addyinkorea

[addyinkorea]

Banchan at Miss Korea in Koreatown NYC

[addyinkorea]

i'm still unbelievably bitter that i missed the big kpop concert in changwon that went on when i was living there. p sure i was in jeju when it happened. >:|

[addyinkorea]

woaaaaah. made a korean feast with my friends! 

[addyinkorea]

Think more about YOU

[addyinkorea]

woah guys...I should really get started on my new job search, but I'm so lazy...ahaha.

well, working my butt off at my current job back in the states, but lazy about finding a new job in SK. I really wanna get a job in Busan this time! I'll keep you guys updated with any info I find useful the second time around.

when I eventually get to an accountant I'll make a huge post about what to do re: taxes when you get back, bc it seems impossible to find info ????

if someone has info about what you're supposed to do about taxes plEASE let me know.

either way, the info will be coming to you within the next month because I only have until october oh ho ho (*cries* i hate being an adult)

[addyinkorea]

It’s up! My first video! after 9 months haha

7 things to think about when applying for a Korean University!

I hope this video is usefull for some of you guys, please like, comment and subscribe and tell me how/where to improve on these video’s cause I want to make some good and usefull video’s for you guys!

also if you have any more suggestions of video’s I should make about life in korea -as a student- let me know!

[addyinkorea]

Expat Life

No moving van? No problem! Just put your bookshelf in the back of a taxi! The driver totally won’t laugh at you!

Really! He won’t.

(he did)

[addyinkorea]

Hey, I just met you, and...wait, what did you just ask me?

I’m not the most private of people, but I was raised on the idea that there are certain topics that are pretty taboo in casual conversations: religion, how much money you make, weight, politics, etc. Unless speaking to a close friend, I’ve always shied away from these topics. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked I moved to Korea.

I’ll give some examples of questions that no longer shock me.

1. How old are you?

For children, I suppose, this question is par for the course. “I’m five and three quarters!” they will proudly proclaim. But as you get older, the question seems a bit more…personal. Especially as a woman. Now, I’m not suggesting that I’m old, but it’s hard to shake the habit of never asking a woman her age. However, in many conversations, this is the second question I have to answer, right after “Where are you from?” Knowing a person’s age in Korea is important. It colors your interactions, even changes the way you speak to each other, so I fully understand why this question is important. But still…

2. Are you married? Boyfriend? Why not?

This is one of those questions I always assumed you only asked if you were interested in someone. But since I am apparently at an age where I need to be thinking about marriage, this is the big issue on everyone’s mind. The worst part, for me, is trying to answer the “why?” part. I promise you, random taxi driver man, if I had an answer to that, I’d be a genius. On a related note…

3. What do you think of Korean men?

How do I even answer this? “…um…they’re…great…?”

4. Did you lose/gain weight?

There’s a running joke in my office that anyone who stays in this office will gain weight, because people are always bringing in snacks. Yesterday, my coteacher Mr. Lee asked me if I’d gained weight. When I said that no, I’ve actually lost weight since coming to Korea, my weight became a popular office topic. When I don’t eat all my rice, someone will inevitably ask if I’m on a diet.

I’ve heard again and again that Korea is very focused on image and beauty, and I suppose that’s true; I’ve had people straight up tell me I look tired or sick, just because I didn’t do my makeup so well that day. Come to think of it, though, that happens in the US too. Maybe it’s a universal thing.

5. What is your religion?

Maybe this is common in some places, but I grew up in Liberal/politically correct/hippie central. Maybe, just maybe, you might be asked if you are religious (usually to clear the way for a religious joke). Even then, it seems like a bit of an awkward topic. Your religion is your own business. But since I moved to Korea? I’ve been asked multiple times, and I never quite know what to say. I’m not Christian, or Catholic, or Muslim, or any of the easy answers I could give, but I’m not an Athiest either. It’s hard to say “I believe in something bigger than myself, but I’m not sure what” when your language level is comparable to a 5-year old.

Those of you who are in Korea, any other questions you get a lot, that used to shock you but no longer do? I’m curious.

xoxo

Ana

[addyinkorea]

Haeundae Beach

Went to the beach Thursday morning. The beach is really nice! The was great for about 30 minutes, but then I had to but on my jacket lol

[addyinkorea]

Things to know about having "First Conversation with Koreans"

Girl: Hi

Me: 안녕하세요 (Hello)

Girl: Wow you speak Korean!

Me: 아니예요 저 한국말 못해요 (No, I don't speak Korean)

Girl: OMG!! You're Korean is so good!!

Girl: Where are you from?

Me: Germany

Girl: Wow! I want to go there!

Girl: How old are you?

Me: 22

Girl: Oh you are my 언니 (older sister)

Girl: Your English is so good please teach me

Me: Ok 0.0?????

Korean young generations are usually very keen to talk to foreigners in English. (It can really get annoying sometimes).

1. Koreans will praise you that your Korean is very good even though you just barely make a complete sentence.

2. Also they will ask for your nationality. If you are European or American they will most likely like you but if you are South East Asian, East Asian, African etc. they might look down on you. Though it depends on which kind of Korean you are talking to. Koreans who had been abroad or the ones who have many foreign friends probably won't judge you just by your nationality.

3. Don't be surprised when they ask your age before asking your name (sometimes they don't ask you name at all). The age is important for them because Koreans have a formal and informal form of speech. They have to use a formal form of speech with people who are older than them. (I'll explain about the age system in my next blog)

4. Lastly don't be surprised when they ask you to teach English to them. All they want is to talk to you in English or at most, will just ask you about some English words or grammars that they don't understand.

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감자탕이랑 칼국수 최고로 맛있었어~ ^^

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Scenes from a work dinner.

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Busan’s Seomyun at night.

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Busan-o-rama.

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Guess who I ran into?? None other than Ironman. Totally made my day!

[addyinkorea]

Many Koreans who rent apartments don’t actually pay rent. You read that right. They don’t make monthly rent payments. Don’t start planning your move to Seoul just yet. There’s a catch. To get one of those apartments, on average, you need to plunk down the equivalent of almost $300,000. Under…

If you ever wondered how renting an apartment in Korea works or (one of the reasons) why young adults live with their parents so long. 

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Fruits at the open-air market in my town. (Daelsung-gun, Daegu, South Korea)