About a year ago I made a bucket list of the places I wanted to go in Korea and Seoraksan, Korea’s most popular mountain range, had been at the top of the list. Somehow, though, time slipped by and I finally came to accept that it just wasn’t going to happen. It was too far… Continue reading Fall Colors and Lunch in a Cloud at Seoraksan
Category: Expat Life
The Penis Pinata and other ways I fail at teaching
I am not a certified teacher. I took a weekend course, someone gave me an official-looking piece of paper, and the next thing I knew I was standing in front of a classroom of 30 students who didn’t speak my language, under the pretense that I would somehow educate them. It’s been interesting, to… Continue reading The Penis Pinata and other ways I fail at teaching
11 Things I Love About Korea
Oh, Korea. Land of stinky kimchi, robotic K-pop, pushy old ladies, and obnoxious selfies. It’s a place unlike any other, and at times I find myself spiraling down a rabbit hole of negativity about it all. But while I don’t see eye to eye with many facets of Korean culture, there are still a number… Continue reading 11 Things I Love About Korea
WWOOFing on the Cutest Little Farm in Korea
My dear friend Emily is what we affectionately call “a total food hippy”. She ferments her own food, her eyes light up at the mention of bacteria, and she could talk for days about seeds and planting fruit trees. So, appropriately, one of the first things she did when she arrived in Korea earlier this… Continue reading WWOOFing on the Cutest Little Farm in Korea
A Road Trip to a Remote Land, Goheung Island
I believe in road trips. I believe in pit stops to frolic in flower fields. I believe in hiking to the top of a mountain. I believe in finding the most remote beach possible. I believe in oceanside cooking. I believe in sunset yoga poses. Last weekend three girlfriends and I decided to get the heck… Continue reading A Road Trip to a Remote Land, Goheung Island
The Truth About Boryeong Mud Festival
Somehow I knew about the Boryeong Mud Festival, or more commonly referred to as Mudfest, before I even arrived in Korea. I’m not sure where I first learned of it; it was just the ubiquitous event that all expats in Korea raved about as THE party of the year. So, naturally, when summer rolled around… Continue reading The Truth About Boryeong Mud Festival
5 Things That Are STILL Strange About Korea
When I first arrived in Korea last year I wrote about the 12 Little Ways Life is Different in Korea. It’s funny how much can change in a year and the extent to which we accustom ourselves to our environment. These days, I don’t bat an eye at corn on pizza, face masks are the… Continue reading 5 Things That Are STILL Strange About Korea
Weird Korea: Forced to Fake Vote in a Bamboo Theme Park
On my 25th birthday my (awesome) friends hung posters around my house saying the 25 things they loved about me. Along with phrases like, “She’s the only one I’d go to an Indian buffet and then try on spandex with” (because it really happened), one poster read, “You can meet the strangest people on the… Continue reading Weird Korea: Forced to Fake Vote in a Bamboo Theme Park
A Korean Road Trip To Goeje and Namhae Islands
The 5am alarm obliterated my peaceful slumber, and the butterflies immediately fluttered in my stomach. Today was the day! My first Korean road trip. And I was somewhat terrified. One of my best friends from home was visiting me in Korea for two weeks and I’d promised to give her a tour to some… Continue reading A Korean Road Trip To Goeje and Namhae Islands
Owning and Driving a Car in Korea: Am I Crazy, Brave, or Stupid?
“I thought it was an April Fool’s joke at first,” my friend confided in me. “I didn’t really think you’d do it!” another exclaimed. To be honest, if someone had told me six months ago that I would own and drive a car in Korea, I would have laughed in their face. Noooooooo way, I… Continue reading Owning and Driving a Car in Korea: Am I Crazy, Brave, or Stupid?
Hitting the Slopes (and why I will probably never ski again)
Everyone raved about the ski trips in Korea. Having lived in California my whole life I don’t even know how to walk in snow, much less strap large boards to my feet and propel myself forward in snow. But I let my friends persuade me to give it a try and I figured after teaching… Continue reading Hitting the Slopes (and why I will probably never ski again)
Green Beer and Colored Paint: A Festive Weekend in Busan
“Let me get this straight,” my friend said skeptically into the phone. “You live in Korea, but this weekend you’re celebrating an Irish holiday and going to an Indian festival?” Well, when she put it like that I realized it did sound a little funny… The homogeneity of Korea doesn’t usually lend itself to… Continue reading Green Beer and Colored Paint: A Festive Weekend in Busan