Strolling Sojourner

Taehwagang Grand Park, Ulsan, Korea

I know, I know. The time might not add up if you've been reading from the beginning of my journey. This 6 months mark is actually from the time I started at my current school. Complications at my previous workplace occurred and I found a new place to work at, but more on that later. 

This post is also to commemorate my return to blogging. As my time in Korea continues to shorten, I've realized how lazy I've gotten about documenting them. I want to have a place to come back later to reminiscent all the fond and unforgettable adventures I've been able to experience. 

First of all, here is a little introduction of where I am now located at.

Buldang, Cheonan, Korea

Cheonan is known as the "core city of the nation" as it is a major transportation hub with its accessibility to the rest of the Korea. For a sense of relativity, it only takes an hour from the city to Seoul by driving or 40 minutes on the KTX and it's even connected by the Seoul subway system. The city didn't start to flourish until the the late 90's, and even up to this date it continues to develop. New apartments and commercial buildings are constantly springing up especially the area I work and live in. Cheonan has also been designated the high headquarters for Korea, with both Samsung and LG Group having operations in the city. Though it might lack in population, Cheonan does not lack in the number of young people, as it is surrounded by a dozen or so colleges and universities. There are a lot of potentials to this city, though I will probably not be able to experience due to the length of my work contract. A little piece of fun fact is that this is where a prison exclusively for foreigners are located.

So what are some changes that has happened since I moved?

1. Because of the proximity of Cheonan to Seoul, I've been going up to Seoul a lot more. This also means I'm spending a lot more money than before. Wondering why I'm up in Seoul so often? That's because there isn't much to do in the city itself. Sure, it has all that's needed, but the so-called "downtown" area is so small I'm finished with it in a couple of hours. Though a new one being developed and it will definitely give people more reasons to visit and move here.

2. The small size and late development of Cheonan has made it harder for me to meet new friends. The foreigner community is relatively small and sparsed all over. Though that might also have been because of my introverted personality. However, as this city continues to development, more families have been moving in. This means more hagwons are being built and more native teachers are needed. So I'm beginning to see more and more foreigners in my neighbourhood.

3. There were less traveling during the first few months I moved because of my work schedule and how much further the airport is now. Previously in Ulsan, Gimhae Airport was only around a 1.5 hour bus ride, but to get to Incheon Airport, it is almost a 3 hour journey (though if I depart from Gimpo Airport, I can cut down the travel time by 1 hour). Also, I start a lot earlier in Cheonan than in Ulsan, so there are a lot of flights that I cannot take because otherwise I would not be able to get to work on time. However, I get a lot more holidays at my new work place so this situation will soon change.

4. As for work changes, there are more work that I have to do at home for the school now. Homework have to be marked and monthly report cards have to be written. Which isn't too bad if things finally settle, but since I'm at a very new school, we're still understaffed so more burden is put on few shoulders. I have found myself at times really stressed out. I'm hoping this situation will change for the better soon as we hire more teachers.

In any way, I may sound like I'm complaining a lot. But I feel like I just had a lot of expectations when I first embarked on this journey and the reality just doesn't quite meet. I have, however, learned many things and I do not regret any of this. To think from another perspective, things can only get better from here and there are just more in the future to look forward to. 

Ah. Paris.

The city famous for its fashion, cuisine, and romantic people. But the most well known nickname given by the people who have visited is: The City of Light. And rightly so, I'd argue that Paris has one of the best night views of the world. Though the origin of the name, literally translated from the French "La Ville Lumiere", was associated with Paris having a major role during the Age of Enlightenment during the 18th century.

The 3 places I'm going to compare are: l'Arc de Triomphe and Tour Montparnasse. I did not consider Tour Eiffel because I wanted a view with the tower. What is Paris without the iconic landmark in sight?

Bird's Eye View of Paris

Arc de Triomphe
Everybody knows about the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, but have you ever thought of climbing it? Yes, there are no elevators that let you access the top, but the view up there is magnificent, especially at night. 280 steps later with lots of rests in between, I was amazed at the view I was offered. It's a completely different feeling overlooking the busy boulevards the structure is surrounded by. I also thought it was the perfect distance between the Arc de Triomphe and Tour Eiffel, if you are an avid photographer, you'd love how the tower shows up in your pictures. 

L'Arc de Triomphe

Tour Montparnasse

Inaugurated in 1973, Tour Montparnasse was the highest structure in Paris until 2011 and also remains as the only skyscraper of city. An elevator ride to the 56th floor and access to the terrace on the top floor will provide you a complete picture of Paris. Being so high up, it was very fun and easy to spot all the different landmarks and areas of the city. The only regret I had chosen a bad day to go on the tower, when I climbed up to the terrace, I feel like I was going to get blown off the building. The thing I loved about Tour Montparnasse was that it provides a discount for Day & Night tickets, allowing 2 visits within 48 hours, which means you can see Paris in the broad daylight and with its lights all lit up. Great incentive! 

Tour Montparnasse

Final Verdict
I personally enjoyed the scene up on Arc de Triomphe a lot more. Maybe it's because I didn't get a chance to go up Tour Montparnasse at night, but the view on the monument really blew me away. Everything was in the right distance away: Tour Eiffel, the traffic, the people, the buildings. They weren't too far away that I could see feel the hustle and bustle of the city but not too close that I couldn't see anything. However, I am still going to suggest that you go to both. Only when you've been to both will you truly understand the magic of Paris' skyline.

Hong Kong has a population density of 6644 people per km², placing the city fourth in the world. Day or night, weekday or weekend, it is not uncommon to see the streets be packed with people. But even in such a compact city, it does not lose its capacity to uphold some of the best food and views. Even though I spent part of my childhood in the "Pearl of the Orient", there's still so much to explore.

I had the opportunity to pop back home for a short visit and took some time to record some of my favourite things. It is, of course, not a complete list, but I had a very strict time constraint for this trip. Because it was a family-oriented trip, I only had 1 out of the 9 days I was there to do my own thing. 

Unlike Canada, travelling is super easy within Europe. From buses to trains and even planes, there's so many options to explore the many cultures around, at very reasonable prices too.

This time around, I had the opportunity to try 2 different overnight bus providers that runs between Paris and London: Flixbus and National Express. In general, there are 2 ways travelling across the English channel. The easier one is through the tunnel where the bus stops inside a container and the train ships you to the other side of the channel without you having to get off. The second method requires you to physically get off the bus onto a ferry that brings you across. Both times I lucked out and did not have to get on a ferry in the middle of the night.

Here are some thoughts I had during both rides:

Flixbus/Megabus
- Easy boarding process~check in in front of bus
- Could be a little difficult to find the Bercy Station at night

- My seat couldn't recline, bus was of older conditions

British border asked every little detail, including ones already filled out on immigration card ~ only me ~ asked me if I spoke English...

National Express
- Check in at designated desk~much more sophisticated check in process, but still easy (and I actually got a boarding pass)
- Driver spoke minimal English
- Smoke/washroom break available

A rant I do have to get off my chest, irrelevant to the bus service itself, was when I was passing the British border. The woman at the border control for some reason thought I did not speak English until she saw my passport. And even though I had already filled out my immigration card, she still felt the need to ask every nitty gritty detail of my trip. If there were other people that had the same treatment I would not be complaining, but out of everyone on the same bus, I was the only one that was questioned so vigorously, and I have a feeling it was because of my skin color. But just to give her the benefit of doubt, it was a standard safety procedure, and it could've happened to me because of random selection.

Anyway...

My final verdict? Overall it was a good experience, the buses were on time, both actually arrived earlier than scheduled, and I had no major hiccups with the entire process. I would definitely use it again if I was tight on schedule and budget. Beware though, however safe I had felt during the journey, basic cautionary procedures still had to be taken. For example, I had heard from a friend that these overnight buses are a source of shelter for the homeless, especially for domestic routes. 

Parks Canada Discovery Pass

Rare sunny day at Edinburgh, Scotland

I had meant to write and post this earlier but my schedule has been really tight after getting back from my month-long trip and my plans kept getting pushed back. But now that things have slowed down and life is returning to normal there's finally time to sit down and reflect. 

My last day had consisted of nearly a total of 24 hours of travelling, and though tiring, it finally hits me that my crazy adventure is over. In a span of 28 days I've visited 2 countries, including approximately 20 cities, ranging from only stopping for lunch to staying at the same place for a couple of days. I have never been on the road for such a long time, and at times it was draining me both mentally and physically, but more times I've learnt to be more appreciative of my surroundings and the people around me. There had been so many things I have taken for granted living in Canada. Some of these things included the way I was treated, the infrastructures, and believe or not, even the prices. This is not to say the UK or France was bad in any way, this trip just made me realize how big of a sheltered bubble I was living in, and it was rye-opening to be outside of my comfort zone. I can't wait for the next opportunity to explore other places which will continue to challenge me and to break down my walls of comfort. 

Busy Saturday morning at Portobello Market, London

I loved how dynamic this trip was, though, as I was able to experience the busy city life, the slow countryside, and everything in between, including all the evidences left by the countries' rich history. There were so many times I was left astonished at both how smartly people adapted to their surroundings and the way nature leaves its mark on this planet. This trip, however has confirmed me as a suburban girl. Though I enjoyed how the fancy city life excited me and how the peaceful country life calms me, those feelings were just temporary. I would quickly get tired of the extremity of the two lifestyles and wish there was something in between. 

Quiet but moody weathered Isle of Skye, Scotland

As like any other trip, not everything goes as smoothly as planned, there were many hiccups along the way. One complain I'd like to make in particular would be about the weather. The weather was more or less constant in France and England, albeit it was more gloomy than what I prefer, along with the random rain, but Scotland really threw me off. Though I went knowing that the weather would be bipolar, it was tough to be in the situation where 4 seasons would be experienced within a 1-hour span. One moment there were blue skies but the next there would be hail, and all that time the wind would be threatening to throw you off a cliff. I had never felt so scared of my life before, though the view was always worth it.

Even though I feel like I complained a lot about this trip, I don't regret doing it. Now I know, however, that it is better to space out my travels. Spending such a long time away from home sounded nice at first, but after a while, I started to miss home which is strange because I've never felt that way before. Right now, I'd just like some down time to rejuvenate myself while preparing for the next adventure, whenever that may be. Over the next couple of weeks or even months if I decide to slack)there will be more posts about my adventure in Europe, so look forward to them!