Pushing Pause To Live In The Moment -- Michelle Monkou

Gyeongbokgung Palace

At the beginning of February, I headed for Seoul, South Korea. My daughter is attending university for a year in a study abroad program focusing on Asian Studies with a concentration in Korea. I arrived with suitcases loaded with American goodies for her and a pile of To Do items for me.

All of my To Do items were writing-related. I had books to be published, books to be edited, books to be written. While I had great intentions, I got sick with a cold that my dear daughter shared with me at the beginning of my trip.

Down for the count, I barely had energy to just live. Nothing like a cold or flu to make you feel lousy. But the list of what I had to do grew longer and my desire grew shorter. Until finally, I had to push pause.

I'm here in South Korea. It's a 14 hour trip from the Washington, D.C. area. There is so much to see and enjoy in this Asian city rich with history and contemporary achievements. Why am I not living in the moment?

Armed with daily doses of Citron tea, I moved my deadlines where I could and decided that I'll get back to the reality of writing in March when I return from my trip. But for now, I'm turning all my focus on this amazing opportunity to learn and enjoy another culture. Here are few of my photos. If you ever get the chance to visit Seoul, jump on it.

King Sejong

View from my rooftop apt

Student Union Bldg at Yonsei University

Live!

Michelle Monkou
http://michellemonkou.com