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Until a few years ago, I used to travel to various cities in Korea. But nowadays, my routine on vacation is pretty much the same as my regular routine at home. So, I just stay at home and binge-watch Netflix or other streaming services. Well, it’s not that I am an alcohol addict or something but I just love to drink some booze while watching Netflix because it just relieves my stress. Plus, as I said, my friends often visit my house and throw small house parties. Whenever they visit, I buy some fancy whiskey and make some whiskey cocktails for them. Again, it’s not that special but I am just pleased that I have friends and a spacious house to spend time together on vacation.

Wow. That’s funny. You know what? I was actually going to travel to India this year but it turned out that I came down with a really bad flu and had to cancel my trip two days before my departure. So, I ended up spending my last vacation at home recovering in bed. Actually, for three days, I was so sick that I can’t even remember what had happened. But, on my fourth day, I started to like it. I had a chance to binge-watch a TV series called ‘Stranger Things’ in just three days. You know, when I am not on my vacation, I don’t really have enough time to watch them. Moreover, I ordered lots of delivery food. I know it cost a fortune to order food in but it was a good excuse to order as much delivery food as I could since I couldn’t go out. That’s how I spent my vacation at home. How about you? Do you have any particular experiences?

Wow. You know what? I think I have to tell you about an experience I had last month. I was supposed to travel to India last month. So, I booked a flight and hotels for the trip. All I had to do was just to depart to the airport. Well, the worst thing about it was that I actually came down with a terrible flu just two days before the departure and I ended up sick in bed at home for the entire week. So, I had no choice but to cancel my flight and hotel. It was definitely the most unusual experience I had. It was definitely an unforgettable experience because I just stayed at home checking my friend’s posts of their India trip on Instagram. I was so regretful because I couldn’t make it there. It was the worst experience of my life.

Oh good! So, do you also enjoy spending time with other people? Sounds good. Can I ask you some questions?

First, what do you usually do? I like to play poker and drink beer with my friends. What about you?

Also, where do you spend time? Do you spend your time at home?

Lastly, who do you spend time with? Do you spend your time with your friends? For me, I like to spend my time with my friends and family.

Please answer me. Thank you, Ava.

Hi. Is this the Opera House? I want to see the performance. Can I ask you some questions?

First, what kinds of seats do you have? I want to get VIP seats. Are there VIP seats left?

Also, what types of classic performances do you have? Actually, I want to see an orchestra performance because it is our wedding anniversary. My wife really wants to see it. She is a big fan of classical music.

Lastly, how much is it? You know…. I have a membership here. Can you give me some discount?

Okay. That is everything. Can you answer me, please?

Hey, Sam. It’s me, Eric. You know I can’t go to the concert with you next weekend.

It’s because I have a flu now. I am feeling sick. Concert is not a good idea.

So, how about we go to the concert next week? I think I am free next week. What about you? Are you free?

Umm… or do you want to go to the concert with Jackson? I think Jackson wants to go with you. Are you okay with it?

I am sorry about this but I hope you understand.

Oh, you know what? What a coincidence! I do have a similar story. I was supposed to travel to India last month. So, I booked a flight and hotels for the trip. All I had to do was just to depart to the airport. Well, the worst thing about it was that I actually came down with a terrible flu just two days before the departure and I ended up sick in bed at home for the entire week. So, I had no choice but to cancel my flight and hotel. I checked whether there was a cancellation fee for my flight and hotel. Fortunately, the penalty was only around 20 percent of the original price. There was no other alternative. I just paid for it. I was so regretful that I couldn’t make it there. It was the worst experience of my life.

Okay. I want to talk about where I live. I live in Gyeonggi-do in South Korea.

There are many cities in this province. Among them, I live in OOO city.

My neighborhood is very quiet and there are many good restaurants. You can enjoy Korean food, Japanese food, and Italian food.

Also, my neighbors are very kindly. Some neighbors are crazy but I think my neighbors are pretty good if I compare with other neighbors in other neighborhood.

There are a lot of things that I want to talk about. But, for now, let me stop here.

Wow… my neighbors? I don’t know actually. How am I supposed to know?

Umm.. I think it is pretty much the same. I think they like to walk around the park because, you know, there is a very beautiful park. It is really peaceful there.

Also, I think my neighbors like to drink tons of alcohol. They drink like a fish. They drink as if there’s no tomorrow. There are very famous Korean restaurants. So, people are drinking day and night.

What else…? Oh! I think they also enjoy going to camping. It’s because my neighborhood is well known for great camping sites.

I think that is everything.

Guess what? While most of my neighbors are really nice, some are a bit wild. There's this guy in my apartment who's always smoking and being loud at night. He's really bothering me. A few weeks ago, I decided to ask him to stop smoking inside the building. But he just ignored me. I don't think he plans to change. I really like my neighborhood and my other neighbors, but this guy? Not so much.

You know, I have a strange neighbor I want to tell you about. I went to a place where we are supposed to recycle. But, I saw him putting knives in a bag, and they weren't covered in paper.

I told him to put them in paper, but he didn't. I was really shocked and upset with my neighborhood because of this. I can't forget this because it shocked me so much. Some people just don't have any sense.

Actually, I don’t think a five-year gap makes a big difference when it comes to housing.

So instead, I’d like to compare things to how they were around thirty years ago, and I have to say, the changes have been pretty dramatic.

When I was a kid, I used to live in an apartment.

Back then, apartment complexes didn’t have any fancy facilities like movie theaters, fitness centers, or saunas.

There was just a small playground, and sometimes my friends and I would even play soccer in the parking lot because there weren’t many options. That was pretty much all we had.

But now, things have completely changed.

I still live in an apartment, just like before, but the overall environment is completely different.

These days, our complex comes with a variety of amenities, and residents have free access to the gym, a nice park, and even indoor and outdoor play areas for kids.

Because of that, my children don’t have to play only in the playground like I did when I was young. They have more choices and safer spaces.

So, to sum up, I think living in an apartment today feels much more convenient and secure compared to how it was in the past.

Okay, I would like to talk about a story I recently heard regarding the real estate market in Korea.

Apparently, a lot of tenants were unable to get their lump-sum deposit back when their rental contracts ended.

The main reason was that many landlords had purchased properties using heavy leverage through mortgages.

But due to high inflation, interest rates rose sharply, and as a result, some landlords couldn’t afford to keep up with the payments.

Because of this financial strain, they couldn’t return the deposit to their tenants, which caused serious problems for those who had saved that money through years of hard work.

In response, the government introduced a series of policies to address the situation, but unfortunately, no clear or meaningful results have been seen so far.

Anyway, that is one of the most recent and shocking stories I have heard about the real estate market in Korea, and honestly, it made me realize how vulnerable the system can be for ordinary people.

There have been quite a few noticeable changes in how people spend their vacations, and much of that has to do with the outbreak of COVID-19.

These days, as you know, the World Health Organization officially declared the end of the pandemic, and honestly, many of us tend to forget just how serious it was.

But during the pandemic, enjoying outdoor activities wasn’t really an option.

Minimizing face-to-face contact was essential, and avoiding crowded places became the norm.

We had to follow strict social distancing rules, which made it nearly impossible to attend any outdoor events, no matter where they were.

To be honest, life felt pretty restricted.

That’s why most people ended up staying home and having what we now call a staycation.

Now, things have completely changed.

Most countries have declared COVID-19 as endemic, and people are finally free to enjoy their vacations the way they used to.

I remember seeing a news report showing a park packed with tents and RVs, with families enjoying outdoor activities and spending the night under the stars.

Social distancing? It feels like a thing of the past.

So, this is how people’s vacation styles have shifted since the pandemic.

How about you? Have you noticed any changes in your own habits since then?

Vacations are essential for many reasons.

They give people a much-needed break, which benefits not only their physical and mental health but also their relationships and personal growth.

First of all, taking time off is important for staying healthy.

Everyone needs a chance to relax and recharge.

When people work continuously without rest, they eventually feel exhausted and overwhelmed.

Vacations give them the opportunity to unwind and return to work with more energy and focus, which can actually improve their performance.

Another key benefit of vacations is the impact they have on relationships.

Spending quality time with family or friends helps strengthen emotional bonds.

Whether it's traveling together or simply enjoying shared experiences, vacations allow people to create lasting memories with the people they care about.

Finally, vacations are a great opportunity for personal development.

Stepping away from daily routines gives people time to reflect on their lives and think about their future goals.

It’s also a perfect moment to work on self-growth, such as learning a new language or picking up a new hobby.

All in all, vacations play a vital role in maintaining our overall well-being, which is why they should never be overlooked.