▲ Harley Christopher(Instructor, English language Institute)

Walking thru the little Jeju village of Hargwi, he is constantly greeted by sights, sounds and sensations of delight. From the foot of his door step he enjoys what he sees. As he strolls through the sleepy village, he feels no hate. The horizon less confinement of Seoul is behind him now. Years of yearning for the sea, for a life with nature, has become his reality.  As I watch him, he suddenly looks up. He spots a couple of geese wading into the sea. "Are they migratory or immigrated geese? Here for the summer, or here to stay?"
 
In the big city people are bombarded with intrusions. Obnoxious sounds, the constant babble of neon lights, people's problems. They all weigh on big city citizens. There is no sea breeze to wash away the grime of daily life.
 
He is happily on his way to work. I can see the contentment in his eyes through his back view mirror as I pull up behind him at the traffic lights. The variety of flowers and greenery is astonishing. With Mt Halla and the sea perpetually flanking the road, who wouldn’t be pleased? Jeju offers him a pocket-sized version of the vast natural wonder of his homeland, Australia. Natural wonders in walking distance, as opposed to the uncomfortably long hours driving one would need to do to see the same variety of nature throughout Australia.
 
One morning I overheard him talking on the phone to a friend living in Seoul. He was telling her about the cheapest 9 holes of golf available in all Korea and about his weekend snorkeling with the Haenyo. He saw massive colorful sea slugs and least 10 species of fish. She recalls her weekend of being told to get off the grass at a Seoul park. “Don't walk on the grass!! You'll kill it!”Like it’s the only patch of grass left on the Earth. And the view from her half basement window: a drain, pedestrian feet, grey. 
 
Over the years he had come to understand Korea; a country divided into 3 parts, North, Seoul and the South. Discovering the fourth dimension of Korea, Jeju, has come to him like rain to drought stricken soil.
 
With a tap on my shoulder, I turn and close my laptop in one motion.
“How are you, mate?”
“Yeah, good” I reply. “How about you?, mate” ,“Couldn't be better, I was just thinking to myself that living here on Jeju is like finding a treasure box each week. There are so many jewels to find and play amongst. I'm so glad I'm not a tourist.” “Why is that" I ask a little bemused.”, “Cause then mate, I'd have to leave.”

 

 

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