[Postcard #1: October – Seoul Metro Line 2]
Dear Earth,
Guess what? I’ve officially mastered the Seoul subway! It’s clean, fast, and… mildly terrifying during rush hour. I haven’t set foot in a car in weeks! I plan on using Korail’s high-speed trains to travel the country. I’ve downloaded Naver Map to help me find eco-friendly accommodation and sustainable and low-impact activities.
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities is now something I practice daily. I’m learning that sustainable travel doesn’t mean going nowhere- it just means going smarter.
Yours, always in motion,
S.
[Postcard #2: December – Gwangjang Market]
Dear Convenience,
You’re tempting. with your plastic cups and triple-wrapped snacks, but I’ve changed. I carry my reusable straw like it’s a sword. I hunt down cafes that give discounts for reusable cups (thank you to Zero Waste Seoul and the GreenGood app for helping me find them). I’ve started saying “plastic-free, please” in Korean (플라스틱 없어요, 제발!).
I’m doing my best to live out Goal 12: Responsible Consumption- one reused container of at a time.
With less plastic but more pride,
S.
[Postcard #3: March – Jeju Island Beach]
Dear Future Me,
Today I volunteered with KFEM and joined a beach clean-up on Jeju. I found cigarette butts, plastic forks, and funnily, someone’s leftover flip-flop. It reminded me of the beaches I’d helped clean up back home in Exeter. Half a world away and still doing my best to show kindness to the planet and oceans we share. You wanted to “make a difference.” Turns out, sometimes that looks like sweaty gloves and sand in your shoes.
Still hopeful,
S.
(P.S. This one’s for Goal 13: Climate Action)
[Postcard 4: June – Secondhand Bookstore, Hongdae]
Dear Fast Fashion,
I’ve broken up with you. Instead I rely on Dongmyo Flea Market, local thrift stores, and apps like Danggeun Market to give clothes a second life. Today, I found the cutest recycled denim jacket to keep me warm these summer nights. Turns out, Goal 12 doesn’t just mean rejecting waste. It means finding joy in reuse, beauty in second chances. Who knew sustainability could be this stylish?
With worn sleeves and a full heart,
S.
[Postcard 5: July – Dorm Rooftop at Sunset]
Dear Home (Wherever You Are),
It’s my last month here. I came here wanting to make memories, I hope I’ll leave not just memories in Korea, but a tiny, quieter footprint. Living sustainably abroad isn’t about doing everything perfectly. I know I’m just one person. But this year has taught me the power of mindful choices- about doing something consistently, consciously. A bamboo fork. A bike ride. A conversation with a friend about why I bring my own chopsticks. I’ll carry this with me: the habits, the people, the little swaps that became second nature.
Not quite ready to leave,
S.
Resources
https://www.daangn.com/.
https://greengood.co.kr.
https://kfem.or.kr.
https://www.letskorail.com/.
https://map.naver.com/.
https://english.seoul.go.kr.
https://www.zerowasteseoul.org/.
