Blogs from South Korea, Asia - page 365

It took me awhile, but I;ve found it. And it is making everything easier. 5:45 am the alarm goes (ususally my body is up anyway, so I just roll out when the beep begins). Gym for a few hours...run on that damn treadmill while I look out over the park across the street from the school, or stare intensely at the tv screen in front of me while I watch a soccer game (I have no idea who these teams are, but I assume from England) or an English movie on the military network. Classes....never the same mind you so the routine doesn't get too monotonous. The it is time to walk. I can't get enough of it (though I am sure I have spoke too soon, I do have a lot of months to go). ... read more

I almost stayed in tonight. The wind finds a way of seeping under your skin here, like Lethbridge, bleeding into your peace of mind. It is difficult to be comfortable enough to be introspective when you are cold under your skin. My late night walks have become a time for reflection and walking meditation. But, like a monk in training, I persevered the astringent air and took to the road- baby steps. First I intended to see if I could make it to the bank, 3 blocks away. Then we’ll see how the ol’ legs are feeling. But, like has become the tradition on my late evening jaunts, my legs took over any intentions I may or may not have had to explore. With Miguel Migs breathing his hypnotic rhythm into my ears, my pace quickened ... read more

So my time in South Korea is come to an end and I wanted to just give my overall opinion and some things to think about if you’re thinking about traveling here. First of all there is not a huge foreign tourist scene here in Korea, for the solo backpacker like myself. I found them to have a great transportation system with fairly cheap buses all over the country but once you reached your destination there are not a lot of cheap places to stay, and sometime they are hard to find. Unless of course you are traveling with a companion then it can be quite inexpensive. The people here seem quite rude as well, but you just need to not care it’s just the way they are (city folk), no smiles even though they ... read more

Jeonju.... I think this may be one of the nicest city's I visited. Though I only spent a day here I just really enjoyed the feeling the city has. There are not a lot of sky rises and overdressed people rushing around on tight filled day schedules. I visited the Hanok Village where Korean tradition is kept. There are around 800 traditional style homes and in the village that must be kept that way, the owners are not allowed to make modernized changes to their homes. There are also lots of traditional style shops and mini museums to check out. As I was heading there I met a guy Lee who spoke very good English and offered to show me around. I was a little hesitant but after speaking with him for a while I though ... read more

It’s a rainy Saturday in Seoul and I’m sitting a newly discovered Starbucks with my laptop. Colin is out shopping with some boys from church (don’t worry, they’re going drinking afterwards) and I think this may be our first Saturday apart since August. I’m perched up at a window seat overlooking a busy little side street and with the rain coming down out there I actually feel pretty cozy in here sipping my latte. I’m also snacking on some gimbap (maki-like roll) since it is somehow almost 4pm. I had a good chat with mom today and also chatted with my friendJaclyn for the first time in over 6 months. Boy, did I laugh!! Talking with a girl again was great! Talking with the storyteller/drama queen that is Jaclyn and hearing her self-deprecating and over-the-top home ... read more