Daily Life Korea

Life in a mountain village

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Hello from a beautiful mountain village in Korea! I am located about an hour outside of Seoul, but it is worlds away from urban life. I am working and residing in a creative village and meditation center called Ongdalsam. It’s hard to describe what I do exactly, and in many ways, I am realizing that my tasks will never become fully defined. But it is clear to me that I am in a unique time and place, and that the next three months will be full of unexpected surprises.

There is a communal library of books, a quiet cafe that I visit every day, and a handful of kindhearted people that I can now even call friends. I’m really curious about the mountain vegetables, natural earthenware fermentation, and Korean slow cooking techniques. I am learning to slow down, be patient, and be fully in the moment. The latter is the most difficult of all for someone like me, always, always on the move.

For better or for worst, I sprained my left wrist falling down a hill on my second day here. Every little task takes me a bit longer, which is unintentionally helping me slow down…

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Goodbye, city life!

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Our meals are organic and locally-sourced.

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“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
– Abraham Lincoln

If you had six hour to chop down a tree what would you do? I would probably take the axe and start hacking away without a pause. So here I am, in the mountains, learning to pause and really take a look at the axe in my hands, the tree before me, and myself.

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P.S. Only three more days until I choose a winner for my zine giveaway!

16 Comments

  • Reply
    Yaer!
    June 19, 2013 at 5:47 am

    I’m so glad to have discovered your blog. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂

  • Reply
    Kat
    June 19, 2013 at 8:13 am

    The mountains look sooo soooo beautiful and tranquil! I love the big city but I thrive in the peace and serenity when surrounded by fields and cute sleepy villages. Do you feel more connected to the earth now you are in the mountains?

    I hope your wrist heals soon! xx

  • Reply
    Katie
    June 19, 2013 at 11:16 am

    Korea looks amazing, Sewon. How did you discover this beautiful meditation village? Lately, I’ve been craving raw nature, especially after living in HK for a year. Luckily, I will get the chance to spend time in my in-laws’ cabin in the Rocky Mountains in about a month. Also, I only just had the opportunity to try Korea food very recently, but I really liked it, and now I would like to try more dishes. Do you have any recipe suggestions?

  • Reply
    Maya
    June 19, 2013 at 7:44 pm

    Sewon, you have such a beautiful eye and point of view. I so look forward to your posts and love how I have come to know you through your writing and camera lens.

  • Reply
    Sidney
    June 20, 2013 at 6:05 am

    oh, this seems so interesting! i’ve lived in seoul for 3 years, but i’ve never really spent time in the countryside before. it’s harder to really leave the city when you don’t have your own car, but if you make any more posts about your life out there, i can tell that i would be inspired…especially the stuff about learning how to slow-cook!!

  • Reply
    emilie
    June 20, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    what beautiful pictures… thanks for sharing Sewon 😉
    learning patience is a long journey indeed !

  • Reply
    Vief
    June 20, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    Wow, it looks amazing! Good luck and enjoy slowing down ^_^

  • Reply
    Ceri
    June 20, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    Wow. I love city life so much, it’s hard to imagine how I’d be able to cope being suddenly so far away from everything. You look like you’re really enjoying it and letting the pace come to you though. Can’t wait to see what the next few months hold in store for you.

  • Reply
    Sara
    June 20, 2013 at 3:52 pm

    Hope you can enjoy every minute you can there 🙂 it seems like a dream to me!

    p.s.did my package arrived before you left to Korea or there is somebody to send it from the states to you?

  • Reply
    north creatures
    June 21, 2013 at 3:02 pm

    that sounds really interesting! i would definitely love to stay in a place like that, surrounded by nature and away from the stress, crowd and greyness of the city life.

  • Reply
    Rina
    June 23, 2013 at 5:08 am

    I am so jealous of those delicious looking vegetarian meals! I also envy that you are surrounded by such lush mountains and forest. I’m sure you will have a nice rest in the countryside, so much quieter than the busy cities some of us are used to! I long for a nice rest in the country.
    Oh, and if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to ask if we can once again exchange letters sometime in the future?
    when you’re not busy too busy, of course. ; )
    take care Sewon!

  • Reply
    meds
    June 23, 2013 at 10:40 pm

    take care of yourself there, sewon. have a good time and be inspired 🙂 your pictures are as usual, lovely lovely lovely!

  • Reply
    aron
    June 28, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    wonderful photos of Korea!!
    i looooove all those little pickled dishes!
    my favourite part of korean meals!!!

    -Aron

  • Reply
    J Dubbs
    June 29, 2013 at 9:42 am

    Love the Korean countryside scenery!

  • Reply
    Angélica
    June 29, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    What a wonderful pictures! And that sounds like a really great place.
    A friend of mine who was always busy and on the move, sprained her wrist as well (or actually, she broke it!). It was her drawing hand too so she couldn’t do a thing, she told me she had never been that calm and relaxed! 😛
    Maybe it’s the same for you?

  • Reply
    Jane
    June 30, 2013 at 7:34 am

    Wow, this place looks beautiful! Sounds like you’re having an interesting time there too. Hope your wrist is feeling better as well.

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