Korea: Off the Beaten Path

I hesitated to share this post because I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested. There are no famous landmarks or must-see restaurants, and I’m not going to give you any travel tips. Instead, it’s a little more personal: what it was like to step off the beaten path in Korea and spend time with my family in my mom’s hometown.

Since it was my mom’s first time visiting Korea in six years, we spent most of our trip with family. And if you’re wondering exactly how I’m related to all of the people in these photos, the answer is… I couldn’t tell you. I actually can’t even tell you all of their names. In Korean culture, you generally don’t address your elders by their first names. Instead, you call them by titles such as samchon (uncle) or imo (aunt), depending on your relationship to them.

When I was younger, I dreaded visiting my mom’s hometown. They live in a small farming town in the deep south. Back then, it looked almost like something out of a Korean folk village: low rooms with sliding doors surrounding a courtyard, no modern toilet or air conditioning, no stores nearby, and one tiny television that my brothers always managed to claim for themselves. I didn’t speak Korean, either, so I rarely understood what was happening. I was constantly confused, bored, and desperate to go home.

Coming back years later felt completely different.

The old house has been replaced by a modern brick home with all the comforts I’m accustomed to, and I learned enough Korean to actually have some meaningful interactions with my family. I still struggle with language and cultural differences, and I’m sure I came across as awkward more than once. But for the first time, I was able to get to know and appreciate my time with my Korean family.

My aunt—the one peeling apples in these photos—is one of the most cheerful and hardworking people I’ve ever met. My uncle is more reserved, but he would do absolutely anything if I asked him to. And I loved spending time with my cousin at the sauna and being let in on the secret of her boyfriend (she told me her parents knew, but they totally didn’t 😂).

These ended up being some of my favorite moments from this trip. It’s amazing what time—and a little more understanding of your own culture—can do.

Sometimes getting off the beaten path doesn’t mean discovering somewhere new. Sometimes it means finally seeing somewhere you’ve been before.

Do you guys have any stories from wandering off the beaten path?

P.S. The last photo is with one of my oldest friends, who was living in Korea at the time and teaching English with her hubby. I love running into people when traveling!