Change is hard. They say. The great “THEY” say that it is even harder as you get older. When it comes to changing a physical location, you can say, I’m an expert at it. Only the physical move, though, everything else does seem to be getting harder.
In the past year my husband and I have moved from South Korea to Maine and then to Portland. It wasn’t that streamlined though. It went more like this: We moved from our place in Itaewon, Seoul in July of 2023, and spent two weeks driving around South Korea visiting places like Gyeongju, Namhae, and Incheon.
GyeongjuNamhaeIncheon (Chinatown)
We had some confidence at this time. My husband had a job waiting for him in Maine, we had a savings, and I had my pension. The evidence of 7 years of teaching English in South Korea.
I am the reason we left South Korea. I had been ready to leave Korea since 2017. My first few months of teaching had been a bad experience with a bad company and a terrible school principle. The Korean staff was great, the other teachers were great, but the “boss” was terrible. A dishonest and manipulative person who treated her Korean staff far worse than the foreign staff. I heard she had finally been fired for embezzlement. It may have been a rumor how she was fired, but she was fired. However this was a few years after I had left. As a foreign teacher in South Korea you are housed which is part of the draw, but the type of housing you get has a lot to do with who employs you. My housing was abysmal, but I knew of people who had worse. I quit that job, breaking my contract within the first 90 days of my employment which was within my contract, but the “boss” requested I stay for at least 6 months claiming it was that difficult to find a replacement. I agreed, which I should not have done since later it stabbed me in the back. I wont go into the boring detail, but needless to say, I did not receive my final paycheck. Luckily, I did get the coveted Letter of Release allowing me to find work elsewhere. My next job and the job’s after were better, but I had a bitter taste in my mouth. Months before meeting Eun, I had already decided to leave Korea.
Seven Years Later
Things change. You meet people. You fall in love. You get married. You have a pandemic. Your parent gets sick. Your dog almost dies. Things happen.
Once things began to reach a base level once again, Eun and I decided to leave South Korea. Again, a lot of it was me. I never did pick up the language, and my chance of finding a job outside of teaching was low. I did manage to get a writing gig for about two months, but they stopped accepting contract writers. I was disappointed, but that is how it goes. I had hoped maybe to find another writing gig, but nothing so far has panned out. My idea was, “let’s go to Portland, OR. I have friends there.” Yet, Eun didn’t feel comfortable with that. He needed a job first. After all, that’s how normal people do it. Job first. Move second. I never worked that way. Move then figure it out. My way is more difficult and scarier.
He got the job in Maine. So we left Itaewon and did our road trip. Flew to Washington state on July 17. Spent two days in Seattle. Two weeks in Portland. Got a car loan. Bought a car using the loan and some of my pension money. We took a trip to California to see my dad. Then back up to Oregon to visit the gravesite of Sue and then we drove across the country passing through Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and finally Maine. We even stayed the night in some of those states.
For ten months we lived in a dorm with international students. We lived in downeast Maine in a rural little town named East Machias. Eun worked as a Health and Wellness teacher, a Freshman Basketball coach, and a dorm parent while I tried to reinvent myself. I took online courses through coursera trying to learn UX design. I went back to my novel that I wrote over 10 years ago, but never published. I looked for remote work online. No one wanted to hire me except online tutors. I had no transferable skills. I started teaching in 2013 as a means to travel, but it now identified me as a teacher with no other career potential. If I were younger would it be better? I don’t know. The nearest grocery store was always hiring, but it was 5 miles away. I didn’t have a license, Eun worked full time, and there was no public transportation. It took me 8 months to get my license due to logistics. I loved the beauty and nature of Maine, but I wanted to leave for a similar reason as to why I wanted to leave South Korea. I wanted opportunity to grow.
Why is it that I couldn’t find some way to be creative while I had all that freedom and time?
Poor mentality. I wasn’t lazy. I worked daily. Keeping the apartment clean. Making every meal. Laundry- the daily duties. I was writing, drawing, learning, reading and attempting to educate myself in every way possible. I was also looking for remote jobs. I even restarted my YouTube channel (which has grown a bit) but I have a poor mentality. I was never fully able to just do art or learn or be committed to being creative because I wasn’t contributing financially. I never sent my work out (writing) because I never believed I could be paid as a writer. I could never be paid for anything creative. It wasn’t for me. I was not meant for that world.
I still suffer from this thinking. I assume I will die with this mentality. It is tough to unlearn.
10 Months Later
We left East Machias on June 18th, not even a full year since we left South Korea. We packed our life into the car once again only this time we had no savings, no jobs, no home, no prospects. Eun trusted me this time, but this time I felt unsure. Very unsure. Once again we drove across America. We passed through many of the same states minus Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, and we added Michigan and Wisconsin. We had less money and more time. You could say we were foolish. If things fail you can say, “you deserve it.” If we succeed you could say we were adventurous. It is all determined by the outcome even though it shouldn’t be.
Eun is a basketball player and a coach and he found an opportunity to grow as a player and a trainer, so we spent a week in Michigan so that he could participate in this program. While in Michigan a violent windstorm passed through and a large branch broke from a tree and flew into our car damaging the passenger side. I was distraught since we hadn’t even paid for the car yet. Eun, who is more positive, reminded me that we have insurance. Still, the cost of the program, the cost of staying a week in Michigan and now the cost of the car was weighing on me. If things fail it’s my fault. That’s what played through my mind. Still we continued to make what some people may call bad choices. We kept moving forward with our travels. Staying in South Dakota to visit the Badlands and Deadwood. You can watch our journey on Youtube if you are so inclined.
We moved forward with our plan to stay in Cody, Wyoming as we visited Yellowstone, and then stayed in Montana to see Yellowstone for a few more days. We lost money having to change places to stay. One we had to change because of floods that hit Minnesota and South Dakota. We had to cancel camping stays that were meant to save money because we finally accepted the fact that our dog can’t camp. We spent more money on airbnbs because our dog needs space away from strangers and other dogs. We continued on to stay in La Grande so I could once again visit the grave of my friend Sue and to see her sister whom I hadn’t seen since the funeral 16 years ago.
Portland, OR
At the moment of writing this we have been in America for 1 year and 1 week. We have been in Portland for nearly 3 weeks. We don’t have jobs. We don’t have much money. Our car is in the shop. We have a place to stay for about two more weeks, and Eun has two more paychecks before we have nothing. We are in debt, too. We began applying for jobs our first full day in Portland. The first week was silent. Then the second week rejection e-mails and automatic rejection responses came in. Then at the end of the second week, we began to get phone interviews. Eun had some in person interviews. Our emotions which are tied to our fears and anxieties ebb and flow like the ocean tides. We celebrate an interview, we try to shrug away the rejections, and we try to ignore the silence. Eun is applying for jobs as a teacher. He is moving forward with this career. Digging into his role as a P.E. teacher and a basketball coach. This next job is going to be the one for the next few years. We want it to be a good place. As for me, it is more difficult. I am trying to transition out of being a teacher. I want to work in an office with benefits. I want to create content. To be what the digital age calls “a creative.” But, it is difficult. I am having trouble breaking in and proving I can be worthy. The place I had volunteered for 7 years didn’t give me an interview after hanging onto my resume and communicating with me for a month, and I got rejected by Barnes & Nobles. Both, writing adjacent jobs.
Will this be a story of throw caution-to-the wind-adventure with a happy ending or will it be a cautionary tale? Only time will tell. Time will tell soon as the clock is ticking. As I line this final paragraph with cliches, I want to return to the introduction that change is hard. It is very difficult to change your career especially in a rapidly changing world. 10 years ago I worked in an office, I was an office administrator, but today I am no longer an ideal candidate. It is hard not to feel dejected when you have a poor mentality. This blog drips with pathos, but it is also held together with a tenacious web of hope and perseverance. I am making progress. Pages have been written. They may not fit the timeline of the meta masses but they fit my time line which is the duration of my life. So, we will see where this path takes me.
I haven’t forgotten part three of the Huashan hike it will be posted. One day. Till then enjoy these mushrooms. They are pretty, but not the kind to open your mind. You have to do that yourself. Advise to me from me. You can use it too if you want.
This a a post about our February trip to Boothbay Harbor in Maine. If you’d like to skip ahead to the things to do and where to eat section you can go directly to Winter in Boothbay Harbor.
A Winter Break
As luck would have it, Eun’s school closed for a week at the end of February, and that week just happened to be our birthday week. After a little online searching, we found a place in Boothbay Harbor.
A Quick stop in Blue Hill
Window of the Sea Wind by Hitoshi Tanaka
It’s 3 and a half hours to drive from East Machias to Boothbay Harbor, so we decided to take a quick stop in Blue Hill, a mere hour and a half down the road. Blue Hill is located is in the Downeast region which is the same region as East Machias.
I chose Blue Hill because I wanted to see the sculpture, The Window of the Sea Wind by Hitoshi Tanaka. The sculpture is located at Emerson Park and is part of the Maine Sculpture Trail. I first heard about The Window of the Sea Wind and the Maine Sculpture Trail from Downeast Cowboy, a local fisherman that also happens to have a pretty popular instagram with a lot of fun and interesting information about Maine. I like to check him out from time to time to see where we should go next.
BoothBay Harbor, Maine: Yesterdays
People of the Dawnland, The First Peoples
Long before white settlers arrived in the late 17th century, this land was home to the Etchemin people, part of the great Wabanaki tribes – the “People of the Dawnland” among the Eastern Algonquian nations. Known today as the Malecite and Passamaquoddy, their ancestral roots run deep through Maine’s fertile soil and winding waterways.
For those keen to learn more about these First Peoples’ rich heritage, the University of Maine’s Folklife Center offers an enlightening introduction. Yet a somber truth lies in the fact that out of the 570 federally-recognized Native Nations across this land, the Wabanaki stand apart – excluded from the sovereign tribal rights and protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
To deepen your understanding of the Wabanaki’s struggles and triumphs, one can visit Abbe Museum’s website. And for those seeking to inform themselves about tribal sovereignty’s critical importance and the consequences of its denial to these resilient people, a wealth of knowledge awaits the intrepid learner who follows the path. It is a path worth following.
Boothbay Harbor
When Maine was Massachusetts: A Very Condensed History
Although white settlers arrived in the late 1600s, it wasn’t until 1729 that a permanent township took root, christened Townsend by the Scotch-Irish farming families whose descendants would eventually turn to the sea’s bounty. In those days, what is now the proud state of Maine lay under Massachusetts’ domain. Incorporated into the Bay State in 1764, the town’s name shifted to Boothbay.
But Boothbay’s path to today’s tranquil charms was hard-won through the trials of war and repeated British invasions, grievances that stoked Maine’s fight for statehood. For the Old Bay State could not safeguard its easternmost relative from foreign threats. At long last in 1820, the indomitable Pine Tree State claimed its place as the 23rd star on the national flag.
Around the mid-1800s Boothbay was already seen as a summer resort town. Big hotels began popping up by the 1880s, and city folk then called “rusticators” flocked to Boothbay Harbor for a simple bucolic summer. You can still see evidence of this history in Boothbay Harbor. Strolling the idyllic harbor streets today, one is transported through an architectural reverie of that gilded era.
Much of the original industry that sustained Boothbay through the pre-revolution up to the post-Korean War years are gone, but somethings remain. The shipyards and fishing remains with lobster being the pillar of the fishing industry. There is the boat building industry, and of course tourism. Beginning in the late spring and stretching until late fall, Maine’s coastal towns, like Bar Harbor in the Downeast region, and Midcoast Boothbay Harbor along with its neighboring island Southport and Linekin peninsula, fill up with new and ancestral rusticators, and new rusticators. However, winter is a different story.
Boothbay Harbor: Today
Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Harbor, a deep-water port capable of accommodating cruise ships and cargo vessels, belies its quiet, charming coastal town atmosphere. Nestled between the Sheepscot and Damariscotta rivers, the harbor’s tranquil waters envelop a rocky evergreen-topped island that seems to float serenely on the gently rippling surface. Even on the coldest winter days, the Atlantic sparkles with shimmering sunbeam reflections, painting an idyllic scene. Colorful shops lining the streets lend a blithe ambience to this quaint winter retreat.
The Mid-Coast region has long been renowned for its boatbuilding prowess, dating back to the 1816 founding of Hodgdon Brothers in East Boothbay – now the nation’s oldest continuously operating yacht company. Starting with schooners they are now known for building specialized military vessels and yachts. They are also known to build superyachts or megayachts, but we didn’t see anything so lavish on the harbor during our visit. Truthfully, a yacht doesn’t inspire me as much as the tradition of building. These skilled craftsmen continue to carry on a 208-year family legacy, and that is impressive.
A few months ago a bad storm with hurricane winds came through a lot of the businesses near the piers and waterfront were flooded, but at the time of our visit we didn’t see any of the damage. However we were told that some places that are normally opened year round had to close due to the storm.
We came at the end of February with snow and ice covering the ground, and most of the restaurants and shops were closed and shuttered. We didn’t mind. We still managed to find a few opened shops and a few opened restaurants, and that’s all we needed. It had just snowed two days before our trip, and blankets of snow covered the sidewalks, wide open spaces, and the piers, but it only added to the serenity we found when we arrived.
We stayed for three nights and days, and during that time we explored several parts of Boothbay Harbor, including East Boothbay, and Southport the neighboring island. Of course there were somethings that we couldn’t do that we would have loved to have experienced like getting a chance to see some puffins, but there are no boating tours until the summer. Still, we had a really nice time wandering the empty streets window shopping and exploring.
We spent a lot of time gazing out across the harbor admiring the incredible view of the sunlight glistening off the harbor’s gentle blue waters as mallards and other dabbling ducks paddled on the mild waves. The night skies were clear and black with beautiful constellations of stars that danced above us.
A View of the harbor from Townsend Ave
Where We Stayed
We stayed right on the harbor near the piers in a space named, “The Coal Shack”. We later learned that the spacious studio was named after the owner’s black lab. The owner runs a pet store called Two Salty Dogs across the street from where we were staying.
It was a small newly renovated space that was perfect for two people and a dog. We chose the place because it was dog friendly. In fact, “The Coal Shack” was the friendliest dog friendly places we have stayed so far. The pet fee was reasonable, and you could tell the owner was indeed a dog lover. We found out when we visited him at his store, Two Salty Dogs, that at one time he had four black labs. Man has his type.
It was beautiful and comfortable inside with its timber walls and copper fixtures. The kitchenette cabinets and appliances were painted a cobalt blue, which combined with the copper fixtures and gilt-lacquered gold and blue wall, gave the entire space a luxuriously warm yet cozy feel. Two french doors opened onto the balcony which on the days we stayed was covered in snow, but we could still see the harbor and get a lot of sunshine and light into the space. The furniture was all very rustic and anachronistic, but comfortable.
We really loved the place. We also were aware that in the peak season this place probably doubles in price and is booked out. The dog friendliness, the perfect location, and how nice it is in general adds to its summer value. We probably wouldn’t be able to afford it during the peak seasons. It wasn’t cheap in winter either, but it was less, and we were able to swing it.
Where We Ate
Not a lot of places are open during the winter, especially in February. However, thanks to a friendly cashier at Sherman’s bookstore who showed us a list of open restaurants and their hours in February, we did find a few places to eat out.
Our first night in Boothbay Harbor was on a Sunday. Lucky for us we were able to visit Footbridge Brewery on this night because it was closed for the other two nights we were in town. It was also lucky because the owner offered two hamburger specials at great prices. We each got the specials which were huge burgers with delicious fixings that only cost us a total of $12.00 for both (not including the beers). It is pretty difficult to find any single dish at any restaurant for under $12.00 these days, so it was a treat for both our taste buds, and our pockets. We also enjoyed their in house brewed beers. We opted to share the flight of beers so that we could sample a few of the flavors. We tried the Shrimp Run, a pale ale; The Woodcutter, an American strong ale; the Raw, a Nordic raw brewed in a traditional Norwegian “no boil”; and lastly we tried the rotating tap which was the Tequila Mockingbird; a barrel aged jalapeño habanero pale ale. My favorite was the Tequila Mockingbird, and not just because of the name. Eun’s favorite was the Shrimp Run.
We came here on our first full day in Boothbay Harbor for lunch. We had the Margherita cooked in an Italian brick oven on a thin crust. It was delicious. Perfect sauce, not too sweet not too sharp. Perfectly delicious. Eun enjoyed his pizza with a glass of beer and I had a glass of red wine. A pino noir, I believe.
We came here for dinner on our second night and the place got pretty full while we were there. It was one of the few restaurants open after 7:00 p.m. on a Monday night in the winter. A family came in near closing time, but the server sat them anyway stating that there was “no where else to eat in town, so take a seat“. The service was very friendly, and the crowed seemed local. February’s menu is limited, but it still had plenty of good food to choose. We shared the crab cakes tapas, which if I’m being honest, I’ve had better. The breading was too salty for me personally. For dinner, Eun ordered the Bistro Chicken Parm served over fettuccine, and I had the Haddock Risotto. I was told by the cashier at Sherman’s bookstore that the Haddock Risotto was the best thing to order there, and he was right. It was scrumptious. If you like fish and risotto, I recommend that dish.
Located at 12 The By-Way
Southport General Store
On our second day, we drove out to Southport to check out the general store and eat lunch. I write a bit more about Southport later in the post.
Tuesday was Eun’s birthday, and he really wanted to have lobster for his birthday dinner, but we had trouble finding a place that was open, so we decided to find some lobster to take home. We went to Pinkham’s Gourmet Market, which has really earned the moniker gourmet. We picked up some shelled lobster at the market cost of $75.00 (for two servings), fresh clams, linguine noodles, a white sauce, coleslaw and a couple of local beers. Then we went back to the Coal Shack to cook it all up. On the way to Boothbay Harbor, we picked up some cheesecake (Eun’s favorite) at Momo’s an amazing cheesecake place that has the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. We had all the fixin’s for a wonderful birthday dinner.
On our way out of town we stopped at Baker’s Way, a Vietnamese restaurant, but with fresh donuts and coffee. This place was crowded in the morning, and definitely populated with locals judging by the overheard conversations of fishing and someone’s attempt at selling their house. I picked up a gigantic apple fritter for us to split and two black coffees to start us out for our 3 and a half hour drive back to East Machias.
We didn’t get a chance to eat here as we were too late. The owner told us that he bakes the bread fresh in the morning and then closes when he sells out. He did however direct us to Ports Pizzeria, and Baker’s Way. He also took us back to the bar that he had just opened in a room in back of the Sub-shop. A little speak-easy that he named NEAT. As you may have guessed by the name it is a whiskey and cocktail bar. We didn’t have the opportunity to imbibe in the drinks, but we both really like the woody rustic atmosphere, and if we make it back to Boothbay Harbor we will definitely come early enough for a sandwich and come later for a cocktail.
Located 25 Townsend Ave
View of the harbor from Union Street
What We Did
Aside from eating, we also explored the town a bit. We explored as much as the cold weather allowed. We went out every morning and evening to walk Penny down to Pier 1 to the small dog park. The first morning out boots crunched over the snow, and slide on the ice, but by the next day the temperature has increased just enough to melt the snow to where we could see some of the pier’s wood planks.
Boothbay Harbor Footbridge
Walked around the piers
I noted three piers on the on the westside of the harbor where we were staying. In the winter there isn’t a lot to see since most places are closed for the season, but also places were closed due to damages occurred from the storm.
The Footbridge
The Boothbay Harbor footbridge is the longest wooden foot bridge in the country. The bridge connects the west to the east. Before the footbridge was built in 1901, people would have to either walk around the head of the harbor, which could be quite a walk, or they could take the ferry which cost a nickel. It’s a pleasant walk and right in the middle of the bridge is what looks like a house. I’d never seen a house on a bridge before and it made me think of something you would find in a children’s story. The house was built in 1902, and had been many things over the 200 plus years. On the day we crossed it was closed.
The BoothBay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail
Originally, I had thought this sculpture trail would be connected to the Maine Sculpture trail, but apparently it is not. After a little research, I read that this trail was modeled after a sculpture trail in New Hampshire. It appears as if Maine, may be a great place for sculptures. It certainly has the atmosphere of natural influence. We didn’t follow the entire trail of 33 sculptures, but we did see a few. It is not possible to walk the entire trail as there are sculpture in both Southport, East Boothbay, and Ocean Point, but you can see a lot of them in the downtown area.
This is the oldest bookstore in Maine. Well, not this location, the very first Sherman’s Bookstore was opened in Bar Harbor in 1886. The one in Boothbay open a little over 100 years later in 1989. The person who worked in the bookstore was extremely helpful. In fact, if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have know what restaurants were open. If you visits Sherman’s here you’ll find a great gift store downstairs and the bookstore upstairs
Like walking into an old hippie store that you would find in Northern California in the 1970s and 80s. It was like I was in high school again and looking for tarot cards and crystals during my my very short lived, “maybe I’ll be a Wiccan phase.” I did see a deck of Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling cards that brought me back to age 16 or 17 when my friend, who was much more dedicated to witchcraft and D&D then I, had the very same cards. You don’t see stores like this much anymore, especially a store of this size.
Things We Did Outside of BoothBay Harbor
Linekin Peninsula
Linekin peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and lies between Linekin Bay to the west and the Damariscotta river estuary to the east. There are two nature preserves, the Linekin Preserve and the Ocean Point Preserve. East Boothbay is a village about 3 miles northeast of Boothbay Harbor and it is located on the northern part of Linekin peninsula.
East Boothbay General Store
East Boothbay General Store
We drove to East Boothbay and stopped briefly in the East Boothbay General Store during our excursion on Ocean Point Road. The East Boothbay General Store in a rustic three story house with a mansard roof and a triangular turret that appears to rise above an old barn. The store was founded in 1883 as a general store. We stepped inside and looked at the beautiful pottery and other crafts, along with the food, but we passed on eating since we already ate, but definitely next time.
Ocean Point Road
One of the highlights of our trip to the Boothbay region was a drive along the coastal headland Linekin peninsula. HWY 96 takes you out to Ocean Point Scenic Drive.
A view of the Atlantic ocean from Grimes Cove
Ocean Point Drive is a loop around the southern point of the peninsula and it offers expansive views of the Atlantic ocean. From Grimes Cove you can see Ram Island and the Ram Island lighthouse, and behind that you can see Firsherman’s Island. Aside the lighthouse you are able to make out a single house. The drive gives you views of the Atlantic to the east and the west and then circles around inland toward Linekin Bay. There are beautiful Queen Anne style homes built all along the road, and even a chapel built out of stones gathered from the surrounding area. Janet Wilson’s Memorial Chapel was built in 1917 by Minister Lewis G. Wilson in memory of his wife.
Janet Wilson Memorial Chapel, 1917, Ocean Point Drive
Coastal Maine was hit by two big storms this winter, we felt the impact of those storms in East Machias, but the midcoast and southern coastlines of Maine were hit harder. The damage from those was clearly evident when we drove along Ocean Point. Large portions of the road were cracked, crumbling and uplifted with parts of the road in broken pieces on the rack below. The road is already narrow and winding, so the cracked and broken edges only made the road narrower. There were only one or maybe two other cars on the road, so it wasn’t too stressful or a problem. I was even able to get out of the car to take a picture of the Wilson Memorial Chapel, which looked to have sustained some damage from the storms. I don’t think this drive would be as pleasant in the summer with traffic, especially if the road is still damaged. The views would be amazing, but there isn’t anywhere to pull over to take a look because the parking spaces have crumbled into the rocks and ocean below.
Southport Island
Southport General Store
The Southport General Store was established in 1882. It is a small general store with groceries, made to order food and a little eating nook in the back. We had a couple of sandwiches for some sustenance to keep us going during out day of exploration. The Barn is a small retail shop and creative workshop space that sells local made and crafted products. The space is a literal barn renovated into a shop space. We came out to Southport specifically to see what they had in The Barn, but alas it was closed.
19th century graveyard, Southport
Graveyards
One personally interesting thing to note is the ancient graveyard next door to the General Store and Barn. The graves date back to the 19th century, although there may be some 18th century headstones as well. The grave yard is over grown and sinking into the earth with the small forest swallowing the edges. What fascinates me about the graveyard is its proximity to the road. The grave reach out to the very edge of the roadway. This is something I have notice whenever we drive around these coastal peninsular part of Maine. There are many graveyards that go right to the edge of the road, and it makes me wonder, did they pave over other parts of the graveyards? Are we driving over those graves?
Rachel Carson Coastal Greenway
Rachel Carson who wrote the groundbreaking environmental alarm call, Silent Spring, was in love with Southport and she spent the last 11 years of her life summering here. Her presence and overwhelming love for Southport permeated into the community and today you can hike through evergreens on the Rachel Carson Greenway Memorial trail.
Winter Traveling in Maine
There are not a lot of places open in the winter, especially in February, but we did get to see a lot of what was open. However there were still a couple of places open that we didn’t get the opportunity to check out that we had wanted to visit. I’ve listed them below and with links.
Farm23 not only has some great looking pastries, but they also sell some products from Salty Raven in Oregon. Salty Raven has a lot of great designs that show a love for sea life. If you can’t get to the west coast you can find her work on the east coast. Also, the owner happens to be a friend of mine.
Sculpture Garden near Townsend Ave
Peak Season in BoothBay Harbor
Things get started in late May, but all restaurants open by April. The boating, boat tours and all the accommodations are in full swing by June. Things remain open til October when people begin to close up for the coming winter months. Some places remain open with winter hours during the months of November and December, but January and especially February (our birthday month) most of Booth Bay harbor and their surrounding neighbors are in hibernation.
Our Wish List During The Spring~Fall Season
I don’t know if we will make it back to Boothbay again, I do hope we do. I’ve already made a wish list for the next trip, but I’ll write that up in a separate post, but all I’ll say now is Puffins. Puffins.
Photo by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto on Pexels.com
As we drove along the Maine coastline, passing all the quaint coastal towns with their Victorian homes and buildings, most of which were painted white, my excitement grew. Although I prefer more color in my communities, I imagined that we would be living in one of these little towns, perhaps a fishing village. During the interview, we were told that the school was near the ocean. However, there was a hint of reality, something we didn’t focus on or consider enough—the mention of a food desert. I think I had convinced myself that this bit of information meant that the school was not in a large town; maybe it was a village, similar to the villages we had passed on the way. It’s funny the things we tell ourselves. A food desert does not mean a quaint Victorian fishing village popular with tourists. It means scarcity.
At some point, a few miles past Rockland, we began to turn inland, away from the coastline and the old Colonial and Victorian houses. The road wound deeper into the woods, with birch trees lining the lone highway. Houses became few and far between, and after driving for another hour, we passed through the small town of Ellsworth. Despite its size, Ellsworth seemed to have all the essentials for a thriving community, yet it wasn’t our destination, so we kept driving.
As we meandered through the landscape, lakes shimmered beside us, reflecting the dappled sunlight. Each lake emerged like a glistening mirror, signaling coded messages through the trees. The subdued sunlight from the late-day sun cast shadows over the winding roads as we turned through sharp curves following many lakeside shorelines. What neither of us realized on our journey up Highway 1 was that we weren’t passing just lakes but inlets, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. DownEast Maine, where we were to settle for a year, is a series of glacial peninsulas stretching out like fingers reaching into the Atlantic. Occasionally, we would pass a lonely silent house, a solitary gas station reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting, a tucked-away township with a church, and then, like a recurring motif, we would slip back into the woods, the warm fragrant pine filling the car with its scent. The rhythm of the journey slowly became predictable; after each glimpse of civilization, we’d dip back into the solitude of the woods, the quiet embrace of nature, and the hum of the car’s engine. My fantasies of a quaint seaside town with artisan shops and a tight-knit community began to fade, and I realized that I had dreamt of moving into a TV show, something like Schitt’s Creek. I had been daydreaming of a sitcom and not reality. However, reality was coming into clear view.
Upon entering Machias, we passed a weathered trailer park—a stark contrast to the captivating coastal imaginings—and I began to worry, not about safety, but about the economy. Was there enough affordable housing? What about jobs? Continuing our journey, sights unfolded before us: first a Dollar Store, followed by a Walgreens, a local grocery store, and the familiar golden arches of McDonald’s. Next, we passed a Family Dollar and other unassuming buildings nestled in a small parking center behind McDonald’s. As we continued over a hill, a dilapidated gun store with a large Trump 2024 flag came into view, followed by Machias University—a small beacon of education on a hill. However, Machias did not have the feel of a university town. Where were the restaurants, the cafes, the movie theater? We crossed a short concrete bridge built over a wide river with small falls, and then we drove through a downtown that was barely half a block, with two very cute buildings—one painted canary yellow and the other parrot green. To our left was a Federal-style bank, a church with a Gothic Revival steeple, and two gas stations. The hills to our right fanned out into the distance as the wide foamy river moved alongside us. To the left, we passed a Dunkin’ Donuts and a pizza place before slipping back into a sparse silence of space. Again, a house here, a small building there, until we were back into the woods with nothing but trees and warning signs about deer crossings. We drove on for another 30 minutes, the river remaining to our right and woods to our left, until we finally made it to the tiny town of East Machias. Not much of a town, really. It had some houses, a church with a graveyard behind it, a town hall, a post office, and a Salmon Federation Building. Some old colonial and craftsman houses lined the street where we were about to live, next to the school where Eun was to work.
When captured in a photograph, parts of the town appear charming, especially along the East Machias River that runs through the center. In late summer, when we first arrived, eagles and hawks soared low in the sky or perched atop Eastern White Pine trees. If life were a photograph, East Machias would be a picturesque village along a rapid river with wildlife, fresh air, and a private academy built in 1792 featuring Greek Revival and Victorian buildings (plus a modern-looking high school). However, a photo is just an image, and what isn’t captured is the high unemployment and lack of opportunities.
As we settled into East Machias, statistics revealed a stark reality. This tiny town of 1,364 people is nestled in Washington County which ranks as the poorest county in Maine. The unemployment rate of 4.6% is a shocking contrast to the 3.2% statewide average, casting shadows on our newfound surroundings. It adds an undercurrent of economic challenges that we did not foresee. There aren’t many services, and, as one woman told me, ‘people move out here to get away from everything, but what they find out is that they have moved away from everything.’ It can be challenging in the case of a disaster like a severe storm. ‘Help comes late,’ as another local told me, ‘it’s as if they forget about us out here.’ The main industry is education; the second is health, and the third is public service. The top job is the school where Eun works, and this private academy employs and educates students from many surrounding townships. For a person, like myself, trying to get out of the education sector, especially the for-profit education sector, I did not come to the right place. However, Eun has found some opportunity, and in fact, it is the opportunity for him to teach and coach basketball that brought us here. I, on the other hand, am one of the 4.6%. Although, not in a census. As far as returning to America and starting over, we may have chosen one of the worst spots for dual opportunity and growth. I see no American dream here, but then again, does that exist anywhere in the U.S.? It isn’t what we had expected or hoped for, but for now, we have a modest roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and a backdrop of uncertainty. We thought our road was paved, but it seems that we turned down a dirt road filled with obstructions. At least one of us is employed. Eun’s dedication and resilience contribute to maintaining our stability as we drive this rough road of financial bumps.
Returning to America after seven years has shown me that it is unexpectedly challenging to live here. In South Korea, the language barrier confined me to private education, and I sought to change this by returning to the U.S. Yet, in the U.S., the cost of living, along with lower benefits, and the exorbitantly high cost of health insurance, quietly undermined our expectations. It was foolish for us to think we would adapt with ease, even though we had considered the U.S. home. Still, I must have gratitude for the things I have in the present. It may be a mantra for the present, a protective shield masking an underlying fear of becoming trapped in ever-present poverty, but gratitude is necessary. We have housing, food, and internet, and for me, time has become a space for digital skill development—a journey into writing improvement, SEO, and content strategy growth. I find my own resilience and a renewed sense of purpose. This time will not be wasted.
There is a trail below the school, the Sunrise Coast Trail, that traces the river’s edge. This trail serves as our retreat; nature unfolds its tapestry of birds and trees, with inspiring views of the tiny town of East Machias. The river flows into Machias Bay that opens into the Gulf of Maine, where the Battle of Machias, the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War, took place. Yet, even before 1777, the Passamaquoddy people fished along this river, maybe paddling birch canoes in the neighboring lakes or bay. We are surrounded by natural habitat and history. Habitat that we can see and a history hidden in the motions of the present. While we take walks along this trail, we can see eagles, hawks, ducks, and plump little chickadees. The river and the pines frame East Machias like a photograph; a scenic bridge, the square white Albee—Richardson Hall with its small bell tower, and the Gothic revival steeple from the church rising above the pine and birch. It is lovely to look at, like a postcard sent from a friend. It is a reminder of the beauty that graces us.
An Accidental Vagabond 