Do you have a place that just feels like home? Like, the moment you arrive, everything just feels right. For me, in hindsight that place has always been this tiny village somewhere in Switzerland. I know I keep talking about how Korea feels like home to me now – and it really does. My plans haven’t changed. But there’s this spot back home that I forget about sometimes. It’s this tiny village by the lake with barely 500 residents, most of them around my grandparents’ age. It’s peaceful and quiet. The kind of quiet where you wake up to birds chirping and neighbors chatting in the distance.
I usually tell people I grew up there, at least partially. And that’s true. I spent so many weekends and vacations there as a kid. But honestly, during my teenage years and early twenties, I didn’t care much for it. It felt boring. Not “cool” enough, I guess. I wanted more excitement, more friends around. But at some point, things changed. Maybe it was during my Master’s when I decided to study there for a while, or that summer I worked remotely from the house and cooled off in the lake after work. I can’t say for sure. But now, every time I arrive, something clicks. It’s like this wave of calmness just hits me.
I went back recently for a girls weekend. The second I got out of the car, I grabbed my book and headed straight to my favorite spot by the lake. Just me, the sun, the water, and my book. A couple of other readers were around, but it was mostly just peaceful. No noise, no rush. Just that familiar calm. The next morning, I woke up to the same birds chirping. Made myself some coffee, stepped out on the balcony, and just stared out at the lake. And that’s when I realized – this little village feels more like home every time I visit. Maybe even more than the town I’m living in right now.
Maybe it’s because I leave all my stress behind when I come here. Or maybe it’s just the slower pace of life. I don’t really know, and I’m not trying to figure it out either. All I know is, I made myself a promise to visit more often before my Korean adventure starts. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that make you feel the most at home.
matcha latte on a rainy night 