Death by Rice Chest and the Suwon Cultural Festival

Every fall, the nearby city of Suwon holds the popular Suwon Cultural Festival centered within the late 18th century Hwaseong Fortress. It’s a 3-day extravaganza with cultural performances, activities, and other events. My boyfriend and I had already planned on taking the train out to see the famous fortress, so the festival was an unexpected […]

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Train to Busan

As I’ve said before, summertime in Seoul is hot – one of the only respites being the singularly wonderful invention of air conditioning. -But it is perfect weather to spend some quality time with the sun, sand, and some ocean waves. A group of coworkers and I planned a girl’s trip to the seaside city […]

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Summertime in Seoul

I was thinking about titling this post “Sweaty Summer in Seoul”, but I thought that would make me sound too much like a gross person…. well, too late. I’ve said it anyway. When I noticed the handheld electric fans starting to be sold in the underground shopping markets I should have known what I was […]

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A Couple Grand Palaces and A Secret Garden

Since living in South Korea, we’ve visited two of the “Five Grand Palaces” built during the Joseon dynasty. As with a lot of the historical structures in Seoul, the palaces were ravaged, pillaged, and destroyed by the Japanese. All have been burnt down or partially burnt down, or burnt down multiple times and rebuilt over […]

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Forgetting Your Umbrella During Monsoon Season

After living in Southern California for 7 years, you almost forget that weather exists. Enter South Korea’s monsoon season. If I could describe the weather succinctly I would say hellish haha. It’s a muggy, steamy, hot, humid, mess. Also, my hair expands to hilarious and frizzy proportions (If you’ve ever watched the television show Friends, […]

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Hiking in Korea: Yogmasan Mountain

On any given Saturday or Sunday in Seoul, the subways and buses are packed with families and friends decked out in brightly colored hiking gear. This eclectic bustle of rainbow-clothed people are on their way to hike the numerous mountains surrounding the city. These mountains are islands of calm surrounded by the ever-busy and bustling metropolis, […]

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Injuries Abroad: Quick Tips On Getting Around a Korean Hospital

Recently, I had the unfortunate experience to need some medical assistance, and I thought it would be helpful to put up some tips for other foreigners who may need to maneuver Korean hospitals. It can be pretty scary to have to find a doctor/hospital/clinic in another country. The emergency number here is 119, if you […]

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What Am I Working On, You Ask?

So, I guess this blog also should also have something to do with art …riiiiiiight? Haha, well that was half the intention for making this blog, at least. So here we go~ I’ve always been fascinated with fairy tales, mythology, almost anything fantastical in nature – and I think concurrently reading the novel Deathless by […]

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14 Different Things About Living in South Korea

Living in another country will inevitably require you to do things in a different way. So it’s best to encounter something new with little/no expectation and a lot of acceptance (i.e. try and do as the locals do). This is far from a comprehensive list, just some random things I’ve found to be new or […]

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Nami Island and the Surprising Strength of Ajummas

  Being surrounded by glass, chrome, and asphalt for an extended period of time always has me feeling a deep-seated need to get out and find some nature. So, on a cool spring day, my significant other, a couple of friends and I decided to leave Seoul and explore Nami Island (or Namiseom 남이섬). Nami Island is famous […]

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