Making “Framily” with Seoul International Hikers Club

When we considered what it would be like to move to a large city in a new country, especially in the middle of a global pandemic, it was impossible to know what it would be like. Would social activities be allowed? Would we find other people willing to meet strangers during a pandemic? Would we make friends? Even though we had some ideas about how we might meet people, I think we were semi-prepared to spend a lot of time alone.

Within a month of our arrival in Seoul, I found the Facebook group for the Seoul International Hikers Club (SIHC). The introduction to the group says, “We are a group of Koreans and expats in Korea who get together and hike on the mountains in Seoul and its vicinities (reachable by public transportation, usually subway) every Saturday morning… .” This sounded perfect for us!

We immediately emailed the administrator and asked to join. We received a kind email back welcoming us to the group but letting us know that due to coronavirus restrictions, the group was currently not hiking together. To our delight, however, the restrictions lifted in early October 2020, allowing us to join the club for hiking. Our first hike with the group was a simple walk around a few city parks on a beautiful day in October. We felt welcomed and included right away. Even better, members of the group invited us to join them on a hike in Bukhansan National Park on the following day.

This hike was our first introduction to the generous spirit of this group of hikers, who took these novices under their wing and taught us how to hike Korea’s steep, rocky trails. Hiking with a group of experts who are also willing to teach and guide has made us better, more confident hikers.

A Truly International Club

Though the hiking itself has been superb, what really makes this group special are its truly international base and openness to newcomers. We have met fellow hikers from Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Mongolia, Germany, The United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, South Africa, Canada, Italy, Guernsey, The Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Australia, and probably some countries we’re forgetting. The Korean club members are generous in their sharing about Korean language and culture and help the international members to feel a sense of belonging in a new country.

Tackling a mountain with a group this diverse is a remarkable experience and lends a unique opportunity to learn about the international community. Not only do we hear about what’s happening in others’ home countries, we often are introduced to their favorite foods and get to learn about their perspective on the world. It seems impossible to engage deeply with a group like this without increasing one’s global perspective.

In this way the club reflects the vision of its founder, Professor Jeongho Park, who started SIHC in 2006 with a group of Korean and international colleagues who wanted to explore Korean mountains together. Fifteen years and many cycles of members later, the club still is going strong. The SIHC Facebook group now has more than 2,000 members, which says something about how many different hikers have passed through the club over the years.

This strong base has helped SIHC survive even the pandemic, during which group hiking in South Korea has been suspended for many months at a time. Even when the club cannot officially meet, members connected to one another can gather informally to hike together in groups of four. In a long season when international residents of Korea are unable to travel, these gatherings are even more important. The “framily” nature of the club has grown strong as many foreigners who cannot go home to see their families find a place of belonging on the trail.

A Generous Spirit

Connections can form quickly when a group spends hours together on a tough trail. Both for fun and for safety, hikers often have to stick together and lend a hand. From my first SIHC hike when I could barely scale a small rock to my last hike when I knew I could rappel down a long slope because a trusted “spotter” was behind me, this group has engendered my trust and a spirit of adventure. What a difference ten months can make!

Along with a helping hand come moments of teaching, when more experienced hikers help newcomers to understand how to hike and climb safely. Every time I thought I would never make it over that rock or down the mountain, someone would come along to help and encourage me. (And OK, sometimes also to tease me, but that’s worked, too!) Among many other lessons we’ve learned, a voice in my head will now always remind me when hiking, “Concentrate on what you are doing!”

Both on and off the trail, snacks and meals are shared freely to ensure that everyone has the fuel they need to carry on. The fellowship of these times deepens bonds further and provides a family atmosphere for those far from home. Thanks to the Korean club members, we also learn more about Korean foods and have tried dishes we otherwise might have missed. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

Hiking with a group has motivated us to hike each week. This has helped us to see more of Korea and has given the chemist many opportunities to engage in his favorite hobby!

Thank You

It would be impossible to overstate the importance of SIHC to our positive experience of living in Korea. We don’t know what our year would have been like without you, but it absolutely would not have been as good. In the fall when we didn’t know much about anything, during Christmas when it was hard to be away from home, and through the long winter when we never would have hiked alone in the cold and snow, you were there for us.

We will never forget laughing with you, eating and drinking with you, singing with you, and climbing these crazy Korean mountains with you. We hope someday to hear again the mountaintop call for “family photo!” You have taught and encouraged us and have helped us improve our hiking skills more than we thought possible. Thank you for making us better hikers and better global citizens.

We will miss each one of you and hope to meet you again somewhere in the world. Until then, happy trails to you!