Make Korea the first step on your Digital Nomad Journey with Maciej
The first times are scary. It’s not only true for love, eating scorpions, and bungee jumping! Traveling far away, and leaving everything behind can be overwhelming. Maciej shares how Korea became his first stop - and how the unknown became warm and familiar.
We all have that first place we go to when we become digital nomads. Even if it’s not always the place you end up loving the most when you look back at your travels, it’s always special.
For Maciej, it's Korea. The Polish developer packed his suitcase, took the plane from Poland, flew 10,000 km, and landed in Seoul. The language was foreign, but the adrenaline and jet lag made for an easy first two days. On the third, he was on a train to Hongseong with Hoppin for a workation. Two months later, he has attended every single event of the community he could and is certain he’ll be back in Seoul.
Was it hard to leave everything behind to start your digital nomad life?
It was so easy. I was very surprised at how easy it was. I bought the ticket, got on the plane and that was it. I wish I could give advice to my past self: don’t overthink so much!
What made you decide to start with Korea?
I started learning the language in January 2023. I wanted to learn something new after giving up on my PhD. Something not technical, maybe another writing system. I heard Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was well thought out and documented. There was also more and more things happening around Korean culture. It got me intrigued and that’s how Korea naturally became the first stop on my journey.
Did you like it right away?
In the beginning, it felt like I went through the motions. I arrived on Sunday, and it was a lot to process. I mean, you are 10 000 km away from home, you don’t understand the language that much, everything is different, you’re basically wiped out because you’ve just spent 10 hours in the plane… Surprisingly I didn’t feel that lost. I got off the plane, got my passport stamps, got the sim card, the t-money card, got on the train, and got to the accommodation. Easy steps. I trusted the process.
Monday and Tuesday I was getting off the adrenaline of the stress, the traveling. Then on Wednesday, I hopped on the train to the Hongseong countryside.
You started strong! I’m such a slowmad. I couldn’t travel that fast after arriving in a new place, especially with jet lag.
It was a drastic change of scenery (laugh). I went from Poland to a gigantic city, and from a gigantic city to the countryside in such a short amount of time. The food was so different. Suddenly, I was eating raw shrimp in a shady-looking restaurant by the sea - it was great. It felt unreal. I visited a global BBQ festival where I ended up being the only non-Korean person there. This one was the weirdest experience by far. But everything was so much fun. I think I owe my survival in Korea, my sanity to that trip, to Jeong who organized it and to the participants.
When you come from Europe, Korea is such a massive change of atmosphere...
Actually, it didn’t feel that strange, that foreign. I watched a fair bit of Korean TV before coming, which was psychologically helpful to help the transition. Still, I noticed there were no subtitles when people were talking (laugh). That’s a line I read online on Reddit, and I kept thinking about it… It’s so true.
What did you like the most about living here?
The food and the community. The food culture is incredible. Eating out is the best getaway when you’re working a lot. I’m so happy I got to do this with the community, especially when I started to stay at the Hoppin House coliving and coworking. Honestly, it sucks to be alone to eat here. You feel like you’re missing out because so much is targeted at groups.
Do you like living as a digital nomad so far?
I was a bit worried about the social aspect of it, but so far, it feels like joining a digital nomad community makes meeting and making meaningful friendships easier. When I made friends at university, it was a very slow organic process. I met some people before the lecture. We would joke about stuff, and then build our relationship over time. In Korea, in the workation setting especially, it’s a much faster and intense process. People are traveling so much that their perception of time is compressed. They have less time to get to know people, and everyone has some obvious shared topics to bond over - like travel. It’s much easier to get into meaningful conversations. On top of that, I get to reinvent myself, because I know no one in Korea. I can choose who I am and who I appear to be. I like it. Back home, I know some people, who’ve known me for 15 years. It’s difficult to be someone else. Even when I meet new people, those past relationships kind of block me from changing past labels - either good or bad.
You did three workations in two months, right?
Yes, I went to Hoppin’s Hongseong workation for four days. Then I went to the Jeju workation for a week. And I did the special free Winter Workation in December, just before leaving. I would have never ended up in Hongseong if it wasn’t for the workation but I probably would have gone to Jeju and Busan. Still, a solo trip would have been less nice than doing it with 8 or 10 other people. Especially Jeju, I don’t have an international driving license and I got to explore the island as a whole.
What’s your next destination?
I don’t have a clear map, just a very loose plan. Maybe I’ll go to Iceland in spring or summer. That place fascinates me: it’s so tiny and yet there’s so many types of landscape there. Then, definitely, I’ll come back to Korea. I feel like I’m already missing some parts of it and I haven’t even left yet!
Maciej’s Recommandations
🇰🇷 A way to learn Korean
Talk To Me In Korean helped me so much with starting to learn Korean - and you should definitely learn the alphabet before coming. It makes everything less difficult, people open up a lot when you try.
🎙️ A podcast to listen to
Dive Studios shows are amazing to get glimpses into the Korean entertainment industry and just the culture in general. The hosts and guests have conversations about basically everything.
📖 A museum to visit
I loved the Hangeul Museum. The tour length was just right - engaging, but not overwhelming. It helped me understand why so many Koreans are so proud of the Hangeul writing system.
Make Korea the first step on your Digital Nomad Journey with Maciej
The first times are scary. It’s not only true for love, eating scorpions, and bungee jumping! Traveling far away, and leaving everything behind can be overwhelming. Maciej shares how Korea became his first stop - and how the unknown became warm and familiar.
We all have that first place we go to when we become digital nomads. Even if it’s not always the place you end up loving the most when you look back at your travels, it’s always special.
For Maciej, it's Korea. The Polish developer packed his suitcase, took the plane from Poland, flew 10,000 km, and landed in Seoul. The language was foreign, but the adrenaline and jet lag made for an easy first two days. On the third, he was on a train to Hongseong with Hoppin for a workation. Two months later, he has attended every single event of the community he could and is certain he’ll be back in Seoul.
Was it hard to leave everything behind to start your digital nomad life?
It was so easy. I was very surprised at how easy it was. I bought the ticket, got on the plane and that was it. I wish I could give advice to my past self: don’t overthink so much!
What made you decide to start with Korea?
I started learning the language in January 2023. I wanted to learn something new after giving up on my PhD. Something not technical, maybe another writing system. I heard Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was well thought out and documented. There was also more and more things happening around Korean culture. It got me intrigued and that’s how Korea naturally became the first stop on my journey.
Did you like it right away?
In the beginning, it felt like I went through the motions. I arrived on Sunday, and it was a lot to process. I mean, you are 10 000 km away from home, you don’t understand the language that much, everything is different, you’re basically wiped out because you’ve just spent 10 hours in the plane… Surprisingly I didn’t feel that lost. I got off the plane, got my passport stamps, got the sim card, the t-money card, got on the train, and got to the accommodation. Easy steps. I trusted the process.
Monday and Tuesday I was getting off the adrenaline of the stress, the traveling. Then on Wednesday, I hopped on the train to the Hongseong countryside.
You started strong! I’m such a slowmad. I couldn’t travel that fast after arriving in a new place, especially with jet lag.
It was a drastic change of scenery (laugh). I went from Poland to a gigantic city, and from a gigantic city to the countryside in such a short amount of time. The food was so different. Suddenly, I was eating raw shrimp in a shady-looking restaurant by the sea - it was great. It felt unreal. I visited a global BBQ festival where I ended up being the only non-Korean person there. This one was the weirdest experience by far. But everything was so much fun. I think I owe my survival in Korea, my sanity to that trip, to Jeong who organized it and to the participants.
When you come from Europe, Korea is such a massive change of atmosphere...
Actually, it didn’t feel that strange, that foreign. I watched a fair bit of Korean TV before coming, which was psychologically helpful to help the transition. Still, I noticed there were no subtitles when people were talking (laugh). That’s a line I read online on Reddit, and I kept thinking about it… It’s so true.
What did you like the most about living here?
The food and the community. The food culture is incredible. Eating out is the best getaway when you’re working a lot. I’m so happy I got to do this with the community, especially when I started to stay at the Hoppin House coliving and coworking. Honestly, it sucks to be alone to eat here. You feel like you’re missing out because so much is targeted at groups.
Do you like living as a digital nomad so far?
I was a bit worried about the social aspect of it, but so far, it feels like joining a digital nomad community makes meeting and making meaningful friendships easier. When I made friends at university, it was a very slow organic process. I met some people before the lecture. We would joke about stuff, and then build our relationship over time. In Korea, in the workation setting especially, it’s a much faster and intense process. People are traveling so much that their perception of time is compressed. They have less time to get to know people, and everyone has some obvious shared topics to bond over - like travel. It’s much easier to get into meaningful conversations. On top of that, I get to reinvent myself, because I know no one in Korea. I can choose who I am and who I appear to be. I like it. Back home, I know some people, who’ve known me for 15 years. It’s difficult to be someone else. Even when I meet new people, those past relationships kind of block me from changing past labels - either good or bad.
You did three workations in two months, right?
Yes, I went to Hoppin’s Hongseong workation for four days. Then I went to the Jeju workation for a week. And I did the special free Winter Workation in December, just before leaving. I would have never ended up in Hongseong if it wasn’t for the workation but I probably would have gone to Jeju and Busan. Still, a solo trip would have been less nice than doing it with 8 or 10 other people. Especially Jeju, I don’t have an international driving license and I got to explore the island as a whole.
What’s your next destination?
I don’t have a clear map, just a very loose plan. Maybe I’ll go to Iceland in spring or summer. That place fascinates me: it’s so tiny and yet there’s so many types of landscape there. Then, definitely, I’ll come back to Korea. I feel like I’m already missing some parts of it and I haven’t even left yet!
Maciej’s Recommandations
🇰🇷 A way to learn Korean
Talk To Me In Korean helped me so much with starting to learn Korean - and you should definitely learn the alphabet before coming. It makes everything less difficult, people open up a lot when you try.
🎙️ A podcast to listen to
Dive Studios shows are amazing to get glimpses into the Korean entertainment industry and just the culture in general. The hosts and guests have conversations about basically everything.
📖 A museum to visit
I loved the Hangeul Museum. The tour length was just right - engaging, but not overwhelming. It helped me understand why so many Koreans are so proud of the Hangeul writing system.
Make Korea the first step on your Digital Nomad Journey with Maciej
The first times are scary. It’s not only true for love, eating scorpions, and bungee jumping! Traveling far away, and leaving everything behind can be overwhelming. Maciej shares how Korea became his first stop - and how the unknown became warm and familiar.
We all have that first place we go to when we become digital nomads. Even if it’s not always the place you end up loving the most when you look back at your travels, it’s always special.
For Maciej, it's Korea. The Polish developer packed his suitcase, took the plane from Poland, flew 10,000 km, and landed in Seoul. The language was foreign, but the adrenaline and jet lag made for an easy first two days. On the third, he was on a train to Hongseong with Hoppin for a workation. Two months later, he has attended every single event of the community he could and is certain he’ll be back in Seoul.
Was it hard to leave everything behind to start your digital nomad life?
It was so easy. I was very surprised at how easy it was. I bought the ticket, got on the plane and that was it. I wish I could give advice to my past self: don’t overthink so much!
What made you decide to start with Korea?
I started learning the language in January 2023. I wanted to learn something new after giving up on my PhD. Something not technical, maybe another writing system. I heard Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was well thought out and documented. There was also more and more things happening around Korean culture. It got me intrigued and that’s how Korea naturally became the first stop on my journey.
Did you like it right away?
In the beginning, it felt like I went through the motions. I arrived on Sunday, and it was a lot to process. I mean, you are 10 000 km away from home, you don’t understand the language that much, everything is different, you’re basically wiped out because you’ve just spent 10 hours in the plane… Surprisingly I didn’t feel that lost. I got off the plane, got my passport stamps, got the sim card, the t-money card, got on the train, and got to the accommodation. Easy steps. I trusted the process.
Monday and Tuesday I was getting off the adrenaline of the stress, the traveling. Then on Wednesday, I hopped on the train to the Hongseong countryside.
You started strong! I’m such a slowmad. I couldn’t travel that fast after arriving in a new place, especially with jet lag.
It was a drastic change of scenery (laugh). I went from Poland to a gigantic city, and from a gigantic city to the countryside in such a short amount of time. The food was so different. Suddenly, I was eating raw shrimp in a shady-looking restaurant by the sea - it was great. It felt unreal. I visited a global BBQ festival where I ended up being the only non-Korean person there. This one was the weirdest experience by far. But everything was so much fun. I think I owe my survival in Korea, my sanity to that trip, to Jeong who organized it and to the participants.
When you come from Europe, Korea is such a massive change of atmosphere...
Actually, it didn’t feel that strange, that foreign. I watched a fair bit of Korean TV before coming, which was psychologically helpful to help the transition. Still, I noticed there were no subtitles when people were talking (laugh). That’s a line I read online on Reddit, and I kept thinking about it… It’s so true.
What did you like the most about living here?
The food and the community. The food culture is incredible. Eating out is the best getaway when you’re working a lot. I’m so happy I got to do this with the community, especially when I started to stay at the Hoppin House coliving and coworking. Honestly, it sucks to be alone to eat here. You feel like you’re missing out because so much is targeted at groups.
Do you like living as a digital nomad so far?
I was a bit worried about the social aspect of it, but so far, it feels like joining a digital nomad community makes meeting and making meaningful friendships easier. When I made friends at university, it was a very slow organic process. I met some people before the lecture. We would joke about stuff, and then build our relationship over time. In Korea, in the workation setting especially, it’s a much faster and intense process. People are traveling so much that their perception of time is compressed. They have less time to get to know people, and everyone has some obvious shared topics to bond over - like travel. It’s much easier to get into meaningful conversations. On top of that, I get to reinvent myself, because I know no one in Korea. I can choose who I am and who I appear to be. I like it. Back home, I know some people, who’ve known me for 15 years. It’s difficult to be someone else. Even when I meet new people, those past relationships kind of block me from changing past labels - either good or bad.
You did three workations in two months, right?
Yes, I went to Hoppin’s Hongseong workation for four days. Then I went to the Jeju workation for a week. And I did the special free Winter Workation in December, just before leaving. I would have never ended up in Hongseong if it wasn’t for the workation but I probably would have gone to Jeju and Busan. Still, a solo trip would have been less nice than doing it with 8 or 10 other people. Especially Jeju, I don’t have an international driving license and I got to explore the island as a whole.
What’s your next destination?
I don’t have a clear map, just a very loose plan. Maybe I’ll go to Iceland in spring or summer. That place fascinates me: it’s so tiny and yet there’s so many types of landscape there. Then, definitely, I’ll come back to Korea. I feel like I’m already missing some parts of it and I haven’t even left yet!
Maciej’s Recommandations
🇰🇷 A way to learn Korean
Talk To Me In Korean helped me so much with starting to learn Korean - and you should definitely learn the alphabet before coming. It makes everything less difficult, people open up a lot when you try.
🎙️ A podcast to listen to
Dive Studios shows are amazing to get glimpses into the Korean entertainment industry and just the culture in general. The hosts and guests have conversations about basically everything.
📖 A museum to visit
I loved the Hangeul Museum. The tour length was just right - engaging, but not overwhelming. It helped me understand why so many Koreans are so proud of the Hangeul writing system.
