Bin to Bimbimbap: the Airport Boogie

It was my first time traveling internationally by myself.

After 24 hours of frenzied preparation, I found myself packed into a winding TSA line. My mom waved goodbye, and I wished I could tell her how grateful I was for all of her help. As soon as she left, I was struck by how alone I felt. I have traveled alone often--Oregon to Massachusetts was my regular high school commute. However, I saw very few Americans in the line around me. Indeed, I was a stranger in a strange land long before I reached this amazing little island. What's more, my loneliness was without dread: just a hint of agency, accompanied by premonitions of wandering bewilderment.

By the time I reached my gate, English was the tertiary language, superseded by both Korean and Japanese. I was one of a handful of gaijin. On the Korean Air flight I was acutely aware of the little differences that signaled my departure from all things familiar. Oddly enough, they all seemed to improve upon my experiences on American airliners.

Firstly, there were complimentary toothbrushes and toothpaste. I had brought my own in my carry-on, and was glad to find them unnecessary. Then there were the white slippers, a very sensible courtesy. I don’t know Korean customs, but in Japan it is uncouth, even in modern homes, to wear shoes inside the house. In fact, it was a legally binding part of my lease agreement for my apartment: no shoes.  There is even a separate pair of slippers used only in the restroom.

I had always wondered how Japanese people handled airplane bathrooms. Those little plastic boxes of filth make me want to go out in the woods and conduct austerities for months, and I wasn’t even raised with Shinto values. The answer has two parts: the slippers, and regular cleaning by the flight attendants. During ‘peak’ restroom moments (read: 15 minutes after a meal), every 3 clients or so, one of the prim and pressed stewardesses would go over all the key surfaces with little Lysol wipes. All in all, it was a civilizing experience.

Plus I got to try my first Bimbimbap bowl! It was a bowl of cooked vegetables. You put rice on top, pour on a hot sauce, and mix the whole thing vigorously. I liked it a lot.