Tag Archives: Travel

48 Hours in Seoul: Introduction

4 Feb
Seoul korea
Seoul, South Korea from the Namsan Tower

48 Hours in Seoul:

An Itinerary for Getting the Most From A Too Brief Trip

Are you looking for history, culture, nature, great food, good shopping, and a little taste of Korea?  Well, Seoul is definitely the best place for all of these things!  In fact, Seoul has so many amazing things to do that you could spend years there and still never see everything (I spent 3 months and barely cracked the surface). But sometimes you don’t have forever to spend in a place. Continue reading →

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Parachutes and Cities

29 Jan

So. . . I ran over a parachute the other day and I’m still confused by this factor.   Not a small one either. I’m at the main street crossroads of a busy city, and I run over a rather large parachute in the middle of the road. I’m not talking one of those cute little army-men parachute things you get at the Fourth of July either. It was as long as my truck, and when the wind caught it, the balloon thing blew out and started to pick up. Then we ran over it again.  It had a small bag thing on the end of the ropes too.

Now, I’m assuming this blew out of someone’s car, but who the heck is lucky enough to have a parachute in their car in the first place!?!  Where do I get mine?

Or perhaps it was a secret parachute that landed in the wrong place carrying super top secret information. . . My imagination can’t stop wondering. 😛

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Yonggungsa Temple

25 Jan

Yonggungsa Temple

Yonggungsa Temple in Busan, ROK

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Dragon Hill Spa

13 Jan
Dragon Hill Spa

Dragon Hill Spa entrance

Traveling abroad is no picnic in the park, as even the most seasoned travelers will tell you.  Between figuring out your way around, trying to understand the foreign language, and constantly participating in the activities and events that brought you there in the first place, life gets incredibly hectic.

Then, you have to add in the fact that you are living in a strange place.  No bed that you recognize, often times (especially in Asian hotels) no bath to soak your weary bones, no familiar comforts of the home you’ve left behind.  After awhile you just need a break.

Well, it took much bravery on our parts, but this past summer, me and three other friends decided to try out one of Korea’s famous relaxing “Saunas” (also called the “Baths”).  One of us had been given a coupon to the Dragon Hill Spa, and, after looking at pictures online, we decided to try it out.  In the end, I would highly recommend the Dragon Hill Spa to visitors to Seoul.  It is an amazing experience, and it truly was the most relaxing thing I did.  As an introvert, I greatly needed a place to rest, and this was exactly what I needed.  Great place!! Continue reading →

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Travel Abroad with a Language Scholarship!

3 Jan

Tap, tap, tap. . .

That is the impatient tapping of my foot as I sit here checking my email every 15 minutes (literally–I’m just that sad) to hear back on a scholarship I applied for.  They say we’ll hear by email in January, and last year the results came out the first Friday of the month.  Ergo, my tap, tap, tapping.  Wait, I need to check my email again. . .

Okay, I’m back!  Since I am stuck here waiting until at least tomorrow, maybe another week, I thought I’d share the news about this awesome opportunity for students interested in studying abroad.

Continue reading →

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Swinging Bridges and Small Town Romance

31 Dec

*UPDATED*!!!

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Having grown up in the mid-western state of Missouri, I always have a small spot in my heart reserved for the local, small town.  My mother’s family comes from the Hannibal, MO area, home of prolific author Mark Twain and the Mark Twain Dinette‘s Frosty Mug Root Beer.  As a lover of root beer, and having tried out about every kind I stumble across, I can proudly say that this Frosty Mug Root Beer is still a favorite.  🙂

However, I never actually visited the state of Iowa until I decided to join the University of Iowa’s student body.  So recently, when my mother was visiting some local towns, I decided to tag along.  As expected, I fell in love with the mid-west all over again.

Continue reading →

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Eagle Steals Baby!

19 Dec

Holy cow! I’ve heard of eagles taking puppies and small pets for food, but this bird tries to take a baby! It picks it up far enough to be above the mom’s head, and is flying off with the infant!! Wow! Talk about a story to tell your kids!

Addendum–>Haha!  They say now, it’s a joke, but still very funny and well done.  I actually have seen eagles pick up huge things before.  If you want to see them, visit Clarksville, MO on eagle days Jan. 26-27, 2013.  I once counted 47 eagles on a single day, and I was only there a couple hours.  They come  down looking for food as the Mississippi River ices over.   I’ll try to post pics this year.  You can find more information here.  The little town is cute too; it has some shopping and darling restaurants.  Great visit!!

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Bringing Light to the World: A Little Drop of Kindness At A Time

1 Dec

It’s summer, and I’m flying out of Chicago to visit South Korea for the first time.  Chicago is the same as it always is.  People rushing about, bumping into one another, everyone too hurried to stop and think about those around them.  The experience is horrid, the flight via American Airlines not particularly fun.  The attendants are rude and have no time to get me the requested drink, my query as to its location an hour later answered solely with a huff and impatient “just wait a minute.” Arriving at LAX is no more enjoyable; no one will stop so I can ask for directions, the check-in attendants ignore all my questions.  Getting slammed into and having people walk all over my stuff as I tried picking it up doesn’t help any.  

But everything changes once I move in Korean Air’s territory.

Continue reading →

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Best Camera?

1 Dec

Best Camera?

I’m looking for a camera that is moderately priced (I’m a student more than $100,000 in debt and counting), but that will take decent photos when travelling. This is what I took with me over the summer, but it takes horrid moving photos. Anything like water that doesn’t stand still is junk, as are half my photos. It blurs at the slightest movement of your hands. What would y’all recommend?

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Coex Mall & Aquarium

27 Nov

Gangnam Style!

This past summer, a Korean song artist, Psy, produced what would become almost an instant hit–“Gangnam Style.”  Snappy, Fast-paced, Easy to listen to, the song captured the world’s hearts and minds (literally, that song is stuck in your brain once you hear it).

As the song professes, Gangnam (a district in Seoul located on the south side of the Han River) has a life all of its own.  Well known for its particularly high level of wealth and standard of living, Gangnam is basically the Korean version of Beverly Hills or upper-class NYC.  It houses many of the financial centers of the world economy, as well as the central offices for several international companies.  Naturally, the attractions are as amazing as the rest of the area; it is definitely one of the best places to wander around if you are a visitor.

Continue reading →

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