Category: Expat Tales

While I fell deeply in love with the culture and lifestyle I experienced in Korea, there were a few things I couldn’t help but miss back home. As I stated in my previous article 5 Things America Can Learn From Korea, I love curiously discovering the wealth of differences that thrive in different cultures.

Your time abroad isn’t all about teaching. You’ve got to get out and play, too. And if you’re anything like me, the lure of the mountains will have you out exploring and hiking in Taiwan as often as you possibly can. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or completely new to it, and whether you’re looking for a quick half-day jaunt through dense, muggy jungles or a multi-day expedition up an epic snowy peak, Taiwan is truly a hiker’s paradise.

After my time in Korea ended, I began to miss certain aspects of daily life in the land of morning calm. While there’s no such thing as a perfect culture or country, I do believe that there are aspects of each country that come as close to perfect as a society could possibly get.
My favorite things about Korea were non-existent in my own country. These 5 are things I think America should pick up from Korea!

If there is anything more true about traveling abroad, it’s that you get to know yourself much better than before you left home. Of course, the whole getting to know yourself part isn’t always going to be about hooking up with sexy Italians and eating gelato á la “Eat, Pray, Love” and other wanderlust filled books. Sometimes the things you find about yourself abroad are terrible, and sometimes they’re just boring – like the pet peeves you’ll find abroad.

So what is slow travel? It can come in a number of different forms but generally it means not trying to cram in the whole Thailand experience in just 2 weeks or getting the full Bali experience in just a month. Slow travel means staying in one place as an expat for a while, some people do this through teaching, volunteering or other avenues like being a scuba instructor. I have been a slow traveler for a while now and below are my 5 benefits of this culturally rich lifestyle I have dedicated myself to.

In case you missed the Korean wave, you missed the fun and upbeat obsession that is K-pop. Short for Korean pop music, K-pop isn’t just a hobby in Korea, it’s a full on religion complete with devoted followers and concerts to “worship” at around the calendar. If Psy’s pop hit “Gangnam Style” is the only thing that comes to mind when you think of Korean pop music, then you’ve clearly never had the chance to live in Korea before. Here for your convenience is a nice and tidy list detailing all the most important aspects surrounding the cult that is K-pop.

If street food, a free apartment, free airfare, and all the compliments you can handle weren’t enough reasons to get you to pack your things and head over to the land of delicious kimchi, then here for your enjoyment are 10 more reasons to get your awesome 20 something year old self over to Korea!

Singapore is an adult playground. The city is split into a number of different unique neighborhoods for you to enjoy. Since the cities two main hobbies are food and shopping, the following neighborhoods are my perfect suggestions for those looking for a foodie and shopper’s paradise.