Mom's diary - Kimchi

When I'm tired, I eat Kimchi.

When I'm sad, I eat Kimchi. 

Tonight I felt I got a throat-ache and as a remedy, I pulled out Kimchi. 

Yes, I'm a Kimchi folk. I grew up with this, and I'm proud of being Kimchi generation. 

Kimchi has been an invisible yet strong thread, which connected me with my culture, reminded me where I'm from.

Whenever I eat Kimchi, I eat my memories. 

With one bite, I go back to my mom's kitchen.

I see a girl who's waiting for a newly-made Kimchi of the year, hoping her mom could give a little piece into her mouth.

With another bite, I'm back in High school where every student had to bring their own lunch box. 

I see lots of girls gathering in a group, sharing their Ban-chan(side dishes), but without Kimchi, our lunch couldn't finish perfectly. 

When I visited USA for 2 weeks in 1993,

the first thing I wanted on a day we arrived was having Kimchi. I desperately needed Kimchi stew with rice for a dinner, but instead what I got was a fried chicken with Coke. That night, I cried for Kimchi and for the first time, I realized how big its existence is in my life. 

When I went to study in Australia and New Zealand in 2002,

there were group of students traveled to Korean grocery, just to buy a jar of Kimchi. 

We even joined the church while we were staying in New Zealand because they served a lunch with Kimchi. 

I've lived outside of Korea peninsula since 2002. Occasionally, I had to go back to inland but I count my life turning point in 2002. 

Since then, I've learned, tasted, cooked, fusion-ed all different style of cultural cuisine. I'm blessed to have this opportunity.

However, I know what is my root of appetite. I'll never get away from my Kimchi gene.

As my body proves, I'm craving for Kimchi whenever I feel sick, tired and lonely. 

Yes, Kimchi is my life troubleshooting, my own remedy.