Apologies for the lag…of uh…life. I assure you, if you ventured into the crevices of my imagination, you would have read pages and pages of blog entries. I’ve written them while watching children sheepishly stare at me on the subway, women jiggle their fat in the corner of the gym, and while taking silent strolls nestled secretly between class times. They’re sharp, attentive, pieces of those moments. Unfortunately, those entries are as transparent as tangible entries. So, deep breath. Let me compartmentalize.
Let’s do the basics. Travel.
Travels:
Jeju Island
Honeymoon Island. The mouthy slogan boasts, “The world comes to Jeju and Jeju comes to the world.” I stayed with a fellow Fulrighter at her homestay for part of the time, while opting for Lonely Planet’s recommended hostel, Hiking Inn, the other half. Korean thanksgiving, Chuseok provided the means for this optimal travel experience. Besides honeymooners, this island is often visited by high school students, perhaps akin to the American Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., etc. annual overnight trip (oh wait, 9-11 and budget kids nixed those opportunities for me). The Island is easily navigated by bus. The two largest cities are Jeju-si— cosmopolitan Korean-city feel, flashing lights, moody 20-somethings in oversized sweaters, and coffee priced higher than bimipap and Seogwipo, a smaller, cozy coastal town, easily navigated, with better beaches and olles in proximity. An olle is essentially a marked hiking/walking trail that runs parallel, in most instances, to the water. I use parallel loosely, for let’s bear in mind that this is Korea, so the trails intersect rice fields, tourist traps, the lawns of the elite, and bustling bus stops. Get a tourist map at the airport. Find the desired distance, hop on a bus, and get a groovin’. I did Olle 8, and it nearly trumps the coastal views of Ireland.
Honeymoon Island. The mouthy slogan boasts, “The world comes to Jeju and Jeju comes to the world.” I stayed with a fellow Fulrighter at her homestay for part of the time, while opting for Lonely Planet’s recommended hostel, Hiking Inn, the other half. Korean thanksgiving, Chuseok provided the means for this optimal travel experience. Besides honeymooners, this island is often visited by high school students, perhaps akin to the American Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., etc. annual overnight trip (oh wait, 9-11 and budget kids nixed those opportunities for me). The Island is easily navigated by bus. The two largest cities are Jeju-si— cosmopolitan Korean-city feel, flashing lights, moody 20-somethings in oversized sweaters, and coffee priced higher than bimipap and Seogwipo, a smaller, cozy coastal town, easily navigated, with better beaches and olles in proximity. An olle is essentially a marked hiking/walking trail that runs parallel, in most instances, to the water. I use parallel loosely, for let’s bear in mind that this is Korea, so the trails intersect rice fields, tourist traps, the lawns of the elite, and bustling bus stops. Get a tourist map at the airport. Find the desired distance, hop on a bus, and get a groovin’. I did Olle 8, and it nearly trumps the coastal views of Ireland.
Other points of interest:
Jungmun Beach- arguably most touristy beach on the Island, but the warm, shallow waters provided great relief post Olle. Filled with foreigners, but the environment was congenial and even entertaining, as we combined English skills to instruct the Korean lifeguard how to say “Come ClosER.” Koreans struggle with “r” pronunciation, so despite many painful attempts, the lifeguard still bellowed “COME CLOSE,” in his megaphone. Ahh, it was lovely.
In addition to daytime fun, I also had a bonfire on the beach with friends I met in Seoul. Not sure of the legality, but we gathered supplies, hid beneath the humongous Hyatt Hotel and smore’ed the night away. We justified the situation given the fact that drunk Koreans were skinny-dipping down the shore. They eventually extended their stamp of approval by running over in their boxers to scatter twigs on our extinguishing flame. Have I mentioned that Koreans are a kind bunch of people?
Udo Island- A small island reached by ferry in the Northeast. Take a taxi or bus (obviously taxi is quicker) from either major city—it’s about 45 minutes to one hour respectively. We haggled a taxi driver for 25,000 won, or about $25 to allow five people, only two of which female, to make the trek from Jeju-si. 5,000 won and my birth date got me a ferry ticket. Check out my picassa album to appreciate the absolute wonder of this island and the ferry habits of Korean—sleeping rooms, which I would highly recommend for American ferries. So simple, yet so delightful, like peanut butter and bread, or maybe I just say that because it remains the only snack in my home besides Frosted Flakes.
Rent scooters or ATVS on the island. It’s cheap, relatively speaking. 15,000-30,000 won for two hours of absolute bliss. Life is sure delicious zipping around squatting ajumas (married Korean women, or older traditional Korean women) masked by rice fields with the salty taste of ocean blasting you in the face. Weeeeeee……up and over we romped, stalled, and pushed. Stopping at lighthouses and cliffs to observe, this was a day to remember.
The Korean Fulbright program hosts two annual conferences each year. The fall conference is in Gyeongju, South Korea. We exchanged teaching ideas, discussed homestay horror stories, among other cultural business, came to the conclusion that most of us are in the dreaded “rejection phase” of culture shock (there are four phases, according to most scholars), and finally, had 10 hours of choir practice. I missed the fine print that necessitates strong singing abilities for a Fulbright ETA.
Obviously, they didn’t know that when I was in 11th grade I overheard my chorus singing partner cackling over how her “singing partner was the worst singer in the world.”
Obviously, they didn’t know that when I was in 11th grade I overheard my chorus singing partner cackling over how her “singing partner was the worst singer in the world.”
Why sing? Well, that leads me to my next adventure. We did some sightseeing as well. Check out the slideshow below to relish is some of Korea’s rich and extensive history.
60 years in Korea is a milestone. It’s like big freakin’ deal. So, like all big deals, we threw a big party. This big party was held at the swanky and sexy, Shilla Hotel in Seoul. Drop the name and Koreans know what you’re talking about. Congratulatory messages were sent from President Obama and President Lee Myung-bak. US Ambassodar Stephens was a highlighted speaker who was regretfully unable to attend. Among other mentionable State Department employees, Mrs. Harriet Mayor Fulbright herself was in attendance. She looks smashing for her age, the mystery that it is.
After speeches, a sensual seven-course Western style dinner, and various performances, we performed a touching song about hate crumbling and bonds forging. The people still awake really enjoyed it. It was fun, given the fact we cheersed to about 6 glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon prior to our cultish entrance on stage.
Besides singing and stuffing my face, I did some sightseeing and Seoulighting. I’ll blog on the Seoul nightlife soon, but here are some photos to share in my adventures in Seoul.
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