Spring festivals in Korea: the Jindo Sea Parting and Butterflies
Last weekend, I walked across a parted sea wearing thigh-high rubber boots, chewed on wiggling octopus tentacles, and saw a baby wild boar poop on a guy’s t-shirt–all within 24 hours. With Adventure Korea, a budget travel company catered to foreigners, I traveled to Jeollanam-do, Korea’s southwestern province, to attend two annual spring festivals. On...
Biking around Upo Wetland, strawberry picking, and experiencing my own funeral
Last Saturday, I embarked on a weekend trip to the southeast province of Gyeongsangnam-do to bike around a famous wetland, mingle with other travelers and teachers, pick fresh strawberries and visit a festival celebrating the Daegaya Kingdom. Once again, I traveled with Adventure Korea, a well-established tour company catered to foreigners and travelers in Korea....
Secrets of Taroko
After a few days in Taichung, my Taiwanese friend Olivia and I traveled to Hualien, a naturally-preserved, remote beach town on Taiwan’s east coast. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and we spent a few days biking, walking along the beach and drinking beers on the rocks, while listening to the waves crashing...
Skipping along Daxi Old Street
Okay, I didn’t really skip–since my backpack, seemingly filled with bricks, was weighing me down, but my friend Alicia and I did stroll along the street. A few weeks ago, on spur of the moment, I booked a flight to Taiwan, taking advantage of some free time between ending my job and relocating to a...
Skiing in the Year of the Snake
Last weekend, Koreans celebrated Seollal, the Lunar New Year. On Monday, everyone officially turned one year older, and on top of an extra year for being in my mother’s womb, I’m now 27 years old in Korea. Damn. I think I’ll stick to my Western age of 25. Koreans welcomed the Year of the Snake...
Ice Fishing in Hwacheon: embracing Korea’s sub-zero temperatures
The stressful holidays have passed, and now it’s January and time to relax. In Korea, we are currently living in frigid, sub-zero temperatures. Everyday I bundle up in my thick winter coat and Uggs, which I refused to wear in the past because they are so hideous-looking, but now I wear them with pride. Sometimes...
Celebrating the New Year on Jeju Island: part II
As I wrote in my last post, Celebrating the New Year on Jeju Island: part I, I spent four days with Adventure Korea in Jeju Island over my New Year’s vacation. On the third full day, after losing my voice from belting out too many songs in the noraebang the night before (namely “I Will Always...
Celebrating the New Year on Jeju Island: part I
Rather than wasting away in Hongdae over my short New Year’s vacation, I traveled to Jeju Island with Adventure Korea, a budget travel company catered to foreigners. I spent four days exploring the “Hawaii of Korea,” and although the temperature wasn’t quite Hawaiian-like, I thoroughly enjoyed walking along the coast, partying in Jeju’s biggest nightclub...
Tasting Central Asian flavors in downtown Seoul
As I walked along the narrow alleyways and side streets near Dongdaemun History and Culture Park station, I noticed more Cyrillic writing than Hangeul. I passed by small shops and cozy restaurants, and the faces began to change. Rather than the usual Korean crowd, the area was mostly populated by Russians, Mongolians, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz. This...
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