Since moving to South Korea in the summer of 2020, there’s been a mandatory quarantine. At first, it was a 14-day quarantine, which meant I stayed here for a year and a half to avoid the isolation. Then, in November 2021, the government dangled a carrot in front of us by saying that anyone fully vaccinated in Korea (which I am) can be exempt from the mandatory quarantine. There were still lots of hoops to jump through, but we were all excited and I booked my flights home for the holidays. Then, shortly before the Christmas holiday was set to begin, they reinstated the mandatory quarantine, only this time it was reduced to 10 days. While it was a pain (and a shit ton of money…3500 USD!) to change my flights, I was able to go home for about a week and a half. Sometime last month the quarantine was further reduced to 7 days, giving us a little more hope.
However, this afternoon, we received very good news in our inbox! The Korean government just released that they are ending the mandatory quarantine period for all fully vaccinated and boosted travelers (even if vaxxed outside of Korea, as long as you go through the process of registering your vaccination with their app). This goes into effect for people vaccinated in Korea on 21 March and for everyone else on 1 April.
While everyone’s pumped about the news, myself included, I can’t help but be skeptical about it. It’s like the boy who cried wolf…they told us once before and changed their mind, they can do it again. For now, I’m not booking any international flights, but it does give me hope for the summer break. I was planning on leaving anyway, but was concerned about the short break with having to factor in quarantine. If I can avoid it, I get more time with my family, which is what I want.
Fingers crossed that it sticks this time!
my heart is happiest when i travel. read. write. connect. 
Great news! Thanks for the share!
Yes, we are so much at the mercy of governments and their changing rules re covid and travel these days! So frustrating and as you say, better to wait and see, just in case.
We sure are!!
I like to stay hopeful because not being hopeful stirs the mind. I wish you will have a long visit home and summer will feel as normal as pre-Covid.
I know what you mean…and I’m usually the same. I’m just trying to be a realist in this situation, given how much things can (and have) change quickly here. I hope I can go home for at least 3 full weeks this summer!
I feel you! I think this time the relaxed rules are here to stay, but that will only make you more jumpy, excited and not able to wait! Good luck!
I sure hope they are…it’s more of a “I’ll believe it when I see it” kinda thing. Thank you!
It’s obvious you sacrifice a lot for those precious trips home. Your piece captures the zigs and zags of these uncertain times, making us cautious of getting our hopes up, But this sounds really good!
It’s definitely a sacrifice living abroad, even more so now, but I’m willing to do anything i can to visit my family as often as possible. I sure hopes it happens!
Definitely hoping for the best. I also am always waiting for reversals of fortune, but it looks like we are just moving forward.
Thanks Susan! I am usually an optimist about most things, but I’ve been burned by Covid restrictions in Korea too many times at this point. Still crossing my fingers (and toes!) that it actually happens.
Fingers crossed for you here. I haven’t seen some family in HK for over two years because of the strict quarantines. I’m hopeful for the summer.
Thanks! I sure hope it actually happens. 🙂 I bet you miss your family…this whole thing has separated families for too long. Hope you get to see them sooner rather than later!