Hello friends,

Time has flown. So much has happened in the two months since I updated here last. The silence, big experiences, little time.

Here I am now to leave my last post of Korea and reminisce about the fleeting moments of August in Korea.

Where to begin? There is so much I loved about Korea and our time there,  with our experience as teachers at DGEV, to the people we worked with, to traveling and exploring. It’s going to be hard to put into words how difficult it was to say goodbye to our friends, colleagues, the place, and country. 

Our last contract day with DGEV was August 8th, we then traveled for two weeks with Eric’s mom and brother who flew in to travel Korea with us before we left. We flew home to the U.S. on August 24th. 

Mark (brother) and Kim (mother) landed in Seoul August 9th. We meet them in Seoul to drop off most of our luggage at the Incheon airport in storage (being we had 6 bags between us) so we could travel around with our lighter packs. (It was VERY expensive, but it was really worth it as we were not going to lug around 6 bags through the country.) 

Our first robot at the Incheon Airport! 

The arrival - Daegu

Mark and Kim had quite the experience in planning to travel to Korea, even in 2022 Korea still has very strict requirements to get into the country and travel: PCR tests before and after arrival, K-ETA application, written communication as to where they were traveling, and then just not knowing whether they would have a positive test before they left and the trip be rejected weighed heavily on them. 

They made it though! (Irony to be filled in later) The first day our main goal was to get Kim and Mark PCR tested for the Korea-mandated test within 24 hours. We had a location secured from our colleagues and waited in line in the hot sun before they opened up. Got through the line, Eric helped with translation, and the noses were prodded deep and we then awaited results. 

First two days would be in our home town of Daegu. We wandered the city, showed them both our favorite spots, waited for our favorite coffee shop RYU to open, wandered the famous SPARK building. We meandered back to our hostel to cool down and regather ourselves. We then had dinner with our best friends Shewa, John, Collin, and Kevin at our (once favorite) revamped Ramen place. This original building was much better - confirmed by all that knew. 

Two days in Busan

Highlights: Ocean temple Haedong Yonggungsa, swimming at Gwangali Beach,  Dongnae Halmae Pajeon (most beautiful restaurant we’ve been to yet), the Busan Aquarium, seeing Haeundae beach for the first time, and Sol Pizza with friends.

Lowlights: K-Guesthouse mold in the bathroom and paper thin walls, Fuzzy Navel and finding a restaurant on Gwangali beach, Cafe Maluvia closed on Mondays :(( figuring out plan B’s on the go.

One night in Yeosu

Yeosu was supposed to be a bit more for us, because of logistical errors it wasn’t. We tried to book bus tickets online from Busan to Yeosu months earlier but the website didn’t allow us to purchase, so we risked it and said we would buy tickets in person when we get there. Well, turned out most buses were full. Our best bus was to leave at 6 pm from Busan getting in late to Yeosu. We were hoping to have at least half a day, or some of the afternoon to explore, but alas we arrived only to fall sleep, wake up the next morning take in the breathtaking view of our Airbnb, find out Kim and I contracted Covid-19 (irony filled in = with all they did to not get covid before getting here) and we were off to Boseong in the morning. In the next life I’d like to explore Yesou and the Jeollanam-do province, I just know there is beauty and character we didn’t get to see. 

Two days in Boseong

Boseong was the highlight of our trip for me. It was a part of the country that we just didn’t get to spend too much time in, which was the impetus to book a stay. I say “Two days in Boseong” but it was really outside of Boseong-gun in the hills, our traditional hanok house was in Mundeok-myeon rented by Sooja. This house was just pure peace. It slept 4 perfectly, as long as two sleeping on the floor is fine. A full kitchen and two bathrooms, one was super big and with a bathtub (that I didn’t get to use!) I only wish I would have been healthier for it, I had a terrible cough at that point and had a high fever both nights of staying there. It was an incredible place for lying low and enjoying the scenery. As Kim had said it would be wonderful to rent a car to explore the area, lakes, and countryside - next time. 

Six days in Seoul

We were driven to Gwangju from Boseong by Yoomin, Sooja’s son, who was one of the most kind and helpful hosts we have stayed with in Korea. Yoomin dropped us off at the KTX train station and we were off to Seoul. Kim had a flight out of Incheon Airport in the afternoon the next day. Mark, Eric, and I would then spend the next five days exploring Seoul before we all flew home. We said goodbye to Kim and parted ways.

The three of us explored as much as we could of Seoul. We were exhausted by the end, being two of us had gotten covid and it was hoott.

The neighborhood we stayed in was perfect for sightseeing though. We booked the Hide and Seek Guesthouse, which was in Jongno-ga which is one of the top neighborhoods chock-full of historical monuments, temples, and palaces. 

Highlights: Tteobokki with all of us in a hotel huddled over a single bowl, The History: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Changdeok Palace, Deoksugung Palace, South Korean botanical coffee shops: Savage Garden cafe, coffee with Kevin, The Halal Guys with Collin and Daphnee, walking by the Han river, Seoul Arts Center - two exhibitions Miles Aldridge & Henri Cartier Bresson, both photographers, Eric’s professional Korean haircut, a wine bar in Jongno-ga as a last hurrah!

Lowlights: National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art - verry weird and flat, lots of installations that didn’t engage me, trudging up a hill in Itaewon to find a restaurant only to not find it, cat-called by American men in Itaewon, Mark getting covid right at the end of the trip (in addition to me and Kim), how hot it was walking around outside looking at all the palaces, missing our night bus tour in Seoul, didn’t get to go to Gangnam, saying goodbye to Kevin, Collin, Daphnee officially.

My homage to South Korean scooters ❤️🛵

Farewell Korea, we talk about you constantly now.