Epilogue

Nothing has coalesced. I think it’s time to stop waiting for that to happen. It’s five months later and Korea still exists in fragments: friends here, days there, sights and smells and memories, scattered. I thought, maybe, to find some meaning in it; some statement to make or some way it changed the course of … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: The Final Part

And just like that, it was my last day of teaching. Time to say to say goodbye to my Tuesday, Thursday students. Time to welcome and train the new teacher replacing me. Time to say so long to my co-workers and get the hell out of that place. But first, morning fun. Actually, first, leaving … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 6

Also known as “Part: Christmas”. Also known as “Part: Unplanned”. Also known as “Part: Shopping”. Laura-Eve and I were really lucky to have scheduled her visit during this time of the year, as Christmas provided me with the greatest gift ever: a day off. As I’ve said before, days off were hard to come by … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 5

Ahh, market day. I wanted to take Laura-Eve to Moran Market on her first morning in Korea, but United Airlines made that impossible, so we had to wait for market day to come around again. My last market day in Korea. We woke up around 9am and slowly made our way to Moran Shijjang. First … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 4

After a lazy “day off” on Sunday, it was time to crank it back up on Monday. To start, Laura-Eve and I woke up at 5:30am and hopped on a bus to Seoul to recreate one of my best mornings in the city. We arrived in Jongro around 6:30am, pre-dawn darkness hanging over the city, … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 3

By Saturday night, both Laura-Eve and I were ready for a lazy Sunday. We turned off our alarms and let our own bodies wake us up, which they did, still too early. An even slower coffee and muffin breakfast was had, longer showers were taken, and for the first time this trip we woke fully … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 2

Day two. The best day. It was Saturday, so Laura-Eve and I had the whole day together. No work, tons of stuff planned. After two very late nights, a long week for me, and a long journey and jet lag for her, we decided to sleep in. The alarm was set for 8:30am. We got … Continue reading →

My Last Week in Korea: Part 1

Well, I’m home. Korea is over… for now. I’ll certainly be returning, though at what point and in what capacity, I haven’t the slightest. My thoughts on Korea as a whole will be written soon, once they fully coalesce in my own head. But for now, let’s turn back to my last week in Korea. … Continue reading →

My First Jjimjilbang

I can’t believe I’ve been in Korea for a total of 18 months and I haven’t been to a Jjimjilbang. Jjimjilbangs (pronounced jim-jill-baang) are part of the Korean experience, and dare I say one of the most essential parts, at that. They are half sauna, half spa, half sleeping room, and half entertainment facility. That’s right, theres four … Continue reading →

Just Another Morning in Seoul

I woke up at 4am on Thursday morning. This usually happens. I go to the bathroom, take a piss, then get back in bed and sleep until 8 or 9am. But not that day. I tried to go back to sleep, first on my back, then on my side, then my stomach, then my other … Continue reading →