Hello! My name is Hyeyoung, and I’m a mother of three wonderful children (a 15-year-old daughter, an 11-year-old son, and a 9-year-old daughter). I work as a high school English teacher, and I live in Busan, a beautiful city in the south of Korea. Busan, located about five hours by bus from Seoul, the capital of Korea, is a city known for its beautiful beaches. It’s a dynamic place filled with stunning oceans and mountains, as well as remarkable history. Every October, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is held here, and this year marks its 30th anniversary.

I enjoy traveling, reading, watching movies, playing board games with my children, learning foreign languages, and studying a wide range of subjects.

I’m excited to see what kinds of friends I will meet and what new experiences await us!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I’ve always loved traveling and exploring new places, but after getting married, I haven’t had many chances to go on real adventures. Through this site, I hope to introduce friends from around the world to Busan and share the beauty of Korean culture. I also want to start new adventures with my children.

Interests

• books
• education
• movies
• travel

Music, Movies, and Books

I’m a bit of a bookworm—I often read several books at the same time. Whenever I have a moment, I find myself reading about science, education, history, and community issues. At home, there are always books scattered everywhere. I also enjoy watching movies. These days, I mostly watch family movies with my kids, but I love documentaries and films from around the world that let me learn about different global issues. I appreciate how easy it is to watch great films anytime and anywhere thanks to Netflix.

I’ve always loved traveling. I’ve visited many places in Europe, Asia, and Australia. These days, I travel mostly locally with my children, but I still enjoy every moment of exploring new places with them.

Through this site, I hope to make meaningful connections with friends from around the world, introduce them to Busan and Korean culture, and create wonderful experiences for my children as they learn about many different cultures. I’m excited to see what kinds of friendships and adventures await us!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of the most meaningful experiences of my life was walking the Camino de Santiago in the summer of 2008. After reading a Korean writer’s book about her pilgrimage that May, something inside me said, “This is it!” So that summer, I set out on the journey and walked for 40 days—from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, across Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago, and then all the way to Finisterre. Along the way, I met countless “angels,” grew spiritually, and fell deeply in love with the beauty of nature. Even now, whenever I read books written by other pilgrims, my heart beats a little faster. One day, I hope to walk that beautiful path again with my children.

Teach, Learn, Share

Like many families in Korea, we live in an apartment. Our home is small, but I would love to welcome friends from around the world. I can introduce you to Korean language, Korean food, Korean manners, and even give you a local tour of Busan.

As a teacher, I’m also very interested in education systems in other countries. If schedules allow and you’re interested, I might even be able to arrange a visit to my high school, where you could share about your country and your culture with my students. How exciting would that be?

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would love to visit other countries, learn about their culture, language, and way of life, and also share what Korea is like. I can introduce Korean language, Korean food, and Korean culture—and these days, Korean movies and music are very popular, right? We can enjoy them together while learning from one another.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States