Back in Canada

Well, it's still hard to wrap my (jet-lagged) head around it, but here I am back in Canada...after a 4 hour bus ride to the airport, this airport lunch of dol sot bibimbap, and a 10 hour flight I arrived safely in Vancouver, feeling unsure whether I was awake or dreaming or somewhere in between.

On the plane I cried and listened to Snow Patrol, which made me feel even worse. I am now officially living on a continent far away from my boyfriend and as much as I adore Skype, everything will change (and already has changed) so much. It's strange how a person can become such a huge part of yourself, like you're not really two different people at all but two connecting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Did I just write that? Sorry ;-)

After a little over a week I'll be flying off again, this time to California. My parents are moving there so the home I'm currently in isn't really my home anymore. I think I've never gone through so many huge life changes all at the same time before, my goodness! After just a few weeks in California I should be off to England to study for a year. 

But I wouldn't have it any other way. I think in the past I tended to stay in my comfort zone most of the time and the boredom of that was terrifying. Life is so precious, I don't ever want to limit myself and become stuck in a rut just because of fear. The last few years have been such a happy blur because I finally took big risks and made my own path. Now I can better understand what I want out of life, what makes me happy, and I hope I will always have the courage to keep moving forward and trying new things, even if I have no idea how they will work out. 

Anywho...now it's time to just relax, enjoy the sunshine, breathe the fresh ocean air, marvel at all the huge flowers and trees around me, and smile at the gorgeousness of summer. The world feels magical.

5 Comfort Foods...

Is it still winter?  Yes.

Is it still (freezing) cold?  Yes.

Do I feel extra hungry?  Yes!

When it's cold and dark I definitely want to enjoy some comfort foods. This winter, I'm also in a different country eating mostly very different food so I really really want to enjoy some comfort-food-from-home. Here are 5 things I would love to eat but probably won't (for a few more months):

1. A panini sandwich. Like the gourmet ones at Whole Foods. Sandwiches are not widely available in Korea, and the ones that are...are different. Warm toasted bread filled with colourful roasted veggies, melted cheese, and maybe some pesto - heavenly!

2. Freshly baked crusty bread. The bread available here is usually dessert/snack bread, since rice is eaten at meals, never bread. And it's always soft, never crusty. I still (vaguely) remember the smell of freshly baked bread...and then biting into a delicious chunk - wonderfully crusty and flavourful on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. Sigh!

3. Roasted salmon + smoked salmon. Salmon is not a local fish here so it's incredibly expensive and probably doesn't taste as good or as fresh as in BC. Back home, I used to eat salmon so often I took it for granted. I will never ever view salmon so dismissively again.

4. Pureed soup. Another item I used to cook several times a week and took for granted. Throwing in loads of veggies, a splash of water, pureeing everything with the result of a delicious, creamy soup = amazing!! Here, it's rather impossible. Korean soups are delicious, but the flavours and choice of veggies are totally different. And they are never ever pureed.

5. Vegetable tart. This is my mother's. And it's incredibly, breathtakingly delicious. She makes a super awesome, wholesome crust. The topping is all veggies and a sprinkling of good cheese. Into the oven it goes. A beautiful, perfect vegetable tart comes out. I proceed to eat half of it. Oh, how I want to eat it right now!

It's fascinating how certain foods are connected with specific places, times, people, memories...Food is much more than mere fuel. I can't wait to enjoy some homemade soup and vegetable tart with my family when I go back home :-)