Lingo in Transit

Travel, Languages and Life

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  • Sightseeing in Kyoto (2nd time): Day 1

    Sightseeing in Kyoto (2nd time): Day 1

    I arrived in Kyoto from Tokyo after taking the shinkansen. It was my first time on the bullet train and I first couldn’t believe how incredibly quiet it was when it pulled into the station?! That’s something that I’ve noticed here, how quiet transport is. Even the cars and buses are quiet. The metro is the loudest here.

    I had come to Kyoto earlier in the year during a long weekend from South Korea which I had wrote about here (Day 1 and 2) and here (Day 3). So, I had new places in mind this time around.

    In the afternoon after arriving from Tokyo, I went to a dessert place near my accommodation (of course!). It was warabimochi and something I had not tried before. It’s made from bracken starch (apparently from the fern family but nowadays potato starch is used due to the price) which is then covered with soy bean powder and often served with red bean and ice cream. The warabimochi is lighter than mochi and the kind that stretches out from your spoon. It’s an interesting texture and I really enjoyed it.

    I took a walk along the Kamo River after which is one of my favourite spots in Kyoto. I read for a little bit on the banks of the river where many people were also sat. I did some bird watching before walking back to eat near my hotel.

    Day 1

    I was excited for today. Finally, I would be able to visit the Kinkaku-Ji (the Golden temple). It was about a 40 minute bus ride away but it was my first time in this direction and also the first time on a bus in Japan. How curious that they board the bus from the back door and then pay at the front when getting off! I’ve never been anywhere where this happens.

    The Kinkaku-Ji stands out so much from its surroundings and is really one of a kind! This Buddhist temple dates back to 1397 when the villa here was bought and transformed into a temple. It has been burnt down previously so the one we see today was reconstructed in 1955. The building is covered in gold leaf which is said to purify against death.

    There is a one way route around the garden and entry is 500yen. The grounds are not that big and there are many tourists but everyone keeps moving and you go around the temple so you can see it from more than one angle.

    As this was located on the northern west side of Kyoto, it was a bus and train ride away from Arashiyama which I decided to go to afterwards. On my last trip here, I went to the bamboo forest but this time, the two places on my list were Otagi Nenbutsu-ji and the Monkey Park.

    Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a buddhist temple that has more than 1000 stone carved heads and is away from the crowds of tourists. It’s not that easy to get to but it was a very tranquil part of town to be walking through huge trees, old style houses and bamboo patches. I only saw a handful of people walking there. It was a 40 minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama station but beautiful.

    • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji

    Entry is 300yen but despite not being a very big temple- the stone carvings were worth the trip. Each carving had a different face on it and some even reflected the carver’s hobbies. Being moss and plant covered added to the peaceful aura of the temple.

    While walking back towards the station to go to the Monkey Park which is back in the opposite direction, I stopped randomly at a restaurant along the main road. I was still a while away from the station so there was practically no-one around. As I was coming into the restaurant, a Swedish-Chinese couple had just gone in before me and they invited me to sit next to them seeing as though we were the only people inside.

    This restaurant was run by a friendly Japanese grandma who spoke no English and we spoke no Japanese. I ordered an udon bowl (which came out as cold udon) but it was delicious and a great home made lunch!

    • Walking over the Katsura River

    Continuing on to the Monkey Park, there is a 600yen entry fee and then you begin your climb up the mountain. There are some stairs at the beginning but then it’s ramps snaking its way to the top. I would say it takes about 15-20 minutes of continuous walking to reach the top. Some parts of the ramp are slippery so take care! You’ll need to be somewhat fit but there are benches along the way if needed. The monkeys roam free here near the top and you are also rewarded with a beautiful view.

    There is a feeding cage where you can buy some small packs of food to give them and feed them from inside the cage. Outside, the monkeys tend to keep their distance and are not opening your bags and stealing your contents as I have heard occur in other places. They are more concerned with their own territorial disputes and monkey business.

    The park closes at 4pm so be sure you plan accordingly to include the walk up and down the mountain.

    Of course the day is not complete without an afternoon dessert break coming down from the Monkey Park. Like a homing pigeon, I located the anmitsu on the cafe menu and ordered that before heading back into town.

    Have you been to any of these places? What did you think? Are any of these places on your list??

    To see what I got up to in Tokyo, the blog posts are here (Day 1 and 2) and here (Day 3-5).

  • Sightseeing in Tokyo: Day 3, 4 and 5

    Sightseeing in Tokyo: Day 3, 4 and 5

    I have to apologise that in this post, there were very few pictures captured for a few reasons: 1) I didn’t think there was anything particularly worth taking pictures of, 2) I was so engrossed that I forgot to take pictures, 3) I was so hungry that I forgot to take pictures of any food and 4) I think the big city vibe was tiring me out.

    Day 3

    I thought that I would go and explore an out of the way area called Shimo-Kitazawa which is suppose to be a cool hip area. I had actually found this area whilst googling beforehand but my guide on the Shibuya tour also mentioned it. There are winding streets of vintage stores and cafes. I ducked into a few but there was nothing special that caught my eye. I found a Vietnamese Banh Mi place to have lunch and was happy at having a break from Japanese food.

    It’s a change of pace from the touristy areas and many vintage stores if you are in the mood to search and take it easy.

    Afterwards, I headed to Shinjuku to explore (I am laughing as I write this knowing how tired I was already). As you may already infere, I didn’t get much exploring done and found a cafe to sit and read for an hour instead.

    For dinner, it was time to finally try Ichiran Ramen. It’s a famous chain around Japan and is known for it’s great ramen but also that it’s very void of social interaction. You are served your meal through this bamboo type screen from the staff and you’re sitting in your own cubicle with wooden panels on either side. You do have to queue but the line moves quickly.

    It’s so famous, you can find Ichiran Ramen kits around town if you want to take some home with you.

    Day 4

    This morning was spent on a walking tour in the Tsukiji Outer Seafood market. This seafood market was previously home to the famous fish auction and wholesale market but they have now moved elsewhere so this existing market is purely for tourists and locals. Our guide took us around pointing out good places to eat at and brought us to the cool Tsukiji Peppers Cafe where I got to try their home made hot pepper cola. It was so good and interesting!

    Fresh wasabi

    All I managed to capture was this blurry photo of some of the enormous prawns and oysters for sale. I have not seen any as big as the ones at the market! I was so hungry by the tour’s end. I ended up trying a wagyu skewer (it tastes as good as it sounds!), one fresh oyster and some raw fish. I can report, that all of this was incredibly fresh and worth it. By 2pm, a lot of the stalls were closing so I would advise you come early so you can look around and for some places, wait in line to eat some fresh seafood.

    Every since coming to Japan, I have found that my stomach has been a bottomless pit and by every meal time, I was already ravenous. What I had for lunch barely tied me over so I went back to my favourite dessert place I found yesterday for some sweets. I then headed back to my hotel area for an early dinner.

    Day 5

    This was my last full day in Tokyo. Not going to lie, I was exhausted by this point and spent the morning taking it super slow and just hanging out in my hotel room as well as going back to buy something for family.

    In the afternoon, I met with a friend and we went to explore Korea Town at Shin-Ōkubo station (yes, I know I just left Korea but it was nice!) and to a cafe. We spent the afternoon chatting and walking around before going nearby to a shabu shabu restaurant (Japanese hotpot).

    This post concludes my time in Tokyo. Are there any other favourite places that you’ve been to in Tokyo and would recommend? Let me know!

    Check out my previous post for Day 1 and 2 in Tokyo here.

  • Sightseeing in Tokyo: Day 1 and 2

    Sightseeing in Tokyo: Day 1 and 2

    After leaving South Korea, I went to Japan! I couldn’t resist with Japan being so close and this time, I would get to visit places other than Kyoto. First stop, the big city of Tokyo.

    Day 1

    On my first full day, I started off with a walking tour in Shibuya to get my bearings. It was great to be pointed out some places to come back to and eat at and safer for me walking in a group as I walk with my eyes looking above at all the signs and places.

    • THE Shibuya crossing famed for having thousands of people cross at the same time during peak hours.

    One of the places that was recommended was a standing sushi place. Some other tour friends that I had made and I lined up. The restaurant had about 12 standing spots but the line moved fast and we were shortly “standed” (instead of seated). They had some lunch plates on offer and I decided to go for one of them rather than ordering a la carte. The nigiri are all made in front of you and the seafood was oh so fresh. A miso soup (with prawn heads in the stock) was served and you could even help yourself to green tea powder and make yourself a hot drink at the standing bar.

    After being well fed, I went a station away to Harajuku to go and see the Meiji Jingu– a shinto shrine. It’s located in a big park and it was nice to walk through past the sake barrels snaking through with everyone else going to the shinto shrine.

    • A 250 year old Chinese Juniper bonsai

    Inside the grounds of the shrine was a bonsai display. In my life, I’ve only seen the bonsai’s at the local garden centre but these were 100-500 year old bonsai’s. They were so beautiful (and completely impressed me compared to the garden centre ones) and I couldn’t believe that they were so old (and so tiny).

    • Wooden plaques called Ema at Shinto shrines and temples where people can write their prayers and wishes

    Next, was to check out the nearby Takeshita Street in Harajuku which was just opposite the Harajuku station and definitely a tourist destination. It’s a street lined with stores, souvenir stores and waffle ice-cream places. I was actually disappointed that it wasn’t the Harajuku I had heard so much about- the kawaii items and the Harajuku street fashion was not really on the street. One place that got me was the gacha ball place. It’s a “store” lined floor to ceiling with these gacha ball machines selling assorted figurines, keyrings, magnets, rings and bags. They make a great small souvenir if you can find ones you like.

    I also went roaming around the back streets to look at some vintage stores but they were so expensive. A retro style t-shirt (I’m talking about cartoon characters from the 90s) were selling at prices up to $50! Vintage stores I guess have become “cool” now.

    • Gacha ball machines 

    Day 2

    The next morning I tried to start “early” by going to the Sensoji Temple at 9:30am by it was not early enough. It was already packed with tourists, locals and school groups. It’s so funny that we find it hard to peel ourselves out from bed for work but everyone is up at the crack of dawn when on holidays.

    The Buddhist temple is beautiful with the vibrant red and gold and bigger than life lanterns. It is the oldest temple in Tokyo with the first temple being built in 645 AD. Like many popular structures in Japan, the existing one was rebuilt after WWII after being destroyed in an air raid.

    I then caught the metro to Tokyo station and found some lunch (I was too hungry to even take a picture) ready for my afternoon at the Imperial Palace. Or so I thought. By the time I had wandered in, all the onsite ticket passes that you have to queue up for, were gone. I could’ve known this if I had googled earlier and planned better! Still, I got to admire the views walking there and back to Tokyo station.

    Under Tokyo Station is an underground shopping strip and within it is a cartoon street. So I thought I’d check it out whilst I’m there. I don’t know much about anime but there were other stores for San Rio and even Harry Potter.

    Afternoon tea was then calling after having been walking so much (why are there no seats or benches in Japan?). I tried a Japanese dessert place and this was when I fell in love with anmitsu. On top, you are seeing red bean paste, mandarins, mochi and green tea ice cream. Underneath is agar jelly, red beans and a sweet syrup. Yuuuuuuuuum!

    I continued to wonder around the station and then decided to head back to eat dinner near my hotel.

    Stay tuned for the rest of the trip!

  • The cafe’s of South Korea

    The cafe’s of South Korea

    There is a huge coffee culture in South Korea and a huge cafe culture. Minimalist, maximalist, themed and instagrammable cafe’s fill the entire country. It’s something that I actually miss already, the care taken into the aesthetics of the interiors.

    Here, I have collated some of the pictures that I have taken from various cafe’s.

    • Gangneung
    • Suwon
    • Suwon
    • Seoul
    • Busan
    • Seoul
    • Daegu
    • Seoul
    • Seoul
    • Seoul
    • Suwon
    • Suwon
    • Suwon
    • Seoul
    • Seoul
    • Seoul
    • Seoul
  • Hiking Inwangsan in Seoul

    Hiking Inwangsan in Seoul

    I had this post sitting in my drafts for so long so I decided I should just write it up and finish it.

    Hiking is a favourite activity in South Korea and especially amongst the oldies. In Korean, they have the word ‘Ajumma’ and ‘Ajusshi’ for middle aged woman and man respectively, which to me, sounds nicer than oldies or elderly. Anyway.

    Don’t let hiking in South Korea intimidate you because you just need to follow the ajummas and ajusshi’s. That’s how popular hiking is. On weekends, there are hiking groups and even during the week, there’ll be others hiking too. Inwangsan is located north west of Seoul and is one part of the Seoul wall that you can hike. You can get off at the metro stop: Gyeongbokgung and take exit 1 and follow the main road until you start seeing signs for the Inwangsan Hike (It will be around Sajikdan).

    Walking along the wall means that there will be many steps. If you want a hike that isn’t so step heavy, there is a winding path that goes around this side of Inwangsan too.

    The first look out

    When you get to what you think is the top, you are rewarded with lots of wind and a beautiful view like this. Picnic-ing is another favourite past time here so you can pack a rug and food and find yourself some flat surface to have a picnic. There were some picnic go-ers already at this first peak.

    However, when you keep going, you will reach the proper peak with more space to take a break and sit and admire the view. From here, you can decide to go back the way your came or continue on to finish the route which is what I did.

    The very peak
    • Ready for the descent

    If you continue on, the end of the trail will be at the area around the Hill of Yun Dong-Ju the poet. When you reach the end, you can cross the road and start the next part of the wall starting at Changuimun Gate which is the Baekgaksan hike which I previously wrote about here. When I did the Baegaksan hike, I ended at Changuimun Gate to avoid all the stairs.

    Inwangsan took me about 2 hours to complete and I also stopped to eat along the way. There was no toilet along this hike until the end so keep that in mind!

    Whichever way you start, it’s a very rewarding and lovely hike. If you want to get away from the bustle of Seoul, I would recommend hiking the Seoul wall.

  • My Last Few Days in South Korea

    My Last Few Days in South Korea

    Upon finishing my contract, I had to be out of the country within a week or so so I took a few days to chill out in Seoul. The lead up to my last day involved trying to sell or give away household items and packing my life into a large suitcase. It was chaotic and stressful. When I got to Seoul, I still didn’t feel like it was all over. And even now, I think I’m still processing it all and missing it.

    • Admiring some great artwork in the many galleries in Insadong

    I went back to some of my favourite places like Insadong to have a look one final time in some galleries and then to the nearby Gwangjang Market for a traditional bowl of noodles (this time I opted for sujebi which is hand pulled noodles and hand pulled…..dough which are just odd shaped depending on how they pull it off but it’s oh so chewy) from one of the friendly grandmas and my last sikhye (sweet rice drink). This market is always so busy and is a great cheap eats place around countertops with such fresh looking ingredients.

    There is an infamous stand which was featured on netflix but there is always a line.

    • Sujebi (hand pulled noodles)
    • Gwangjang Market which is busy everyday
    • sikhye (sweet rice drink)
    • Cheonggyecheon stream

    I spent time walking along the Cheonggyecheon stream which is filled with office workers, tourists and locals. There are places to sit along the stream too and some wildlife to spot. Further down in Seoul Plaza, I finally was able to catch the book event that was currently happening. They have bean bags and seats around the field where you can read or simply enjoy the free music and or sun.

    • I went to Kyobo bookstore in Gwangwhamun one last time. It was one of my favourite places to check out every now and then.

    I also took a day trip out to the countryside to bike ride. It was easy to get to by taking the metro to Paldang station. Once outside the station, there are plenty of bike rental stores. I rented a bike from the first place I saw outside the station on the right. It was less than $20 to hire a bike for the whole day. I was pointed to the direction of the bike path and off I went.

    It was solely a bike and separate pedestrian path so it was easy to just keep following the path. It went along a river with mountains either side. There were some cafe’s throughout but if you want a meal, you will have to stop where the locals stop at a shed with plastic seats and tents outside (or pack your own lunch). I stopped at one to have bibimbap and regret not taking any pictures! I went on a weekend and the track was filled with cycling teams and enthusiast. I imagine it would be less busy on a weekday.

    • Bukhangang Railway Bridge

    To get to Bukhangang Railway Bridge, it was a 11km ride from Paldang station but fairly easy and the beautiful route makes the time pass so quickly.

    • Stopping at a cafe on my way back

    And finally, I didn’t pass up the chance to stroll through Bukchon Hanok Village one last time. I found a rooftop cafe with a nice view albeit it was sunny and hot but they had umbrella’s on hand.

    Despite having a few days left in Seoul, there were still some places that I wanted to see but didn’t make it to. Seoul is such a huge city and even to get from somewhere north of the Han River to somewhere south of the river will take at least 30 minutes on the metro. I guess, that will be for next time.

    I’m now currently on a few months holidays before going back to Australia.

    Goodbye South Korea!

  • Things That Living In South Korea Taught Me

    Things That Living In South Korea Taught Me

    I’m a firm believer that changing the environment around you can change the way you see the world. As this post gets published, I have finished up in South Korea and have left its shores after what has been a fabulous year. Reflecting back on the year that I’ve had, I’ve put together some thoughts on things that South Korea has taught me.

    • All pictures taken in this post were from the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
    • Learn how to spend more money enjoying life
      I think I have bought more drinks here in the past year than in my whole life combined. I’m not talking even about alcoholic drinks but a cold tea or smoothie or coffee. Free from the self imposed pressure of having to save every dollar and that I’m not a home owner because I’ve had one too many cups of coffee and smashed avocado brunches, this has been liberating.
      I remember I had so much guilt spending $60 to attend an art fair here (my first ever art fair at that!) and after that I told myself that I had to work on feeling less guilt at spending money in my normal life for experiences and the odd treat. I know this is still work in progress because I find myself questioning if I really need a delicious cold drink or could just drink water instead. Even at the convenience store here, drinks are sold for less than $2 and I still have trouble bring myself to buy one or to try one from an automatic reflex of not buying drinks.
    • When in a new place, friends are everything
      I really learnt the value of friendship by being here. Most of the people I met were other foreigners and a handful of locals. We would often share information about events, how to do admin things, where to buy things, help each other out and lend or give each other things. Being in a foreign country trying the find the ropes is hard enough and having friends and people you can count on is everything!
    • It has been nice to live in a place where I (almost) blended in physically
      Growing up in multicultural Sydney was great most of the time but at times, it does register in my mind when I am the only Asian in a cafe or restaurant (previously blogged about here). It makes me feel a little awkward and at times, on guard. But here, I could almost (never 100% based on the way I dressed or until I opened my mouth), blend in here and not have to worry about race being anything that sets me apart. I’m not treated differently and it’s really been nice to not have to worry about it.
    • To pay more attention to my appearance
      I think I’ve always been very laid back with appearance and have no problems going out in the daggiest of clothes. But after being here, I could see that would make me really stick out. So I think I’ve polished myself up a little bit more and now I even ‘do my brows’ and try to tame all my fly away hair before going out most of the time.
    • That I really enjoy working with students
      Before I arrived, I was pretty sure that I would enjoyed my time as a teacher. But on the whole, I would say that I really really enjoy it. I never know what I’m going to get in the classroom, what new slang they are able to explain to me or an unexpected story they will share with the class. Sometimes the younger kids break out in song and dance together. These young minds yet tainted by the world and sometimes still so confined. For example, I told my elementary school class that I went to the dentist earlier that day and they were shocked with wide eyes asking if I went to a Korean dentist.
      I think for the first time in a long time, I actually looked forward to going to work.
    • To live with more tenacity
      If you’ve been reading for some time, you know that I love doing administrative matters in another language that I don’t know. I’m joking. But, I had to persist at going to the bank a few times to get everything I wanted sorted (and had put off for months), trying new hairdressers and going to healthcare services and explaining myself. I’m not going to lie, it made me anxious and I needed to gather my energy to do it but it all worked out. Even now, I still get a little anxious going to a new place and trying to figure out the system or spending more time translating the menu and then ordering.
      Another aspect of living with more tenacity is realising how blasé I was living back home. Put off by long distances and traffic, I would not really like to make the effort to explore new places or try new things. I think also, there are not that many choices in terms of attractions and that the public transport system would only get you so far.
    • I really like high density living
      I knew this before but when a whole country is centred around high density living, you have more amenities within reach and a better transport system to connect people. This is the first time that I’ve truly experienced it. With the option of being able to leave the apartment (it might’ve been hell during lockdowns), there is a lot of green spaces and scenery around to enjoy despite it looking like a concrete jungle from above. With better building, I cannot hear neighbours that much (much less than in Sydney) and with decent natural light, I have found that it has really suited the way that I want to live.

    If you’ve lived abroad, what are some of the things that that place taught you?

  • Dear Students,

    Dear Students,

    Thank you for listening to my assorted stories and telling me your stories whenever I asked if you anyone had any stories to share. Remember, you cannot share stories and secrets of other people!

    I don’t want you to be afraid of speaking in English and wanted you to be comfortable with trying to tell me a story even if you didn’t know all the words or the correct words to use. I hope by telling you my stories, you got to see the experiences of a foreigner living in the country and also to flood your brain with English for 1 hour.

    I admire all your perseverance. You don’t lead an easy life with school, academies and then studying and doing homework. But you turn up, you keep trying and keep going. There is so much competition and pressure on you and I know some of you are already stressed about it. Keep going and make sure you sleep enough.

    At a time where you don’t think you are pretty or handsome enough. Or smart enough. I hope you will one day come to realise that you are enough the way you are and are beautiful just the way you are. At a time when you would tell me you don’t have a girlfriend yet, I hope you will one day find the girl of your dreams. You are still so young, don’t worry.

    I loved coming to class and asking you what lunch you ate at school that day. Your groans and head hitting as you try to determine how best to explain what the meal was in English was really funny to me. I loved that you described the appearance of the food (or drew it in some classes) as you didn’t know what the English word for that vegetable was. Even though it was hard, we always managed as a class. Through this, I hope that you know that you can push through and make yourself understood and also share your culture with others.

    Thank you for randomly asking me if I knew Korean dishes, Korea idol groups, Korean songs or a random Korean words. I have a Korean name now! It is 김소민.

    It was a great year being your teacher. I will miss you all and wish you all the best for years to come and the Suneung exam. I want you to reach your dreams no matter how big or small. I believe in you even if you don’t believe in yourself.

    You can scream ‘teacheeeeerrrr’ if you ever see me on the street.

    Do not use chatgpt to write your homework. We can tell straight away!

    I’m always believing in you! 안녕!

    Sophie 쌤

    • A paper flower from an elementary student
    • Handmade bracelet from some middle school students
    • A drawing of me from a middle school student
  • From the West to the East and Now Back

    From the West to the East and Now Back

    Growing up as a first generation Australian from a migrant family, I guess there were certain expectations. My parents had come to seek a better life in Australia. I was fortunate to have grown up in very multicultural surroundings. My primary school was a melting pot of the world. We were all first generation Australians whose parents had come from all over Europe, Asia and the Pacific Islands. I liked seeing all my classmate’s surnames and how everyone just got along.

    How lucky I was. I know this was not the case for everyone.

    Photo by OC Gonzalez on Unsplash

    Through high school and university, this trend continued where I would keep making friends whose families came from other countries, made friends with those who had immigrated themselves when they were children and travellers.

    I would say, on the whole, I had a good childhood and teenage life. My mum had been told to ‘go home’ a few decades ago but I was fortunate to have avoided this. Still, I would say there is abit of racism under the rug in the country. I still turn on the TV and see no or very few people from other cultures and amongst the celebrities of Australia.

    When I started working, I began to notice that all the CEO’s and those in top positions in everyone company I worked at were all Caucasians. I sometimes notice when I’m in certain parts of Sydney, that I am the only Asian around. And despite being born in Australia that is touted as being multicultural, I still at times, feel like an outsider. This was not helped at all by the west’s reaction to the corona virus and the increase in racism during this time by Australians to other Australians. This association with the virus and China (and then by default to all Asians), is something that still bothers me today and is something else I need to be wary of in my day to day.

    Living in South Korea was a nice change. For the time that I’ve been here, masks mandates were still present so everyone has been wearing a mask basically all the time.

    I blended in.

    I didn’t stick out and this was nice. It was nice to not have to worry about if my appearance would put me at risk of a racial slur. It has been a weight off my shoulders and now that I am set to set foot back in the West, it concerns me again now. Will I be targeted by a remark or be treated unfairly?

    I guess I’ll see.

  • 11 Months in South Korea

    It is bittersweet thinking that I have 1 more month here before it’s time for me to leave. A year goes by so quickly and I thought it was time to write an update. I actually wished I had written more of these throughout my time here so that I could track my thoughts better but at least I did do my 2 months, 6 months and 9 months updates.

    I was quite saddened about leaving because I’ve come to really enjoy living here and I think, found parts of this life that I had always wanted. This place that I had jumped in feet first to and called my home. It’s amazing how quickly one can adjust to new surroundings. I love being able to walk and catch public transport everywhere (this has not changed since I arrived!). A few weeks ago, I was in Gangneung and had to wait 20 minutes for a bus. My first reaction was ‘omg, this feels like I’m back in Australia’ and I felt frustrated like I would have been back home. It was nice to not have felt this reaction for so long.

    At the time of writing, I’m trying to recover from some sort of bug. Everyone seems to be dry coughing with the change of season and it was my turn to catch it. With no sick leave (yes, I am a working machine), I had to push through at work and have finally been able to rest when the weekend arrived.

    I’ve started to list items to sell (it’s going terribly bad) and also started to pack. The last of the cold weather has come and gone so I am now washing all my winter wear and folding it away. I’m going through the things that I can throw out/recycle, use up and am trying to now eat up my pantry and freezer.

    This coming month sees actually quite a few long weekends. I’m taking another long weekend to use up my leave dates plus there are 2 public holiday long weekends. I have my last trip booked within Korea and hope that the other long weekends I can keep being able to do things that I still want to do. These include many walks and outdoor activities.

    I already feel sad about having to tell my students that I’ll be leaving. I hope I’ll be able to contain my tears! Unfortunately, on my last day, I will be covering an additional class for another teacher so I might have no time to even process my feelings until after. I am also physically and mentally tired from working and am really looking forward to not working for a little while!

    I’m trying hard to not think too nostalgically about my time here and to focus on each day at a time and enjoying every day. Seeing the change in the seasons before my eyes, the flowers flowering and then dying has made me too conscious of time passing. I’m not too worried about the future at the moment as there is still time (more on that later) before I return back home.

    • Me in a hanbok