Thanks to Global Basecamps for publishing an article I wrote about an average day of an expat living in Seoul! Check it out on their website www.globalbasecamps.com
We are excited to have a guest blog post from Marie Webb, an expat teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. Marie is chronicling her adventures on her blog, Gone Seoul Searching. Thanks, Marie for giving us a glimpse into your daily life!
When I moved to Seoul in August of 2010, I never could have imagined how hard it would be to balance my abnormal work schedule while experiencing everything Korea has to offer. My biggest worry upon moving here was having work be a means to an end, instead of an ends to a mean. Yes, I’m a starving college graduate that needs to pay off mountains of student loans, but on the other hand I’m in search of the fun and excitement that comes along with traveling in a new country. After 8 months I still find it all a bit unnerving, but when taking a look at my average day, I do manage to fit in a lot of fun, food and culture. So take a glimpse into my life in Seoul and learn more about what this city has to offer to over 13,277 Americans living and working here each year.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrdTK7BFu_MA45yAFng-y4xIAghyKlGNvPGsbIwEVH_UGRLst0ndynkqGar-e08PjuDfAO1E50GRGTRlQk1kx5gMi30ck5w9Pttx5MDkvWwHeRJRVvdW3eO5O9xFfh2hyCwQ4tlo-f5A/s400/A-view-of-downtown-Seoul-fr.gif)
9:30 AM- Instead of heading to the dreary gym located in the basement, I spend 20 minutes walking up a hill to a nearby mountain to go hiking. These days I am a bit weary of my gym because of a run in with a couple in the stretching room that I like to nickname "office-tel lust." I could take a small bus for only 7 minutes up the hill, but I enjoy peering into the local shops while walking. Once at Mt. Bukaksan, I jam out to Britney Spears latest album while admiring the beauty of Seoul Fortress and the views of the city below. The Seoul Fortress Wall can be accessed via many different pathways and hiking trails, and many people are comparing its steep steps with those of The Great Wall of China.
![Inside Gyeongbukgung Palace Inside Gyeongbukgung Palace](http://www.globalbasecamps.com/sites/default/files/blog/Inside-Gyeongbukgung-Palace.gif)
11:00 AM- I eat lunch while updating my blog and doing research for upcoming trips. These days I’ve been looking into another trip to Jeju Island, which is known as Korea’s Hawaii. The volcanic island’s crystal blue water and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Mount Hallasan Natural Reserve and Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak have earned the island a spot as the only finalist from Eastern Asia in the New 7 Wonders.
![Locks Locks](http://www.globalbasecamps.com/sites/default/files/blog/locks.gif)
3PM- With 5 hours to spare before heading back to work I usually wander around the city exploring new places while doing some light shopping. A walk along the Cheonggyechong stream greets me on my way to Myeongdong. The stream is a strange place because of its beauty and serenity in the midst of complete chaos. Myeongdong is home to the most famous shopping district in Seoul housing hundreds of street vendors and brand name stores such as H&M and Louis Vuitton. Koreans are obsessed with anything Western. Unfortunately I try on a pair of shoes only to discover once again that the vendor does not have my size. I am only a size 8.5, and this is still too big in Korea.
5PM- I head to a local Korean restaurant for dinner. One of my favorite meals is called Deonjang jjiggae. The soybean tofu stew comes loaded with vegetables and sometimes seafood along with a metal bowl filled with rice. I usually take a new route home each day. My latest discovery walking home was the famous Jogyesa Buddhist temple. Here I took pictures of the thousands of lanterns hung in preparation for an annual festival celebrating the Buddha’s Birthday. Buddhist temples are my favorite destinations in Seoul mainly because the city is known for its bali bali! (fast fast!) lifestyle which clashes brutally with my California slow-poke attitude.
![Seoul Seoul](http://www.globalbasecamps.com/sites/default/files/blog/Seoul.gif)
10PM- I’m home for the day and hop right on Skype to talk with my boyfriend who lives in Los Angeles. We usually talk everyday for an hour before I put on my headphones and jam out on my digital piano that I purchased from the well known Nagwon Building just a block from my house. I used to think Nagwon was a run down apartment building before entering the 5 story music heaven. Many foreigners including myself have visited the building to see Sachoom, a dance musical located in an old theater on the fifth floor. Editing and posting on my blog and the "Korea Taste" blogging contest usually consume my final hours before falling asleep. To vote for my articles and help me win a culinary food tour in Korea hit the thumbs up button on the Korea Taste website link above!
If you have any questions or comments about "Gone Seoul Searching: A Day in the Life of an Expat Living in Seoul, South Korea" please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com
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3 개의 댓글:
hi, great article :) wondering which route you took at mount bukhansan?
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