Back in the motherland

Though this trip included Japan and the Stans, the heart of it was to visit Korea. I haven't been back here since I was a teen so I was keen on seeing it now, brushing up on my korean and eating some great food (and drinking soju!). My parents were with me for the first week and then I was left with my wonderful cousin, Esther.

Living in Korea was fantastic. It was great to spend a month there so I really got a chance to see what life is like there. I met some really great friends and just soaked it all in. I also got to see a lot of my extended family and old family friends that I don't see very often so it was nice to be in the family fold. I also took a class at Seoul National University. I did spend a lot of time at the library like a nerd but it was actually really fun. What can I say? I love to learn!

With my parents, we visited some of the major sites, including the ancient royal cities in Seoul and the amazing Seorak-San (mountain) a few hours away. It was really great to visit the motherland with my parents.

I should have taken more pictures while there but I just wanted to take it all in rather than be a tourist.

The view from my room. Korea is a very mountainous country and Seoul is very large (something like 30% of Korea's 50mm population lives there) so its like an urban mountain, lit up.

My friends, Aram and Kyung! I wish I had better photos of them. It was nice to have local as well as ex-pat friends so I got the full experience. And they were so great to show me around and take out to some really great food!

Most of my fellow classmates were straight out of college but it was fun to remember what it was like to be 18 when I wasn't completely horrified. They were so funny... kids these days!

School can be so boring sometimes! That's me yawning on the right side of the picture.

As part of the language program, we got to visit the DMZ. That's North Korea! The military presence was insane. I stood right next to this soldier and he didn't even move an inch. Those sunglasses were practically impenetrable.

I went on a trip to Busan with my cousin, Esther, and her friends. It was so much fun though its a weird place. Its right by the water so its a major beach destination (and it felt like the entire country was right there on the beach) but had this creepy, B horror movie amusement park/bar/noraebang area that was all lit up at night. We hung at the beach, sang karaoke, ate (and ate) and even went to a jin-jil-bang, which is my absolute favorite (sort of sauna/spa/cafe but so much more and way less classy that it sounds).

The crew to Busan! And that's my awesome cousin in the blue sunglasses. My uncle (her dad) lives close to there so it was great to spend time with my extended family as well. I know, not enough pictures of my family! I will do better next time.