My Story

Jair was the first guest from South America that I welcomed to Mario House.

He came from Peru and stayed in the Master Room for nearly one month while working on a business project with one of my Korean friends.

Because he stayed much longer than most short-term travelers, we had enough time to share many meals, conversations, tours, parties, and funny everyday moments.

By the end of his stay, Jair felt less like a temporary guest and more like a friend and member of the household.

Jair had a warm, friendly, and positive personality.

He was always polite, smiled often, and made the people around him feel comfortable.

He knew how to work hard when it was time to work and how to enjoy himself when it was time to relax.

He also exercised regularly and often went to the gym after finishing work.

One of the things I remember most clearly about Jair was his reaction to my cooking.

Whenever I prepared Korean food, he raised his thumb and enthusiastically said things such as “Best!” and “Very, very delicious!”

He enjoyed almost every meal I served and always expressed his appreciation.

Sometimes I prepared dinner before he returned from work or the gym and left instructions explaining how to heat the rice, curry, or other dishes.

After eating, he often sent me messages such as:

“Food was so good. Thanks a lot.”

His enthusiastic reactions made cooking for him very enjoyable.

As someone who loves preparing food for international guests, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a guest genuinely enjoy a homemade meal.

Because Jair stayed for nearly a month, he was able to experience many different Korean dishes instead of eating only a few famous tourist foods.

He enjoyed everyday Korean home cooking, shared dinners, party food, local restaurants, seafood, chicken, and snacks from traditional markets.

We also spent a lot of time drinking and talking together.

Long-term guests naturally become part of the daily rhythm of Mario House. We would discuss dinner times, work schedules, gym plans, weekend activities, and travel arrangements.

These small daily conversations helped us become comfortable with each other.

Jair also traveled to Japan during his stay.

While he was away, repair work was scheduled for the wallpaper in his room.

I informed him beforehand that I would carefully move his belongings into the living room, protect everything during the repair, and return the room to its original condition afterward.

He responded calmly and told me that it was no problem.

When he returned to Korea, he contacted me with his arrival time and joined us again for dinner at home.

His relaxed and trusting attitude made it easy to manage the practical details of a long-term stay.

Because Jair stayed for an extended period, we went on two memorable Seoul tours together.

Our First Seoul Tour with Julianne

The first tour took place while Julianne, an American travel creator, was also staying at Mario House.

My friend Victor, who is a licensed professional tour guide, joined us as well.

Together, we explored several cultural attractions in central Seoul.

We visited the National Folk Museum of Korea, walked around the Gwanghwamun area, experienced modern Korean culture at HiKR Ground, and visited the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan.

It was an international group consisting of guests from Peru and the United States together with Korean friends.

Jair spoke Spanish, so he communicated easily with Julianne, who also spoke Spanish very well.

It was enjoyable to watch them exchange travel stories and talk comfortably with each other.

During the tour, we experienced both traditional and modern sides of Seoul.

The National Folk Museum introduced Korean history and everyday culture, while Gwanghwamun showed the symbolic center of the city.

HiKR Ground provided a more modern K-culture experience, and the National Museum of Korea offered an opportunity to see important Korean art and historical objects.

After the sightseeing, we returned to Mario House and enjoyed food, drinks, conversation, and a home party together.

This day later appeared in Julianne’s Instagram Reel about her Seoul homestay experience.

It became one of the most memorable international gatherings we had at Mario House.

Our Second Tour along the Han River

For our second tour, Jair joined me and my friends Philip and Victor for a day around the Han River.

We first went to Yeouido and experienced a ride on the Han River water bus.

Seeing Seoul from the river gave us a different perspective of the city.

We could enjoy the bridges, riverside parks, skyline, and open views while traveling across the water.

Afterward, we continued to the Ttukseom Hangang Park area.

We ate together at a local restaurant and later explored a traditional market.

Traditional markets are always interesting for international guests because they show a side of Korean daily life that is different from shopping malls and famous tourist districts.

Jair could see local food stalls, prepared side dishes, fresh ingredients, snacks, and neighborhood shops.

At the end of the day, we bought beer and relaxed together beside the Han River.

Drinking beer near the Han River is a popular Seoul experience, especially when the weather is pleasant.

We sat together, talked, laughed, and enjoyed the atmosphere of the riverside park.

Jair was handsome and friendly, so my friends and I jokingly suggested introducing him to someone we met near the river.

However, Jair politely refused our playful matchmaking attempt.

We laughed about it and continued enjoying our evening together.

This combination of public transportation, local restaurants, traditional markets, and drinks by the river made the day feel like a genuine local Seoul experience rather than a formal tour.

A Memorable Business Dinner

Jair was working with my Korean friend Hyunbo, so one evening we joined Hyunbo and several members of his company for dinner and drinks.

I can usually drink a reasonable amount of alcohol, but Jair, Hyunbo, and the company employees had an extraordinary capacity.

Our first stop was a Korean raw fish restaurant, where we enjoyed fresh seafood and drinks.

After that, we continued to a chicken restaurant for a second round.

The conversation was lively, and everyone kept ordering more food and alcohol.

By the end of the night, I had consumed far more than usual.

I jokingly remember that it felt as though the alcohol remained in my system for the next two or three days.

Although it was an exhausting evening, it was also one of the funniest and most unforgettable gatherings during Jair’s stay.

It showed Jair’s ability to work seriously with his business partners and then enjoy a lively Korean company dinner afterward.

The Broken Toilet Lid Incident

Long-term homestays naturally include unexpected everyday incidents.

One day, Jair was taking a shower in the bathroom when an item of clothing he had taken off became caught around the toilet area.

During the confusion, the toilet lid was accidentally broken.

It caused a brief commotion, but fortunately no one was injured.

We handled the situation and later remembered it as one of the unusual and humorous episodes from his month at Mario House.

These small accidents can happen when people live together for an extended period.

What matters is that Jair remained polite and responsible throughout the situation.

Despite this unexpected incident, he was consistently a considerate and well-mannered guest.

He respected the shared spaces, communicated clearly, and maintained a friendly attitude toward everyone he met.

He also worked hard, exercised regularly, and took care of his own daily schedule.

At the same time, he was always ready to join a dinner, tour, party, or conversation when he had free time.

Jair’s stay gave me my first opportunity to host a guest from Peru and South America.

Through him, I learned more about Peruvian culture, business, travel, and the friendly character of Latin American people.

His positive energy, good manners, sense of humor, and appreciation for Korean food made the experience especially meaningful.

In his review, Jair wrote that he had traveled alone but immediately felt welcome at Mario House.

He appreciated that I regularly suggested activities such as visiting museums, exploring the city, and going shopping.

He also mentioned my sense of humor and Korean cooking.

Most importantly, he wrote that Mario House was one of the best places he had ever stayed and that he would return without thinking twice.

Receiving such a warm review from a guest who lived with me for nearly one month was very meaningful.

A short-term visitor may experience only the room and a few meals, but a long-term guest sees the real daily life of the house.

Jair experienced busy workdays, home-cooked dinners, gym visits, repairs, tours, parties, business gatherings, travel to Japan, and unexpected household incidents.

Even after experiencing all these different situations, he still described Mario House as one of his best accommodation experiences.

That made me especially proud as a homestay host.

Jair was a hardworking businessman, an enthusiastic food lover, a loyal drinking companion, and a fun travel friend.

He knew how to enjoy life while remaining polite and considerate.

Although he arrived as a guest, he left as a friend.

Jair, thank you for staying at Mario House, enjoying all my Korean food, and sharing so many memorable experiences with us.

I hope your business continues to grow and that you remain healthy, successful, and happy.

You will always be welcome to return to Mario House.

The next time you visit Seoul, we can enjoy more Korean food, explore another traditional market, take another trip along the Han River, and perhaps have a slightly more moderate drinking party.