For anyone living in Korea, or anyone of Asian heritage, people can notice that many have a layered and complicated relationship to Japan. Because of what I learned growing up, I never found myself interested to go there, but by some random chance, I visited three years ago while working at Chungdahm. I met this Japanese person who ended up being my best friend, and I am lucky enough to have seen the things and the people that I have there through and with her. She does a lot of resistance work with both mainland Japanese and Okinawan artists and activists who demand fair rights, justice, and truth. There are so many incredible people creating communities of care and liberation, and I feel so thankful to see what is happening on the ground, giving me a more complex perception of the cultures around me.
Read More
Tags:
things to do on the weekend,
vacation destinations,
Kyoto,
visit japan,
chungdahm learning,
teaching at CDL,
Traveling Asia
"I just don't understand why they do it that way." This was probably my most used phrase during my first month in Korea. It wasn’t my first time abroad, but I was experiencing a lot of new things - like the traffic rules, the banking system and a new style of management at work. My first few weeks in Korea was a time of huge change. It wasn’t just eating kimchi with most meals - in fact the new cuisine was something I really loved about Korea. It was more about feeling out of place and accepting a new way of doing things.
Read More
Tags:
preparing to teach in Korea,
Teach English in Korea,
Teach Abroad,
Teach English overseas,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
cities in Korea
Cheonan is a growing city about 30 to 40 minutes south from Seoul on the KTX. Among many Koreans that I met, it stays in their mind as a small, rural city. But coming from a truly suburban and rural city in California, it is hard to categorize Cheonan as a truly small city anymore, most parts from the KTX station to the Shinsegae mall are pretty urbanized and connected by subway or busses.
Read More
Tags:
preparing to teach in Korea,
Teach English in Korea,
Teach Abroad,
Teach English overseas,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
cities in Korea
I know what you’re thinking, “What an exciting title!” But trust me this article contains important information to help you navigate a topic that you wouldn’t normally think would be confusing. Recycling and waste disposal in South Korea is actually pretty different than in North America and other Western countries. Prior to moving to South Korea,I had no idea that there were any major differences with trash and recycling but I was very mistaken! Hopefully after reading my article you’ll feel more informed and prepared for the changes to come.
Read More
Tags:
preparing to teach in Korea,
Teach English in Korea,
Teach Abroad,
Teach English overseas,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
restaurants in korea,
busan,
garbage,
trash in korea
It’s about to be a full two years since I began living and teaching in Seoul. I started my journey by applying to Aclipse. While I am so grateful for my luck finding Aclipse, I am particularly grateful to my recruiter Colette. The reason I am especially grateful to Colette is that she not only helped me find employment at my current branch in Gangnam, Seoul, but that she recommended me as someone to join the Aclipse team.
Read More
Tags:
teaching in Korea,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
teaching at Chungdahm,
growing with Chungdahm,
career,
aclipse
This summer has been hot and humid. It is during this season that a trip to a water park is ideal! I’ve been living in Seoul for a while now, but I still hadn’t visited a water park until recently. Now I’m excited to share the details of the experience.
Read More
Tags:
things to do on the weekend,
outdoor activities,
Caribbean Bay,
Weekend activities in Korea,
weekend travel
Before moving to Busan, I didn’t know very much about Korean food. I did very little research and was surprised when I got there and realized that most Korean food is very meat-centric. I used to be a vegetarian and have never been a really big fan of meals centered around meat (aside from burgers!). I quickly tried to find a couple restaurants where I could enjoy foods from back home, here are a couple of my favorites!
Read More
Tags:
preparing to teach in Korea,
Teach English in Korea,
Teach Abroad,
Teach English overseas,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
restaurants in korea,
busan
In the US, Halloween is a pretty popular holiday. In Korea, it is a new holiday. It isn’t nationally recognized. However, you’ll spot stores selling costumes and Halloween themed goods. Mainly, Halloween has been adopted as an advertisement strategy. For example. clubs hold exclusive and/or limited time Halloween themed nights. I don’t care much for the clubs though. What is exciting about for me is that amusement parks have decided to adopt horror nights! One of the most popular amusement parks, Everland, celebrates Halloween from September to mid-November. This year, the theme is Zombie Buster: Blood City 3.
Read More
Tags:
things to do on the weekend,
halloween,
western culture in korea,
having fun in korea
In Korea, I feel like I'm able to live and afford a better lifestyle than I had back home (in the U.S.) because the cost of living is very cheap here! In this article I'll break down some of the biggest costs and the price difference between Korea and the U.S. I've lived in Busan for over a year, so some of this information might not be accurate for other locations - for example I've heard Seoul is a little bit more expensive.
Read More
Tags:
preparing to teach in Korea,
Teach English in Korea,
Teach Abroad,
Teach English overseas,
things to do in Korea,
things to do on the weekend,
busan,
Beaches in Korea,
cost of living
All of South Korea has many mountains. Thus, it is no wonder that one of Korea's favorite pastimes is to go for a nice hike. Now, I am used to hiking, because in my hometown in California, I lived in a valley. Still, those mountains do not compare to the size or the beauty of the mountains in Korea. While there are various famous hikes in Korea for the more experienced hikers, I would like to introduce a hiking trail that is great for beginners who want to work their way into becoming a local hiking expert in the near future.
Read More
Tags:
things to do on the weekend,
outdoor activities,
fitness,
Weekend activities in Korea,
hiking in south Korea,
health
