H.D. Keniry

I'm sure that every EPIK teacher remembers well, with a certain frenzied fondness, the day they applied to teach here in Korea. I remember agonizing over my application; quadruple checking spelling and grammar; tweaking my lesson plan over and over; taking nothing short of 100 photographs of myself with a slightly different smile. Eventually, finally, everything came together - I had my lesson plan perfected, my personal essays carefully crafted, originals and copies of the myriad of documents required, but there was one thing I hadn't decided, and that was my preferred placement. I knew well before applying that I really didn't have much say in where I would go, which is honestly half of the appeal and charm of the programme. However, I still wanted to do my due diligence, so after weeks of research, scouring Instagram location tags, chatting to friends, watching video after video, I finally decided on Gangwon-do!

Everything about the province appealed to me and the more I learned about it the more I wanted to go. During the interview with my soon to be coordinator I was asked about my preferred placement. I remember so vividly his surprise at seeing my choice - he laughed and said that it was his first time having anyone choose it and asked "Would you be willing to go somewhere more, well metropolitan? Like Seoul or Busan?", I told him I'd be happy anywhere, but Gangwon-do was truly where I would like go the most, and to my delight, it was where I was placed. This reaction, of slightly bemused bewilderment, has stayed consistent, even after 6 months of living here; everyone wants to know, from taxi drivers to other teachers, why on earth I choose to come here over anywhere else in Korea? "Who wouldn't want to live here?" has always been my reply.





Gangwon-do is spectacularly beautiful, where the mountains meet the ocean and sky; it's natural beauty was what intrigued me initially. I have spent nearly every weekend and day off I've had since I've come here exploring the province and visiting every quaint but vibrant city. I've trawled through Gangneung visiting cafes they would die for in Seoul, gotten my fill of art and culture at Museum San in Wonju and essentially eaten my way through every restaurant in Chuncheon and Sokcho (don't even get me started on how phenomenal every meal I have had here has been). I've spent days hiking Seorak San and swimming or surfing at every stunning beach dotted along the coast. I've been to a fish library in Yeorang and walked through a mountain in Hwaam. Even with all of that I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what Gangwon-do has to offer. It's beyond stunning and culturally rich.

Unsurprisingly, I have been placed quite rurally, in a farming community about an hour and a half from the nearest city. I work in three schools, a middle school and two high schools, and I teach just about 500 students every week and not even every grade at that! I am one of nine foreigners in my entire county and my town doesn't even have an E-mart even though there are about 20 cafes - stores don't have hours here, they open when the owner feels like it, the bus comes at the whim of its driver, and the 24-hour convenience stores all close at 9:30pm. Living here has without a doubt come with its fair share of challenges and culture shock, but if I'm being honest, I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to spend my days than Gangwon-do and I can't think of anywhere where I have felt happier.

What makes Gangwon-do so special to me is how welcoming, friendly and kind the people who live here are. I have been so fully embraced by my community; I have made countless friends with restaurateurs and cafe owners; market stall sellers and locals of every age and occupation - they know my name when I pass and I know theirs, they ask about my family and my schools and my weekend plans and delight at my mangled Korean; they invite me to dinner and to meet their friends and are always too much too generous. My students call to me when they see me in town and introduce me to their friends and family; they ask where I've been and where I'm going and giggle when I pass, bowing and throwing finger hearts. I've spent balmy afternoons walking through the countryside with friends, picking wild mountain berries and running screaming from frogs and snakes- they've taught me the names of the flowers we pass and I've taught them how to make daisy chains and whistle using a blade of grass. Every town and city I've been to I've made a new friend; people who have shown me around and told me what food to try and where the best local spots are, people who don't know me yet have willingly offered their friendship and help when I've needed it. I never imagined how loving and kind strangers could be before I came here. There are many things to love about Gangwon-do, but the best thing by far are the people who live here.