CHANGE TO CHANGE

Iowa (where I grew up) and Korea have very similar climates, so I’m accustomed to the changing of seasons. Springtime is a really big deal for those of you who can relate to long winters. It’s the season of hope, of new life, and of warmer temperatures. Moods get better as the weather improves, and color enhances everything.

Spring covers Korea with a blanket of white, yellow and pink flowers. Cherry blossoms are the most common, and can be found lining streets, rivers and walkways in seemingly every city across the country. A variety of festivals take place during this time—giving locals and visitors some of the finest sights Korea has to offer.

I’ve never been more in tune with spring as I have been in Korea. Sometimes it takes a change to recognize change. It’s not that I overlooked the beauty of spring in the past. I just took it for granted as something that always happens. This year I actually observed everything and everyone around me come back to life, and I feel all the more refreshed and renewed as a result.

Step outside familiarity and take time to celebrate change. Springtime in Korea is magical. All photos taken in Ochang and Cheongju, South Korea.

Cherry blossoms in Ochang, South Korea. April, 2012.

Cherry blossoms in Ochang, South Korea. April, 2012.

Magnolias in Ochang, South Korea. April, 2012.

Spring along the river in Cheongju, South Korea. April, 2012.

Spring along the river in Cheongju, South Korea. April, 2012.

Cherry blossoms along the river in Cheongju, South Korea. April, 2012.