Everything is already better when I arrive at Haeundae, the famous beach of Busan, and watch a nice sunset from a platform, where I have a very nice view on one of the city’s bridges. It’s a wonderful moment, and I’m taking the opportunity to reconnect with myself: it’s not so bad to be alone after all.

And things are only getting better, since that evening, there is a gathering in one of the other Popcorn hostels branches: the opportunity for me to meet the volunteers who are scattered throughout the city. It couldn’t have come at a better time! The people I meet there are all very friendly and we have a very fun evening, drinking a little too much “Soju” (the cheap local alcohol) and reinventing the world on the roof. Cool!

I meet them again several times during my stay here, which is already beginning to get into a little routine in which, a few days later, my future great friend Jackie will join me. It changes my life that she’s here, and we get along so well! Our conversations sometimes last until 3:00 in the morning.

I also work a lot, on different projects, but I still try to keep time to continue discovering the interesting places in the city. And that’s it, I’m cheered up!

19.11

“I feel so good again. I have a renewed self-confidence, I am full of hope and ambition for the future. This is really what I needed after the last few weeks, which were not very easy to manage: I went through a phase of questioning my life choices, as well as a depressing realisation of my loneliness in the face of their consequences. I have never regretted my choice, not for a single second, however. But now I’m coming out of this phase feeling more certain than ever. Convinced that a right dose of patience and perseverance will take me far. I want to learn, learn, learn, learn. There is so much to learn. I still follow my university’s online courses with passion, and this module on the environment pushes me to want to take more and more measures to reduce my harmful impact on this beautiful planet. I want to stop flying so much, for example; I never realized that it had such a big role to play in climate change. I have also undertaken an online course offered by Amnesty International on human rights, in addition to having started studying Russian. At the same time, I decided to finish writing the book that started a long time ago, telling my first journey. I’m also thinking about improving my blog, doing something more, and working on a community project that came to me some time ago, but I still have to stir all this up in my head. Not to mention that right now I work a few hours a day in a hostel! Phew. I realize it’s a lot, but it doesn’t bother me. I do all these things step by step, and am willing to work hard to achieve my goals. While continuing to explore my surroundings, of course. I have the impression that the more time goes by, the more I’m realizing my potential. It is there, for everyone, but for various reasons, we refuse to see him. I am sure that fear has something to do with it. I’m not afraid anymore. “

Here are my most beautiful images of the city and its surroundings: a temple overlooking the sea, another in the mountains, a path along the sea, the view from the top of a tower overlooking the city, beaches, a colourful village and many other such wonders.

And the meals are nice!

But again, time is passing and my departure for China is getting closer. Just enough time to meet Dennis, while I’m slacklining in the park next to the hostel. There are two police officers making their rounds, and when one of them comes to me, I think first of all that he will call me back to order (reflex!). But no, it turns out it’s a young man doing his military service and who is just interested in what I’m doing. A few days later, we meet again in a different context to share a meal and visit an exhibition on Andy Warhol. Great day! Besides, fate does things well, we study the same thing…

Here we are, the end of my stay in Busan came much sooner than expected…. One last time, I go out with my friends for a typical Korean evening: delicious tofu soup with kimchi and fish cakes at the restaurant, some drinks, then a visit to a games room for a dance-dance revolution, and a karaoke to end on a high note… Memories I will never forget.