My childhood in Flushing, NY would not have been the same without Kissena Park. It was a great escape from the urban life and very close to my house (just a few blocks away). There is a park just across the street from me here in Songdo that reminds me of Kissena Park. It does not have the Bocce ball court with retired Italian men, or the drainage pipe surrounded by a swamp that was great for exploring, or the eutrophic ponds full of frogs, but somehow it reminds me of the park that will always have a special place in my heart.

This park is not to be confused with “Central Park” which is just a few blocks away. Josh and I call it the Zodiac Park. I have no idea what it is actually called, but there are small signs distributed around the park in a circular formation that have a diagram of each of the zodiac signs in English and Korean. The star patterns are actually lighted at night (we have taken a short cut through this park before on our way home from the subway). more…