Beautiful, beautiful Jeju Island (part 1)

SO lots has happened since my last update about the Big Bang concert.

First of all, our school yearbook came out, so I can introduce you to the most important people in my school life. Besides my other waygookin friends who I vent to on facebook chat about how awful our textbooks are... Anywho

the subject teachers page is a source of
endless amusement to me

my principal. she complimented my Korean
today!

VP

Hae In, 6th grade but she's becoming a
homeroom teacher

Young Ah is staying with me next year!
Right now we do 4th and 5th together

Seo Hyeon and I do 3rd and 5th but she's
heading to Abu Dhabi with her husband

I don't know why, but the yearbook really excited me haha. I'm so happy I was included.


And now to vacation!!! After Korean class on Wednesday, we hopped on the subway and then took an overnight bus down to Wando to take the ferry to Jeju Island (aka Jejudo).

they dress in Hanboks on holidays while they do the news.
super cute

excited for the ferry! Not really

After a bit of a ride on rough waters, I was ready to get moving. We got off the ferry and headed out to our first stop, Loveland. Jeju is famous for this park and I cannot for the life of me believe it is in Korea.

I took a lot of pictures, but I feel like you get the point. Again, for a country as conservative as Korea (where cleavage is like, a big no no) I'm surprised they have a park dedicated to, well, sex. It was definitely one of the strangest places I've been.

We headed back to our hotel for a dinner of Jeju black pic (which was DELICIOUS) and then Sarah, Lauren and I headed to bed so we could be ready for the next day.

Oedolge Rock, which means lonely standing rock

Hallasan in the distance

Exploring cliffs

The weather was gorgeous. I took off my coat at about 9:30 in the morning because it was so warm and sunny!

Next we went to see some lava rock formations that nature decided to make in crazy shapes like octagons and squares. How?!? Volcanoes are crazy.

It's called Jusangjeollidae

ugh gorgeously beautiful water

Next we headed to the Cheonjeyon waterfall, which ended up being like hiking the gorges in Ithaca

crazy cool bridge we had to cross

coconuts were available for our coconut milk enjoyment

My lovely friends and me

being a daredevil at the top 

so close, Korea. So close.

exploring caves

Next, we went to Jungmun Beach, Jeju's most famous beach (but not it's best). I finally got to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean!

Reaching longingly so close and still so faaaaar. 

the water wasn't even that cold!
I've never put my feet in an ocean in January!

Our next trek was around a giant rock formation called the Dragon Coast Walk. Like practically everything else cool on Jeju, it was formed during a volcanic eruption.

My friends are the best friends ever. Clearly.

Exploring cliffs around the world together (remember, we went
to Dover together)

posing in front of yet another daunting mountain I have
climbed in my world travels

The Dragon Coast

Lauren has discovered a cave monster

we couldn't resist climbing

My lovely ladies

We made it!

can you spot the mistake?

This is on the mountain, Sanbangsan, which you saw is the giant mountain you can see during the Dragon Coast walk.

There's a shrine on top that many go to pray at.
It was really cool.

And then we headed to dinner (delicious Indian food) and a bunch of us headed back for a kind of early night so we could rest up for the next day! And by rest up I mean we watched the latest episode of our current kdrama obsession: My Love From Another Star. We definitely needed the rest. We climbed mountains and walked a lot, and that was only one day. The next day promised more mountains to climb, and volcanic-ly created sights to see.




And I today decided that I am just going to add kpop vids to my posts whenever I feel like it, so here you are:



Here's another Big Bang song, Last Farewell. The song doesn't start till about :58, but the video is kind of fun because I love when the boys aren't the focus of the video but just pop up in places around the main couple (like T.O.P in the car. LOL)