My sister once showed me photos of Jeju Island and said, “someday together going.” I remembered hearing about this popular vacation destination from Korean friends in college. They described it as the Hawaii of Korea. The thought of visiting Jeju with my sister seemed like a beautiful, fantastical dream. A hope to keep alive in my heart- as unlikely as it was to find my birth family in the first place.
But as plans for our recent trip to Korea became more concrete, my sister asked for our passport information so she could book flights to Jeju. After time in Seoul and Andong, we drove to Daegu airport to catch a small regional jet to the island. Even as the plane began its descent, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes.
Everything about the island takes your breath away. The pampas and pink muhly grass, turquoise water, black and white sand beaches, mountains, waterfalls – I think I could live happily there. But nothing was more magical about Jeju than being there with my sister and realizing that someday was today.
