Jeju Island

Hello. I am a sleepy, splashy island. The cool water goes splash, splash, splash on my black, bubbly rocks. The sun feels warm on my soft green grass, making all the flowers happy. The wind whispers little secrets as it blows by, tickling the leaves on the trees. I love when the waves hug my sandy shores and when the birds sing me a morning song. Do you know who I am. I am a special place called Jeju Island.

I was born a very, very long time ago, around 2 million years ago. A big, fiery mountain named Hallasan made me. It was so hot and rumbly. But after a while, I cooled down and became a beautiful, quiet home for plants and animals. I have very special friends here. My friends the Haenyeo are brave sea-women. Since the 1600s, they have been diving deep, deep into the cool blue water to find yummy treasures from the sea. I also have my stone grandfathers, the dol hareubang. They are strong and kind and stand very still. They watch over me and make everyone who visits feel safe and happy.

Today, I am a sunny place for everyone to play. Sweet, yummy tangerines grow on my hills for children to eat. In the springtime, pretty yellow flowers pop up everywhere to say hello. Friends from all over the world come to visit me. They love to play on my sandy beaches and build big sandcastles. On July 2nd, 2007, people said I was a special treasure for the whole world to share. I am a happy island full of wonderful things, and I am always here to share my beauty and stories with you.