Korean Company English service numbers

The phone numbers below are for service in Korea, IN ENGLISH.

Add Facebook birthdays to iCal & Google Calendar

After almost 5 years abroad in the last 6, I've come to appreciate any technology that improves contact with people back home or on other continents. The only problem is, I can never remember when I'm supposed to contact anyone. I can barely remember names anymore, much less birthdays. Fortunately, there's hope.

Facebook has done for birthdays what a sex tape has done for the Kardashians: it has made people remember them. Now you can add all of your friends' birthdays (compiled by the little men that live in the internets) to your other calendars. Thus solidifying Facebook's unrelenting grip on your life; so that even on days when you don't check Facebook (gasp!), you can still stay in the interloop.

Sites That Pay for Your Travel Writing

So, you think you're a writer, huh? Well, now, isn't that cute. Let me give you some advice.

Stop it.

Get out.

You're wasting your time. Let me break it down for you: travel writing is dead.

Sleeping at Incheon Airport

If you've ever glanced out the window flying into Incheon Airport (ICN) before, you might have noticed that it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It is, in fact, on its own island. It takes at least an hour to travel to Seoul Station, and that's not even accounting for traffic.

If you have an early morning flight out of ICN - or a late-night arrival - you're probably on the hunt for accommodation close-by. And if you're on a tight schedule (and a budget!) there's no better bet for a quick night's sleep than the airport's own sauna and lounge.

Spa on Air

For a mere 20,000 won (about 18USD) you can shower, soak, and sleep for the night in one of Korea's classiest sauna establishments.

[Note: if you don't want to spend the night, make sure you get to SOA before 8pm, when the price is only 15,000 won.]




Spa on Air is one of the most expensive saunas I've been to in Korea (most average around 7,000 won), but it's also one of the most regal. The individual semi-private showers with waterfall showerheads are a nice treat, and the all-granite interior lends a quiet elegance to the place.

SOA features gender-segregated bathhouses with hot and cold pools, dry and wet heat (steam) rooms, and individual shower stalls with frosted glass.


After winding down, throw on shorts and a t-shirt (provided) and head into the lounge area where couches, lounge chairs or floor mats are available to crash on.

If you want more privacy (or are a loud and chronic snorer!) you can book a private sleeping room for an extra 15,000 won (35,000 total).

Family room (extra bedding available)

If you're traveling in a group, you can book one of two family rooms for 40,000 won (per 12 hours). Each room sleeps up to 5 people.

[Note: This is in addition to the admission cost per person to the sauna.]









The best part: it's actually INSIDE of the airport! (Though not located inside of the secure terminal area; you don't need to be flying to visit.)

TIP: If you're stuck inside of the secure terminal area for a few hours on a layover, there are FREE shower rooms for use. It's reasons like this why Incheon is consistently ranked as one of the world's top airports!

[Spa on Air is located on the East side of the basement (B1) in the Main Terminal, past Cold Stone Creamery and Starbucks.]

To make a reservation for a private room, or for more information, call Spa on Air at 032-743-7042. (For international calls dial +8232-743-7042.)



If you're in the market for a bit more luxury, there are a few hotels and guest-houses nearby ICN, and some of them are actually reasonably priced:

Best Western Premier Incheon Airport (from 115,000 won)
Hyatt Regency Incheon Airport (from 200,000 won)
Incheon Airport Guesthouse (from 50,000 won)
...and a bit further away:
Oceanside Hotel (from 90,000 won)

I finally finished the first episode of a mini-series I've been working on since early this year. It's about foreigners living in Korea with unusual superpowers.

The first episode, entitled "The Gauntlet", is an introduction to what the characters must go through in order to get their powers.

Free TESOL Training Course

EFLClassroom has put up a Free self-guided TESOL Training course developed by the US Department of Education and the University of Oregon. 

It's an open-source course featuring videos from classrooms all over the world. Unfortunately it's not accredited, but if you're just looking for some work-related self-improvement, then it's a great resource (did I mention FREE?) for you.

Check out the course here.

Butchering sharks

At Jukdo market in Pohang, South Korea.

I've been MIA for a while, on a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat. It was fantastic, and exactly what I needed, but I don't have the time or the energy to go into a description of it now. Instead, you can read my description of the retreat I did 5 years ago in Kenya here.

For more information on Vipassana, including retreats nearby you (you'd be surprised), visit the website:

Vipassana Meditation

Pohang Fireworks Festival 2011

International Fireworks Competition 2011 - Program (English)

This is the program for the Saturday night show (7/30) at Bukbu Beach. It kicks off at 8:30pm, so get there super early if you want to sit in the sand.

Pohang Fireworks Festival schedule (Korean)

There are also fireworks on Thursday (Bukbu Beach) and Friday (Hyeongsan River Park - next to the POSCO bridge), as well as other festival activities all weekend.

Here's a map with locations of the events.

Here's a map of the Saturday night fireworks location with parking lots marked.

Where's Waldo? Korean poetry.

A beautiful Korean poem, and obviously an ode to "Where's Waldo?"

내 눈엔...
너 만 보인다는말...
난...거짓말이라고 생각해...
내눈엔 많은 사람들이 보여..
그 치만..그 많은 사람들 중에서
" 너만을 찾게돼..."

In my eyes
To say that you're the only one I see
Is a lie in my mind
In my eyes, I see a lot of people
But among all of those people
I search only for you