Abnormally . . . Normal.

As I left the school today I thought about what a normal day it was. Life here feels abnormally, normal.

Here's my Tuesday:

We did our morning routine (breakfast, showers and coffee) and left for school. We get to school by taxi. Every morning we stand in front of our building, City of Angel and we flag down a taxi. It's what's become normal for us here.

School It's pretty normal. Kids. Running. Laughing. Learning. Speaking Korean. Every day the kids are told, "Speak English. Do not speak Korean." It's what's normal for us here.

As I was walking down the huge hill from the school I saw a Korean woman, smiled and said hello (in Korean). We walked on opposite sides of the street for awhile and then she crossed over and began walking along side of me. She then started speaking to me in Korean. For several minutes we walked together, her speaking to me in Korean and I would repeat what she was saying to me in Korean. We smiled and then said goodbye (in Korean). I have no idea what she had been saying to me. But it was so normal and it made me laugh.

As I approached the bottom of the hill I decided that the day was too beautiful to sit on the bus. Normally, I take the bus home but today I decided to make the 30-40 minute walk to the subway station--so glad I did.

There are so many things in my day that are normal but also so "not normal" to what I've always known. It's normal to be the only "westerner" on the subway or bus. It's normal to be misunderstood. It's normal that I misunderstand most things. It's normal to eat Kimchi--everyday. It's normal to be stared at--all the time. It's normal to be pushed and shoved. It's normal to receive a smile. It's normal to feel that I am friends with someone though language seems to separate us.

It's all abnormally, normal. And somehow, it's beautiful and I'm grateful.