Beyond the farm and into Honduras

Matt and I originally intended on staying at the farm for only three weeks but we flirted with the idea of staying an extra week to avoid the busy Easter week. In the end we decided to move on so we utilized our short time here in Central America. Also, our bodies and minds are anxious to get home so moving South makes us feel like we are getting closer to home.

Believe in Belize

I realize that my last blog was a bit more interesting to read than most. Here is why… I pre-wrote it.  Most times I´m writing my blog at an internet café and I´m rushed to finish so it isn´t an expensive sit down. At the farm I had a bit more time to write before posting since I wasn´t being charged. However, we have moved on from the farm but I plan on handwriting my post before publishing them so it will continue to be written better and more interesting for you, the readers.

So now for my post…. 

Belize

When we signed up for a farm I thought, “Okay we will wake up at the ass crack of dawn, get dirty with some vegetables while also getting into shape. This is half of what is happening.  We first arrived the 28th of March. After spending a sketchy night in Belize City we started to worry the farm may not be legitimate and we were possibly walking into a tourist trap of some sort. I think a  part of us wanted to go back to Guatemala and get the Hell out of this anomaly of a country. Since there is only one bus per day that goes out to the small town of  Rancho Dolores and it is at 5pm, Matt and I decided to hangout in the only cafe of the dirt road city.  Finally it came time to catch our bus and it was EXTREMELY crowded. After an hour and a half on the bus we arrived to a fork in the road. This was our bus stop. We got out of the bus along with one other single white male. He turned out to also be a  WWOOFer(Willing Workers On Organic Farm stay) going to the same farm as us and just as confused as to what we were supposed to do. As the sun started going down a local man, Alvin, decided he couldn’t leave us at the side of the road and walked us a few kilometers through a tunnel of dense dark jungle foliage, where there sat a lone house with a lantern burning in the window. By the end of the walk we were sure he wanted us to pay him but the farm manager’s boyfriend Justin suddenly arrived in a big American sized Toyota truck and gave him a ride home instead.

Guatemala

There are so many words to describe this country and none of them would do it justice. Guatemala is hands down one of the most amazing places I have ever been.

After getting extremely sick with food poisoning our last evening in Costa Rica, we had a rough start with the morning spent in the hospital and the evening spent on a plane. We were barely able to stand long enough to get through security but our ambition to get out of an over priced touristy country gave us just enough motivation to push through the pain.

Pura Vida Livin

 After some well needed relaxation by the beach the three of us decided to move inland. Two weeks ago we went to Monteverde which was much cooler and a completely different vibe. The second day we were there we went on a zipline tour that ended up being a highlight in our trip. We got to experience a heart thumping Tarzan swing and a 1km long superman zipline from one mountain top to another. It was exhilarating! Monteverde is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in Costa Rica with many different species of animals and vast rainforest. The call it the cloud forest which gives the whole place a relaxing yet eerie feeling.

Korea to Costa Rica

My last few weeks in Korea were extremely difficult. Not because it was sad to leave Korea but it was difficult to leave the people I met in Korea. I definitely made Korean friends along the way but I wasn´t extremely attached to any of them.  It was leaving my South African friends and other English teachers that decided to stay another year that made the goodbye difficult. After many farewell dinners at school and with friends Matt, Kevin and I were on our way.

Important Update

Hello Everyone!

I have some important new updates for everyone.

Currently I don't have a lot to write about because I've stopped traveling around Korea to save a buck or two. In less than six weeks, Matthew and I will be taking off to Central America for two and half months. Initially, this trip was made to be a Dive Master internship for Matt and surfing heaven for me. Things changed as they always do with us. Matt was going to have to pay extra to finish some dives before he could start the internship and I've already been to Costa Rica so I was hungry for some new adventures.

After Korea??

As the time comes to finish my contract in Korea and move on to a new adventure in life I become baffled, confused, overwhelmed and uncertain of everything. I’ve lived abroad before and have become acquainted with these feelings as the time comes to leave the places I have created a life in. In the past I have made fast, irrational and completely wonderful decisions.

Kimchi Crisis!

OH NO! Due to copious amounts of rain this past summer and lack of good harvest there has been a kimchi crisis. Kimchi is the most common banchan (side dish) in Korea. There are hundreds of different ways to make it but typically it is fermented cabbage, radish or cucumber with a red chili paste along with many other seasonings.

Ridge Climbing at Daedunson

After a fun weekend climbing in Busan, we weren’t ready for the cold weather to take over just yet. One final ridge climbing weekend in Daedunson was the perfect way to end our outdoor rock climbing adventures in Korea. Though we may do a bit more bouldering here or there, the changing seasons has our next adventures focused on ice climbing and hiking.

Busan Prefreeze Climbing Extravaganza

With the number of warm days on the decline, the Busan Climbing crew set up the Prefreeze Climbing Extravaganza. This included an entire day of climbing, photo scavenger hunts, cracking riddles, meeting new and interesting people and finishing the day with an Indian dinner and drinks at a “foreigner” bar.

Braii and Yongseo Pokpo

Saturday morning I met up with Matthew and two of our close friends from South Africa, Annemien and Douwe. Annie and Douwe also live and teach with me in Okcheon  and we spend a lot of time eating dinners together and wall climbing on Thursdays along with many other fun activities. During the week it was Annie's 27th birthday and Douwe(being a good husband) planned a birthday Braii (bbq in Afrikaans) for her at the Daejeon Dam. We ate some delicious brats bought from Costco (sorry Shauna) and a delectable cake made by Gabi, another South Africa English teacher.

Not the best quality but the only picture I have from the Braii

In the Shadows

After missing my barefoot race due to an unfortunate mishap with my alarm clock, Matt and I decided to make a day of random adventures.

Rooster and Dragon Mountain

Gyreyongsan is a mountain near Daejeon. The mountains' name means rooster dragon because its ridgeline looks like a dragon wearing the crest of a rooster. This popular mountain has a small town and temple located at the start of the route providing for some tasty restaurants and numerous souvener shops.

Daejeon National Cemetery

After a few days in Muido, Matt and I decided to go for a local trip to Daejeon's National Cemetery. It’s only a 35 minute subway ride from Seodaejeon Station to, yup you guessed it, the National Cemetery Station (exit 3). There we decided to rent bikes. Most subway stops in Daejeon have a free bike rental. All you have to do is give them your alien registration card and when you return the bike, you receive your card back. No fee, no complications, just an easy exchange and you can use the bikes for as long as you like.

Halfway into a 20 minute ride to the cemetery we saw a small temple and decided to check it out. We didn't end up going inside, but we stopped to take pictures of the cluttered atmosphere of Buddha's and Garden ornaments. Then set on our way once again.

Muido

Muido is a small Island in the Northwest of Korea. Matt and I went with a couple of friends for the weekend before Chuseok and had an awesome time! We had so much fun that we went back for the holiday.

Waiting for the ferry on the mainland. That is Muido in the distance.

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)

Sept. 23-25

This is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar. This provides for a 3-day holiday and since it landed in the middle of a week day this year most people received a 4th day off of work as well.


A week before the holiday begins, families generally do a clean-up and lawn care on their ancestors gravesite. Usually Koreans do not bury family members in actual cemetaries but instead on rural hillsides. During the actual holiday, families dress up, sometimes in traditional Korean clothing (hanbok), and visit the gravesites to pay their respects to the spirits of their ancestors.

Jeju-do Adventures

After a long summer of camps, camps and more English camps, Matthew and I were finally getting to set off for some well deserved vacation time. Since we were traveling during the rainy season most tourist spots were either closed or not enjoyable in the downpour. A lot of our time was spent in cafés or under pavilions waiting out heavy rain but when we finally ventured out, our wet adventures were truly rewarding!

My birthday breakfast

The Lumberjack

Since my boyfriend, Matthew, will appear in many of my posts I thought I would officially introduce him. My knickname for him is “LJ,” as in lumberjack, because he has a beard, shaggy hair and many days wears jeans and a red and blue plaid shirt. Now how can I describe his personality without sounding like an obsessed 15 year old? He’s handsome, artistic, self-motivated, musical, well read, writes well, obsesses over doing the Appalachian Trail, loves scuba diving, loves kids and has an incredibly unique sense of humor. Is that all you may ask? Probably not!

A Typical Day

Since I live in an extremely small town there is not much to do during the weekdays.  Though I live 13 minutes by train and 45 minutes by bus to the fifth largest city called Daejeon, the trains are infrequent and both the bus and the train only get us to the edge of the city. I can't complain though, I love my little town and it has such a relaxing feel to it.