15 Highlights of 2015

 

2015 is coming to an end, and what a year it has been!!

Although there were definitely ups and downs, this was, without a doubt, my most adventurous year yet.
I was blessed to have met lots of cool people, tried so many new things, and experienced so many new places. So, here are some of my highlights from 2015. There were definitely way more than 15, but this is a great way for me to begin looking forward to next year. FYI: These are in no particular order.

In 2015, I ….

-took a Korean cooking class. I loved it!! I learned how to make japchae (Korean glass noodle stir-fry) and bulgogi, which are actually really delicious. The teachers was extremely friendly and helpful, and  I’m considering taking more classes in 2016.

-took a trip to Thailand!  My friends and I went to Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and the Ang Thong Marine Park in February. It was so fun exploring Bangkok, which was madness, as well as  laying on the beach in Koh Samui and hiking in the Marine Park. Oh, and I even ate crickets!! (Surprisingly, they weren’t bad! They kind of tasted like corn chips.) I actually want to go back and visit Chiang Mai!

-went to Malaysia. My friend and I headed to Kuala Lumpur for a quick weekend trip during the first week in May. The tickets were so cheap that we just had to go. I absolutely loved visiting the Batu Caves, even though the monkeys were cray cray!!

Batu Caves

-experienced the beautiful cherry blossoms in Gyeongju. 

-turned 25 years old. Yup, I’m officially old now. This was the first birthday that I celebrated outside of the U.S., but I was blessed to have a great time with amazing people here in Korea. Now, forget that I told you this because I’m about to be 25 for at least the next 3 years. Don’t judge me.

–kind of got into hiking. I was never really into hiking before coming to Korea but, looking back on this year, I realized that I actually did a fair amount of hiking. I hiked Samsung Mountain, Namhansanseong, as well as other places around Seoul. Here’s to more hiking in 2016!

–went to the Boryeong Mud Festival. This is a huge, annual festival where people come to learn about and enjoy the beneficial properties of Boryeong mud have a good time and play in the mud. The mud in Boryeong is said to have lots of great minerals and nutrients for your skin, which is one of the reasons for the festival, but I just went so I could ride the mud slide, play in the mud pit, and act like a big kid!

Playing in the mud pit at the Mud Festival

–went to the Holi Hai festival in Busan. The festival was awesome (and messy!), but I also enjoyed exploring different parts of Busan. It was a nice change from Seoul!

–began my second year as an ESL teacher in Seoul. Although it was a tough decision, I decided to renew my contract and stay in Korea for another year.

My kiddos!!

–went home to visit my family and friends. Being away from my family and friends for a whole year was kind of difficult, so I thoroughly enjoyed going home and hanging out with my family for about 2 and a half weeks this summer. This was easily one of my most memorable experiences this year. I love my crazy family!! Now if only I can convince them to come visit me in Korea….

–went to a Korean baseball game! If you’ve never to been to a Korean baseball game, you are missing out!! It’s definitely an experience! There are cute mascots, dancers, prizes, cheerleaders, and chants that everyone sings throughout the game. It’s basically one big party!!

–took my first solo trip to Japan. I had an amazing time exploring Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and some other parts of Japan during my first solo trip. I loved being able to do whatever I wanted throughout my entire trip, and I’ll definitely be going on more solo trips in the near future!

-went to my first Cirque de Soleil show, and it was BOMB.COM!! I’ve always wanted to go, so when I heard that they were in Seoul, it was a no-brainer! Even though it was 2 hours long, I was so engrossed that time just flew by. Such a great show!

–learned that every battle isn’t worth fighting. Sometimes you just have to let some things go, if only to protect your own sanity.

–actually blogged for most of the year. Ok, ok, there were obviously some periods where I didn’t blog as much, but this has been my most productive blogging year to date. Plus, if you follow me on Instagram, you can always catch up on all my adventures whether they make the blog or not.

2015 was definitely one for the books, so here’s to more adventures in 2016! What were some of your highlights from 2015?? Comment below!! 

Happy New Year, everyone!!!!