Dueji and ‘Diet’ stamps: the importance of weight in Korea vs. the United States
“What did you do last weekend?” I asked my class of 24 twelve year-old students. “I played with these two pigs!” shouted one of the skinny boys, referring to two of his friends. His friend turned around and slapped him playfully on the head. Later in the day, I was playing a Powerpoint game with...
Asia / Destination Articles / Food and Beverages / Health + Lifestyle / Korea / Photography / Reviews
A Korean Farmstay: Cheongpung Farm and green tea fields
Beyond the seas of red crosses and florescent, artificial lights, there are rural patches throughout the South Korean peninsula where the stars glitter visibly overhead. One such place is Cheongpung Farm, located in Hwasoon, a rural area in Korea’s South Jeolla province. Over the weekend, I was invited by Adventure Korea, a budget travel company, to...
Hiking in Korea: Seoraksan vs. Jirisan
The word ‘san’ means ‘mountain’ in Korean. This year, I’ve hiked a number of mountains, most notably two 12-14 hour trails in South Korea’s largest national parks: Seoraksan National Park, located in Gangwon province, and Jirisan National Park, located in South Jeolla province. At the end of May, I hiked Seoraksan, and in July, I...
Seoul Expat Living: 6 ways to exercise and stay active
Despite the thrills of living in a new environment, making new friends, learning a foreign language and exploring a new culture, life as an expat is not always easy. At times you’ll experience culture shock, homesickness and loneliness. Trying new activities and keeping yourself busy is an effective way to combat these challenges abroad. In...
Drinking Tea and Staying Healthy Abroad
“Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.” ~ Chinese Proverb. Last week, I blogged about a visit to the Boseong tea plantations in Jeollanam-do, South Korea, and it inspired me to write about my overflowing cupboards of tea. As I’ve traveled through east Asia, I’ve collected various types of tea. I...
Asia / Culture / Destination Articles / Food and Beverages / Health + Lifestyle / Korea / Photography / Tips + How To
Boseong Green Tea: seeing, smelling and experiencing the meditative art of tea making
On Sunday, I fell in love with the Boseong green tea fields. My travel companion Sarah told me that she’d never seen me so excited–I skipped through the rolling hills, inhaled the luscious scents and snapped photos like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately, now I’m left to sift through all these redundant photos. Nevertheless, these...
Photo Essay: Rooftop Gardens on Jangwi-dong
I live on Jangwi-dong. In a city as health-conscious and heavily populated as Seoul, it’s difficult to grow fresh produce. However, many have attained this by building quaint roof-top gardens on top of their house or apartment building. I love the array of laundry, tables, barbecues, small trees, plants, and kimchi fermenting jars scattered...
On Buying Oranges in Seoul
As I scour my refrigerator after work, I find a mere bag of garlic cloves, half a bag of kimchi, jars of condiments, Spanish olives and chewy strands of jellyfish, a homemade gift from a co-worker. I grab a reusable shopping bag covered in black hieroglyphics and, after hearing the electronic locking system on my...
Naked in Korea: Experiencing the Korean Jjimjilbang
Fumbling with the orange, plastic key, I manage to open my locker and shove my belongings inside. Glancing up, I make eye contact with two ajumma, middle-aged Korean women. Stark naked, they casually lean against the row of lockers and proceed to stare at me, without so much as blinking. A small girl skips toward...
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