at homeon my street, I guess.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Yeah, I love that yeah, I even have a fishmonger.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Oh, because I live next to a really old style like
market and I would always buy myfish from him and like we took
a picture together, I'm like I'mleaving you Like no.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's great, like no that's this is not surprised me
at all that you would have justdeveloped these relationships
with people and made such animpact on them like you were.
You were just such a light, Imean even when.
I mean like we didn't even workin the same you know area or
department, but you were justalways such a light whenever we
got to to interact and it justit's.
(30:14):
For you to have built thoseconnections while you're there
is not surprising in the leastand just so wonderful to hear
too well, that's really nice.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
I like I felt really surprised actually when I was
leaving about like the peoplewho would be sad that I was
going.
But, um, yeah, I'm hoping, likeI was always like it's not my
last time there, like I willdefinitely go again, obviously.
And yeah, putum's always like,come back, you can stay in my
guest room, like yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
So how long were?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
you there?
How long was the entire stayfor you?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Like a little over two years.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Okay, wow, yeah, that's amazing.
I, I don't know, cheryl, youhaven't have you.
You've never gone anywhere doneany like traveling like that,
right?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
no, no not not anywhere, for you know, if it
was a week that was lot.
So that's two years is amazing.
Yeah, you know I applaud youbecause you really followed your
passion and you really went forit.
And you know, I did take asneak peek at your Instagram and
(31:26):
you did have a moment to kindof say, hey, I'm really proud of
myself.
So I think it's a lovely, it'sa lovely post.
So would you mind sharing witheverybody what you walked away
from, what you walked away withrather in terms of academics,
because I think it's reallyimpressive.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, I have my master's in Korean.
Well, it's technically calledKorean Studies, but, like my
branch of it was korean cultureand communications and with that
I can now speak conversationalkorean, which is like a huge
deal to me personally, becauseI've never had strong language
skills, like I always would getmy worst grades.
(32:08):
Like I tried to learn french Idon't know anything now in high
school and then I switched fromfrench because I was so bad at
it in college and took Spanishand I I remember like like
studying the hardest I've everstudied and getting like an A
minus, which is not like me.
So it was like really, reallyamazing for me personally to
learn Korean.
And then I also like I'm reallyproud of myself because I like
(32:32):
maintain two part time jobswhile I was working there, so I
didn't go into debt because ofit, which is like a really big
deal for me because I have a lotof financial anxiety.
So I'm really proud of myselffor that, because it was not
easy to do both at the same time.
Yeah, and I was able to learnfrom some like really amazing
(32:54):
professors.
Like some of them advise likethe president in Korea.
And then one of my professorsis amazing.
He's like one of Korea's onlyfive chess masters and he has
like a celebrity citizenshipthere and he has like a million
world records.
His linkedin isn't gosh.
(33:14):
So every semester I'm like Imust take a dr high on class,
like I need to learn from him.
So and um plus, I was able tomake like international friends
from like all different cornersof the world and just like in
general, I think it I'm prettyproud of myself because korea is
very homogenous.
So, like anytime I left thehouse I just looked completely
(33:36):
different from everyone and like, even if I'd been living on
that street longer than anybodyelse, like I well, not anybody,
but a lot of students live in myarea, so even if I've been
living here longer than them, Ilook like the odd one out.
So yeah, just like acclimating.
In those ways I was reallyproud of myself.
And yeah, and I'm also proud, Imade so many halabuchi friends
(33:59):
in the park.
That's grandpa, grandpa friends, because I live next to um this
like like memorial park, umlike uh, it's like donglimun
park and it has a like prison,like kind of like a like sad,
but like a korean concentrationcamp that the japanese had set
(34:19):
up when they invaded.
So, anyway, there's a lot of um, there's a lot of like older
korean people who frequent thatpark and like either kind of
reminisce on all of thedifferent wars that have been
fought in Korea or they becausealso like during the Korean War,
there were like different likefree kind of thinkers kept in
this prison.
(34:40):
So, yeah, there's a lot ofveterans there.
So, anyway, but my, my neighbortold me to just like smile at
all of them and bow, and so Idid, and then now they give me
free candy, which maybe Ishouldn't accept, but I'm still
glad we made friends.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
That's very sweet.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
That is so sweet.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
I love it.
I love it, oh my goodness.
So, Tara, when you returned tothe US, what was the first thing
you did?
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Well, that's a good question.
I mostly went straight to sleepBecause it's like 26 hours to
get from where I was staying inSeoul to my house I think like
18 of those.
So it was really exhausting.
(35:33):
But this time I'd actually beenhome for like a week for
christmas, so there wasn't likeanything that felt like really
pressing, like I have to havethis now I will say I really
missed mexican food, so mexicanfood was really high on the list
.
And also, um, like seeing mygrandma and seeing my best
(35:53):
friend here.
Well, one of them, her name isKim.
Actually, her first name is Kim, her last name is Kim.
So Kim Kim and she came to myhouse and we ended up both
falling asleep.
I was jet lagged and it wasafter her work week and she like
well.
So she just passed out and metoo.
I'm like neither of us couldwake up.
So yeah, I guess seeing a fewpeople.
(36:15):
But the last time I came home Iwas so sad because I wanted a
spicy chicken sandwich fromChick-fil-A like so unbelievably
bad, like I would be dreamingabout it.
But after spending like twoyears in Korea, the spicy
chicken sandwich is like not atall spicy to me.
I literally thought it was thenormal crispy sandwich and was
like this is the spicy one.
(36:36):
So anyway, it's ruined.
But yeah, that was the otherthing I was really craving.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
That's great.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Do you like the spice now Like, do you miss that from
being over there?
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, because right now I'm staying with my parents
because, like, I just moved homeand I'm looking for a fine
position, but neither of themreally eat spicy food and they
also don't really like pickledfood very much, which is kimchi
yeah, kimchi, but like they havemany types of kimchi.
So there's like the typicalcabbage one you're thinking of,
but, um, like I like a radishone a lot, and there's like a
(37:13):
green onion one, like there's somany, and there's like white
kimchi, red kimchi, like, etc.
And even their pickles are alot different.
It's like a bread and butterpickle, but, yeah, I really miss
pickled things and I reallymiss spicy things.
But it hasn't been too long andmy, my, my neighbor actually is
Korean, so like we'll eattogether a lot.
(37:35):
She really likes spicy food,but she, she's scared to give me
spicy food and I'm like, no,jen, I can do it now.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Oh, that's funny.
Oh, my goodness.
Um, so I'm curious, cause youwere talking about how there's
like a Valentine's Day.
That's over there.
What are some of the otherholidays or you know things that
you got to learn about orcelebrate while you were there
(38:01):
that were obviously differentfrom what we have in the United
States?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Yes, so they have like some cute ones like they
have.
They have Valentine's Day and Ican't remember exactly, but I
think it's like girls give boyschocolate on Valentine's Day I
made my ex-boyfriend chocolate,I just can't remember which day
it was but and the girls usuallymake it.
Then a month later, on March14th, the boys reciprocate and
(38:29):
they give white chocolate,usually, or like a gummy fruity
thing, to the girls, if theydon't make it, because they're
losers.
And then another month later,april 14th, they have black day
and there's this korean noodledish called jajangmyeon and it's
made with um, like black bean,kind of like okay, kind of like
(38:50):
very creamy.
Lo mein is the best thing I cancompare it to.
Okay, but it's black.
And so the single people cryand eat jajangmyeon alone on
that day.
Okay, got it.
We hadn't broken up by thatpoint, but I did eat jajangmyeon
that day because it's like thebig thing to do sure.
And then there's a, there's asnack, it's called pepero, and
(39:12):
they and they're like like Pocky, pocky, pocky sticks, oh sure.
Yep, yep, yeah.
And on 11-11, it's Pepero Day,because it looks like four
little Pepero sticks and yeah,my friend gave me Pepero and I
remember being like, well, I sawthe Pepero on sale today.
Like every convenience storehad like and like get this and
(39:34):
like big gift sets, but yeah,and then then they have
something called two sock andit's like Korean Thanksgiving
and you go home and usually youlike it's it's for the
veneration of your likeancestors, sometimes like
Christian families if they'relike monotheistic, because it's
(39:56):
a little Koreans.
Korea has a culture ofmultiplicity with religion.
So even if you think of it as amonotheistic religion, they
might practice like a few, butChristians tend to not want to
do that.
So, anyway, it's debatable ifit's secular or not like, but
regardless, um, the they havethis thanksgiving day and they
(40:18):
eat like some typical culturalfoods.
So I got to have that with oneof my friends, um, her name's
atira and she lives in a hanuk,so that was like a traditional
house, so that was really cool.
And then, um, also they have anew, it's called solal and it's
a new year's celebration, andthen I didn't really participate
(40:39):
in that one because I don'thave any.
That that's when they bow totheir grandparents and get money
and I don't have anygrandparents in korea, gotcha,
yeah.
But last one was actuallybuddha's birthday, which I went
to the the lantern celebrationfor buddha's birthday they have
like a parade, so yeah, anyway,there's a lot of cool,
interesting holidays there yeah,I just I find that stuff
(41:01):
amazing and fascinating, and tobe able to take part in that and
be a part of that while you'reliving in that is just
incredible yeah, I really theswere amazing.
Like it was really cool to seethem walking down the street and
all that.
The Korean traditional outfitis called a hanok.
Okay, oh, my gosh, I'm sorrythat's the house Hanbok.
(41:22):
Anyway, it was really coolbecause they all wear their
hanboks and hold their lanterns,so that that holiday was really
excellent to see.
And actually the second year Iwas there I forgot it was
Buddha's birthday.
And where I go hiking I usuallyhike through like a temple,
because temples are usuallyreally high on the mountain.
So I accidentally went to likea really big ceremony with like
(41:46):
singing and incense and I'm like, let me get out.
I don't mean to interrupt, butyeah.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Oh man, that's funny what an amazing experience you
had.
I mean, it's I don't know.
I hope you can find a way tokind of like decompress and
really reflect on the time,because it's, you know, we've
obviously asked you a fewquestions, but you know, two
years is a long time to beanywhere and to experience such,
(42:19):
you know, such a differentculture from, from the United
States and everything like that.
It's, and it sounds like thethings that you participated in
were absolutely beautiful and Ilove that you had all these
great experiences with peoplefrom all different ages and it's
just, yeah, it just it justsounds like such, it's such a
(42:42):
great vibe.
It just, it's just a beautifulthing that you've done.
And I guess I'm going to handit over to Eileen, because
Eileen has a famous questionthat she asks all of our guests,
because you've had quite anexperience and you're kind of
coming back, you know, to yourhometown and figuring out some
(43:05):
of the things.
So, eileen, why don't you goahead?
Speaker 2 (43:07):
and ask your famous question.
Yeah, so you know, we kind oftalked a little bit just in
terms of what you're bringingback and you know what you're
thinking about wanting to kindof do with that.
But so this is happening.
Right, it's a statement that wemake.
I make more specifically when Ihave fully committed in my
(43:32):
heart to knowing that somethingis going to exist in this world.
Right, it's a podcast, it's thebook that I wrote.
Like, I just know that,whatever it is, I have made this
determination that something isgoing to be happening in my
life.
Um, whether from thisexperience or just how, now
being back, being back, is thereanything that you're feeling
(43:56):
like is on your heart, that youknow that this is going to be
happening anytime in the nearfuture, long future, any of that
, but this is happening for Tara.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
That's a good question, because I feel so like
adrift right now.
I've had like such a clear goalthat I was working towards and
now I've graduated and completedit, but it's maybe it doesn't
sound like a big goal for now,but I have two kind of two kind
of small goals other than, like,getting a job and maybe being
(44:30):
married one day or something.
But, um, the small interim onesthat I feel kind of more
control over, I really want togo on.
Well, I want to take my mom ona trip in canada.
It's a, it's a train and youdon't sleep on it, it's a
sightseeing train, but it goesfrom um, uh, I, literally it
(44:51):
goes from banff to vancouver andit looks amazing.
It's very expensive to go on it, but, um, that is like one of
that's dream.
Number one is to go on thistrain, like and see.
You get to see, like thecanadian wilderness and if you
go the right time of year, youcan see salmon migrating and
(45:11):
yeah, it looks gorgeous.
So I would really like to dothat.
And my other goal where I'm likethis is happening is, um, my
poor father.
He picked me up in Germany whenI finished semester at sea and,
like, if you know my dad, he'slike Italian American, like,
trust me, he has no interest ingoing to Germany.
Like he is, like he knows whathe likes and it's it's Italy and
(45:37):
here.
So anyway, and then he came andvisited me in Korea.
So I'm really grateful for himand I really want to take him to
Italy.
So as soon as I get a job, I'mmaking the savings account and,
like I will be taking him.
Like he has done too many stupidtrips he doesn't want to go
Well, he loved it, but liketrips he doesn't really want to
(45:57):
go on.
So I'd like to on one he likethat's been like a lifelong
dream of his, especially causemy grandparents both immigrated
from Italy when they were likekids.
So I guess maybe their theirparents did, but anyway they
lived like like my grandpa was atailor and had eight kids, so
(46:17):
no money, and it's like amiracle that my dad like was
able to work and study and getto the position he is now.
But like for any of them to beable to travel internationally
like based on their upcomings,like any of his siblings, it
would be really incredible.
So I really want to take him.
Yeah, he probably doesn't needme to pay for him.
He could, he could definitelypay for it himself, but I want
(46:38):
to do it.
It's like.
It's like the, the, theprinciple, so yeah, that's
happening that's lovely, that'sreally.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Those are big, I mean those are big, that's not small
no, not that they have to bebig, but those are big, yeah.
Or for people, maybe for somepeople that don't move all the
way to South Korea, but thoseare big.
Learn a language.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
Right, true, that's true.
Thousands of dollars, likecompared to.
I had to stay for my tuition soit was like a lot more, but
yeah, anyway, it's smallcompared to moving somewhere.
I guess that's fair.
Yeah, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
I've heard.
So I'm.
I live in Washington state andhave been to Vancouver, love it
dearly.
I've heard Banff is justamazing, so I can't wait to see
pictures and things of that triphappening and it sounds like
something my son would be veryinterested in because he loves
trains, so I might have to checkthat out.
Speaker 1 (47:37):
Or if you want to send me some stuff on that, I
would love to see that, becausethat sounds amazing.
There's a lot of options,because the one I'm thinking of
is like a two day trip, but youcould also do like much shorter
trips for less for less.
But the reason why it's veryexpensive is there's this like
gold, platinum member orsomething like that, and they
give you little canapes and likefree drinks and like really
fancy.
So, yeah, that's why I'm likeit has to be that one, like
(47:59):
we're going.
So I'm like oh, I need a job soI can pay for this, so we can
go.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
That's so wonderful.
Oh my goodness, tara, how dopeople connect with you?
How can people connect with you?
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Oh yeah, my Instagram is probably the best way,
although if you're Korean andyou're listening, you could
connect with me on Kakao.
I'm Tara Siena, with no spaceon Kakao, but then on Instagram
I'm Tara Gracie Lacey.
My middle name is Grace andthat's what my dad calls me Tara
(48:34):
Grace Lacey.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
Lovely.
All right, everyone.
I can't believe we're at thehour with this, but, tara, it
was a pleasure and I'm so gladwe had the opportunity to catch
up.
We wish you continued successand travel adventures, and may
the world be your oyster,because you have done so many
things and we're, you know, aswork alumni, as you and Eileen
(49:02):
are work alumni, I'm super proudof you, folks.
This concludes our episode ofyou Only Go Once.
On behalf of my lovely co-host,eileen Grimes and myself, enjoy
your evening and we'll talk toyou soon.
Take care Bye.
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