Seoul Sisters

I think it's funny the way people respond when I tell them I was in a sorority.

Me:  I was in a sorority in college.

Other person:  Of course you were. /  I can see that. / or any other statement that implies it is overtly obvious that I was involved with Greek life.

I don't think I'm the typical sorority type.  My school was definitely not the typical sorority experience.  So I'm always a bit puzzled that it seems so obvious I was in one.

Puzzled, yes.  Offended, no.

I loved being in a sorority!

I'm thankful for the opportunities it gave me, the leadership roles I was able to gain valuable lessons from and - most of all - the friendships it has given me.

The only bad part about being in a sorority is leaving each other when you graduate.  There are no more group lunches, no more weekly meetings and sorority functions.  No more study groups huddled together in a corner of the library.  No more dances, dinners and mixers with fraternities.

But worst of all, there are no more casual hangouts with your sisters - spending a few hours after lectures talking in the Student Union, going for dinners, going shopping in Columbus, or squeezing 4 sisters on a couch/bed to watch a movie together.

After graduation that all ended.  We all went in different ways.

Of course there are emails, texts and phone calls, facebook and visits every now and then; but it's not like how it was in college.  It's not as easy or as simple.  There's time zones to deal with and flights to book, money to think about, and schedules to contend with.  It's harder, but it's not impossible!

Even if it's just for a few hours, talking in a coffee shop, being lost in the subway system, eating foreign foods and enjoying a new dessert together - worlds away from where you met - it's a chance to catch up with a friend, an opportunity to hug your sister again!

I'm so thankful and soo happy I got to have a few of those hours this past weekend (9/9)!

Jess, one of my most beloved sorority sisters and soulmates, had a layover in Seoul and it wasn't even a question of if, we were going to see each other!!  I got the 6 am train out of Busan and was eagerly, anxiously, ecstatically heading to see her for the first time in nearly 2 years!

She had just gotten off a red-eye from Thailand, I was coming off of a hangover that left me sick for an entire day, but even with those unpleasantries nothing could have dampened how amazing it was to see her!

We didn't visit any sights or monuments; we just went to a coffee shop and talked!  About traveling, life, friends, work, life back home, life in Korea - we talked about everything.  It might have been two years since we last saw each other, but nothing was amiss between us!

And then all too quickly she had to get back to the airport and head on to California.  It was fewer hours than we would have wanted to spend together, but still a few hours more than we had!  It broke my heart a little to see her go, but we're sisters and even distance can't hurt that bond!

ITB, DG <3