Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAIT
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor's of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master's of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn't in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
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A Year to Learn Korean Cooking, Culture & Community, November in South Korea, SOS Seasonal Pyeongtaek Guide: Fall
Gimjang with Sue in Review
South of Seoul’s first Gimjang event was a huge success and it was our favorite event so far. Sue was absolutely amazing and the kimchi was fantastic. The Attendees Over twenty guests including men, women, and children showed up for Gimjang with Sue 2022 sponsored by South of Seoul. Despite the fact that the event occurred over two days and included a lot of uncomfortable, physically tiring work, everyone tackled different tasks with enthusiasm, humor, kindness, and joy. Saturday: Day 1 Gimjang started at 8:00 am on Saturday. During the…
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Gimjang Planning Logistics
You’ve been invited to a home Kimjang. Now what? Preparing for your first Kimjang can feel nerve-wracking. Let’s talk about how to prepare and what to expect. Having a general idea of what you are getting into can help the day go a bit smoother for everyone. What is Jeong (정) In order to fully understand Gimjang (Kimjang/김장) you may want to study the Korean concept of Jeong (정). Jeong explains the deep feelings and connection that come from going through life together. The concept of Jeong includes both the…
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Traditional Kimjang with Sue 2022
Would you like to participate in a traditional countryside, family-style Kimjang? (FYI, if you love cooking and Korean food the answer is, “YES!”) Then, sign-up immediately for this 3-day traditional cooking event and learn how families work together to prepare their kimchi for the year. The event will cost $45 per person and be a ton of hard work and fun. What is Kimjang In 2013, Korean kimjang became recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Heritage activity. For Kimjang each year, Korean families come together to help the matriarchs assemble the family’s…
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Hike Korean National Parks in a Year
Would you like to visit all the Korean National Parks in one year but it seems like an impossible task? We’ve got you! Here is an easy, one-year plan for visiting all of the National Parks. It’s likely you may need a car or a friend with a car to accomplish this goal. Click here if you want to get right to the plan and skip the intro. About Korean National Parks Korea has 21 National Parks and Hallasan on Jeju. Many people love visiting these parks and hiking the…
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FUEL Weekly Meal Delivery in Korea
It’s back to school time which means I need meals! Although I used to eat with the other teachers, the pandemic changed my routine. Now I bring my own lunches. This semester I’ve started off the year with Fuel Weekly Meal Delivery here in Korea since they sent me some samples. About this Review Last month FUEL sent our house a PR box of meal samples to try! After a few weeks of testing their food, it’s time to share my thoughts. Does the PR Box mean that I will…
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Fuel Types for Cars or Trucks in Korea
South Korea has a few fuel types for cars and trucks. Here is a quick introduction to common fuel types for passenger vehicles. In this post, I don’t address fuel types used only for commercial vehicles. Instead, I’m here to help you find the right car for your daily adventures. Choosing A Fuel Type Your ability to enjoy Korea and your car may be heavily impacted by the fuel type you select. For example, many of our volunteers choose LPG. This allows them to travel across Korea more freely. Now,…
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Culture & Community, ESL/EFL Educators Welcome Packet, Fun & Entertainment, International Student Welcome Packet, USA Military Welcome Packet
Hobbies for Making Friends in Korea
Recently we posted Tips for Making Friends in Korea and we mentioned embracing your hobbies. Of course, that’s easier said than done. You’ve moved to a new country and language limitations may make accessing your hobby difficult. I want to help make it easier by connecting you with groups in Korea where you can search for connections. About the Following Hobby List Koreans absolutely love indulging in hobbies. The country is filled with clubs, academies, and groups for just about any hobby you can think of. Additionally, if you join…
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Culture & Community, ESL/EFL Educators Welcome Packet, International Student Welcome Packet, New Arrival Information, USA Military Welcome Packet
Tips for Making Friends in Korea
Have you recently moved to Korea for work or school and are you looking to build your community? Here are some of my personal tips for making friends in South Korea. Hold onto your hats because this isn’t short but it may be helpful. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would…
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Intro to Cross-Country Cycling in South Korea
You may find cycling cross-country in South Korea surprisingly doable with the proximity of towns, regular services, and extensive river bike paths. I personally think that South Korea may be one of the best places to do extended cycling trips since you can carry next to nothing and still ride for days easily. Let’s take a quick look at what riding in Korea may look like for you based on my experiences. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible…
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Korean Cycling Hand Signals
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Korean Travel & Adventure, Korean Travel Itineraries, Korean Travel Itineraries: 52 Weeks of Fun, Seoul
3 Day Seoul Sampler Itinerary
Looking for an easy 3-day 2-night itinerary in Seoul that takes you through a few different neighborhoods? This is a great Seoul Sampler that takes you through some of the most popular activities in the popular tourist areas of Seoul. Perfect for new arrivals in South Korea or folks who have family and friends visiting. About the Seoul Sampler Itinerary Areas Visited: Myeongdong, Jeongrogu, Insadong, Itaewon or Hongdae When you first visit Seoul either as a tourist or as a new resident in South Korea, you may find Seoul intimidating.…
