Jeju island English speaking tour guide

* Notice- This article is written by none native English speaker

The weather was perfect today.

I had decided to climb up to the top of 'Darangshi' crater with my family.

Actually a friend of Facebook recommended that I should go to the musical concert on the crater.

It is said that first time for concert on a cater.

The crater 'Darangshi' has been chosen to give a concert because it is known as a queen of crater in Jeju island.

'Darangshi' literally means a cater holding Moon.

The union for conservation of Jeju craters hosted to organized this project.

The concert on the top of crater? well, it made me looking forward to it.

The name of the band giving a concert is 'La fotre' which means 'forest' in french.

Jeju island, crater, Darangshi and La fotre...

I think they are well harmonized quartet.

I been up to the top of this crater more than about 50times for five years thanks to my job.

But it is first time for me to bring my 5 year-old kid.

I was little bit worried about the steepness of this crater to my kid.

However, I knew he could make it.

Once you hit the road to climb on the cater, a magnificent scenic of panorama is starting spreading before you.

The small carter is 'Aggun darangshi' which means a little 'Darangshi' and there are 'Seng-San sunrise peak and Udo' shown beyond the crater.

This is a top of the crater.

Finally we made it. So proud of my son.

I knew he could climb very well.

I think he has a talent to be a professional climber in the future.

I have been taking him many small craters around my town such as 'Gogeunsan' 'Sol-orum' since he was 4, but it is the first time for him to be on this big crater.

'Yong-Sil' was the last one he been up on a big mountain.

One of my opinion for being a friend with nature is that people should be close to nature since they are young.

And Jeju island is the best place for it.

I think an education on nature in school in not enough for kinds, especially in Seoul or big cities. Parents' role is crucially important in this part if they want their children to being like nature.

When we got to the top of the crater my kid saw people flying on a paragliding and he got a sudden future dream that he will fly on a paragliding when he grow.

" Can I try to fly on a paragliding?' my kid asked staring at the people fying

"I am sorry, you should be over 30kg if you can fly" one wonman in a group preparing to fly answered.

My kid went to be disappointed a lot, almost cry

My wife comforted him saying "from now on you should eat a lot then you can fly soon. Ok boy?"

I hope it made him eat a lot.

Another scenic panorama on the crater is a crater itself.

The cater is more 100m depth on the hill of 380m.

It is a really magnificent crater in Jeju island.

When I was here 20 years ago, there were groups of cattle inside of the crater.

Actually it could be best shelter for them.

Now it became a restrict area for conservation of nature.

This is a picture of my family.

My look is so awkward with sunglasses.

As time comes to play music lots of people flocked in crowds on the top.

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The concert would be clumsy without wit of Oh-SeongJong a leader of the band.

Because the atmosphere was distracted by exhausted people climbed up and badgering children.

However, people went to calm and be realdy for concert.

I realized that the people who love nature love music as well.

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The music 'Moon river" had been resonating on the top of the crater.

The band prepared music even for children "a family of 3 bears".

The children were suddenly applauding with joy.

We seemed the tiredness from climbing had gone away.

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The more beautiful thing is that the distance between audience and the band is less than 1m.

I never seen this kind of concert.

It made us to be a family.

The feeling was so awesome.

I gave up my seat for people who want to enjoy in close to a band and went back to have a view of Halla Mt and groups of craters.

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The tango muscis 'Por una Caveza' which reminded me of my favorite movie 'Scent of woman' was resonating from behind.

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Why don't you enjoy 'Daranshi Concert' next time.

I will invite you.

YonHwaJi is the pond of lotus flowers.

YonHwa means lotus flower in Korean and Ji means place.

Actually the flowers blossom in July and August. So, the time I visited at the place the flowers already have been faded. 

Well I feel little shame for that.

The story says that the pond YonHwaJi was a small pond in Korea dynasty and in 17th century they reconstructed.

 After that it was built again in 1950s for 2years and it became current a lotus flowers pond.

The west southern part of the pond had been used to be drinking water and rest of places for live stocks.

Actually this lotus pond is a park for local people.

There are so many identical parks in Korea.

They look a little letdown.

However, if we make unique park in Jeju island, it will be great sources for tourism.

You will see full of lotus flowers and hydronic flowers  in July and August.

Not only plants but also there are so many kinds of aquatic animals and plants.

This is a small natural eco system.

At the entrance there is a warning for taking care of children.
If you bring children you should be careful.

The depth of water looks shallow but actually it's quite deep.

Some time the accidents are happened.

There is a beautiful school next to YonHwaJi decorated in rainbow color.

The name of the school is 'Deoduk elementary school'.

I asw some tourists tried to go in to take some photos of the school.

I think it is an interesting school.

I wish I have a house like this school.
Well, this school became the model of my future house.

Have you ever heard of 'Lee Joong-Sep'?

He is known as Picasso of Korean and one of most famous post modernism artists in Korean.

He moved to Jeju island from Wonsan in North Korea and he left many master pieces of his life in Jeju island during Korean War which is the most sad period in Korean modern history

after Korea got independence from Japanese' colonization.

His actual staying in Jeju island was only 11 months but the beauty of Jeju and simply life of locals inspired to his artistic instinct a lot.

When you see his works you can see his motivation of his works come from a family.

Even though he was suffering from family separation.

The painting above describes the happiness of family while they are refuging from the war.

The most sad situation but it shows his happiness being with all family members.

'The bull' shows sad eyes but muscular body.

Actually it shows himself.

The eyes are for the situation he was at and the body shows that his eruptive inspiration.

He got married to Japanese woman and it made him difficult to love her

 because the situation of antagonism between Korea and Japan didn't allow him to do it.

His letter to his wife shows his sincere and sad love to her.

Lee Joog-sup was born in 1916 in Pyungyang in North Korea.

And he died in 1956 in a Red corss hospital by malnutirition.

Even though he died by malnutrition he was suffering a lot from emotional damage. 

His works is particular western style with strong color and lines.

However, his works contain lots Korean emotions and grandure and infinitive world.

They are medical doctors and students.

I like students clients because I can see through them that they want to learn something about Korea and Jeju island.

So that suddenly I want to show them a real Jeju island.

Out of sudden, one of them asked me about K pop.

Then I just got an idea " A-ha there is common topic between us, that is a K-pop and drama".

"Ok. Let's start talking with this"

"Do you know Yu Jae-suk?" "Do you know his nick name?" "Do you know Moohan doJeon?" Well, they already knew about lots of thins on Korean TV program.

Well, there is no special things to break the barrier of the religions or cultures.

Just show them our things slowly then they will show us theirs.

I think it is a way of breaking cultural barriers.

Like this when we travel together we are the one.

We are going to share thinkings, We find our common things as well.

We went to the restaurant which serve Jeju traditional food.

The food name is 뚝빼기 they never seen abalone shells before and they were amazed by the beautiful inside of the shell.

They brought the empty shells to the wash room and wash them to keep them as a Jeju survirnior.

I think it is a good idea to have them from their food.

We hiked 'Youngsil' on the first day after abalone lunch.

They said they didn't have much experience to hike on the mountain.

We counldn't go to the top of the mountain. 

However, we enjoyed enough the beauty of Valley of mountain.

On the third day. It was rainning and windy.

I asked them if still going on the trip? At first they hesitated then I insisted to keep going. Well, they told me this is like a military training, fun training. they seemed happy. I should be a leader of the traveller. that is my job. some times push them, some times pull them up.
One thing I have more than they have is that experience and what they want is that my experience.

I am quite happy when I have young students clients because first, I taught English to students before and second, they make me feel coming back to my school days.

The clients are foreign students in Yonsei University but half of them are second generation of U.S immigrants.

I ask them why you came to korea to study and they answer they like Korea and they want to learn about Korea. Well, wise answer for stupid question.

They seem they felt awkward one another and I got to know that the acual summer school haven't started yet. That's why they are awkward.

The purpose of this tour is not only for sight seeing of Jeju island but also for learning about 4.3 massacre happened in 1947 to 1953.

I had to look up lots of reference books so that It also offered lots of information about 4.3 to me.

I was little surprised with students showing reverential attitude to the sacrificed.

They seem really embarrassed by this horrible massacre happened in peaceful island. I saw some students even sobbing with sorrow and some was having a heated controversy.

Actually, it's not easy for me to bring clients here because there is still ideology struggling existed in Korea and It's difficult to explain exact happening in those times indirectly in order not to hurt the people support conservative party.

There are diverse responses. Some people show sympathy to the sacrificed and some show to defend the police and soldiers who indiscriminately killed the innocent people.

Still 4.3 is not solved question yet to Jeju people.

There are two places to enjoy the nature in the itinerary given to us.

One is Songak Mt. and the other is Saroeny forest walking path.

The first day of climbing Songak Mt made students excited to have a feeling conquer the top crater and enjoyed the view of Jeju island.

But next day for walking path in the forest couldn't make them feel like the day before.

There is must-eat food in Jeju island when you come to with group tour.

It is 'Black pork with vegetables in Seonup folk village.

I think the food is quite good quality for the price.

But....

The people have to cook the food by themselves so that if it is a first time for them, they are embarrassed with the fire from portable stove.

Sometimes it comes out suddenly and make people startled.

And the restaurant looks cheap and filthy. If the people expected more, they might be disappointed. So the food in this village divided into pro and cons.

However, they seemed they had lunch deliciously and even they wrap the grilled pork with lettices.

they said that they saw how to eat Korean food in Korean drama.

Some one thumb up for the food.

I felt sorry not to take them better restaurant and I appreciate them eating food delicioulsy.

I always feel mixed emotion when I part with my clients.

Good thing is that I finally finished my work and Bad thing is that I have to send them.

Some students said that they are very sorry not to stay longer.

They wish they could stay couple of days more.

But If there is time to meet then there must be time to farewell.

If you believe in Karma, we are going to meet again.

I bid farewell to them with gratitude of reminding of my school days.

And go back home my family waiting.

*Notice- this article is written by non native English speaker