The View Up Here

Fairport, NY I have long held a fascination with liminal spaces. I know it was a trending thing online with clipping videos and creepy pictures of empty offices, but my interest goes far back to my childhood, probably fueled by The Twilight Zone's "The After Hours"  episode.  The mall at closing when there are hardly any shoppers, the gates are down on many stores, and the music echoes in empty spaces. Or train tracks at night with ghostly lights waiting for the next train. Storage facilities with security lights showing you the place you aren't allowed to enter. School hallways during summer vacation.  You know, that kind of thing. Temporary digs  However, living in a liminal space isn't as cool, nor does it promote some vague, quasi-nostalgic, pleasant-yet-edgy response.  Such is my current living situation, albeit temporarily. "But Elena, you're in Korea!" Yes, I'm in Korea, but I'm also staying in a hotel for another week until the apartm...

not an ad for Delta Today is my first full day in Ulsan, my new home. And by "new" I mean the 2nd time around. I lived here from 2002-2003 and visited twice more. Then in 2024, I made a pilgrimage to the sites of the Korean Catholic martyrs  which included a week in Ulsan. It was then that I realized I could easily call this place home. (You can read about my Korea Dreambus film screening here!) The process of getting ready to apply for a visa began months before I even had a job offer. The job search was also months long, and the position I accepted came out of the blue. I'd applied for several teaching positions at a variety of institutions and programs, and even interviewed for two university jobs. None of that worked. But the job I took was exactly where I want to be, and although it's teaching in a hagwan (private after-school academy), the conditions are exemplary and the couple that owns the academy are solid. So here's a bit of a rundown on the last 48 h...