This post is a bit late in coming, as I lived in Korea during the latter half of 2016 up until the 25th of December, so almost to 2017. Hard to believe it's already gotten into 2018 now, doesn't feel like the time has gone by at all, as contrite as that sounds. I guess it makes sense, though... when I was actively living in Korea I was so busy working, eating, taking photos and exploring or just trying to stay connected with Antho (that long distance relationship life is rough, but worth it) that by the end of the day I barely had the time or energy to try to blog about it all. I did make a little announcement post to let it be known, officially, where I'd gone and give some sort of justification as to why posts might be slow, though I'd had a lot more optimism in my ability to blog about it back then. But here we are, getting into the third month of this year already, so it's high time I dust off the backlog of photos here and trot them out.
This post might not be inherently interesting to some people, and that's okay. These photos are all going to be from the grocery store inside Hwajeong Station that I'd often pop into after work and to me these places are a nostalgic icon of the lifestyle I had at the time, living precisely where I was at that time, and the little differences between how things are now that I'm back home. Little station-attached shops like this are abundant throughout South Korea and Japan, and they make commuter life so much easier and convenient. If you have to take the train to and from work, chances are you're going to need to run errands along the way, and stores like this have little independent vendors mingling with larger chains to capitalise on space. This means there's also a plethora of food stalls and vendors dishing up an array of delicious things, often bustling with business and billowing with dense plumes of steam or scent to tempt you away from your errands to satiate your rapidly growing appetite. It's a true one-stop-shop, with bakeries, fried chicken stands, clothes, kitchen goods, a Daiso 1,000₩ store, fresh fish and meats, produce, liquor, vitamins, skincare...essentially damn near anything you could possibly need, and to add to that my walk home from the station often saw me going along the main street of Hwajeong, which itself was packed with restaurants and shops beckoning for my money and time, from fashion to macarons. It's one of the things I love most about living in Korea! They manage to fit so much into their spaces and there's so many options, you have so many things available to you right outside your front door. While some destinations do take some effort and time, most things for daily life and casual recreation were pleasantly accessible. There was a park right across the street from where I was staying, but I could also spend a peaceful afternoon feeding the fish at the Seoul Citizen's forest as easily as I could swing over to Hongdae to get my ear pierced and indulge in street foods and fast fashion. Seoul isn't a hugely expansive city but they maximise their usage of space and it shows. I think it works out pretty well, though I'm sure there are growing pains, especially when trying to transition some of their older institutions towards newer methods. Compared to my lifestyle in the US, I have to put a lot more distance, effort and time into finding the same amount of options I had within 5 blocks of the apartment in Hwajeong... but such is life, and given the vast difference in size between the countries it's not a surprise. Little things like this are a fun reminder.
More photos below!
Until next time!
💖
XOXO,
NAU
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