Surprise! Hope has gatherings in Seoul

On Monday, I got an unexpected message from K: Hope alum were gathering the following evening for a get-together with local Korean fathers whose children were in Michigan, professors on sabbatical, and alumni located in South Korea. Little did I know, there's quite a little business going on. (Shout out to K! Without whom, I would not have known about the dinner). 

Well, I emailed, and emailed, and emailed that Monday night, and eventually I got connected with the two gentlemen who were in charge of said event. They encouraged me to come and that they were excited to see me (and sorry that I wasn't on the list, apparently I'm still located in Okemos. News to me.) 

Tuesday. Spontaneous Tuesday. I bought my tickets Tuesday, went to and from Seoul on Tuesday, and  did not manage to get to bed while it was still Tuesday.. Tuesday was long. But so so good. I was a bit hesitant about going all the way to Seoul (almost a 2 hour train ride on the slow train, one-way) on a school night, but how often do Hope alums get together in Korea? More often than I thought.

Not only did I make it all the way to Seoul in one piece, I even made it to the right restaurant! (With a little help from new Hope friend D). I transfered subways, I did U-turns, I walked down side streets, I made it eventually. K was the only person I knew, but when surrounded by people from Hope, it seems like you already know everyone. (One professor said he remembered me from campus... what). I was so loved and encouraged here. Everyone wanted to know everything about everyone else in true Hope College fashion. We prayed over our meal together. We talked about what was changing on campus, what was new, what was being torn down together. I felt at home again, these are my people. 

I miss Hope so much. Towards the end of my senior year, I was very ready to leave the little snowy bubble of West Michigan. Looking back, I wish I'd savored the lasts a bit more. The last chapel, the last gathering, the last time I lived with all my friends. But also looking back, I am so grateful for my time there with those people. They are a special breed of people. They encourage, they love, they lift up, and they befriend even all the way in South Korea.

So here's to my new Hope friendships in Korea and my old Hope friendships in Michigan and the US. You are all so special to me. I hope you know that. My heart was filled, my stomach was fuller, and I was a very happy Hope alumni. 

(This is jelly fish... I was enthralled after dissecting them in Invertebrate).