Shantell Hill-Afonso fulfils dream of visiting Korea and Japan
Published:Saturday | June 1, 2024 | 12:08 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Shantell Hill-Afonso took her first solo trip at the tender age of 13. No longer a little girl, but not yet a woman, the teen was fascinated by the cultural differences and has never looked back. Today, she shares insights into her dream adventure to Korea and Japan.
“Travelling soothes my soul. I love immersing myself in totally new ways of life, seeing popular spots and uncovering unique experiences. It’s about cultural exploration for me. And I enjoy documenting with photos and videos, so I can relive the moment and inspire others as well,” she told Saturday Living.
For five years, her heart was set on visiting Korea to satisfy her insatiable love for K-pop (Korean popular music) and K-drama (Korean drama series).
“I’ve been a part of the BTS (Bangstan Boys) Army for seven years, and, as such, I have been wanting to visit for a while,” she shared, adding that this year presented the perfect opportunity to make the Korean dream a reality.
“My husband, Sam, and I budgeted and began planning in January for the May experience. The climate was ideal for travel. Sam wanted to see Japan and I am so happy I went; I wanted to go for the parks but the culture, history, and not to mention the shopping won me over,” she revealed.
In Korea, Hill-Afonso loved visiting Jeju Island and Seoul, especially Insa-dong. While in Japan, she enjoyed seeing Kyoto and Osaka. “Osaka went at a slower pace than Tokyo, but it was just as beautiful,” she added.
Able to achieve 90 per cent of the itinerary, the next 10 accommodated inclement weather conditions, rest periods and transits. Both countries, she explained, are deeply rooted in history, so the cultural impact on each other is obvious visually, “The strongest similarity I saw on my short trip was the use of language which indicates status and respect. The guiding social norms are built into the language, culture and lifestyle.”
Noting that the Japanese are more soft natured and calm in demeanour, Koreans, although shy, are outgoing and sociable, “I really love how clean the environment is, despite being heavily populated and how willing people were to help, especially with directions. Korea is about groups and friends while Japan seems to focus on the individual. But both countries are extremely vested in fashion and luxury.”
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Speaking of fashion, Hill-Afonso is a fan of trying local styles. With Japan and Korea boasting unique and iconic pieces, the avid traveller was interested to try the kimono from Japan and Hanbok from Korea. “Both were night and day in terms of experience as both require help and support and both have different meaning in terms of use. Also for a black girl to walk around in both towns; let’s say a lot of heads turned but in a positive manner. Tourists wearing these clothing is a big business now in both countries; it’s encouraged by the locals,” she said.
For this double adventure, her top five travel essentials included sneakers, as Japan, she highlighted, is no joke when it comes to walking; sunscreen to protect from the sun; and an umbrella, as both Japan and Korea are known for wet weather. Country-specific apps were essential for communication and transportation, “This is where research comes into play because many of the apps we use in Jamaica and the western world aren’t effective to move about.” Lastly, she brought cash and cards – cash for street food purchases and cards for shopping.
“With the cultures between Korea and Japan being so different, understanding basic social norms and language terms was important in our travel and commute, especially on buses, taxis and trains,” she added.
With places like Thailand, Holbox in Mexico, Hong Kong, Australia, Alaska, Italy and Spain, (specifically Barcelona, Madrid and the Canary Islands) under her belt, she and her husband are looking forward to exploring New Zealand, Brazil, India, and various countries in Africa in the future.“I want to do a little more travel in the Caribbean as well,” Hill-Afonso said.
Her advice to aspiring adventure seekers, “Do your research. Looking up places on TikTok, Instagram and speaking to a few friends who have visited or lived in the space helps a ton. But these two: Tiktok and IG were our biggest research tools as far as do’s and don’ts are concerned!”
For those with the desire to visit Japan, Hill-Afonso recommends that you pack light. “Buy a Pasmo travel card for trains; it saves you money. Book everything you need one month in advance, including your tours, because Japan – especially Tokyo and Osaka – are both busy cities and highly populated that even restaurants are hard to eat at without a reservation. This applies to tours and landmarks as well. For Korea, get a data SIM at the airport and download Papago, a translation app and Naver Maps, since Google doesn’t work well. Also, get a T-money transport card for bus and train. Nowhere is close, so plan with time in mind.”