Volunteering for the Korea Wetland Project

My photo journals of a Korea Wetland Keeper include this scene from Upo Marsh featuring wooden canoes.

The Korea Wetland Project has released PDF versions of my photo journals of a Korea Wetland Keeper (smiley face). The Jirisan Wetland Eco-Tour Journal tells of visiting areas of the park usually restricted to researchers. The Upo Marsh Circuit Hike Journal describes how I got more adventure than I had bargained for in endeavouring to walk around this […]

Upo Marsh Circuit Hike: Photo Journal of a Korea Wetland Keeper

The Upo Marsh circuit hike has a few strange sights, like these trees growing from the water.

Upo Marsh is a remote and rural yet nevertheless accessible destination. It’s a large wetland, so I figured that the Upo Marsh circuit hike would take me all afternoon or longer. Located in Gyeongsangnam-do, near Changnyeong, it’s an easy hour-long bus ride from Busan‘s Seobu terminal. Travelling on my own, I arrived in Changnyeong around noon and quickly […]

Trail Magic in South Korea: Hiking-Related Disasters Averted

Trail magic in South Korea is just like these magically delicate flowers at Seoraksan Park!

There are times when stuff happens, and there are times when stuff happens. Thanks to trail magic in South Korea, this story’s not about hiking-related disasters. Trail Magic in South Korea: Getting To and From a Park Near Seoul In July, I went on a hiking trip which got totally messed up. I woke up early and took […]

Sports and Entertainment in Busan: Soccer and a Movie

Sand sculptures in Busan, South Korea.

For a dose of sports and entertainment in Busan, I finally attended a few events over the summer. The soccer game wasn’t at all what I expected, and the movie was way better than I thought it would be. Soccer Match In July, I made it out to a soccer game, Seoul versus Busan. The game was in […]

Bad Hagweon Experiences: Teaching in South Korea

Bad hagweon experiences in South Korea were had in this classroom...

With only 7.5seven and a half weeks left in Korea, I’m stunned that I’ve never described something that is crucially important: my teaching job here in Busan! After all, teaching is the *primary* reason I’m here. But since you can tell from the post title that I’ve had one of those bad hagweon experiences, I guess I might […]

Jirisan Wetland Eco-Tour: Photo Journal of a Korea Wetland Keeper

The scenery was spectacular while driving around the national park during our Jirisan wetland eco-tour.

Back in May, I had been on a three-day trek in Jirisan National Park, but now I was excited to access more restricted areas of the park and to learn about its ecology. I would be spending the weekend on an eco-tour as a volunteer with the Korea Wetland Project. Day 1 I met my travel companions, Won-ho […]

Vegetarian Living in Korea: Bean Burgers, Shellfish Divers

Children playing on a rocky beach with ships on the horizon, a water hose leading to the ocean from an unseen beach restaurant where ethical eating and vegetarian living in Korea is made that much easier.

My issues with vegetarian living in Korea are pretty much all cleared up now. I’ve learned enough Korean to express my dietary restrictions and I’ve figured out which meals are always a safe bet. I haven’t had to eat meat because of a lack of options and I don’t think I’ll have to. But I do have a […]

Hiking With a Stranger, or Not: It Really Is a Small World

Hiking with a stranger led to this peak at Gajisan, where a marker indicates the altitude.

Yep, I went hiking with a stranger again… You see, I’ve always said I like talking to old men, and old men love me. They always befriend me, take care of me. In April, I went on a day hike to Gaji Mountain and made a friend on the bus en route there. Mr. Kim asked me to […]

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