Amore Beaute

Collecting handmade pottery is one of my greatest passions.  Its my way of disconnecting from the world and floating in to a rhythmic, peaceful and infinite world. My love for pottery began when I moved to Japan over 20 years back and was hosting some lovely ladies from the Church.  Up until then pottery was a mom's thing and I was still in my early 20s.  Disposables and funky plastics were just fine.  Just before the 2020 pandemic we moved to South Korea.  My love for handmade pottery found the ideal place to explore Korean handmade pottery -Icheon.  Its an entire village of potters. This became my go-to-weekend place.   On one of my trips I was the first one to reach and patiently sat with the cats while the studios opened for the day.   I tried my hand at making a simple cup.  But it takes 10,000 hours to be a master, who can make it seem so simple. Even though my cup didn't really look like one, I am glad my quest and passion for handcrafted things found a new form in a new

Recently I decided to take on a new course for my morning walks.  A near by Buddhist temple has become my good to place.   There are about 900 Buddhist temples in Korea and usually nestled in a natural environment. The temples are mostly made of wood with detailed colorful artwork on its exterior and interiors.  The only sound here is that of birds and leaves rustling in the cool autumn wind.  The calmness is a soothing balm and an attempt to find your true self. These walks to the temple have become my journey in pursuit of happiness. Inside these walls I can let go of the world outside and find my true self.  Feel free to share how you explore your true self and what’s your path to happiness.    

On a cold winter evening of February 2020 my teenage daughter and I boarded a flight to Seoul.  We were to visit my husband who had been working and living in South Korea for almost a year.  It was a much needed time for our family. Little did we know that this flight would change our lives for a long time.  Within a week the Pandemic in South Korea reached its peak.  Soon all national borders were closed. The Covid cases increased each day.  Work got tougher for my husband who had to keep production going across sites. He was at work for really long hours. Our week long vacation turned into a no ticket back home situation.  We were three people tucked away in a small service apartment in an equally small industrial town. It sure was a cold dark winter of 2020. Help and smiles comes from unexpected places. A sign board outside a bar in Itaewon.  An American School in the neighborhood took my daughter mid-term in grade 9.  She had her online classes to look forward to.  The staff and ch