When I was a little kid, I loved Shel Silverstein’s Falling Up. I loved all of his poetry really. I used to read his poems over and over again until my copies of his books became battered and worn. His poetry resonated with me. But years would pass, and his poems faded in my memory. However, a few years ago I came across Silverstein’s poem Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda again. It reminded me to continue pursuing the goals I set out for myself – goals about travel, knowledge, and happiness. This blog is dedicated to sharing all of that with you.

I was born and raised in a small town in northeast Wisconsin. I grew up in a multicultural family–my father is American and my mother is Filipino. I spent many summer holidays in the Philippines visiting with family, which was when I first whet my appetite for travel. I’ve pretty much been traveling since I was six months old, and I’ve been to the Philippines fifteen times already.

 

 

The Philippines is very much like a second home to me. I find I’m always missing the foods and smells that are unique there. I often make Filipino food for my husband–chicken adobo, lumpiang shanghai, bibingka and garlic fried rice. There’s something so comforting and filling about Filipino food. It feeds the soul. Although I usually stay near my family around Manila and Quezon City whenever I’m in the Philippines, I’ve also traveled around to other parts of Luzon (the northern province) and Palawan and Boracay–both top travel destinations. There’s so much to see and do in the Philippines, and I plan on exploring more in the future.

   Japan

Though the Philippines is like a second home to me, I admit to having a third home (and fourth!) as well. You see, I had the life-changing opportunity to live and work in Fukushima, Japan for three amazing years. I graduated from college at 20 years old with a major in English Literature and minors in Japanese and Asian American Studies. During my last year of college I applied for the JET Programme, which places native English speakers in public schools to teach English across Japan. I wanted to both use my English degree and improve my Japanese language skills. The JET Programme seemed like the perfect option. I was placed in a small town called Aizumisato in Fukushima prefecture shortly after the 2011 disaster. I’ve never regretted my decision to move there.

 

Living in the Japanese countryside was a mind-boggling experience full of ups and downs. During my three years there, I saw as much of Japan as I could and developed some of the strongest friendships in my life. I experienced the Sapporo Snow Festival, hiked to the top of Mt. Fuji (twice!), wore a wedding kimono, and saw the Atomic Bomb dome in Hiroshima–just to name a few.

 

I had the opportunity to do and see so many amazing things during my time in Japan. I even met my Scottish husband there. We were both working as ESL teachers in Fukushima and met at a party. You’ll see him mentioned in a few of my posts, although he doesn’t like having his picture taken much. He is perhaps one of the biggest surprises from my time in Japan. I never would have thought I’d meet my husband there.

  Nomadic Life

After leaving Japan, I went home to spend some time with my family. But the travel bug never left me. 3 months after returning from Japan, I took a month long mother-daughter trip to Spain and Portugal. And after 6 months back in the US, I was already planning another big trip. This time I moved to Scotland for 6 months. I spent some time in the Scottish highlands with my now-husband and his family. He hails from the city of Aberdeen, nicknamed the Granite City. I’ve heard some people say that because of all the granite, it can seem a bit grey, but I really loved it. There was something beautiful about the uniformity of the architecture. One of my favorite sights was Dunnottar Castle. Although it’s not actually in Aberdeen, but in nearby Stonehaven. Dunnottar is one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen, and a day there wouldn’t be complete without some fish and chips from The Bay and a walk along the coast.

After Scotland, I decided to do a solo backpacking trip around Europe for two months. There were a lot of people who told me I must be really brave to travel as a woman alone. I never felt that it should be considered unsafe for a solo female traveller to go anywhere. I had always wanted to backpack Europe, and I decided I would do it. Traveling alone gave me the freedom to do whatever I wished, to spend as much time as I wanted at the museum or the beach, or eat anything I wanted to try. I didn’t need to compromise or debate with other people. I even went skydiving over the Swiss Alps, checking one more item off my bucket list.

I returned to the US for another year, and ended up moving to Pennsylvania. It was during this time that I decided I wanted to work abroad as an English teacher again. Instead of going back into public school, I chose to look for work at private academies. My other half and I wanted to work in the same city–and at the same school if possible. We were lucky enough to find a private academy looking to hire a couple. Once we were interviewed, it all moved very quickly. Within a couple of months, I had gotten my work visa, packed up my clothes in a suitcase, put the rest of my belongings in storage, and was on a flight to South Korea.

Korea

I’ve lived in Korea for a little over a year now. I live in a beautiful coastal city called Sokcho. I feel so lucky to live here. Sokcho is next to a beautiful national park called Seoraksan. The fall colors are gorgeous and the hiking is amazing. One of my favorite summer activities is going to the park on the weekends and going for an easy hike with my husband. We don’t just have mountains, we have beautiful beaches, too. It’s so relaxing to grab a coffee at one of the shops along the shore and watch the waves crashing back and forth. It’s definitely been an adventure though. It was daunting at first to try learning another new language and figure out how to do daily life tasks in a new country.

 

When people think about moving to a new country, they often don’t think about the everyday tasks and interactions that will suddenly become difficult. How do I ask for a plastic bag at the grocery store? How do I pay my electricity bill? How do I order my coffee the way I like it? It can seem overwhelming sometimes. But I’ve enjoyed every moment I’ve spent here. And I want to share the knowledge I’ve learned along the way with all of you.

I’ve met wonderful people, gotten involved in the community, and even took 3rd place in a Korean singing contest! Much of this blog was written after I moved to Korea, so I’ve focused on my experiences here. So much has happened since moving to Korea. I look forward to whatever else is in store.

I’m sharing my stories in the hopes that they inspire other people to travel and explore. You don’t have to be rich. You don’t always have to travel with friends. You just have to go out and do it.

 

Cheers,

Erika Ehren has been to: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bahamas, Canada, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Slovakia, Taiwan, United States, Vatican.
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