View from the top

 

One of my favorite things to do growing up was hiking around in the woods.  I loved the freedom, the adventure and never knowing what you’d find.  For the most part those expeditions were limited to Gantz Park, a sparsely wooded 14 acre plot of land by my childhood home.  At age 16 when an Ohio driver’s license opened new doors for my adolescence, it closed just as many.  Hiking became a casualty of young adulthood and I never gave it a second thought.  This trip has allowed the roles to reverse.

 

I miss the freedom and comforts of driving; the windows rolled down, the sunroof open and the music up loud.  However, seeing the driving habits of the people in this country make me glad I won’t be behind a wheel during my stay.  It’s insane.  So I’ve traded in the car keys to fit back into my hiking boots.  Korea is littered with mountains and most of them have fun hiking trails for beginners all the way up to (let’s say) the NOT faint at heart.  For some reason I thought tackling the tallest mountain in the province would be a good starting point.

 

The other English teacher from my school and another friend decided that we would master the beast.  A 3.5 kilometer hike gets you to the top of Moak-San.  At every check point the road gets narrower and more treacherous.  Not an easy task but the thought of accomplishment kept us going and the reward was well worth it.  The stops along the way were interesting and colorful but the incentive for a successful accent was breath taking.  The view goes on for miles and the mountains never seemed to stop and the rain provided a mist that blanketed the countryside.

I’ve felt a lot of things since I’ve been here, I would describe this one as “humble.”