The past 12 months have been strange ones for me, and for a number of reasons. It’s the first year in the past four where I’ve spent more time in my home country than overseas. It’s the first time since university where I’ve found myself living abroad in a country outside of Asia. And it’s …
Writing
Top 10 Memories: Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
I treat the camera like a person – I gaze into it. Photos are a flat thing, and you need to put life into them.” – Cara Delevingne Sometimes travel is dangerous. I know it as well as anyone. From being jumped on a cobblestone street in France to battling altitude sickness while crossing a pass …
The Fall
Traveling has been the thing which has brought the most joy into my life. So many of my favorite memories involve exploring some amazing new place, or experiencing the hospitality of new friends. Traveling has changed me and made me into a much better person than I was. And yet… Some of my most terrifying memories come from …
Into the Familiar Unknown
The car park was surprisingly full for such an overcast day; the gravel still soaked from the on-again off-again showers. We were prepared, though, with jackets and plastic bags to wrap around valuables should Washington’s clouds live up to their reputation. Nearly two months had passed since I flew into Sea-Tac from Stockholm, after having …
Christmas Letter 2014
This year, Christmas is going to be weird. Not because I’m spending it in a flat near the outskirts of Pohang or in a Korean beach-side pension with many of my dear friends. Not even because I’m spending it on a beach in Thailand belting Johnny Cash tunes out across the waves. No, this year is weird …
That Time I Bought a Ural
It was 31 years old and looked it, a heinous shade of blue with beefy tires and two dinky seats. It was a 1983 Ural with a sidecar and I was in love. I’ve been planning this trip for over a year. What started out as a motorcycle trip across China into Kyrgyzstan morphed into …
The Haunting at Jangsa Beach
*The following story is based on actual events* Just a short walk from the highway by Jangsa Beach, the house lurked at the base of the hill. To its right, a pavilion lay in ruin, collapsed roof and pillars leaning amid the rubble. On its left, a shop boasted graffiti in bloody red; the Hangeul for ‘devil’ and ‘ghost’ looked hastily scrawled. …
Chocolate and Executions: Valentine’s Day in Korea
Many people have dubbed South Korea as one of the most romantic countries in the world. Taking ‘romantic holidays’ to the next level, many amorous young Koreans celebrate an unofficial ‘love’ holiday on the 14th of every month of the year. For an excellent write-up on what those holidays are, as well as the traditions …
The Beauty of Being Still
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to be still–even if only for a moment. The first flakes of snow fell yesterday, as I soaked in an outdoor spa in Gyeongju. Cries of delight rose with the cloud of steam and we all enjoyed the stinging chill of snowflakes on our skin. The snow continued …
Friendship and Living Abroad
Single serving friends. If you’ve ever seen Fight Club, you’ll get the reference. The Narrator is an office drone in an insurance company who travels relentlessly to assess whether automobile defects are ‘serious’ enough to issue a recall. On the plane, he’ll meet people and enjoy their company and conversation for the duration of the …