Two weeks have passed since I have arrived in South Korea and they have been contained some of the most extraordinary moments of my life! I quickly became close friends with my Austrian roommate, Arno, who in turn introduced me to friends that I am extremely grateful to have met. We have gone to some amazing places, including the beaches of Gangneung, the hills of Sinchon and the metropolis of Seoul. The sights have been incredible so far and I look forward to continuing my adventure!
As I mentioned at the end of my first blog post, upon my jet-lagged arrival to Seoul I checked into my dorm and fell asleep before even meeting my roommate. He came home later that night after exploring the city with some of my soon to be dear friends. After a groggy, but friendly first greeting I quickly went back to sleep. In the next few days Arno and I bonded over our many similarities and differences, we both were bassists, loved music of all genres and were thrown into a completely foreign environment. Though our backgrounds and reasons for coming to Korea were totally different (he wanted to explore a place far from home, whereas I wanted to explore a place intimately connected to my own) we quickly found ourselves exploring the many sights of Seoul together. Additionally, he had introduced me to a group of fellow exchange students that quickly became very close friends of mine.
One of the first journeys our group, and many other Yonsei students, took was into the neighboring city of Sinchon. A short 10 minute walk takes you into the heart of the city, which is always busy with pedestrians walking into the many shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues that Sinchon has to offer. One of the things stressed to us during our orientation was the importance of mastering the public transportation in Seoul. Our group quickly acquainted ourselves with the subway and bus systems, which allowed us to venture into the nearby towns of Hongdae and Itaewon with ease. While each city is obviously different from each other, they are connected through their brightly-lit streets, hilly terrain and incredible nightlife. In my opinion, the most interesting and different thing about Korean cities that I have encountered is the fact that the buildings are built onto the landscape, which promotes the preservation of its many wooded hills and allows for some spectacular views. This contrasts with American cities, such as Philadelphia, where many times the landscape is flattened in order to allow for greater ease during construction. Of the many exciting activities we have done in these towns, my favorites include Korean barbecue, shopping and karaoke!
Not only have I had the pleasure of exploring the nearby surroundings of Yonsei University but I have also been able to venture far away from Seoul. Gangneung is a small city on the east coast of South Korea known for its rustic beauty and seafood. Myself and three friends took a 3 hour bus ride from Seoul station in order to stay at an Airbnb right on Gyeongpo beach. The beautiful countryside was much different from Seoul’s bright skyline, but allowed us to shoot fireworks on the beach, ride scooters along the coast and watch the sunrise over the Pacific. We even got to eat at a traditional family-owned restaurant after much confusion with the Korean-speaking chef and the help of some English-speaking customers!
While I had no expectations going into my study abroad semester, I can safely say it far exceeds anything I could have hoped for and I am so grateful to continue exploring my mother’s homeland. See you in the next blog where I talk about a trip to one of the most Southern areas of Korea and accidentally ordering pig stomach for dinner!