Author: Yoga with Gail Pickens-Barger

So y’all, I teach yoga, and I’ve been exploring other meditation and movement practices. I also do Seokmun Hoheup breathing and meditation and movement practices. I had been invited to go to Andong, South Korea earlier this spring of 2024.

So what does this have to do with typewriters? Glad you asked. I got the typewriter bug, back in January, when my mother, Deloris gifted me her 1935 Underwood Portable. She bought it for $45 from the train depot clerk, where she worked (Rock Island Railroad). His wife used it to write stories for the True Confessions, and True Romance magazines that where popular back in that day and time.

So since getting mom’s typewriter, I’d been to a local few flea markets, Facebook Marketplace ads, so a typewriter purchase, here and there.

I was also learning the Korean language to help me when I traveled for the workshop/training in Andong.

So I investigate Hangul Korean Typewriters. Analogue Papa on YouTube helped me figure out what type of typewriter to get, and I finally was getting a Clover 810 manual Hangul typewriter. But the task of bringing it back.

This had to be a minimalist packing trip for my one week stay. Because I was bringing the typewriter back as my carry on luggage.

With Dr. Paul, we ventured into one of the neighborhoods near our AirBnB, to go and get the typewriter. Such a lovely person, who I purchased the Clover 810 typewriter machine from. I think I posted on my Instagram our little interaction!

On, the way home with some luggage straps securely around the typewriter, I passed through security at the Incheon International Airport, just outside of Seoul, South Korea. They did flag me for further inspection. I was on the other side of the x-ray section, and saw what they were looking at.

At first it was, “Ma’am”, is this a portable PC?” I was demonstrating fingers typing on a keyboard, and told them that is was a manual typewriter. A big light bulb turned on in their head.

14 hours later, stopping in Atlanta Georgia, carrying that 12 pound Typewriter, with an awkward handle situation, I had to re-check through security. I thought, hmmm, let’s see how this goes.

They didn’t put the typewriter to the side like they did in Korea, but they were hovering around me, again, asking, what is this device? Again, did the finger typing, and said, “Oh, it’s a Korean language manual typewriter.” Ohh, and Ahhs abound.

And lastly, I was sitting in the waiting area in Atlanta, GA waiting for my final flight to Houston, Texas. Over the loud speaker it was, “Those in first class, people with children, and those needing a bit of assistance can board first.” I was on the 4th boarding option in economy. I hopped up and got in the first calling. The gate checkers, were going, “Uh, Ma’am, your boarding time is later.”, “I swifty replied, I need assistance, possibly, to lift this typewriter to the overhead bin.”

They said, go ahead! As I was walking down the walking way to the plane, I explained to the crew, that they let me board early, so I would have time to load my typewriter safely in the overhead bin.

As I was departing the plane, there in Houston, the crew were going, and asking, “Oh, that’s so cool, your typewriter! Are you a writer?” Yes!

My little adventure, traveling with my Korean Hangul Typewriter!