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While in Tagaytay

Tour Guide: Taga-saan ka ba?

Me: Taga-Cebu.

Guide: Hindi kaya..

Me: Oo naman, bakit?

Guide: Para kang foreigner kasi eh..

Me: Di ah! Nag-international school kasi ako. Kaya karamihan ng mga kaibigan ko ay puti at Korean.

Guide: Ganun?..

Me: Oo.

Guide: ...Hindi naman. Akala namin kasi taga-Malaysia ka.

Me: -.-

Gotta work some more on that Tagalog accent, I guess?

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Tagaytay and Taal Island

Today, I went with my driver to Tagaytay. Tagaytay was about an hour and a half away from Manila and offered a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life. We got to a place called Picnic Grove which overlooked the beautiful mountain lake that makes Tagaytay so famous. When we got there, immediately I was approached by several “volunteer” guides that offered to take me around the place and experience all there was to see. There was a zipline ride available for 300 PHP, which is about $7.50, so I couldn’t resist. It was such a thrill flying high over the trees and cliffs. Then one of the volunteer guides kept persisting on taking my driver and me to a speed boat to Taal Volcano. But I wasn’t really sure if I should trust the guy.  

So instead, I went to a “Fish Spa” located nearby and got my feet ‘massaged’ by a bunch of fish. They had this type of thing in Korea but no one wanted to go with me to it so I was glad to experience it here. What happens is you put your feet in a tub full of little fish and they eat the dead skin cells off your feet and it’s supposed to very relaxing and whatnot. Initially, I found it very ticklish. Later, it felt like my feet were falling asleep. The experience was really funny though; I liked it. Afterwards, the one of the employees gave me a foot bath and foot massage. All that cost an equivalent to $5 which is a much better deal than they had in Korea :p 

I noticed that the same guide was waiting for me the whole time so I decided heck, why not, let’s take the speed boat ride to Taal Volcano Island. It’d be an adventure. On the way down the mountain, the guide was telling me that lots of people from all over the world come to that spot. He said that Koreans were the ones who knew the least English. I found that interesting for some reason. 

The speed boat ride was fun. It took about twenty minutes to get to the Taal volcano island. When we arrived, there were locals waiting for us to disembark. They were used to tourists visiting the island on a regular basis. There were chickens, horses, and goats used for agriculture. It offered me a small glimpse of what life may have been like all over the archipelago before the Spaniards arrived. I imagined what it must have been like for locals four hundred years ago when Spanish ships arrived and how their interactions must have been like. For a moment, I was one with the locals. I felt like I belonged; like these were my people.

But then all of a sudden, I put myself in the shoes of the Spaniards and I compared the lifestyle there to the “Western civilization” (I hate that term) that I’m used to. It was a trippy experience. No one has the right to judge other societies. It’s like comparing apples to oranges mangos to durian. I do, however, find it problematic that the Spaniards found it necessary to “civilize” people on the Philippine Islands. The locals on Taal live simply, but peacefully. They can sustain themselves. I admire it. There’s no need to change it. Perhaps that’s how all the Philippine Islands were like until the Spanish came in with their capitalism and screwed everything up.

I rode a horse to the top of the active volcano for 500 PHP (about $12). The guy guiding the horse didn’t bother making it walk slowly so I really had to learn fast how to stay on. That was fun. On the way up, I noticed other tourists of all shades and walks of life heading back down the volcano. I realized how the place, though harboring an atmosphere of tradition untouched by “Western influence”, had become a tourist place used for the viewing pleasure of foreigners. Am I a foreigner, though? After all, I did not grow up in the Philippines. I don’t think of myself as a foreigner though, even if sometimes I may feel like one. I do, nonetheless, feel a very strong, undeniable connection with these islands, these cities, this country. Hindi ako dayuhan. I am a balikbayan. 

The view from the top of the volcano was mesmerizing. Breathtaking. Pictures don’t do it justice. The lake in the mouth of the volcano was beautiful. It was a lake in a volcano on a lake. After several moments of soaking up the scenery, I decided it was time to head back down and got back on the horse. It got pretty dark and since there was no electricity on the island, it was getting more and more difficult to see. I can’t wait to come back, but next time I’m arriving in the morning. 

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First Day in Manila

When I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I was kind of freaking out because the phone Tita Chiqui lent me had no money in it so I couldn’t make any outgoing calls to my Tita Arlene who was picking me up. Luckily though she spotted me from her van and called out my name before anyone could pickpocket me as I was wandering around the Arrival terminal. Okay, but forreal, I don’t know why people complain so much about NAIA airport. My experience wasn’t bad at all. 

I’m SO HAPPY TO FINALLY BE IN MANILA. Little known fact is that this is the place I’ve been wanting to go to the MOST for the past like.. seven years. Tita Arlene made one of the people who works in her office, Rhea, and her driver, Romeo, tour me around  Manila. It was freaking awesome. I finally get to use my Tagalog! YAY. 

First, we went to Luneta, which houses Rizal Park and we strolled through it and saw a lot of monuments to historical Filipino figures like Jose Rizal, Lapu Lapu, and other brave men (I noticed there were no monuments to women) who fought against Spanish conquistadores. The park was so beautiful but the weather was killer. I bought some fresh mango, the kind you need to eat with bagoong, but I opted not to get the bagoong because I don’t like bagoong.  I ended up not liking the mango and then gave it to a poor, hungry boy who approached me and asked for it.

Then we went to Intramuros which is a walled city which houses Fort Santiago. We didn’t really stay long because everything kind of looked the same. 

Afterwards, we went to Manila Zoo. It cost the equivalent of about one US dollar to get in. I can kind of see why lol. However! It was really interesting being in a zoo at NIGHT with insufficient lighting. Haha, it really felt like I was stranded in a jungle but it made the adventure so fun and interesting. We kept looking for the snake area but couldn’t find it ‘cuz it was so dark. All I heard was parrot noises and monkeys.  Freaking cool.

Lastly, we went to hang out by Manila Bay to just enjoy the scenery, the lights, the sounds of the city, and the relaxed atmosphere. I felt bad though when I had to tell a beggar that I had no change to give him. But anyway, guess what-- I FINALLY TRIED BALUT. (unhatched duck embryo). It wasn’t bad at all. I would do it again and again. 

After all that, I was driven back to Tita Arlene’s mansion in Ayala Alabang. It’s so nice here. Talk about unequal distribution of a nation’s wealth. I think half of it went to this house. Just kidding. No, but it really is extremely nice and I am super thankful that she is letting me stay here.  Thanks, Tita! Tomorrow, I will be going to Corregidor Island to take a guided tour. STOKED! 

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Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

It's so good to be back in Cebu City. I wish I was staying in the Philippines for more than just three weeks. I'm really happy though to be staying with my family again. The last time I was here was two years ago for my cousin's wedding.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived and got picked up by Tita Chiqui was that there was a lot of development yet to be made in Cebu City. It is the second largest city in the Philippines and I see so much potential in it, economically speaking.  I guess since I just saw Korea, I've been doing a lot of comparing, which, in a way, isn't very fair considering the two have very different histories and circumstances that led up to their respective developments.

Nonetheless, I did notice that there were still a lot of squatters and homeless youth roaming the streets, begging. Tita Ana told me that current president Aquino is trying to pass a Reproductive Health bill that would push for mass education about reproductive health, access to contraception, etc. She also informed that the (extremely influential) Catholic Church is vehemently against this bill (due to the abortion part) and therefore is probably the biggest hindrance to it getting passed. This pissed me off. Overpopulation is one of the most salient problems in the Philippines. I'm pretty sure that the population here is already over 100 million and that 33% of the people live under the poverty line. Someone please tell the Church that overpopulation exacerbates poverty and that poverty spawns overpopulation in a reinforcing cycle of doom. Seriously, separation of church and state is an amazing thing, especially in cases like this. In my humble opinion, curbing overpopulation here is the first step to addressing the poverty problem and moving forward in economic development. Feel free to disagree. 

I totally digress. Despite the humungous income gap and poverty seen almost everywhere you go, I love being here. I love the people, the laid-back atmosphere, and the beautiful tropical weather, and the FOOD (oh my goodness). I've even learned to love the humidity. The only thing that sucks about it is the mosquitos -.- In Korea, I got bitten by mosquitos about four times. Here, I've gotten bitten about four hundred times. Yeah.

It's been really nice being able to hang out with my family again! Especially my grandma who I call Ata. The domestic helpers in our house speak English and Tagalog this time! Last time I was here, they were different and they only spoke Bisaya so I had to use caveman sign language to communicate. 

I've been fed the most amazing Filipino foods this week. Adobo, pork kawali, menudo, nilaga-- but my absolute favorite so far was the lechon, or roasted whole pig. Cebu makes the best lechon in the world. It was the best I've ever had in my life.

Tita Ana took me to this expo where Cebuano companies were showing off their export goods and trying to sell them. There were a lot of interesting items and foods. I had coconut sugar. It was really good! 

My cousin Anton and his girlfriend Krisha took me to SM Cebu, where I bought some Filipino-brand clothing because I am a nationalist (jk. or am I?). I was also in search for pasalubong.  Tita Gangging also went with us to Ayala Mall and I tried to buy more clothes but their machine wasn't accepting my Visa so I was like, uh, bye. I should exchange more money. 

Tita Chiqui and Tito Rex treated me to a nice and very fancy Mexican restaurant called Maya last night. I ended up picking the most Filipino thing out of the whole menu though, which was the pork kawali. I'm not sure where the Mexican fusion came in because it tasted deliciously Filipino to me. After having some mojitos, we all headed over to Keep in Touch, which was a massage place. I got a 75-minute Philippine Hilot Massage which was super relaxing and I got the best sleep in the world afterwards. 

Tomorrow, I will be flying to Manila (for the first time since I was an infant). I will be staying with Tita Arlene (my mom's friend) and her family for five days before flying back to Cebu. I am so ready to meet them, see the country's capital, finally put my Tagalog to practical use, and enjoy the rest of my vacation. 

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Final Reflection on Korea

I'm really glad that I got to study in Korea for six weeks. Not only did I meet so many interesting, fun, and unforgettable people with whom I had many good times, but I also learned a lot through classes, getting lost in the city multiple times. I would love to go back to Seoul and Busan one day. Hopefully my plan to come back to Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics works out. 

Being in Korea allowed me the opportunity to feel what it is like to be in a place where you don't speak or understand the language and are unfamiliar with the customs. It really made me feel for those who immigrate to America and find themselves in similar situations. It also made me think more about 'fob' jokes. I'll think twice about making fun of someone's English if it's not their first language. Me trying to get around speaking Korean was pure comedy. 

There's a lot about Korea that I miss. The food (especially street food), the other Yonsei International Summer School students, the public transportation (subway was extremely efficient), soju, the high economic development, the gimbap I ate every single day without fail, nice locals who were very patient with me when it was hard to communicate, and having the option of going out every single night.

There's also some stuff I won't miss. Taxi drivers who you have to bribe if they won't take you because they think your desired destination is too close, the language barrier which renders me linguistically dependent on Korean Americans, the feeling of being a foreigner due to (sometimes) intense nationalism in the country, and the rain that always ruins plans.

I got my grades back and I got an A+ in Modern Korean History, an A in East Asian International Relations, and a B+ in Modern Korean Culture and Society. I'm very happy with the grades and I feel like I really did learn a lot. I wish I could apply what I've learned about Korean economic development, become a public official in the Philippines, and then copy and paste my knowledge of Korea into Philippine economics. 

Anyway. I'll never forget my summer at Yonsei International Summer School 2011. Even though the pictures/videos refuse to upload, I'll keep trying. I'll find some way! Or I can just use the ones friends took. But for now, it's time to move onto the Philippines. :] 

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At the Airport.

I'm about to board the plane to Cebu. Later this weekend, however, I do want to reflect on my trip to Seoul in general. Goodnight!

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Tumblr as a Source of Procrastination

I can't believe there's only two more days left of my stay in Korea. I'm a little bit sad.

I honestly don't know if I'll ever come back just because traveling is expensive and I would rather travel to new parts of the world. 

I do wish I went to Lotte World, Caribbean Bay, the DMZ, and the area south of the Han River in general. If I ever come back, those will be my destination priorities.

I wish I could enjoy these last two days here without worrying about my three finals tomorrow. Buzz kill. Haha, but I guess the word 'study' comes first in 'study abroad' for a reason.

Well now I'm off to go study non-stop for the next five hours and then it's sleepy time. Wish me luck :] 

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Filipino Market, Shopping, Finals Week

Last Sunday, after attending the Yeoido church service again with Kayla and Demerie, I went to the Filipino Market with JR. The rain didn't stop us. It was so cool seeing so many Filipinos in Seoul. The market itself was, of course, next to a Catholic church. It wasn't much of a market since it only occupied one block of a sidewalk, but there was a pretty good variety of stuff they sold:

Filipino foods like longganisa, tosino, fish, patis, vinegar, balut, bbq sticks, pansit, overpriced dried mangos, etc. Calling cards, brooms, soaps, and a lot of other household supplies. I seriously felt like I was in Manila.

I was able to use my Tagalog, which was pretty much the main reason I went. I was so flattered when the vendors thought I was from the Philippines when I spoke to them. They were really shocked when I told them I was from America. 

Afterwards, we took the subway one stop away to Dongdaemun, which is a very big shopping place in Seoul. Real quick, I wanna mention how efficient and amazing the subway system is here. I finally mastered it a couple weeks ago, so the next time (if ever) I come back to Seoul, I'll really be able to go wherever I want :]

Anyway, at Dongdaemun, we found some multilingual cultural ambassadors who were hired to stand around helping tourists like ourselves navigate through the area. It really speaks about how Seoul is really trying to globalize and encourage tourism and foreign investment. (It's working VERY well). The cultural ambassadors showed us where to buy souvenirs and so that's what we did. The six story building we went into was massive and there were many more just like it in the area.  I think shopping in that area should be an all day thing. 

I was actually able to find a salesperson fluent in Mandarin, so I busted out some of Mandarin, engaging with her in coversation, and haggling down some prices. It was really cool. Glimpse of Taiwan, maybe? :p 

When we got back to the Sinchon station to go home, it was absolutely pouring so we decided to catch a bus to take us the rest of the way to the dorm. Unfortunately, we couldn't really read the bus routes correctly because they were in Korean so we kinda just guessed which bus to get on-- and um, we guessed wrong.

We waited on the bus for 45 minutes for it go all the way back around on its route. It was funny. But at least we got to kind of see the World Cup Stadium from the window. At the final destination, the bus driver was asking us why were still on the bus but we thought he was kicking us out because we couldn't understand him. So in the most broken Korean ever, accompanied with more caveman gestures, I told him that we wanted to stay on the bus to go back to Yonsei. He was very understanding and helpful. 

That was an experience. 

Well, now it's finals week. I pulled an all-nighter for the second time last night. It just reminds me about how much I hate finals week. I can do this, though. Three more days left in Seoul!

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I don't even know where to begin!

I guess I can safely conclude that I am not very good at keeping my Tumblr updated :( Life has been amazing lately. Today, I finally got to go to Gyeongbok Palace. Thanks, Susie for going with me despite having slept for only four hours the night before. The architecture and scenery was beautiful and I took a lot of pictures. HOWEVER, the camera my dad let me borrow isn't letting me upload any pics or videos. I was planning on just buying a camera in the Philippines.

Last weekend, Juey, Lauren, and I went to the National Museum of Korea. The exhibits were mostly about the different dynastic periods in Korea. They had an art exhibit as well that displayed a lot of Pan-Asian art. That Sunday, I also attended Yeoido Full Gospel Church which has the largest Protestant congregation in the whole entire world. It was a fun experience. The sermon was very similar to the ones I've heard in California and there was a section where foreigners could sit and wear headphones to toggle which translation they needed to hear since, of course, the preaching was done in Korean. I kept going back and forth from English, Spanish, and Mandarin. 

I've been going out a lot at night as well. Bars, clubs, pubs, etc. I've seen my fair share by now and I think I'm over it. However, last night we went to a Thai-styled bar in Apgujeong called Monkey Beach and it was pretty active and fun. It was a really good atmosphere, but had a LOT of foreigners, mostly American. At this particular venue, it was the norm to dance on table tops. We left as soon as it got too crowded and the music playlist seemed to be on repeat.

We went back to Hongdae afterwards (hopefully for the last time) because it was Club Day, which happens on the last Friday of every month. One can buy a wristband for $20 that gives you access to nine different venues. Juey and I didn't feel like clubbing so we dropped off Susie and went people watching instead. Hongdae is always on and poppin' but Club Day in particular reminds me of Halloween time in Santa Barbara minus the costumes. Massive amounts of people aged 18-25 having a good time. Dancing done in the clubs here is so different from the States. It seems as though people are more focused on what looks to me like line dancing moves.

There were a bunch of flash floods during this past week that inundated several districts in Seoul, but ours was mostly unaffected except for when classes were cancelled because the first floor of the building got flooded. It was trippy because we were in class and all of a sudden a bunch of water started trickling in. When the professor opened the door, the classroom started flooding and we had to evacuate. It was really interesting. It was a bit inconvenient because I was actually interested in the US-Japan relations lecture and because I was wearing my new white shoes.

We've been eating a lot of popcorn chicken from street vendors lately. It's honestly the best chicken I've ever had in my life. It comes with tater tots, rice cakes, and delectable sauces. I'm really gonna miss it :( I still think my favorite Korean food is bibimbap though, which is like mixed rice with vegetables, maybe some meat, and hot pepper paste or gochujang.

Last night, we had an EAP Farewell Banquet since the program is coming to an end next week. The food was really good (buffet style) and the venue was really nice. It was called Hotel President and our room reservation was on the 31st floor. UCEAP spoils us sometimes. 

It's Saturday night and I'm staying in. I have three papers to write. Due on Tuesday! Church again tomorrow; Demerie really wants to go. Then, Filipino Market afterwards. Seoul has a Filipino market every Sunday! I'll definitely have to blog about it. 

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Weird.

I'm seriously having the time of my life. I went out three nights in a row again this past weekend to several different venues and three different districts (Sinchon, Hongdae, and Itaewon). The only thing that kinda sucks is that I have to pull two all-nighters in a row but that's what being a student is about, haha. There's so many really chill people that I've met here that know how to have fun. The classes are really challenging and content-heavy, but really interesting (as I've said so many times already in previous posts). The dormitory I'm staying at is tricked out, air conditioned, and clean. My roommate, Joong-Hoon, and I get along very well. Everything's amazing and I'm having a great time. The thing that is extremely strange to me, however, is that I'm homesick. They told us at several orientations that it's normal and it happens to most people, but I really didn't think it would happen to me. Hey, look who's human.

I miss you, Fontana & UC Santa Barbara and all the people dear to me. Sheesh, and it's only been a few weeks! I'll bounce back though x]

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Midterms, Nanta, &Kimchee

So I have two midterms tomorrow and I'm kinda pulling an all-nighter. I really don't mind that much because Modern Korean History & Modern Korean Culture and Society are incredibly interesting classes and I am actually engaged in what I'm studying. I had two expresso shots to keep me awake. My body is really not used to caffeine (I don't even drink soda) so earlier I was extremely jittery. 

Tomorrow, EAP is taking us on another field trip. We'll be watching a really famous live show called "Nanta" which is like a cooking performance that gets really intense-- knives flying everywhere, large movements, fire, lights, drums, etc. I read somewhere that its fame is comparable to that of the Blue Man Group show in Las Vegas. I'm pretty excited.

Lately though, I've pretty much just been trying to keep up with my classes. I should probably go out more but I really want A's. There are some students on the program who go out almost every single night, destroying their liver and clubbing. Sounds really fun (I'm jealous), but I wonder how well they're doing academically. 

So, I have developed a love for kimchee. When I first got to Korea, I lied to myself and told myself I liked it, but now I crave it like everyday. I'm excited for the food in Taiwan though. Taiwan is supposed to be the Gluttony country of Asia. If Taiwan's food can surpass the deliciousness of Korea's, my taste buds will cry tears of joy.

Gotta keep studying. Goodnight!

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My hand still hurts after a eating a meal with chopsticks. :(

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Week 3 Wrap-up

This week has been interesting. My classes are very intriguing and I'm learning a lot. It's kind of hard to keep up with readings since they're trying to cram everything in within a span of six weeks, but I guess that's how summer school usually is. 

A couple nights ago, we went out to a bar, another noraebang (where I finally got to sing a Tagalog song), a club, and then a Korean BBQ place. Four-course night success! Apparently, I'm not allowed in one of the clubs anymore, though. Oh, well. There's like fifty million others :] 

I'm getting a bit more and more used to Seoul, except for the fact that the language barrier continues to be mentally exhausting. I have less than ten useful phrases in my lexicon and communicating like an infant caveman gets old. I really wish I was taking a Korean language class, but I know I just need to pull through for a few more weeks. I mean always ask Susie or someone else to translate things for me but it just makes me feel less independent, haha.

I've been eating a lot of street food ever since I got here. It's so freaking delicious. It is kind of expensive though, at least compared to that of the Philippines. It usually comes out to about four to five dollars.  

We took the subway last night to Cheonggyecheon, which is like a man-made river/stream that runs for about 8 miles and there's a bustling and amazing night life that surrounds both sides. However, when we got there it was raining so we just rode the subway back to the dorm and talked for eight hours. 

It still boggles my mind how economically advanced South Korea is. I've been learning about how it developed over the last 20-30 years. Since I'm so used to seeing the Philippines, it trips me out that I'm in Asia and yet there are no beggars, no street pollution, no squatters, and very few homeless people. I wish I could somehow help the Philippines develop the way Korea did. 

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Gyungju & Busan Field Trip

The UC Education Abroad Program took us on a free field trip to Gyungju and Busan this weekend. It was so much fun. When we got to Gyungju, we had a free lunch at a traditional restaurant (take your shoes off before you enter, sit on the floor, etc). The food was delicious as usual. The city itself was a fun contrast to Seoul because it was a lot less busy and there were no English translations on the signs.

After eating, we headed to Bulguksa Temple, which was a beautiful Buddhist temple famous for its Pagodas. Afterwards, we went to Cheonmachong which was a tomb for an unknown king of the Silla Kingdom in the 5th or 6th century. Finally, we headed to Busan.

The ride to Busan from Seoul took about 6 hours by charter bus. Busan was absolutely beautiful. The sunshine offered a nice break from Seoul's rainy season. It reminded me of Cebu and San Francisco. Apparently, it's the fifth largest port in the world. Our hostel, which was more like a four star hotel, was very close to the Haeundae beach. Some friends and I went out to experience some of Busan's night life which offered a much more relaxed atmosphere than that of Seoul's. My favorite part was when we hung out by Grand Bridge, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. There were some musicians performing along the coast. This lady was selling fireworks and I asked how much it was because I wanted to buy some. But then Susie convinced me not to and the lady got mad and hit me with the fireworks and yelled at Susie in Korean HAHA. It was cute. 

We went to a noraebang, or Karaoke place where we paid around $20 for an hour of singing. Karaoke is a big thing in Korea, but I still think Filipinos love it more :p

While in Busan, we took a trip to the Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest in Korea, and I actually did end up trying the fresh live octopus. Susie (almost) took a video of me doing it but she pressed the wrong button and it didn't record the whole thing.. just the before and after part. I didn't want to redo the experience though. All I can say is that it wasn't bad... but it wasn't good either. We also ordered fresh sashimi. 

I'm gonna miss Busan. Too bad it's so far away from Seoul. I would love to come back one day. I think I secretly like it more than Seoul, but let's not jump to conclusions. 

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Rambling

I ended up dropping North/South Korea Relations because the course load is way too heavy. Plus a 16 page paper? Are you serious? Especially considering it's a 6 week course!

I dropped US and Northeast Asia because the professor's teaching style is unbearable. His monotonous speech and disorganized lectures are what drove me away. 

So, instead I'm taking a Modern Korean History class which I am very happy with. Not only is the content very interesting, but the Korean American professor knows how to keep the class engaged. 

I don't know what other class I'll take. Either one on the Korean War or one about Understanding Korean Popular Culture and the Korean Culture Wave Movement. Haven't decided yet. I still have one more day to think it through.

I explored the campus during my free time today after I set up a Korean bank account. The library here is really modern and nicer than any I've seen in California. Even better than Berkeley's. That's because Samsung fully funded it. Go figure. Random Korean people have been going out of their way to help me through the language barrier when I'm by myself in public. It's pretty humbling/inspiring.

I have a roommate now. He's a really chill person. He, Susie, Kayla, Brian, and I just came back from a Korean pub. It was a good night. Good drinks, good food, good company. Now I gotta sleep because I have a 9AM class tomorrow. Goodnight.

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Weekend Wrap-up

I moved in a few days ago into the SK Global House at Yonsei University. It's so high tech and nice here. I'll have to video it sometime. The only building rule I dislike is that girls can't hang out on guys' floors and vice-versa. The room I live in houses two, but I have yet to meet my roommate. 

The past four nights have been very eventful to say the least. I don't even know how to start. I hailed my first taxi, got lost twice, had to communicate like a caveman on many occasions (I wish I knew Korean), ate Korean street food, experienced a bit of the night life in the Hongdae and Sincheon districts, and met so many fun and exciting people from all over the US and world. 

The weather here has been a bit terrible because monsoon season came in three weeks early just in time to greet me and the other Yonsei International Summer School students. I still have yet to see the sun here. They say the rain should stop in a week or two. Nonetheless, the rain has not stopped me and a bunch of others from going out every night for the past three nights.

The drinking age in Korea is 19 and needless to say, many of us are taking full advantage of a new found freedom. Everything in moderation, though ;) Let me just say something about soju, which is the most popular liquor in Korea: It's amazing, try it in moderation and you're in for a good night with friends. The bars here have been making lots of money off us. I would elaborate, but you know what they say, some stuff that happens in Seoul is better off staying there. 

The club scene in the Hongdae district is absolutely bustling, fun, and crowded. I enjoyed it very much, despite the fact that at one point, I got lost. By lost, I mean I got separated from the group I was with and was left to fend for myself without a phone, no sense of direction, and unable to speak Korean. HOWEVER, by some miracle, I was reunited with a different set of friends, somehow finding them in the midst of thousands of people. 

Moving on, I have enjoyed 99% of all the foods I have tried so far. I have not gone a day without eating 김밥 (gimbap), which is like a seaweed sandwich that comes in either a sliced roll or a triangle shape and it contains cold rice, vegetables, and usually meat or tuna. Absolutely delicious and CHEAP. ($1 or less). I will most likely be eating it every single day I'm here. Another favorite of mine is 냉면 (naengmyun) which is thin cold noodles. The place we went to offered it with 불고기 (bulgogi) or marinated barbecue beef. Like I mentioned earlier, I tried street food for the first time in another country. It was 떡볶이 (tteokbokki), rice cakes in hot pepper sauce. Susie Kim and I made a video of the experience that I'll post up soon.

School starts tomorrow. Time to buckle down. I'm excited because I'm taking really interesting classes for my major: East Asian International Relations, North and South Korea Relations, and The US and Northeast Asia. My schedule will be Monday-Thursday from 9-3pm. Definitely love the three-day weekend deal. I'm sad I won't be taking any Korean language classes, but I have been learning phrases here and there just from friends. 

Next weekend, the other UC Education Abroad Program participants and I will be going to the city of Busan and Gwangju as a (free) field trip. I heard we will have the chance to try live octopus... =/. That will be an adventure on its own. I can't wait. 

[genecastro-blog]

First Night in Seoul

My flight to Korea was a good 13 hours long. I had a lot of time to sleep, watch movies, think, do Rosetta Stone, and occasionally try to communicate with the old couple beside me who could speak only Vietnamese. The airline food was amazing and so was the service. Score one for Asiana Airlines.

I arrived at Incheon International Airport at 6pm local time and it was humid and gloomy because it rained earlier in the day. I hopped onto one of the limousine buses heading towards Sincheon Station. The 45-minute ride was interesting; I took the time to let it sink in that I was actually in Korea. Trippy! This woman was nice enough to help me get off at the right stop. Once there, I needed to find the Alpha Guest House. That turned out to be a bit more difficult than I had imagined.

Once I arrived at Sincheon Station, which was in the middle of a unique three or four-way intersection, I didn't know where to go. I just knew the Guest House was closeby. I roamed around for a while and then decided to go into one of the coffee shops and ask for directions. The two young women working the register spoke very limited English, but tried very hard to help me. They were so nice. Our communication barrier, however, was too much of a hindrance and I ended up having to roam around again.

Luckily, though, as I was crossing a different street, a woman approached me (I'm guessing she noticed I was carrying a bunch of luggage) and asked if I would be interested in staying at Alpha Guest House nearby. I, of course, said yes and explained that I had been trying to find it but got lost. She walked me there herself. Such helpful people I encountered!

So, here I am now in my Single Room for one night. It's pretty cheap-- about 25,000 KRW. (Around $25). Very cozy and quiet. Can't wait to move in to the SK Global House at the Yonsei University campus tomorrow and meet all the other international students! But for now, I'm gonna knock out. I think I've already (accidentally) adjusted to Korean Standard Time.