Last week I went on a two day trip that I didn't know I needed, to an island that I only recently knew existed. For years I lived in Korea and of course was well aware of Jeju - the island I dreamed of living on, but it was only this year that I first heard of Chuja-do. Considering I hadn't before heard of it one would think it's tiny, but that's not the case, there are even English teachers living on the island working for EPIK, my previous employer. With this fun fact of knowledge the four of us discussed whether or not we could live that life. I concluded that if I had enough personal work to do (blogging, pursuing a degree or certification, etc.) I'd likely be just fine. Although the more I reflect on my first year in Jeju I may reconsider, there's something to be said about the feeling of stuckness that comes with having to fly anytime you want to go visit a city or friends on the mainland. Regardless I was happy to be visiting Chuja for the two days we had and was ready to explore.
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Living on Jeju Island I didn't expect to be taking day trip to other islands, but the opportunity to do so is more than you may think. Earlier this spring I went with a few friends to Biyangdo, an island off the west coast of Jeju, and last weekend I checked another island off my list, Gapado. On the southwest corner of Jeju Island there are two more small islands which are open for tourism. Gapado and Marado are visible from the coast, and can be reached by a quick 15 minute ferry ride. I've been told to visit Gapado in the spring to see the fields of green barley so last weekend we finally made the decision to go.
This post should have been done ages ago, but thanks to a forgetful brain, it was put on hold for a while. I was originally invited to complete Olle course 12 in early November with two of my hiking pals, and while I did so, I left my Olle passport at home which meant I'd have to go back and do it again. I knew I had plenty of time for such, so I wasn't too bothered to do it without the record and anyway, I thoroughly enjoy the company of these two - not to mention the good food we always track down after walking all day. Course 12 is on the west coast of Jeju Island, a region I have rarely explored, so I was excited to see some new scenery.
One of my favorite things about the Daegu area is the surrounding mountain ranges, offering quite a different view than the endless horizon and sea views we have here in Jeju. Leaving Buksam we were headed East, ironically despite living on an island we chose two different seaside destinations for this trip. To be fair though the East sea is different and Yeongdeok is an area I've never explored so I was looking forward to seeing a new portion of Korea. Not to mention the town is home to the famous King Crab, and as any vacation should be, ours was fueled by food. We also decided to splash out for accommodation, opting for the room with a private pool and jacuzzi. After years upon years of budget solo travel I'm still adjusting to this lifestyle of treating myself.
One of the most popular beach destinations on Jeju Island, Hyeopjae, is home to one of my favorite views on the island, a vast sea with Biyangdo in the distance. I probably have numerous photos that I've collected over the years on each of my trips to Jeju, however, I never actually considered visiting the island. That is until one of my friends here at BHA invited me to do so and I jumped at the chance. I knew there was a boat to the island, obviously people living there need to get off sometimes, but I didn't realize it was a frequently visited tourist destination.
It wasn't long ago that I was writing about my winter break in Thailand, and here we are already reliving winter break part 2. When I came back to Korea this time around, it wasn't the job or pay that sold me on this gig, but rather the extensive amount of time off. Our school has thus far been off for Chuseok, late fall, winter/holiday break, Seollal, and next week is our first of two spring breaks. For anyone currently living in Korea under the hagwon schedule, my deepest condolences. I once lived that life, fighting for my 10 days of vacation, but no more of that, I'm growing very accustomed to my nearly 50/50 work to vacation mode. This is the lifestyle I'm accustomed to after all, in the past it was more like one year on, 6 months off, but I'll take these interspersed holidays with glee. None of what I've said so far should come as a surprise, but the plans I chose to make with my second winter holiday may shock some. Instead of running off to some tropical island, remember SE Asia is at my fingertips, I chose a stay-cation followed by a long weekend in Seoul. Winter in Jeju is a mixed bag of surprises, we went from ice rain to warm sunny skies, soon followed by normal rain and of course the bitterly cold wind. Through all of this I forgot that Seoul experiences a pretty standard winter, with most days hovering in the just above or below freezing range, and somehow I decided that was what I wanted for my winter break.
Having grown up in a home with a Dad who only entered the kitchen to fill his drink, I never really imagined knowing a man that would know the difference between chopping and dicing, or maybe I should say 다지다 and 썰다. If learning a second language has taught me anything, it's that proper and even failed communication leads to full bellies. Okay that's not entirely true, but my life in Korea has been consistently filled with people trying to feed me. Needless to say, having an in-house chef has been a lot of fun.
Having the ability to show up in a foreign country and contact a friend has always been a dream of mine. I remember thinking that if I studied abroad in University I could make friends from around the world and then later go meet them in their hometowns. I did study abroad, but most of the people I met during that time were fellow Americans, a majority of whom were from the Midwest, so much for those global connections I dreamt of. Thankfully though, life doesn’t end at 21 and I still had plenty of time to fulfill those dreams. Today I’ve got friends in many corners of the world all of which have come from connections made during both my time teaching in Korea and also the traveling I’ve done during and after.
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AsiaKoreaWhere to start. After living on and off in this country for nearly 10 years I have memories, experiences and stories galore. I'll now always be a bit partial to the Land of the Morning Calm. Filled with delicious foods, beautiful nature and friendly people, I'm always happy to return. Archives
June 2023
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