korea vibes

Seoraksan, My Forever Korean Love

6 long years later and I made it back to my favorite mountain. I was happy to see that not much had changed and that Koreans were still fashionably hiking in rainbow outfits.  

Day with Jae

Life's little treasures aren't lost on me. What are the chances that thousands of miles away from home you run into a friend on the streets of Seoul? SO SMALL IT'S STUPID!! To celebrate this wondrous occasion we made friendship rings, ate street food and took cheesy photos of each other.

Cute Little Snapshots from City-wide Protests & The Aftermath of An Impeached President

My friends at school and I had signed documents promising that we wouldn't participate in political gatherings or put ourselves at risk as foreigners in urban areas. Yeah, yeah, but when you're only an hour away from a country uprising and the impeachment of the president, does it really make sense to sit at home and watch it on tv? We didn't think so either.

The two sides of the aisle were divided by police blockades and more military personnel then I've ever seen in my life. Earlier in the week during the protests, a pro-Park rallier died during the protest which really heightened security. The left and right each had entirely different vibes and demographics. Democracy in action is always a sight to behold and a great opportunity to take some photos. 

The Food I Still Dream About

You know how sandwiches you make yourself are great and all, but you really, really love when your mom makes your sandwich? The ingredients could be exactly the same but there's just something special about someone you love making you a meal. THE COMFORT! THE JOY! THE PRIDE! THE KINDNESS! THE FULL BELLY!

In Korea, I fell in love with a kind, shy woman who ran a tiny little restaurant in town. Her specials were homecooked Korean staples that were all delicious and under $5. A dream come true really. She knew nothing in English and I only knew "hello," "thank you" and "it's delicious" in Korean. My friends and I went so often that we started calling her "Mama Yum Yum" and told everyone that would listen to stop by her place. I would stop by for dinner and we would quietly watch Korean tv together while I slurped my ramen. She would wrap up my leftovers (completely unheard of in Korean restaurants) and always smile so kindly when I left. I intentionally planned my last Korean meal to be her bibimbap with spicy broth before I left for the airport and it almost brought a tear to my eyes. (Hahahah, but seriously. It was very depressing.) 

Since I've been home I've tried to make several of her dishes and it's just not the same. #missyoumamayumyum #bibimbapbesties #southkoreatakemeaway #foodbaby

bukhansan national park

In between classes we tried to hike as much as possible. We would take the subway into Seoul, catch a few buses and then keep an eye out for trailheads. It wasn't long before we had views of the city, passed some Korean cuties on the trail and stuffed our faces with kimbap to go.

ROUND TWO

When I left South Korea in 2012, it was with a sense of finality. I loved Korea, but never thought that I would return. Fast forward 5 years to when I heard about a semester abroad opportunity during class one morning. I decided to go after about 5 seconds of hearing about it. In state tuition? Accelerated classes? Done, done, done. I didn't even know where it was, but I was going. Then I heard it. South Korea. Seriously?? Is that even possible? What? I couldn't believe it, but considering I had already planned the next 6 months in my overactive mind during those 5 seconds, it wasn't a hard choice to fully commit. Korea round two was completely different than the glory of monkey, my seaside town and solo adventures of Goseong, but it was just as life changing. I leaped all-in to my public health courses, stuffed my face with Korean food all day everyday and made so many new friends. I saw a president get impeached, I returned to one of my favorite mountains on earth and even convinced my ma to come and visit me. All in all, a major, major win.