Jeju island English speaking tour guide

Early in the morning, there were a lot of text messages coming to my phone. "Hey? Donghak, I am watching you on the TV. I am surprised and It is very nice seeing you..." Even my elementary school teacher called me. Tanks to my job which is an English speaking tour guide in Jeju island, I had a chance to be on TV. 

A few weeks ago I got a call from a TV writer Miss Ahn. She said that MBC broadcast staion wanted to make a 30 minutes documentary film about me and my profession. Because English speaking tour guiding for foreigners is not common thing in Jeju island, where is dominated by domestic and Chinese tourists. And beside of their suggestion, I was thinking to make a film on my tour guiding on my own. So being on public TV show would be a good idea for that. However, consent of me wan't enough to make a film because they needed a consent from my clients as well. And duet to no contact number there was no way to inform them in advance. 'Will they agree with being on TV? and, Even will they join my tour in positive way?" Suddenly I felt my brain heavy with so many questions and nervous for a project. 

The more problem was that they wanted to take my family on the film as well. I had to give a second thought for that. I didn't want to reveal my privacy. It's bit reluctant to ask my family. Anyway I told my wife about this and she said snickerly that "well...It's a good chance to say truth that you are such a idle guy". Well, It was joke with a serious meaning, However, my kid was so gleeful to think of being on TV. Anyway, we had decided to be on TV. How many chances can we get our whole family on TV? and It can be a life memory. 

The filming was divided into two parts. first part lasted 3 days, and second parts lasted 2 days. On the first day of starting to take a film, I and film director were waiting for the clients at the airport. As I mentioned I hadn't informed them about our filming in advance. 'Will they agree with that?' It was a first step for the filming to get an agreement from them. There are 6 people in the group. One was 4 people in Korean-American family and the other one was an Indian couple. Finally, we met them and introduced each other. Carefully asked for a consent for filming. They seemed bit embarrassed at first, but soon all of them said "Why not? It will be a good experiences for our Jeju tour" Yes! They were cool people.  

​As a camera kept following us, obviously it seemed my clients were nervous and uncomfortable. Even I was nervous that I couldn't do my guiding properly. Anyway on the first day I brought them to the stone cultural park and explained general knowledge of geology, culture, and history on Jeju island. Actually I love to explain about Jeju island to my clients when they show sincere interest. With doing a job I am good at, I felt confident and my clients seemed feel more comfortable on the camera. However, I felt like I was the one who got nervous mostly among us. 

The next day, filming went on all day long. The tension being on the camera had gone and they started joking and playing in front of the camera. When they seemed comfortable, I felt comfortable as well. My guiding became more natural too. And thankfully the Indian couple dressed in Indian traditional costumes for the film. It added more diverse effect and interests for the show. The director was excited with the Indian couple. 

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It was a full and long day. I showed everything I could do in my tour program. I spared no efforts and it was fully rewarded. In the interview my clients gave a heartfelt compliment for my tour. Well, It was too much for me but I was delightful with what they said about me. The filming lasted two more days after we bided a farewell and more episodes came out. If you go to this site you can see a whole show.

https://db.tt/yVInLT93AA

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As I am a tour guide ​I meet diverse tourists from all over the world.  Some times quite amazing experience I get from my job. This time my clients are balloon artists.
I saw people who do balloon art as their hobby but never seen as a profession. Well, they made so many things by blowing balloons. Interesting!

Wherever we stopped by such as a restaurant, shops, scenic places, they started making a balloon of art and gave them to local people as a gift. Of cause locals are so amazed by their performance and so happy when they got the presents. 

The artist name is Dee and my name is Dee too. His Dee is an abbreviation of Daniel and mine is abbreviation of Donghak. Anyway we use same name.

We had a lot of conversation and slowly our subject went to Politics. I think politics is our common interesting. I think talking politics is the best way to get to know the circumstance of the countries and most of visitors are interested in our politic situation as well. However, sensitive things must be avoided.  

First, we had talked about Trump and and prospect of future of America. They were really anti Trump. And the subject smoothly moved to a current president 'Park' and a huge protest in Seoul. It's shame for both of us because we had to talk bad thing about our presidents. And we both are worried the whole world is go to be nationalistic. Talking was going on and on and time went flies.

They were very interested in history of Korea and Jeju island. It took a lot of efforts to explain about the history from bottom to top such as Tamra kingdom, Mongolian occupation, uprising in Choseon Dynasty, April 3rd massacre. However, it's worth explaining all the details. The more they are interested, the more I wanted to explain. Let them know your culture and history is the purpose of my job,

I said " you should join a protest in Seoul and learn how to expel the president. Because you probably need it to get Trump down" he was laughing and agreed with that. Well, it was very enjoyable traveling with them. 

When we farewell they made a quite a few arts of balloons for my kid.

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Well... 43 clients from India...I think there are too many people in my group but I am sure I can handle it. I think 4 days are bit long time to take all of them to show around jeju island. And there are also 6 handcapped people in the group. However, I have to try to handle with it. I know It's a big challenge for me. 

People say handling Indian people are most difficult for tour guides. When a tour guide got a call from an agency for touring for Indaian people, they hesitate to take them. Because they

In my assume 4 days was bit long to take all of them around Jeju island. And even there were 6 handicapped people. So, It was a big challenge for me. As you know clients from Middle East, India, and Russia are well known for their picky characters.
There was no way to know what story would come out. It would be a good episode or terrible story.

It was a first day of tour with Indian clients.

It showed on the screen that the plane CX from HongKong arrived at the airport. After while People were coming out with their lots of luggages and there were some people coming out on a wheelchair taken by airline staffs. " I am sorry, we have to go back with wheelchairs. We can take them only here " the staffs told me that they can't take handicapped people out of a building of airport.

Well, it was a long distance to the parking place for them. So, I asked the driver to come here instead of our going there. But the driver denied that because of the ticket camera.

Anyway we could manage to go to the bus with a lot of luggages. Actually bus was full with 43 people.
After counting, there were 3 people short. I hurried running down to the building to find them. They were slowly coming towards. "I am sorry, we were smoking" Lame excuse they game me. I hunched it would be a difficult tour. 

It took only 20 minutes to come to a hotel. While checking in, they just sat on chairs in private coffee shop and opened Indian cookies they brought and started eating. According to the rule of hotel, they shouldn't do that.

Hotel workers tried to stop them but it is already impossible because of a language barrier. They came to me to stop them. It already went chaos.

" How can I get WiFi?", "Can I get some water?" "I want some coffee for cookies" "Where can I wash my hands?" They just came to me ask bombarded. Come on... I was at lost. I couldn't find how can handle these people for 4 days.

On the way to dinner, my head was getting really heavy. I need a help. I have 43 clients from India.

Continued...

Jeju island.
The island which is abundant in winds, stones, and women. Actually, It is my home island which can be explained with these three things. Among those I am going to explain about stones.

When I look back on old days, I can remember vividly there are so many rocks in everywhere. Rocks, I was quite interested in.

I played with my friends stacking stone walls dividing into two sides and played a war game with throwing stones at each side.
Now a days, young kids who are more interested in video games can't imagine how we played with stones.

Probably, stones has influenced on not only kids but also every aspect of Jeju people's life.

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Some people think volcanic soil is fertile but it's far from it. The volcanic land is barren because rain water always penetrates into the ground and doesn't hold on surface. And the barren land has given Jeju people hard life.

Land give us food and the food in Jeju island infers a culture of it. So, you can peep their life through the food.

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Upon thinking of Jeju island, what is the first thing come up to you? There are so many but probably one of them it might be a 'stone grandfather' which rigidly stood in front of a gate.

'Harbang' is a local language for 'grandfather'. According to a record, it was called 'Wooseokmok' or 'Beok-su head'. Now, it is called as 'Dol-harbang in general.

There are various views about its origin.

First view is that it came from superstitions. When people believed in shamanism, they created their god figure took after man's penis. Which means it is a kind of phallus stone.

Second view is that it came from Mongolian culture. There is a similiar stone to 'stone grandfather' in Mongolia called 'Hunchollo'. Jeju island had been occupied by Mongolian for 150 years. It might influence on Jeju culture.

Anyway its function was to give people property and prevent from evil spirit. It maintains a close relationship with the lives of the people in Jeju.

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There are many abbreviations in Jeju language. For example, We call 'San' for a grave('San-so' in Korean). And a stone wall surrounding a grave is called 'Sandam'('dam' means wall).
One interesting thing is that according to Jeju custom people stack up a stone wall around their ancestor's grave.

When I traveled in other island, I was surprised to see a grave stone walls. It was a round shape stone wall while it is square shape in Jeju island.

Originally, they have stacked up stone walls surround the ancestor's grave to prevent wild animals from coming into or fire spreading on the grave.

Now a days a size of stone wall shows an achievement during their ancestor's life time.

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Another peculiar funeral custom in Jeju island is a child stone.

In Jeju island the old always is accompanied by a child. The reason is that there are few schools in those days, so that a child need to have chances to learn. They need each other for learning for children and preventive measures for an emergency situations for the olds.

Generally, funeral and death always show apathy of life, cold and solemn. But Jeju island's funeral shows warm and relax to part their loved ancestors.

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Jeju stone mill which is called 'Molgorye' in Jeju word. 'Mol' means a horse, and 'gorye' means grind.

This is one of stone cultures in Jeju island extinguished now a days. It was was operated by a horse or cow power to grind crops in a communal place. Now, it is displayed on a corner of a village only use for welcoming tourists.


There is a funny joke. If horses on the mill don't work diligently, people put a female horse in front and male horse on the other side to chase each. then it works well.

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When you travel in Jeju coast lines, you can see stone labyrinths. Fish come in during high tide and couldn't get out in low tide. It is called 'wondam'

Frankly speak, I am still nervous to meet my clients at first.

I suppose they feel as same as I do.

Well, through my experiences travel always starts like that.

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Whenever we meet people first impression is very important. When first impression is not good I saw lots of things went wrong.

I tried to figure out their purpose and meaning of coming in Jeju island, whether they come here for just sightseeing or for a real traveling.

Surveying for few hours brings a decision on what kind of travel it will be.

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Rosemary is a Korean-American who moved to US at age 3. It is a first visit for her to her mother country since she moved away. I could see that she was expecting a lot in Jeju island.

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When you think of honeymoon, it remind you of delicious foods, exotic atmosphere, and relaxing beaches. And if they are looking for those things, they might not need a tour guide like me. They need a tour assistant. But they need me because they want a real travel.

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Even though I been tour guiding for a long time I still don't know what is a right way for a honeymoon couple.

A cousin of Rosemary asked me for a special tour for the couple. Then I made a special plan for them. Well, It's easy for me to make a nature friendly itinerary and also makes me feel comfortable.

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Make a good memory and find a meaning of coming of this island is more important than just taking a rest.

"We didn't have time to make an itinerary for the tour, sorry" the agency told me. I said "no problem at all, some times no plan makes a better tour" Actually it is true.

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Jeju island is one of best places for food tour in Korea. The culture is very different from main land. And So is food. Food is a part of their own culture.

'Korean food is always spicy and chilly' well, that is a prejudice. 'Koreans always sit on a floor on having food' that is another prejudice. Once you abandon the prejudices, you will enjoy Korean food more than you expect.

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Last thing we did was climbing Mt Hallasan. We had a hard tour rather than easy sightseeing. And we had local foods rather than touristic foods. That was successful!

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My clients will assess my tour. I don't know if they give me a good point or not. However, in my opinion a tour guide must have his/her own philosophy or pursuit to the right tour.

We can't satisfy all clients but we should keep consistent the right way.