Haneul friend: Jennie from Incheon to Canada (Cabo Verde, Pakistan)

Does your school or local community offer environmental programs or activities? Is there anything you do to help the environment in your everyday life?

~Jennie's conversations in Whatsapp~

<Jennie's writing & pictures . 2025. 2. 05 > 

Hey! I’m so sorry for not replying sooner. I got caught up with academic work, and we also had a big holiday in Korea (Lunar New Year), so I was busy visiting my grandparents and spending time with family. It’s a big tradition here and we travel to see their relatives. I hope you’ve been doing well!

Sifton Bog does sound like a hidden gem! It’s interesting how different regions in Canada have such distinct lifestyles. I guess it makes sense that people in Vancouver are more into outdoor activities, with all the mountains and the ocean right there. London seems peaceful though. The downtown market also sounds cool, because I love exploring local food markets! Are there any foods from the market that you’d recommend trying?

Also, you mentioned that London is in the middle of very fertile soil. I read somewhere that Ontario has a lot of agriculture—are there specific crops that grow best in that region? In Korea, most farmland is used for rice, but different parts specialize in things like apples or sweet potatoes depending on the climate and soil. Does the geography around London have a big influence on what people eat? I’d love to learn more about how the landscape affects daily life there.

By the way, it’s been snowing a lot in Korea recently! Everything is covered in white and looks beautiful, but it also makes getting around tricky. Here are pictures of me and my snowmen.

~Jennie and Manuel in Whatsapp~

<Jennie's Introduction. 2025. 1. 11 > 

Hi everyone! I’m Jennie Song from Incheon, South Korea. I actually used to live in Vancouver, and I loved every moment of my time there. A lot of things were different from what I was used to back in Korea, but I had so much fun making new friends and experiencing new things.

One memory that stands out was during recess at school, where I would bring Korean snacks to share with my friends—it made me surprisingly popular! I also loved going ice skating every weekend, and it’s something I still enjoy doing now and then. I went to a Christian school even though I’m not Christian, but I really liked singing during chapels—it was a new and meaningful experience for me.

I’m so excited to be part of this group and connect with you all. Maybe we could talk about your favorite places or things to do in Canada—I’d love to hear your stories!

And in case you didn’t get to read this, here’s a short introduction of myself; feel free to ask anything you want to know about Korea!

<Manuell's Answer,  2025. 1. 12 >

Vancouver is a great city! That’s where I started out in Canada back in 2009 as well. Generally, British Columbia is a beautiful province filled with mountains and lakes. My favourite area is the Yukon though! I love Winter and in the summer, the sun never sets. Now I live in London, Ontario, about 200km west of Toronto.

<Jennie's Questions. 2025. 1. 14 > 

That’s amazing! British Columbia really is beautiful. Yukon sounds incredible though, especially with the sun never setting in the summer! It must feel surreal to be bright all day. Have you ever had a chance to see the auroras while you were there? That’s something I’ve always dreamed of experiencing. And how do you like it there in London? I’ve never been there, but I searched for it and discovered it's called Forest City. Interesting name for a city with a rich culture.

<Manuell's Answer,  2025. 1. 15 >

I have seen the auroras, yes! They even make it down to London sometimes, but are much weaker. Last year, there were two events when the aurora boreal is were visible this far south, but they weren’t very spectacular (images of the event look much better than real life because of longer exposure setttings on cameras).

Cities in Canada give themselves titles such as “forest city” and it doesn’t have much meaning. London itself doesn’t have many forests, but the river Thames (yes, same name as the one in London, UK) has a lot of forest along it since waterfront development are generally a bad idea. 

Overall, I’m not a big fan of London. Public transit is very bad, and the whole city is designed for cars which makes it quite unpleasant in my opinion, but there are some nice spots within it like Sifton Bog (link to follow)

I Like the more coniferous ecosystems of higher altitudes or latitudes. London is pretty far south, and partially in what is known as the “Carolinian zone” which is an area of specific vegetation that only reaches southern Canada, but much of the US. I feel more at home in northern environments and Sifton bog happens to be just that, in the middle of the city.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/RMj7ozFqUEKaxNbG6?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy 

<Jennie's Questions. 2025. 1. 17 > 

That’s amazing that you’ve seen the auroras! Even if they weren’t very strong, it must still be magical to catch a glimpse of them, especially so far south. I didn’t know camera settings could make such a big difference in how they appear in photos...that’s really interesting.

It’s funny how cities give themselves titles like that. I wouldn’t have guessed London doesn't have many forests! The Thames River with its forests along the waterfront sounds nice, though—it must add a bit of nature to the city. Is Sifton Bog a popular spot for locals, or is it more of a hidden gem?

I totally get what you mean about preferring northern environments. When I was living in Vancouver, I loved the smell of the forest and the peacefulness—it felt so calming and refreshing. It’s one of the reasons I hope to go back to Canada from time to time, to experience that again.  I can imagine how peaceful it must be to have a spot like Sifton Bog nearby. Are there other places in or around London that you’d recommend visiting?

Hello! My name is Jennie Song, and I’m from Incheon, South Korea. I go to Haneul Academy, and I’m really excited to be part of this international project and meet friends worldwide. Although I’m still figuring out my dream, I’m interested in studying mechanics because I love discovering how things work. One country I feel a special connection to is Canada. I used to live there, and I love its beautiful nature. It’s also where I started playing hockey, a sport I still enjoy today! I like to relax, travel to new places, and chat with my best friend in my free time I’m really looking forward to learning more about all of you and sharing our cultures together!