In college, I started to go on adventures with my friends. Usually, we go to little-known places in the Philippines to explore and learn. Most of the time, since we all are avid travelers, we would brainstorm on the places we wanted to visit, think of what kind of transportation we would take in order to reach our destination and list the things we have to bring in our so called little adventure.
We do not plan our itinerary. We just let things happen. In fact, it is actually more thrilling and fun when you just go with the flow. As a matter of fact, some of our most memorable adventures would be camping on secluded islands, swimming with whale sharks, taking surfing lessons, and staying in a fast food chain overnight just because all hotels were fully booked due to a festival. And those are what I consider the best experiences in my life.
Going to Korea is one, if not, the biggest adventure in my life. During my first semester, I got lost twice. That was a scary experience for me since I didn’t have any knowledge of the Korean language. Hence, I couldn’t ask any person along the road for directions.
That experience made me realize that I am indeed alone in a foreign country. At first, it was really scary since I wasn’t used to being independent. At home (The Philippines), I always have my friends with me, my family and I are able to communicate with other people since we all share the same language. But here in Korea, I am by myself. Being alone in a foreign country made me discover and do things on my own. Not until I found friends who share the same fascination with me.
Last November 3, we planned to try a new café near the University but instead, we ended up going to Myeongdong. We ate dinner, strolled the streets and as to achieve the original plan, we decided to have coffee. Two of my friends are cat lovers, so they decided to try the cat café but since I am allergic to furry stuff, we went to another café.
Since we were having so much fun, we lost track of time. Given the fact that it was already late, obviously, train stations will be closing soon and our dormitory has a curfew, we had no choice but to run to the nearest station to catch the last train. Thankfully, we were able to catch the last ride because if not, we do not know how to go back to the university. We were so worried and scared during that time but still managed to enjoy the moment.
That little adventure of ours actually made us closer and made the trip action-packed and worth it. Though the bad part about it is we had to walk from the subway station to the University since we missed the last bus.
With all the running and worrying, I consider it as one of the most exciting moments of my stay in Korea. Looking back at some of my adventures in this foreign land makes me smile and laugh. As a travel aficionado, I do look forward to my future adventures.
Our life is our very own big adventure that we have to enjoy, uncover and share. Don’t be afraid to try new things so you could find out what else is there outside your comfort zone. I would like to end this post with a quote by Helen Keller: “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” So go out, explore, discover and learn new things.
by TA Raizza Tolentino
