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[brokeinseoul]

Wow I guess it’s update time

I’m currently sitting in a goshitel near Seoul National Uni. There’s gnats but at least this time I have a window. I have a job interview tomorrow for a bar. I applied in Korean which I shouldn’t have done because I am NOT nailing any interviews in Korean haha not today. Why are the only jobs that respond to me the ones I dread?? 

I actually landed a job last week, but it’s not enough to even get by. I started to like being able to say I work in Gangnam and pass the SMTown Museum on my way home, but... Dealing with the rich and fancy is stressful, and not worth 8 dollars an hour, 8 hours a week. I only took the job because no one else was responding, but.... it’s not worth it. Can’t afford to live in Seoul and wait for them to have more hours for me. 

I know it’s been an entire two years since I’ve posted but I went through a lot of stress and depression that I’d rather not go into right now. 

[brokeinseoul]

There's also one in hongdae I've had my eye on

Had a blast at the Trick Eye Museum in Busan.

[brokeinseoul]

Drinking in Korea

I’m going to start this off by saying, you are not allowed to drink in the Ewha dorms. If caught you will receive 5 demerit points. If you get 10 demerit points or above you will be evicted from the building so please be responsible with where and when you drink. I don’t think there are any rules about having alcohol in the dorm, just don’t keep the bottles out in the open, and don’t drink it on campus.

That said: drinking in Korea is dirt cheap. So yes it’s cheaper to buy it from a convenience store but if you’re wanting to be safe about your consumption then just pair your alcohol with food and buy it directly from the establishment for a few dollars more.

A regular bottle of soju ranges from around 20% alcohol. You may think that’s fine but I’ve found that drinking in Korea can be very fast paced so keep that in mind when you realize that you’ve suddenly surrounded by empty bottles. The drinks I’m mostly going to focus on have less alcohol in them and can really only be found in Korea. I also, unfortunately, won’t be covering rice wine at all as I didn’t have the chance to try any on this trip.

1.  Iseul Toktok (이슬톡톡)

This peach fizzy drink is only 3% alcohol but it’s on my love list. If I could bring a box of 12 back to Canada without them exploding in my suitcase then I would. I just wish the alcohol content was higher, but if you’re not wanting to drink and just wanting to sip on something or still play drinking games with friends then this is an excellent option because I think it’d be nearly impossible to get drunk off of. Apparently IU does the CF for this drink as well if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

If you’re not a fan of peach or carrying around a bright pink can then try Brother Soda (부라더소다). It’s supposedly soda flavoured soju. It’s only 3% as well and tastes like Milkis. Personally, I was much more likely to reach for a can or bottle of Brother Soda over Toktok, but Toktok was a group favourite.

2. iCing Sparkling Wine: Grapefruit and Watermelon

For only 4% Alcohol level these aren’t winning any awards. It’s apparently a sparkling rice wine. They’re fairly large bottles and the taste isn’t great. For being the same size as a soju bottle it’s not really worth buying, but it was an interesting experience. I’d recommend the limited edition: Watermelon flavour if you really enjoy the taste of watermelon juice.

3. Flavoured Fruit Soju (자몽에이슬)

Fruit flavoured soju varies in terms of alcohol content but one that I really enjoy is  자몽에이슬 (14%) because I’m a sucker for grapefruit but the Apple is also amazingly good. An entire bottle on an empty stomach can you make you feel a queasy so just be careful when, how fast, and how much you’re drinking. It’s a lot of sugar. If you hate the taste of regular soju or want to stay fairly sane during drinking games then I’d suggest opting out to take shots of this instead.

[brokeinseoul]

MSG In My Noodles??

The other day I had a wake up call. My lovely boyfriend of one year and I were walking through the supermarket when I noticed a package of something strange. Naturally, like I would with anything else, I read the Korean package label outloud.

Realizing I probably don't know this word, my boyfriend quickly informed me it was "MSG". He didn't just tell me it was MSG in an everyday, matter-of-factly, "now you know" type voice. No, this was the shame voice that voice people use when talking about the homeless person sitting outside the grocery store.

Which made me think: Has the MSGTM propoganda spread to Korea, too? I'm a food science major and monosodium glutamate was one of the first things I ever researched just because I've always been skeptical. It's not any worse for you than salt, in fact it might be better for you, which is why the propoganda started in the first place. It's a flavor enhancer, just like salt. It's naturally occuring, and people have been using it in Asia and Europe for centuries.

So, it was startling to hear my boyfriend (or one of his friends, I can't remember) point to a brand of ramyeon and say it was "MSG flavor". Like, bruh, it's not that serious. But then again, when the guys are binge drinking with the excuse of "Koreans have stronger mentalities" no one listens to the food science/nutrition major then, either. Interesting.

It's not that serious tho.

[brokeinseoul]

When You Get to the Top of the Mountain and Immediately Pass Out

Because I'd been hella busy and tired I never got the chance to tell you guys I'm in Korea now. I landed on the 21st of July, and right off the bat, things got awkward. I met my boyfriend at the airport only to tell him I don't know how to get my luggage. We spent 30 minutes getting back into baggage claim and turns out it was right in front of my face the whole time. Whoops.

Anyway, since then I've been making new friends (my boyfriend's friends),

traveling (with my boyfriend to see his friends)

and eating a lot! (With my.. I'm sure you get the picture.. haha puns).

The point is I'm EXHAUSTED.

I don't know whether its a mix of the heat and my anxiety that's hitting me super hard right now, or jet lag is still going strong, or I'm having the worst hangovers (because eating out usually equals drinking in Korean culture), but I've been exhausted for the last week. I wake up and have absolutely zero energy. I haven't gone out much on my own, having no energy to prepare, and when I do put in effort and go to the convenience store around the corner it's a huge victory. It's a shame because I was hoping to do so much more with my extra time than sitting around wishing I could play my xbox (which I'm actually pretty close to doing thanks to my- ..You know what nevermind.).

[brokeinseoul]

Summer Session I: Fieldtrip 5: DMZ

This was the last field trip for Session I. Not only was it a somber field trip but the constant reminder that, soon after this field trip, we would all have to say goodbye was pretty heavy. 

I in no way feel adequately educated enough to discuss anything about North Korea or the surrounding area. So I’m just going to quote verbatim what our guide informed us about.

It took about 1 hour to arrive at the first location and we went to three main areas.

First we went to Imjingak Resort (임진각관광지), before crossing the border checkpoint, where you can see Freedom Bridge, the Peace Bell, and the war memorial.

Our guide said that families still come to this park to perform ancestral rites for those in NK.

This is the Peace Bell. You can buy tickets to go up and ring it (we did not).

Our guide said these ribbons are hung as people pray or hope for reunification of the North and South.

This is freedom bridge where around 13,000 prisoners of war were exchanged.

Here, I actually got side tracked speaking to a very nice old man who asked what university I go to and encouraged me to continue studying Korean. 

We had a very short amount of time here. I was disappointed as there was a lot to see and also it felt disrespectful to rush through the monuments and just take snapshots of the major areas without paying respect to their significance. However, there wasn’t much that could be done about that as we were on a major time crunch.

After this area we had to get through the check point. At the checkpoint, soldiers come aboard the bus and check your passport and identification. You must have your physical passport with you. No photocopies are allowed. You’re also not allowed to take photos in this area or of certain buildings throughout the trip.

There was a major hiccup here where our numbers didn’t match the list. Then our tickets didn’t match so we had to wait for a long time then do another trip back to 임진각관광지 before actually being able to cross over.

The next major area we went to had a museum of sorts as well as a short film on the discovery and (hopeful) unification of Korea, as well as information on the DMZ.

Here we walked through the “Third Tunnel of Aggression” (제3땅굴). The tunnel was dug by North Korea as a way to infiltrate the South. There are apparently 4 known tunnels but it’s estimated that there are more. This particular tunnel is 25 stories deep, which is easier said than done, so if you have weak legs or poor footwear I really wouldn’t recommend going down. You’re also not allowed any photography, phones, or personal items down in the tunnel. They give you a free locker to put your items in before going down so don’t worry about that.

They also give you a hard hat, because the second portion of the tunnel is very narrow, wet, and small. If you’re claustrophobic definitely do not go into the second section of the tunnel. If you’re taller than 5′5″ then prepare to hit your head and also to have an aching back after this. At one point I considered crawling on the ground because hunching over was getting so painful.

The tunnel is blocked off (naturally) with steel doors and barbed wire, but there’s a small window you can look through to see further in. You may also notice that some of the stone is painted black. This was apparently an effort made by the North to convince the South that they dug the tunnels to get coal… Not very convincing.

Then we went to a small observatory where you could buy famous soybean chocolate and pay 500 ₩ to look through the binoculars. Some students took photos with the soldiers here, but I was still ill at the time and just wanting to get away from the crowds.

Somewhere in between all of these stops we were split up by bus and given a free lunch of Donkkaseu (돈까스). I know one other group got chinese fried pork instead. If you have any food restrictions just let them know and they’ll provide different food accordingly.

Our next destination was Dorasan International Train Station. Apparently, since this February (2016) the relationship between the South and North has been the worst it’s ever been in a long long time. As a result all of the factories near North Korea, and this train station, have been shut down.

You can get travel stamps at the counter. They highly recommend you don’t put these in your passport as it can cause trouble later on when leaving Korea/going to other countries.

Finally, we went to the last observation area where we watched another short film and then went out onto the observation area where you can look through the telescopes for free.

Some said they saw villagers working in fields, regardless of whether you see anything or not, the view is gorgeous.

Our guide said the North has less trees because they had to cut them all down for fuel purposes.

Apologies that this post is a shorter one. The overall experience felt very serious and much unlike previous field trips. 

Also, now that I am finally (much) healthier I will be able to document and explore more! And for those doing the Session II placement test and orientation today: Good luck! I hope you enjoy your time at Ewha!

[brokeinseoul]

It’s a beautiful day… And this first plane ride is already awkward. Big bags + little plane = big nuisance. 😥 (at Baton Rouge Metro Airport)

[brokeinseoul]

Plans are A GO!

Okay okay, I’m gonna try to make this makes sense despite my excitement. 

I got my acceptance package from Yonsei U last week. As soon as I got it I got my application together and my money and my passport and all my damn documents and I sent it. If all goes well I should have my visa really soon. I also jumped the gun and bought my plane tickets!!! I’m leaving on July 20. Which means I have a month to finalize business here.. And no time to panic!

Time to tell my boss I’m outtie!

[brokeinseoul]

Upcoming Shows: June 24-26

Hey folks! Here are some of the upcoming concerts and parties around South Korea. If you have an event you would like promoted, feel free to send the info to discoveringunderground@gmail.com.

Thursday, June 23 Thursday Play - Hongdae, Seoul Every Thursday, hip-hop club In2Deep in Hongdae is hosting Thursday Play, a night of good hip-hop, R&B, funk and soul, and the opportunity to chill and hang out with some of the pioneers of Korean hip-hop - rapper 1sun, DJ Raw and dancer LateNite. This isn’t your usual party-hard night out, but is more for conversation and enjoying the music. Doors open at 10 p.m. and there is no cover charge. But bring your ID as minors (those under 19) are not allowed. Check out the Facebook page for more information.

Friday, June 24 2016 In Ya Mellow Tone Concert - Hongdae, Seoul Korean and Japanese artists who took part in the latest jazz hip-hop compilation album In Ya Mellow Tone Concert are coming to Seoul for a special show this weekend. Featuring re:plus, acro jazz laboratories, GEMINI, NIEVE, AJUNE BEATS, The 49ERS, Ai Ninomiya, DJ Chika aka INHERIT and Part Time Cooks. In Ya Mellow Tone albums have consistently topped charts in Japan each time they’ve come out. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Yes24 MUV Hall in Hongdae. Tickets are 66,000 won for standing and 154,000 won for VIP, and can be purchased on Interpark.

ClicKon - Hongdae, Seoul Hitting up Rolling Hall in Hongdae is the ClicKon show featuring performances from Hooliganz, Valen Crew, Bijungsang Crew, Wurrup’Z, Down For It Records and Astroboy with special guest Huckleberry P. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are 20,000 won on Interpark.

BulGeum Party with Alive Music - Busan For those in the south, coming up this weekend is the BulGeum Party with Alive Music at Sasang Indie Station located near Sasang Station. On the lineup is Alive Music, Critic, DJ Mad, Keypyo, Masstige, Overflow and T’wali, along with special guests B-Free, Jjangyou and Futuristic Swaver. The show is free to attend and starts at 8 p.m.

Dok2 x The Quiett in Daegu - Daegu Illionaire Records is hitting up club Volt in Daegu this weekend. As it is at a club, minors are not allowed in. The show starts at 10 p.m. and tickets are 15,000 won on Interpark and 20,000 won at the door.

“I Love R&B” - Hongdae, Seoul Every Friday night, hip-hop club In2Deep in Hongdae is hosting a special night of R&B. DJs will spin everything from 80s and 90s, to neo-seoul and more. It will also be Ladies Night, with no entry for women and special drink offers such as 4,000 won one-mix cocktails and three shots of tequila for 10,000 won. Doors open at 10 p.m. and make sure to have ID. Check out the Facebook page for more information.

Saturday, June 25 We Could Do This Shit All The Time - Hapjeong, Seoul The Promo.1- We Could Do This Shit All The Time show is bringing together some of the hottest names in Korean hip-hop today, with performances by B-Free, Nafla, Owen Ovadoz, Sik-K, JusThis and Punchnello at the Lotte Card Art Center Art Hall near Hapjeong Station in Seoul. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. with first floor tickets costing 44,000 won and second floor tickets costing 55,000 won, available on Interpark.

Hip-hop Dream Show & Bass Music Party - Hongdae, Seoul Rapbeat Show is sponsoring the Hip-hop Dream Show & Bass Music Party in Hongdae this weekend. Taking place at The Icon, the show features Blay, Lupi, Choi Sam, Nihwa, Simba Zawadi, Young B, Daisy, Doberman, JOON, Bagagee, Viphex 13 and Seiki. Tickets are 10,000 won on Interpark, and 15,000 won at the door. Show starts at 7 p.m.

Giriboy Album Release Tour - Hongdae, Seoul Just Music’s Giriboy has launched his album release tour across South Korea and his next stop is Seoul. The show will be at Yes MuvHall and is open to everyone age 12 and older. Show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are 40,000 won on Yes24 or 50,000 won at the door.

Stove Top Sessions Busan - Busan The guys are Part Time Cooks are taking Stove Top Sessions on the road down to Secret Society Busan. The guest performer for this round of the party is British MC Jake Pains. DJs set to perform are DJ MORMMORM, DJ Simpson, DJ Crusher, DJ Zet, DJ Room B. Doors open at 10 p.m. and entry is 10,000 won.

Shining Ground - Hongdae, Seoul Coming up at hip-hop club In2Deep this weekend is another installment of live underground hip-hop show, Shining Ground. On the lineup this week is DMDT, SeanL, Dnt Stop & Jack Zilla and Seungrae. Doors open at 10:30 p.m. and the show starts at 11 p.m. Entry is 10,000 won. Bring ID as no minors (under 19) are allowed.

A.M.D. Party - Itaewon, Seoul Hip-hop club Lucidream is hosting the A.M.D. Party this Saturday, with a special performance featuring rapper V-Hawk. There will be sets by the resident DJs DJ Tezz, Flojee, RED, JAMES and BEIN. Doors open at 10 p.m. No minors allowed. For a VIP table reservation, call 010-2261-2660 or 010-3140-0026

FLY-B F1RST SET Party - Hongdae, Seoul Hip-hop club Cream is hosting the FLY-B F1RST SET Party this Saturday, hosted by the ladies of the hip-hop party team #FLY-B. The party will also feature a performance by female DJ HANI, who has done sets all over Hongdae and Asia. Doors open at 10 p.m. No minors allowed. To reserve a table or get more info call 010-4858-3142 or message “creamhongdae” on KakaoTalk.

Sunday, June 26 Super Rookie Challenge 7 - Round 3 - Hongdae, Seoul The latest round of Super Rookie Challenge is going down this Sunday at Prism Hall. Up competing in this round are P.Hole, A-One, J.Counter x Stringer, Nihwa, Blay, Set A Day, Ovan, Yunhway, Skilleto, Guwon and High Jita. The show will also feature performances by special guests Sudajaegi, Jung Sang-su, Deepflow, Fresh Boyz, Sapo X Beall, DJ IT and DJ Rowboat. The show will kick off on 4 p.m. and entrance is 10,000 won in advance on IndiBookin and 15,000 won at the door.

Sleeq x Glam Gould - HIGH AS EIFFEL - Hongdae, Seoul Rapper Sleeq recently released the album “Colossus” with DJ and producer Glam Gould and the two are teaming up for a Minispot Live set called HIGH AS EIFFEL at Back In The Day in Hongdae. Seating is limited and only open to about 70 people the show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are 20,000 won online and 25,000 won at the door.

Beenzino 12 Live Concert - Hangangjin, Seoul The smooth rapper from Illionare Records is back with another solo concert taking place at Bluesquare Samsung Card Hall. Tickets are 66,000 won on Interpark. The concert starts at 6 p.m.

Other Upcoming Shows:

June 30: Thursday Play @ In2Deep, 10 p.m. - Free

July 1: ODJ Real Music Show (Huckleberry P, Deepflow, Beatfighter, Sinzo x Band) @ Hongdae Comedy Week, 7 p.m. - 30,000 won (Interpark)

July 2: The Ugly Junction, Live TEAM-UP Vol. 1 ‘Team ADV’ (FANA, ADV) @ The Ugly Junction, 6 p.m. - 30,000-35,000 won (Entcrowd)

July 9: Giriboy Album Tour @ Busan OZ Hall - 45,000-50,000 won (Yes24)

July 9: Hiphopplaya Show (Nucksal, Huckleberry P) @ Sangsang Madang, 6 p.m. - 44,000-55,000 won (Interpark)

July 9: 대프리카 Festival (Blay, Nihwa, Chamane, Jay Moon, Excu, Microdot, Geeks, Zion.T, Epik High) @ Hotel Inter-Burgo Daegu, 6 p.m. - 59,000-69,000 won (Interpark)

July 10: Giriboy Album Tour @ Daegu Rokwang - 45,000-50,000 won (Yes24)

July 16: 1st Busan Hip-hop Festival (Jay Park, Simon D, Gray, Loco, Deepflow, Don Mills, Wutan, Nucksal, Odee) @ Busan Outdoor Special Film Stage, 6 p.m. - 69,300-77,000 won (Interpark)

July 22-31: Epik High Concert ‘Now Playing 2016’ (Epik High) @ Sogang University Mary Hall, 6 p.m. - 88,000-99,000 won (Interpark)

July 23: Dynamic Duo 단독콘서트 (Dynamic Duo) @ Bluesquare Samsung Card Hall (Seoul), 7 p.m. - 110,000 won (Interpark)

July 30: Waterbomb (Simon D, Gray, Loco, Jessi, DJ Pumpkin, DJ Wegun) @ Jamsil Sports Complex, All Day - 88,000 won (Current Discount: 66,000 won) (Yes24/Naver)

July 30: All Force One - The Artist Concert (To Be Announced) @ Yes24 Live Hall, 5 p.m. - 66,000 won (Open on July 5)

July 30: Dynamic Duo 단독콘서트 (Dynamic Duo) @ KBS Busan Hall (Busan), 7 p.m. - 99,000-110,000 won (Interpark)

July 30: Beyond the Pool Party (Microdot, DJ Fenner, DJ Garenz, DJ Baryonyx) @ Lotte Hotel Seoul, 4th Floor Swimming Pool, 10 p.m. - 77,000 won (Interpark)

July 31: Dynamic Duo 단독콘서트 (Dynamic Duo) @ Gwangju Culture and Arts Theater (Gwangju), 7 p.m. - 99,000-110,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 5: Dynamic Duo 단독콘서트 (Dynamic Duo) @ Cheongnam University Jungsimhwa Hall (Daejeon), 8 p.m. - 99,000-110,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 6: Dynamic Duo 단독콘서트 (Dynamic Duo) @ Kyungbok University Daegangdang (Daegu), 7 p.m. - 99,000-110,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 6: Go Well Daeguro Hiphop Festival @ Daeryu Park Duryu Baseball Field (Daegu) - 18,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 6: Beyond the Pool Party - Busan (Simon Dominic, Ugly Duck, DJ Fenner, DJ Insert Coin, DJ Baryonyx) @ Lotte Hotel Busan, 10 p.m. - 77,000 won (Interpark)

Aug 13-14: 2016 Seoul Soul Festival (1st Lineup: Tyga, The Stylistics, Musiq Soulchild, Eric Benet, Robert Glasper, and more) @ Jamsil Stadium - Special Early Bird (~May 2): 2-Day - 125,000 won; Soul Early Bird: 2-Day - 154,000 won; Early Bird: 2-Day - 188,000 won; Pre-sale: 2-Day - 210,000 won, 1-Day - 125,000 won; At Venue: 2-Day - 232,000 won, 1-Day - 143,000 won (Melon Ticket)

Aug. 13: Show Me the Money 5 Concert - Busan @ BEXCO Auditorium, 7 p.m. - 99,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 20: Show Me the Money 5 Concert - Seoul @ Olympic Park Olympic Hall, 3 p.m. & 8 p.m. - 88,000-99,000 won (Interpark)

Aug. 27: Show Me the Money 5 Concert - Gwangju @ Kim Daejung Convention Center, 6 p.m. - 88,000-99,000 won (Interpark)

Sept. 3: BROTHER (Zico, Cruch, Dean) @ Gwangju Yeomju Gym, 7 p.m. - 66,000-99,000 won (Interpark)

[brokeinseoul]

Small Update #2

Yonsei University just emailed me saying I’ve been accepted! Woohoo!!

Now let’s just hope USAC doesn’t kick me out of the program since I still haven’t been able to pay my fee. 

Oh yea! I forgot to tell you guys that in the chaos of last semester I forgot to do my deferment form and it’s taking my financial aid department forever to be of any use. The due date for my USAC balance was May 1 (a month ago), so haha yea. Fingers crossed!!

The next steps are getting my physical acceptance package and using that to get my visa. Then I can get my plane tickets, and VAMOOSH I’m OUTTA HERE BITCHEZZZ. 

[brokeinseoul]

Info Post: USAC and How I’m Getting to Korea

For those of you who are curious about how I’ll get to Korea, this is the post where I explain everthing. 

For those in college, there are tons of study abroad programs out there and choosing one can be the hardest part. However, if you know where you want to go, that eliminates half of the process. 

Last year I went to Korea through ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs) aided by partnership with my university. Through this program I did exchange at Ewha University. An exchange is when you pay full tuition/room and board for you home university while you’re abroad. This is so someone from your host university can come to your school while they are also paying full tuition at their home university for you to go there. That was a lot to type... Does that make sense? By the way, I wasn’t always at a university, and this program wasn’t the first program I tried, Long story short, some programs are better than others, and you can easily compare your options with a google search, just be careful and plan reasonably. 

Anyway! The program I’m using this time around is USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium). My school isn’t partnered with this program and I won’t be doing an exchange. I will be paying my host school’s (Yonsei University) tuition instead of tuition from my own school. However, I still will be considered enrolled at my home school, and I will receive any financial aid I accept from my school, too! I chose USAC specifically because they offer a program with Yonsei University, and they offered the best of what I found. It was really easy to find, especially since I knew exactly which school I wanted to attend. I completed my application early, paid a hefty deposit, and was accepted into the program a few months ago. Although I have been accepted by USAC I am still waiting for confirmation from Yonsei to continue in renewing my visa and buying a dang ticket right now! Damn, I’m excited. I want to be in Korea so bad, you have no idea!! 

Well I hope this post was informative! If there’s anything you’re curious about, always feel free to ask me anything! See you in the next post!

[brokeinseoul]

SeoulAirr is now BrokeInSeoul

Expect lots of updates! For those that didn’t know, I came back from Seoul in June. I did a pretty crappy job of keeping this blog updated, but that is definitely going to change! 

I’ll be heading back to Korea this summer and I plan to be there for a year. If I can, I’m hoping to go sometime before August, possibly late June. 

So keep your eyes peeled for lots of info regarding my previous and upcoming trip. Also, feel free to ask any questions you might have! 

See you in the next post! 

[brokeinseoul]

I totally forgot to tell yall that I tried 육회 (YukHwe; on the right) the other day in the beautiful Gwangjang Market. It’s raw beef with sesame seeds and raw egg. I felt like a daredevil eating it, but as a food science major, I was able to convince myself that the only reason it freaked me out was because of diseases associated with mistreated beef and in the states (and that maybe salmonella isn’t as big of a deal here). So I went for it and it’s not that bad.

The stuff on the left though, I couldn’t even. The red stuff looked like and had the consistency of blood jello, and I was certain I would not like it. The grey things, I did try, and they were chewy and flavorless. Barely enhanced by the little dips you see sitting around the main plates.

[brokeinseoul]

MY JJAJANGMYEON IS WAY TOO SPICY

I KNEW I WAS MAKING A MISTAKE WHEN I READ “FIRE” ON THE PACKAGE WTF IS WRONG WITH ME

[brokeinseoul]

im going to korea in like 4 days

i repeat

IM GOING TO KOREA

IN LIKE 4 DAYS

[brokeinseoul]

Last Counseling Before Korea

Last semester I started seeing a therapist at my school's mental health center. It's been really helpful to me and I've made a lot of progress since I started going.

Today I went for my regular appointment only to find out that because I'm studying abroad, I don't pay the health center fee, so the appointments are no longer covered. This means that today's appointment was my last until I come back from Korea, and I don't think I'm ready for that! There's still so much I haven't figured out, like how to deal with the anxiety building up as I get closer to my departure, or how I should cope with my nighttime anxiety.

However, my therapist was nice to let me know I can still call her if I need to. She even scheduled a phone consultation for me on the week before I leave. She gave me more tips on how to stay calm and think positive thoughts, and I'll be spending a lot of time reflecting on everything she's told me so far.

I just hope she's right in saying that I'm ready to do this.

[brokeinseoul]

Small Update #1: Lost Documents +

Aaaaaalright!

So, I got my Korean visa the other day, and it's quite neat. It's like a sticker that covers a page of the passport book... The only thing is that I didn't get any of my other important documents back, which I did not anticipate... Oh well? I'll have to contact my program coordinator to see if I can get another packet of them.

In related news, I also got my tickets! I fly out in the morning Feb 23! I'm using exclamation marks because I want to sound excited, but I'm actually really anxious about the money I'm spending!!

At least if I end up with zero dollars in my account I still have a meal stipend at Ewha and a dorm to stay in...