Trip to Everland and being a kid again

Last weekend me and a group of friends went on a day trip to Everland, an amusement park in Korea, and arguably the largest one Korea has to offer.

I rarely go to amusement parks. I have never visited Disney World or Land, nor have I ever spent a day at Universal Studios. I went to Six Flags several times along with my local water park, but as for a large full on amusement park, Everland was my first experience.

That being said, if you're looking for advice or critical perspective on whether Everland is worth going to, you won't find it from me.

What I can say though is that if you go with a group of friends and don't mind waiting in line, it's an absolute blast to go to.

The park is large, much larger than I originally thought it would be, with each area of the park carrying a different theme and attractions. We spent the entire day there and couldn't make it to two of the major sections of the park, although one of my friends who had been here previously said not to go to Zootopia, claiming that the animals there are kept in a depressing state with cages much too small for each animal to live and roam.

I haven't been here myself, but based on what several other people have said, I can only assume there is a shred of truth to this. So to err on the side of caution and prevention of depression, we stayed away from Zootopia.

The rest of the park was standard amusement park fare. Cheerful music, long lines for rides and unhealthy food everywhere. It had that happy sugary atmosphere that amusement parks carry with them and when combined with the warm and breezy weather, it was impossible not to get caught up in the atmosphere. Despite the long wait in some lines, the end result was almost always worth it.

If I had to pick a favorite ride there, the T Express wooden roller-coaster was one of the most memorable. Touted as one of the fastest and steepest in the world, it was two minutes of steep drops, sudden turns and hills that jostled the riders around and made for the refreshing cold rush of adrenaline that only coasters can provide. It's been nearly three years since I last rode a coaster, and the feeling of giddiness and the tightening of your stomach in anticipation came back as the car began its plummet down the track. It was a good laugh between my friends and I, and a reminder that no matter how old I get, that world weary cynicism can instantly be diminished for a few minutes on a fast roller-coaster.

Despite the crowds, I can see myself returning. The entry fee was only 32,000 won ( a discount if you bring your ARC card) and the park was big enough to spend an entire day making your way around it. Even the crowd issue can be fixed if you can go on a weekday.

I'm really enjoying these outings with friends that I have been going on lately. I was usually content with traveling by myself, but I'm starting to see the appeal of traveling and doing things with a group. More people to laugh with, make jokes with. More people to do stupid stuff with and more people to remember the stupid stuff afterwards.

We were all middle to late 20 year olds and we ended up running around like we were children again. That youthfulness we try so hard to hang on to but only see occasionally as we become older.

Everland made me a kid again for a day. I only had fun on my mind. Good friends, fun rides and a great place to do them in. Take my advice, go visit Everland.

Everland information: http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/main.html

The entrance of Everland during their Tulip Festival 

My Article on Foreigners and their thoughts of North Korean threats

Besides being a teacher, my main profession and career aspiration is to be a journalist or writer. Going to Korea and traveling around has given me the opportunity to not only continue with my main job, but to indulge my journalist's side and write for different publications in Korea.

My most recent article is on foreigners living in South Korea and the collective thoughts of three teachers living and working in Korea.

This was originally published in North Korea News.

What Foreigners Living in South Korea Think of North Korean Threats

Travel Journal: Feb-Mar 2013

The purpose of post like these is to make a list of locations that I have traveled to and experienced during my time in Korea for the 2013 year. It's meant to reflect and remember the interesting and unique places I went to and to serve as a way to track my travels and where I want to go next.


Tim Burton Exhibit- Seoul- February 

The Tim Burton Exhibit was a celebration of Tim Burton's work showing props, drawings and artistic work from his movies and early days as a film school student. It was really interesting to get a peak at some of the props and illustrations that made him famous. I was particularly fond of the Batman and Pee Wee's Funhouse props while my girlfriend was particularly drawn towards his concept work and props from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

They were also showing some of his short films in the "Stain Boy" series. Short, and slightly disturbing, they were a great companion to the other forms of weirdness on display.

House Party- Gumi- March

Living in Korea leaves one with few opportunities to go to an actual house part as most people (or foreigners) in this case tend to live in apartments. In March I was lucky enough to attend a part held at a house in Gumi. One of my friends was leaving to go back home to the US and we both thought it would be nice to meet up at a place to chat. The girl who lived in the house worked at a hagwon and after her two roommates left, was able to keep the house to herself. The weather was perfect that day, as it was about 80 degrees outside with a gentle breeze, a pleasant surprise for the early month of March. I had a great, laid back time as I chatted with people outside on the house porch as others started a bonfire and barbecue a few feet away. The smell of cooking meat, burning wood and beer permeated the warm air. For a few hours that night, it was a fantastic time, and despite the location, made me miss the summers back home in Indiana.


Orientation Class Meetup- Daegu- March

I actually do not go to Daegu as much as I would like to. It's only a short 45 minutes away from my city and yet I usually find myself heading up North to visit Seoul and Incheon. The past weekend I spent some time catching up with some old friends from my orientation class.

The thing I like the most about Daegu is its big city feel combined with its sense of intimacy. The streets are all close together and often mix with the walking areas. The sidewalks are usually kept clean and tidy with trees, running water and other ornate decorations to stand out as  a contrast against the grey backgrounds. I love how little shops are in between towering sky scrappers. I love how the air smells fresh despite the abundance of  cars everywhere. I love that only a short distance from the station is a huge stage area that usually has some kind of show on display with plenty of people around to keep it lively.

If Daegu has any flaws in my eyes, its that it can sometimes be confusing to navigate the streets due to the lack of signs or identifiable buildings. I'm sure a few more visits will rectify that problem however, as experience eventually solves everything.

I notice that I never make plans when going to Daegu as it usually turns into an entertaining adventure in itself to simply walk around with good company and explore. When I spent the day with my friends, I didn't worry myself with going to a specific place at a specific time. We went where we wanted and had a blast doing it. Daegu may be the most laid back big city in Korea, and for that I love it.


Future Plans:

March- Everland
March- Possibly Strawberry Festival in Nonsan or The Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul

May- Caribbean Bay
May- Damyang Bamboo Festival

July- Japan Trip

Eventually- DMZ
Eventually- Jeju Island 
  

New experiences, old connections, all out warfare

I don't like to waste time. I especially don't like to waste time when a abundance of options are in front of me. It was a promise I made to myself. A personal goal that I agreed to follow through with if I stayed one more year in Korea.

I told myself that I would explore more and take advantage of more travel opportunities. There's still so much to see in Korea. So many scenic spots and festivals to go to from all corners of Korea. I still haven't visited Jeju yet, as well as the DMZ. Just another place to add to the quickly growing list of locations to travel to.

I've looked ahead at my schedule and thanks to the increase of "red days" (days off) this year, I plan to try my hardest to get out of my town and travel. My goal isn't to hit every place I want to go, to serve some self completion attitude of crossing off places on my list like random tasks on a too do list.

My plan is to just go. Go to where I want, when I want and not worry about other events or places that I should be going to. If I don't make it to Jeju or the DMZ this year or before I leave Korea, I won't feel bad. Sure, they are places that I should go to, but its my trip and my planning. Everything will just be played by ear.

I also plan on meeting more people, holding on to old relationships and making more of an effort to spend time with them. Being here a year in Korea has formed some impressive relationships with people in my town and beyond.

I've come to met people that I truly enjoy their company and seek to try to find the spare time to be with.

I've meet people that I enjoy, and yet only see a few times out of the year. This also holds true to friends back at home. The amount of time I spend with is disproportionate to the people I see daily. Despite the shift, I still enjoy their time and our friendship has not diminished  If anything, I know that once we meet or speak to one another again, we can pick back where we left off without missing a beat. It's the closeness and understanding that make time and distance seem irrelevant.

I've met people who I can't stand being with more that a few minutes. It's not that they're bad people, its just that our personalities don't match. It's sometimes difficult to find topics to keep a conversation alive and in honesty, feels more like a chore than something that I want to do. I'm sure some people feel the same way about me and everyone. We are the same, yet different. We do not always fit or see eye to eye. This is not a bad thing.

No matter what, I have come to respect a great deal of people that I met here. Most are hard working, friendly and genuine people who have a desire to do good in the world. I can happily say that those "horrible waygooks" everyone keeps talking about have been mostly absent from my life. Maybe its because I live in a smaller city. Maybe its because I just got lucky in meeting good people. Either way, meeting people has been a highlight for me so far, something I want to keep doing.

My goals are simple and in no way strict. I want to see more and interact more. I want to come home everyday and say that I did something worthwhile and I can go to bed satisfied that the day was well spent. Improving my lessons and teaching method at school, making sure I stay healthy, having healthy interactions with people and just enjoying myself. I want to leave Korea with happy memories of people and places.

I plan on letting nothing hold me back. Even in the face of war from our neighbors from up North, I feel more eager and energetic than ever. It's the little reminders that danger can come at anytime and nothing last forever that makes me want to do more.

To end on an old scenario, if I were to die tomorrow , I would want to say that my life was awesome and I was at my happiest. Not decent and not content. Happy. Awesome and happy.

I'm not just going to have the cake and eat it too. I'm going to bake the damn thing myself and its going to be delicious. No one can ruin this recipe, not even you North Korea.

Delicious cake of opportunities