Relatively recently, we were treated to dinner by our old friend Ben Glickman, the CEO of Footprints Recruiting.  He’s been a strong ally, an informative resource, and a good friend, and this night he did not fail to live up to all of those again. 

He took us to a little restaurant buried in a back alley and clearly off the tourist radar.  The place was run by a Buddhist monk, and the cuisine – all vegetarian – was plentiful and delicious.   77 bowls in total, all of them empty when we heaved ourselves off the floor.  Bowls of Macalee (fermented rice), bowls of kim chi, bowls of soup, bowls of dried seaweed, bowls of things I didn’t know, and 2 bowls of things I hope to never try again.  (I just don’t remember what they are)  The dinner included traditional Korean dancing and drums, which I’m sure you’ll see footage of at some point.  We ate with 2 of his friends, both of whom proved solid company – ‘good people.’  It remains one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Korea.

But the restaurant has nothing on the bar he took us to afterwards…

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Driving up to Footprints in Vancouver yesterday, we had what I’m sure is a classic production moment. We are now 7 days out from our departure, and with so much left to do, frustration has set in. Given our sudden shift away from Korea, few of us have learned much about our future home, and our ascetic summer has left us more excited about street food, beaches and bars, than meaningful cultural interactions. Somehow, the value of responsible travel lost ground to luxury, logistics, and late decisions. We needed fresh inspiration.

Walking into Footprints’ office reminded me of the grassroots political movements I saw back in Iowa— a team working together around a common reverence for their mission and accomplishments. The space and people were fluid and inviting.

We were only able to interview a fraction of the company before our hectic schedules took us elsewhere, but the few we were able to speak to reilluminated the ideals we all had when we signed on to JS0. Travel involves open-mindedness, adaptability, and making personal connections that reflexively reconnect you with yourself.

An Inspirational Interview