Jeju Island, or Jeju-do, is as far south in South Korea as you can get (which made Mom happy). It's also the exact opposite of the place I had preferred on my application. I had wanted to teach in Gangwon Province all the way north near the DMZ. It's a place with lots of mountains, ancient Buddhist temples, agriculture, small villages, and snow. It sounded familiar and comfortable. I thought that I would be able to teach more effectively in a place that was familiar feeling with a similar atmosphere to home.
Jeju, however, is nothing like this. I had never imagined that I might be able to live on Jeju. It is a resort island that caters mostly to wealthy Korean tourists, but it is also gaining international renown. A few years ago there was a worldwide competition to find the most beautiful place on Earth. Jeju Island was one of the 28 finalists. And it's easy to see why.
Jeju Island has the best of both worlds. As an island, about 45 miles long by 40 miles wide, it is removed from a lont of the rush of mainland cities like Seoul and Busan. While there are a half million people on the island, the vast majority of them live on the north coast in Jeju City, which has all the amenities. Other towns and cities are considerably smaller, but they are within easy driving or bus distance from Jeju City. This website is a list of the 40 most beautiful places to visit in Korea. You'll notice that a great many of them can be found on Jeju Island.
http://travel.cnn.com/gallery-40-travel-destinations-south-korea-742046
Once I get there, late on the 25th of August, I'll visit my school and go to my apartment. I'm certain that I'll be able to live comfortably. I'm really excited to experience all that Jeju Island has to offer. Shopping at fresh markets for seafood fresh from the ocean. Hikes up Mount Halla, a long extinct volcano. Horseback riding. I'll probably also see some Korean actors and idols because Jeju is the place to film music videos and dramas. And I really want to visit Aqua World, an aquarium that boasts the largest single pane of plexiglass in the world.
So, in summary, I didn't want to live in Jeju, but now I can't wait to get there, and now that day is drawing near.
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