Postings
Stories between Korea and Uzbekistan
Browse personal experiences, family stories, cultural observations, and travel notes. Choose a topic below, then select an article to read.
Explore Korea
Family outings, historic places, museums, and journeys around Korea.
A Family Autumn Hike in Bukhansan: From Bukhansan National Park to Guknyeongsa Temple
Autumn is one of the loveliest seasons for exploring the mountains around Seoul. On a sunny Sunday in late October, our family went hiking in Bukhansan National Park (북한산국립공원) with our friends and their family, including their…
Read More →Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul: What to See and What I Remember
Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of Seoul’s best-known historic landmarks. Established in 1395 as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty, it offers a chance to explore Korean history and architecture through its gates, courtyards and…
Read More →Seoraksan National Park in Autumn: Rain, Fall Colors and a Rainbow
Some trips stay in our memory not because everything went according to plan, but because of the people we were with and the unexpected moments along the way.
Read More →Back to Jeju Island: Two Winter Work Trips, Two Different Experiences
My first trip to Jeju Island was a five-day summer trip with my family. I had wanted to visit the island for years, and that first experience left me with memories of blue water, beaches, summer flowers, volcanic landscapes, and time…
Read More →Our First Family Trip to Jeju Island: Five Summer Days to Remember
For years, Jeju Island was one of the places in Korea I really wanted to visit. During my graduate school years, however, I never had the opportunity to go. Jeju remained one of those places I kept thinking I would visit someday.
Read More →Inside Seodaemun Prison History Hall: Stories of Resistance and Independence
When my 10-year-old son asked me if we could go to Seodaemun Prison History Hall (서대문형무소역사관) in Seoul, the idea came from something he had learned at school. He already knew about Seodaemun Prison from his lessons and became curious…
Read More →Namsan Seoul Tower: Two Visits, Two Years Apart
Before coming to Korea, when I first started studying Korean in Uzbekistan, there were photographs of Korea on the walls where I studied. Namsan Seoul Tower was one of the landmarks I remember seeing there. At that time, it was simply…
Read More →Visiting the National Hanguel Museum with Children: Discovering the Story of Korea's Alphabet
Living in Korea means seeing Hangeul everywhere: on subway signs, school books, restaurant menus and messages on our phones. After many years here, reading Korean has become part of my everyday routine. I rarely stop to think about…
Read More →Inside Cheong Wa Dae: Our Visit When Korea's Blue House Was Open to the Public
Yesterday, while watching the news about the Central Asian presidents visiting Korea, I saw a very familiar place on the screen: Cheong Wa Dae (청와대), Korea's famous Blue House.
Read More →Visiting the Bank of Korea Money Museum with Children: A Family Day in Seoul
Living in Seoul means there are many museums and educational places to visit with children, and sometimes the places that sound quite serious turn out to interest them more than I expect. The Bank of Korea Money Museum (한국은행 화폐박물관)…
Read More →National Museum of Korea: What to See and Our Visit Experience
Living in Seoul gives us access to many museums and cultural places, and the National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관) is one of those places that feels worth returning to. On this visit, I went with my children, and rather than trying to…
Read More →Seoul Children's Grand Park With Kids: Our Family Experience Through Four Seasons
Living in Seoul with children, we have discovered that some of the best family places are not necessarily places we need to plan a special trip to visit. Over time, they simply become part of everyday life.
Read More →Visiting the National Folk Museum of Korea: Korean Life From Birth to Death
Living in Korea for many years means that many parts of Korean culture gradually become familiar. You see traditional holidays celebrated every year, hear about customs from your children, eat seasonal foods, and come across…
Read More →Hangang Bus in Seoul With Kids: Our Ttukseom to Yeouido Experience
We have taken the Hangang Bus several times with our children, and each ride has felt a little different. The number of passengers, where we were able to sit, and even the weather influenced the experience.
Read More →Camping in Korea: What Surprised Me as Someone from Uzbekistan
Before living in Korea, camping was not a familiar part of my life. In Uzbekistan, people certainly enjoy nature and take trips to rest, but spending the night in a tent at an organised campsite is not very common. After moving to…
Read More →Hiking Achasan and Yongmasan in Seoul: Trail, Views and Our Weekend Experience
The air felt fresh, there was just a little wind, and it seemed too nice to spend the afternoon indoors. So after lunch, we suddenly decided to go hiking. There was no special plan. My 10-year-old son and I simply got ready and headed…
Read More →
Everyday Life & Family
Parenting, school, shopping, housing, and practical experiences in Korea.
Shopping at Garden 5 in Seoul: Clothes, Shoes, Sales and Our Family Experience
Shopping for children becomes a little different as they grow older. They begin to develop their own preferences, and finding something they like in the right size is not always easy.
Read More →Public Transportation in Seoul: How We Get Around in Everyday Life
Living in Seoul does not necessarily mean using the subway for every journey. One of the conveniences of living here is having several ways to get around, and in our family, we choose between walking, the subway, buses, and our car…
Read More →Grocery Shopping in Korea: Where Our Family Shops
Grocery shopping is an ordinary part of family life, but it can reveal a great deal about living in another country. The stores, products, package sizes and ways of shopping may all feel unfamiliar at first.
Read More →Renting a Home in Seoul: Costs and Tips for Foreign Families
When people ask whether living in Korea is expensive, housing is one of the hardest costs to explain. What a family pays depends on the neighbourhood, the type and size of the home, the deposit and the rental arrangement. A family…
Read More →Going to a Hospital in Korea as a Foreigner: What to Expect
Going to a hospital in another country can feel intimidating, especially when you are not familiar with the language, the medical system or even the basic process of seeing a doctor.
Read More →Elementary School in Korea vs Uzbekistan: Differences I Notice as a Parent
When people compare education in different countries, they often start with rankings, test results or curriculum. As a parent, however, I tend to notice the differences in much smaller, everyday things.
Read More →Elementary School in Korea: What Foreign Parents Can Expect
If you are raising children in Korea, school quickly becomes an important part of everyday family life.
Read More →Raising Children in Korea: Learning What Really Matters
Raising children is full of choices wherever you live. But raising children in Korea can sometimes make those choices feel especially difficult. Korea offers children many opportunities, from good schools and academies to sports…
Read More →How to Get a Driver's License in Korea as a Foreigner: My Experience
Getting a driver's license in Korea as a foreigner may seem complicated at first. There are several tests to pass, unfamiliar traffic rules to learn, and, for many foreigners, the additional challenge of taking the tests in a language…
Read More →
Uzbekistan & Culture
Places, food, shared history, and cultural connections.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan: History, Architecture and Everyday Life
Some cities are so closely associated with their history that it is easy to forget they are also places where people live, work, shop, and carry on with everyday routines. Samarkand is one of those cities.
Read More →Returning to Bukhara: Rediscovering Bukhoroi Sharif
Bukhara is one of those cities where the past never feels very far away. Brick streets, madrasas, minarets and courtyards carry traces of its long history, while everyday life continues around them in different languages, traditions…
Read More →Afrasiab Murals in Samarkand: An Ancient Connection Between Uzbekistan and Korea
Several years ago, during a work trip to Samarkand with a group of professors, I visited the Afrasiab Museum. Samarkand is usually associated with places such as Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, and the blue-tiled monuments that have made the…
Read More →Korean Bibimbap: More Than Just Mixed Rice
When people think of Korean food, dishes such as kimchi, bulgogi and Korean barbecue often come to mind. But there is another dish that, for me, says something particularly interesting about Korean food—and even about life in a…
Read More →Uzbek Plov: More Than Just National Dish
When people think of Uzbek food, plov is usually the first dish that comes to mind. It is probably Uzbekistan's best-known dish and one of the foods visitors are most eager to try.
Read More →10 Cultural Differences Between Korea and Uzbekistan You Notice in Everyday Life
Korea and Uzbekistan may seem very different at first glance. One is in East Asia and the other in Central Asia. They have different languages, histories, cuisines, and traditions. However, when we look at everyday life, the…
Read More →
Life Between Two Countries
Migration, study, identity, and reflections from Korea and Uzbekistan.
MrBeast in Uzbekistan: A Mother's View from Korea on Excitement, Crowds, and Responsibility
When I first heard that MrBeast was coming to Uzbekistan, I felt excited. As an Uzbek living in South Korea, I was happy to see my home country receiving attention from one of the world's most influential YouTube creators.
Read More →The Myth of Return: When “Someday We’ll Go Home” Becomes Years Abroad
We will stay for a few years. We will work, study, build our lives for a while and someday we will go home.
Read More →Can Uzbek Citizens Use a Korean Driver's License in Uzbekistan?
After going through the entire process of getting my driver's licence in South Korea, I naturally had another question: Can I use my Korean driver's licence when I go to Uzbekistan?
Read More →Why Are More Central Asian Students Choosing South Korea to Study?
South Korea is becoming an increasingly popular study destination for young people from Central Asia. Students from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan are coming to Korea not only to learn the Korean…
Read More →
Looking for Uzbek lessons? Visit Study Uzbek →