No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes

In true alternative school fashion, when the days grew shorter and the leaves began to change, we decided to pack our bags and spend two weeks camping throughout Korea’s many forests and mountains. A Soopna school tradition, every autumn we plan a trip in the middle of the semester to do something far from our classrooms, showing that learning takes place even (and especially!) outside of school walls. In the past, the school has biked from Seoul to Busan, walked from Seoul to Gwangju, and rode bicycles around Jeju island. Sometimes the trip has involved visiting places of recent political strife to learn about current events, and sometimes it has involved visiting nuclear plants to learn about alternative energy. Either way, it has always taken our students away from our institution’s walls and out into the real world. And this year, we found ourselves visiting, hiking, and camping in six different forests in three different provinces.

At the beginning, the students were broken into four teams, each with students ranging from age seven or eight to seventeen or eighteen. I was put in charge of Team Two, a group of seven students, and for the most part of the trip, we would do activities together. Only when the hiking became difficult did the younger students break off into a separate group to do a different trail.

Our first stop was Gapyeong, and we began with a free hike through an area with easy courses. My team opted to hike to a small suspension bridge, which we reached quickly before walking aimlessly and then returning to our starting point to meet up with the rest of the school. We then broke into two larger groups, with the older group heading towards a lookout point up the mountain. On our way up, we stopped and ate various berries and nuts from the trees around us. When we finally reached the top, we harvested pine nuts as we looked out over a small pond on the mountain.

Gapyeong (가평): The taste of bitter berries on our tongues, with a sense of wonder and awe. Out first day of many away from the comforts of the city, the feeling sinking in as we wear our clean clothes, neatly packed backpacks yet to be dug through. We reach our destination quickly, full of energy – a pond at the top of the trail. Colorful leaves paint the still water with fiery reflections, tints of red, yellow, and orange sparkling with the sun. We take a moment to look over the land, the trails we conquered, trees dancing with colorful dresses appropriate for the season. The cool, crisp wind cools our faces and we stare into the looking glass, quiet water, a portal to an upside down world as beautiful as ours.

The next day was a travel day. After spending the night in Gapyeong, we boarded our bus to head towards Inje (인제). We arrived, cooked and ate lunch, and then struggled for over an hour setting up our tents. My team ended up having to switch to a different, smaller tent because too many of the poles were broken on their original tent. By the time all of the tents were setup, it was too late to do a hike, so we had some free time before starting to cook dinner. Because the sun sets around 6:00, we started cooking at around 4:00 so we had time to eat and wash dishes before nightfall. When the sun sets, students had more free time before a class meeting at 8:00 and then a snack with more free time before bed. During the free time, the students often sat in circles and played games in tents.

The next morning, we woke up at 7:00 for an early start to make up for the day before. Our destination was 자작나무숲 (Birch Tree Forest), and we were to do a loop circuit of the woods. We started the hike as a large group but then split from the younger kids once again when the trail became steep. When we finally reached the birch tree forest within the larger mountain, the extra steep hiking proved worth it.

Inje (인제): Thin, white giants rise up above us before exploding into a sea of yellow leaves as we are transported to a fairytale land. Nothing but birch trees surround our path, and we wind through the tree trunks like a river, stopping only to touch the smooth white bark of this natural wonder. The sky is a pure shade of bright blue, and the sunlight filters down to the forest floor, twinkling with every step we take as it shines through the leaves above. Towards the edge of the birch tree forest, bright reds and oranges peek through the trunks, a makeshift rainbow of colors, out of order but breathtaking nonetheless. One of my students wrote that this forest was so peaceful that it helped her think through her problems, a beautiful and bright friend with solutions hidden along its paths, discoverable with patience and a sense of adventure.

When we arrived back at the campsite, it was already time to cook dinner, and the evening ritual commenced.

The next day was another travel day. We woke up early, broke down our tents, and headed towards Gangneung (강릉), where we would spend the next two nights. The drive took us through the winding roads around Seoraksan, a true sight to behold. As we fought off car sickness, the road twisted and turned, bringing with it entire forests on either side painted with autumn colors. An entire world or oranges, yellows, and reds opened up around us, transporting us to postcards and tourist guides. A sight so beautiful that words could not even begin to describe it. A truly out of body experience, a feeling of floating through a world that only movies could create.

Upon our arrival, we set up camp and had some free time to explore our campsite and settle in. We made dinner and braced ourselves for what was supposed to be one of the two coldest nights of the trip.

Fortunately for us, we ended up having the warmest night of the trip by far. The next morning, we headed out for two different nature walks – one through an arboretum and one in a natural forest. While the arboretum was lovely and pretty, the forest walk after lunch was the highlight of the day. The first half of the walk was with a guide who took us through a circuit at the beginning of the trail. This forest, he told us, was not meant for hiking. Instead, he advised us to walk slowly, breathe in the fresh air, and let the decorated paths take our minds to faraway places. My team ended up walking a .22 kilometer circuit before finding a small clearing to stop and play some forest games. Luckily, I still remembered some from my middle school days at an environmental camp.

Gangneung (강릉): Our guide tells us to take in the life all around us, so we walk slowly in groups, stopping to witness a symphony of color all around us. This forest seems smaller than the others, meant for strolling rather than hiking, with small, sporadic hills built into its maze of tiny paths. This forest still has green in its leaves, mixed in with the autumn palette we’ve seen lately that makes the trees feel alive and breathing. Mounds of dirt scattered through the trails mark long forgotten ancestral graces, tombs that once held flowers and tears left to be overtaken by the surrounding life. This forest feels lonely for some reason, ancient wood with beauty hardly visited. They told us that this is one of Korea’s oldest preserved forests, rendered inaccessible through worn out roads, but you can feel the history in every step, even if the trails are empty.

That evening was the same as most of the others, but a newfound feeling of camaraderie between the students could be felt. Maybe it was a mutual feeling of hatred towards living outdoors with enthusiastic teachers or maybe it was the positive feelings related with a lack of homework, but there was less complaining and more laughing. Tomorrow, we’d be headed to the next site.

The next day was quite light. We woke up, packed out bags and tents, and headed to the temple Woljeongsa (왈정사) on Odaesan (오대산), which, as it turns out, I had been before with my old school. My team did a 1.9 kilometer walk around the temple grounds before heading to a restaurant for lunch. One of our student’s parents treated the school to a traditional meal, and we headed to Hoengseong (횡성) for our next chapter. We arrived around 5:00, did some laundry, and then cooked dinner, following the rest of the scheduled evening activities. Before dinner, I noticed that the sun was setting just across the fields from our accommodation, so I sat by the grass and caught its majestic beauty in one of the most peaceful backgrounds available in the country. Hues of yellows and oranges followed by a final pink glow lit the sky before plunging into darkness.

On Sunday, we slept in. Our hike started after  lunch, and was only a four minute drive from our beds. For the first two hours, we hiked a circuit with a guide, steep hills and slippery slopes accompanied by tree descriptions and foraging tips. When the tour was finished, we gave the students an hour to sit in a section of the forest to write poetry. During this time, I managed to slip away for about thirty minutes of solo wandering. I ended up finding a nice spot to lie on the ground a few minutes off of the main path.

Hoengseong (횡성): Leaves crunch beneath my back as I stare up at the sky. The cold air bites at my cheeks, an unforgiving sting every time the wind blows, but I am at peace. Great trunks rise to the clouds, and twisted branches weave in and out of my vision. Tall towers sway back and forth in unison with the whistling winds, an eerie yet settling feeling. I turn to my side to look across the a nearby mountain, colors brushed on its side like a piece of abstract art, stagnant fireworks in the distance. I shiver as the air turns wet and a gentle mist creeps across the horizon, slow cold droplets forming on branch ends. I think back to a time on the roof of the last hostel on top of a hill, when I learned how to meditate from a long lost friend. I breathe slowly, inhaling the smells of autumn leaves, spices and herbs you can’t find in coffee shops. I turn to the sky again and think about family, family in the cold mountains and family in the warm suburbs. I wonder when I will see either one again.

A quick glance at my watch told me the poetry is almost finished, so I made my way back to the students. A curious girl, disappointed by my lack of a girlfriend, asked me to tell her stories about my exes, a request more common than you may think in Korea. We live in memories for a few minutes before heading back to the bus at the end of the day.

The next day was a five hour travel day to Jangseong (장성), so we headed out early in negative temperatures, arriving at 1:00 to make lunch and set up camp. We didn’t make it to the forest this day, but we had a scavenger hunt that my team won! As the daylight dwindled, a cold set in like none other we felt on this trip.

Sure enough, the next morning the ground was covered in a crisp frost. Mist rose from the lake nearby as we headed to the forest for a five-hour hike. Dressed in heavy coats with multiple layers, we began the climb. It was readily apparent that the trip thus far had taken its toll on us as we set the pace for the day. Slow but steady feet made their way up together, exhausted but powerful with each stride.

Jangseong (장성): We’ve made our way through nine days of trekking so far, but we won’t let the exhaustion get the best of us. Wide paths with tall pine trees guide us through these woods, more green than any of the other colors we’ve seen this trip but calming still the same. A stream trickles nearby as the branches choose what light to let through, streaks of sun showing hidden secrets while covering the rest in shadow. Every so often, the green gives way to other colors, treating us to a warm shower before the cold green shadows return. It seems appropriate, that the coldest day should hold the coldest forest, so we let the feeling carry us through its trails. Solemn, cold silence follows us as the chill refreshes our lungs, visible breath blowing as our hands sink deep into pockets. Only a small amount of light makes its way to the forest floor, but that’s all that is needed.

Exhausted, we braced ourselves for what was sure to be another cold night. We’d head to Damyang (담양) the next day, our final stop on our two-week forest journey.

Tents seemed to come down and go up with much less effort from the beginning of our trip as we settled into our final campsite. My team was even able to pitch our tent without help from any of the other teachers!

Our last stop involved very little hiking, as we visited three manmade forests and parks rather than actual mountains. But with the end in sight, spirits stayed high.

Damyang (담양): Bamboo forests, metasequoia roads, and manmade forest dams held surprising peace for our final stop. Walking through the different paths snaking through the skinny, sturdy, tall bamboo, we found strange and unusual treasures. Playgrounds, gardens, and waterfalls scattered throughout the trees in hidden corners, resting spots for tourists with cameras and backpacks. Strange metallic objects rising from the ground to give new perspectives, and towering peaks to see the park from up above. Large and vast, so that only we could hear a soothing melody as it passed through our lips, humming to pass the time.

When the time came for our trip back to Seoul, most of the students were ready for warm beds and fried chicken once more. Our eyes closed as we drifted into sleep while our dedicated drivers brought us home.

To be honest, I was a little nervous about spending two weeks camping with our students, but they surprised me. They braved the cold, cooked their own meals, and helped each other get through the two weeks of roughing it. I didn’t end up having to do all that much for them – they proved themselves to be incredibly self-sufficient.

I’ve said it once before, but this school is something special. From our wonderful and resourceful students to our creative teachers and unconventional curriculum, there is excitement and spontaneity around every corner. While some institutions may disagree with our methods as being too alternative from the national curriculum, I take one look at our students and know we are doing great work. Not only are we teaching core subjects, but we are also providing a well-rounded education in life skills. From cooking and living in tents to independence, self-reliance, teamwork, and leadership, I can be confident that the students graduating from our school have a steady head on their shoulders. And whatever the next adventure our school may lead us on will be, I know I will be looking forward to it.