Daily Busan
[My Busan Story] Dissolving in the City
"My Busan Story" is a special series by Busan's English-language newspaper, inviting foreign residents to share their unique perspectives on life in the city. From unforgettable experiences and travel episodes to small everyday joys, these stories highlight the diverse voices that make Busan feel like home. This month, we introduce the story of Veronika Shevchenko from Ukraine.
Dissolving In The City
In front of me, only deep blue waters and the white bridge. Nothing more and nothing less, just emerald waves. A perfect visualization of the quiet chaos of my early twenties.
How I ended up in Busan mid-pandemic with 5 other girls I met a few months prior is still a secret to me. But that weekend trip was like a beautiful dream that is about to slip away with the morning sun.
Eventually, it did. Just like a morning mist above water disappears in the dawn, my plane back home dissolved in the clouds.
By a twist of fate, 4 years later, I am back to my magical city of blue waves and shining white bridge.
I found the magic of Busan in the people around, jumping into conversations and swimming around words, new ideas, and cultures.
Here I am on the picnic, eating chicken that my Vietnamese classmate cooked himself. Surrounded by Vietnamese and Spanish dialogs, interrupted by our attempts to communicate with Korean and our best friend – Papago.
With the blink of an eye, I am looking at the sea from the little rooftop. My 선배 are making Korean BBQ, asking me about life and trying to prove to me that the ramen they cooked is not spicy. I am just smiling and diving in the moment.
Today, I am dissolving in the city and its people, knowing that the magical weekend in Busan turned out to be my life here.