Last week I was greeted by an unexpected email in my inbox one morning (I hadn’t even gotten up yet at this point, checking my mailbox from my phone). It was from one of my uncles living in Seoul, and it started something like this: “Didn’t I tell you I would write to you when I learn how to use a computer? So here it is, my very first email.”
A sense of proud with a hint of cheekiness.

Two summers ago, while visiting my family in Seoul, I dropped by his place one day to say hello. He informed me that he had just started learning how to use a computer, What’s your email address? I am going to send you an email, he said. I wrote him my address neatly on a tiny piece of paper, and didn’t really think much of it after.

If you got to this very page on your own, you probably write and receive a number of emails everyday, and it’s definitely a huge part of our lives. But when anyone first learns to write an e-mail (how sensational was that word), I think it is a big deal. But here is why this might a bigger deal to him, and to me—my uncle was born with poor eyesight, and  now no glasses will able him to see. But when he could at least wear a very thick pair of glasses and get his way around, he managed to move to Paris and study music, which is a very admirable thing to do.

Now that he’s the master of the voice recognition program, I believe I’ve became his pen pal. I don’t mind, in fact I’m thrilled. I’d already promised him to describe Yuna Kim’s performance in the upcoming winter Olympics (3 days, oooooh!) in a great detail!