I left my last blog post hanging. Unintentional, but appropriate considering the sequence of events.

After being led onto the subway and transferring several times, we arrived at an unfamiliar area of Seoul.While walking through a park with a fantastic view of Namsan Tower, I incorrectly guessed that we were being taken to seen the tower up close. Despite Gadi and Kelsi's frequent subtle (?) hinting, Eloise and I really had no idea where we were being led.
Kelsi insisted she had to go to the bathroom, so we entered a random building using the staff door. I don't think this sort of practice is generally encouraged, no matter how severe the bathroom need. Interestingly enough, our intrusion was well received by the staff and we were guided to the lobby of...the Shilla Hotel, a well known luxury hotel. The lobby was gorgeous, with hanging glass chandeliers and a spectacular view. At this point, Eloise and I were still completely in the dark. We sat for a few minutes in the cafe near the library and then Kelsi insisted that Eloise and I accompany her to the bathroom. Gadi said that he would order drinks while were gone. I picked up the menu and managed to glimpse the price of one item before the menu was grabbed out of my hands by Kelsi. 29,000 won ($29) for blueberry juice.
Upon returning we were greeted by a huge bowl of mango patbingsu. (Shaved ice, accompanied by fruit, red bean, and ice cream). At this point, my eyes and mouth both formed Os. This patbingsu is famed as the best in Korea, ergo the best in the world. People will literally line up to order this bingsu. The mangoes were special apple mangoes flown in from Jeju Island and the shaved ice was a special sort made with milk rather than just plain ice. I can say that this patbingsu was the most delicious thing I ate in Korea so far. We tried to make each bite last and gave cheesy toasts before the first few spoonfulls. "We couldn't fly to Jeju Island and so Jeju flew to us."
The four of us, a group of young Americans, sat surrounded by the elegance and tranquility of the hotel, savoring the most expensive desert of our lives. As a jazz band began to play, I experienced an interesting sensation, a dissociation. It's difficult to properly explain how I felt, but it was as if I were no longer in Korea. I could have been anywhere in the world at this moment. It didn't really matter where I was, all that mattered was the moment I was experiencing.

The wonderful surprise of the evening brings up an important point about my exchange year. One thing I fear is my life becoming routine. I don't want my daily life to become a predictable blur. While I would like to become comfortable with life in Korea, I don't want the days' events to become commonplace. Somehow, each day should be special. It's things like the patbingsu that add variety and excitement to daily life. Reminding myself to savor each day, to break up routine, to stay enthralled. Of course, we can't do something as extravagant as $40 patbingsu every day. But it's important to make each day have something valuable and distinct. Whether it's something small, like speaking to someone else for the first time at school or finding a new view out of the fourth floor window, or if it's something on a more fantastic scale, I'm determined to make each day different and memorable.