I Got My First Tattoo in South Korea!

Well, actually, I got two!

Months before arriving in Korea, I contacted a tattoo artist via Instagram. Actually – I contacted more than one. I wanted to understand normal pricing because the last thing I wanted was to ripped-off for being a foreigner. Quite honestly, in America, you are paying at minimum $60-$100 for a small one-inch tattoo. I figured if I went to Korea to get it done, not only would it be a good experience (not to mention my mom can’t kill me halfway across the world) but I hoped it would be less expensive.

After contacting many artists, it seemed the rates were about 100,000 KRW an hour. So, since I knew this base rate, I began to look for specific artists that intrigued my creative tastes. Therefore, I stumbled upon a page with the handle @dalgu_tattooer.

I DM’d the artist to see how pricing was and if they spoke English. A lovely artist named Maru, responded. Her English was exquisite and really helped me understand how getting a tattoo worked. Therefore, I asked for her Kakao and we began to get to know each other more. Through this connection we grew more like friends, therefore when I first met her, I already knew her well and we could have a good conversation.

I intended on only getting one tattoo when I met with the artists and so I only carried 139,000 KRW in cash with me to get one tattoo. My friend also came along, carrying 110,000 KRW. While I wanted to get two in one day, I knew I couldn’t because I didn’t have enough cash on hand. When we first arrived at the studio, it was a beautifully decorated apartment-style building with nice furniture and two adorable cats that played around your feet and slept. We were greeted with drinks and spoke about our ideas and wants for our tattoos, collectively speaking about where we wanted it, what size, and so on.

Even though I only brought enough money for one tattoo, Maru was an absolute sweetheart and convinced her teacher to give us a discount. My friend and I got one small and medium/larger tattoo for all the cash we took on hand. We enjoyed the company of Maru and her talented teacher so much that we even stayed and ate dinner with them – which was absolutely delicious if I may add and my first time ever eating 짜장면 (jjajangmyeon).

Even after getting our tattoos, we spent a lot of time talking and chatting with the artists. We ended up heading to the subway around 11:00 p.m. (Right when it closes!)

Scared we wouldn’t make it to the subway on time, Maru’s teacher offered to drive us and we, by the grace of God, made it just in time to find our way back home to Ewha University. I couldn’t be more grateful for my first tattoo experience – and I’m planning on getting a few more in the country with the studio before I head back to America!

My friend: 1998 ankle tattoo and two hand-poked finger tattoos (sun and moon) on her middle and ring finger.

Me: Serpent inner pinky hand-poked and thigh tattoo that has my name paired below in hangul based off a picture I took during my friend’s birthday.

Overall this experience was one of my favorite so-far of being in South Korea. It allowed me to get something I’ve always wanted to (and might have been too nervous to do alone). If you are thinking about getting a tattoo – especially in a foreign country – just do it! At the end of the day, you will absolutely never regret getting a tattoo that embodies an experience.

Mental Health While Abroad: Finding a balance and taking care of yourself.

I have lived in Seoul for almost exactly a month now! This last month has hands down been on of the most growth inducing, eye opening, and incredible experiences of my life so far. That being said, I have struggled with adjusting to life in a foreign country like so many other individuals do. I recently wrote about what I was feeling on my own blog. If you would like a little background on where this advice is coming from, check out the post here on my personal blog.

Go do things…

The first wave of study abroad stress that hit me was geared towards not feeling like I was doing enough in Seoul. You’ll be experiencing so many new things all at once and if you feel like I did, you’ll still feel like it’s not enough. It’s completely overwhelming knowing you have the entire world at your doorstep with only a finite period of time to experience it all.

My dad got me a Lonely Planet guide to Seoul for my birthday this summer. I packed it with me when I moved to South Korea and have been using it obsessively since I’ve been here. Using a guidebook is a great way to get over the “but what do I start with” feelings that still regularly come into my thoughts. The book is sectioned off by category and neighborhood, making it super easy to look for specific things (museums, art galleries, hikes, etc.) as well as a tool for exploring the neighborhood around your apartment or school.

Although the amount of things you’ll probably want to see is overwhelming, you’ve got to start somewhere. Pick somewhere out of the book and go explore! Exploring places by myself and on foot have been some of the best experiences I have had since I’ve been here. If you want to see some of the cool places I’ve visited, check this out.

…but rest if you need it

After my first week of school, I found myself completely exhausted. I was experiencing a language barrier every day and was tired of not being able to communicate. On top of language, everything I was doing was brand new to me. Commuting to school, looking for classrooms, asking for help, and figuring out what to eat. None of these things were super stressful on their own but after a long day with hundreds of decisions you really have to think about, you’ll be tired. By Friday of my first week, I was physically and emotionally drained and just wanted to sleep.

I had planned to spend my first weekend exploring Seoul and doing lots of new things, so spending 3 days in my room didn’t go over well with me. I ended up needing to take the weekend to rest and recharge, without any pressures of going out and doing things. I cancelled my plans and hunkered down in my building: sleeping, doing laundry, cleaning, and practicing Korean. I felt incredibly guilty for not wanting to do anything other than sit in my room. I’m experiencing the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t believe I didn’t even want to leave my building on my first free weekend. By Sunday, I was feeling re-energized and ready to tackle the week. I ended up going to Myeongdong that evening for some street food and shopping and had a lovely time.

You won’t be able to go out and enjoy experiences if your brain needs to recharge. Be sure to honestly check in with yourself and if you are feeling overwhelmed, you owe it to yourself to take that time to recalibrate and rest.

Take time to journal every day.

Journaling at the end of my days has helped me begin to process everything that is happening. If you didn’t bring a favorite journal with you from home, there are a ton of great book stores in Seoul that carry great selections. Kyobo is a popular bookstore chain here with an incredible selection of everything you could possibly need to journal.

Since I have been taking a lot of photos and have been updating my personal blog, I have been trying to keep my journal focused on what is not seen in my photos and blog. Rather than focusing on things I did “Dear Diary” style, I have been writing about how these experiences have been making me feel as well as my reactions to things.

Be sure to take a breath and enjoy the journey! As always, don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or you just want to chat about what I’ve been up to!

Budgeting for Study Abroad in Seoul, South Korea

돈이 없어요?

No money?

Make a Budget! 

We all know traveling on its own to another city or state can become more expensive than we intend in just minutes. But to another country? Get ready to break the bank! 

For many college students preparing to set their foot in a foreign land for their study abroad journey, the idea of money is taboo. It is no secret that we college students struggle with saving money spending it wisely. However, knowing money doesn’t grow on trees, I created my own budget for South Korea. If you want to study abroad and still have money in the budget to go travel to places like the picture in this header, renowned theme park: Lotte World; it is essential to budget to enjoy the things you want to experience while simultaneously keeping your head above water and most importantly out of unnecessary debt.

But Where Do I Start?

First, I made an excel spreadsheet on a program called WPS. It is a free service that works the same as Microsoft Office but is more tech-savvy with a beautiful and consumer-friendly interface, and better yet – is FREE! 

Using this program, I made a sheet that contained all of my individual wants and estimated costs. For example, I knew beforehand that I wanted tattoos and had even chatted with artists during my time in America via Instagram to get estimated rates (more on this in another post later!). I also added the estimated costs to travel to other countries during my stay in South Korea.

This sheet, which I like to refer as my “Initial Summary Sheet” due to roughly estimating my travel and expected costs, is labeled on my workbook as “SK Budget”.

*For my own privacy, I changed the total savings amount on the top left. However, with the set-up I made, I tried to think of all the initial things I will spend money on and the overall picture of my trip. I even wondered if going to other countries bumped me too much out of my budget, so I created a column (in orange) without countries. All these numbers are even, as I rounded to the nearest 100.

Keep in mind that this is just my initial budget. All numbers are subject to change, further emphasized in my monthly budget pages. 

I even happened to make a budget for the ride to and from the airport, as can be seen in the diagram. Even though the Korean Visa was more so $60, I budgeted $100 initially because I didn’t know much about the process or what it would entail. This particular sheet I plan to not alter during my time in South Korea, as it will be what I initially budgeted versus what I actually spend as seen in my “Sum” worksheet.

What next?

Decide how much you want to spend a month. Take into consideration what you budgeted into your main budget, and plan accordingly. I enjoy eating, so I budgeted ₩500,000 a month for food. As seen on the budget, you can see where else I channeled my spending.

My Excel sheet for study abroad 2019 Fall Semester begins from August (when I arrive) to December (when I am due to leave South Korea). I budgeted about ₩1,000,000 (about $850 in 2019) a month. Each month varies due to any needs/wants I estimated, along with my month tattoos budgeted at about $100 a piece. My first month I budgeted ₩600,000 (about $510 in 2019) for five days.

While I admit that is a LOT to budget for my first few days in the country, I wrote as a side note to treat myself! The first month I want to feel like a tourist, and make sure I have the funds necessary. If I don’t use all of it, better for me!

Also, note how I exchanged the won to dollars ratio on the Excel spreadsheet since I wanted to make sure I knew how much I was spending in both currencies. I plan to pay the majority of my trip on my credit card (please invest in a 0% foreign transaction fee credit card at your bank!) and wanted to make sure what I saw spent in won correlated with my bank statements. Blame the accountant in me! But, I also found it as an opportunity to understand more about my spending habits in both American dollars and Korean won.

I also broke down my transportation costs on the ledger to see where I spent most of my money transportation wise and will add more modes of transportation once I am in Korea if I use any new forms of transportation. This is more hopeful for readers like you, wondering how much exactly you might spend traveling around South Korea.

Ending Summary Sheet

In order to keep in line with understanding how much I personally assumed I would spend in Korea, I made an ending summary sheet at the end to understand how much I over/under-budgeted for my trip abroad. When all the sheets from August to December are filled, it will compare the original summary sheet (first tab) with the actual expenses incurred during the past couple of months.

Credits and Documents

Budget Blog Post

Original Budget I altered to fit my needs.

I will be posting another post near the end of my study abroad trip with my personal expenses and what I spent specifically during my time in Korea, as well as tips and tricks. Stay tuned, and until then…

Study Abroad in Korea: Kookmin Edition

Hello! My name is Lexie. I am a student at the University of Portland studying abroad at Kookmin University this fall. In just over a month, I’ll be heading to SEA-TAC for my flight into Seoul. I’m super excited to be joining Bielka and Jada on the Mindful Banter Travel team!

Here’s a little more about me and my program:

I am a sophomore at the University of Portland studying business administration and music. I was born in Los Angeles and lived there until moving to Anacortes, Washington in 2013. I’ve loved traveling and exploring since I was a little girl. While contributing to this blog, I will be regularly updating my own personal blog on more day to day aspects of studying abroad; sort of like an online journal. I’m looking forward to sharing what I have learned with everyone here at Mindful Banter Travel. In the short amount of time Jada and I have been talking, she has been incredibly helpful in sharing her knowledge and wisdom with me.

Our program is a direct exchange through Kookmin and UP’s schools of business, meaning we fully participate in the Kookmin University International Business School (KIBS) while we are abroad. KIBS is made up of KMU students and many international students from all over the world. Our business classes will be taught in English in classrooms with widely varying cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. Although we will be largely immersed in Korean life, we will be living and working directly with a truly global community. Although our international business classes will be taught in English to everyone, English will not be everyone’s native language.

I am super excited to be heading out on this adventure so soon and thankful for Jada for giving me the opportunity to share this journey with you all!

Study Abroad in Korea: Taking Public Transportation in Seoul

Imagine: You just got to your accommodation from the airport bus, and now you want to go to Hongdae to party until the first train the next morning. How do you get there? Why doesn’t the subway run all night? How do I even pay? All of these questions can be answered by the end of this post!

Seoul is a giant mega metropolis: over half of Korea lives in the metro area. No, you read that right, half the country lives within the capital’s sprawling metro system. It’s a big city, but boy can you notice the overcrowding during rush hour. Because there are so many people, many of the city’s main attractions and directions are situated near subway stops. For your reference, there are 20 lines operating throughout the metropolitan area. On top of that, there are 4 main types of buses you can take to get you closer to your destination if it isn’t quite near a station.

How do I pay?

What you want to do immediately after you get situated is take yourself to a GS25 and buy a Pop T-Money Card. You can buy the normal ones from any convenience store or the subway vending machine near the fare machines, sure, but this card, in particular, gives you access to not only fare payment in other major cities in Korea, but a built-in membership card for a slew of stores, which means discounts! If you can keep up a good habit of refilling it, it’s completely worth it. Oh, not to mention it’s the same price as a normal T-Money card at ₩2,500 so…you have nothing to lose! If you’re not confident in your Korean, just say “Pop T-Money Card 주세요.”

Navigating Seoul

The next tool in your arsenal is a smartphone…which you should 100% have because if you don’t, you miss out on a lot of Seoul and you will get extremely lost. Even Koreans get lost on a regular basis, and the last thing you need to is to get lost with a language barrier.

So assuming you now have a smartphone (yeah, I waited for you!) I need you to go download KakaoMap (Android, iOS), KakaoMetro (Android, iOS), and KakaoBus (Android, iOS). Yes, all three! Delete Tinder if you have to (trust, you won’t need that here!). These will be your lifesaving tools. Your 411, personal tour guide without having to make awkward conversation with Koreans afraid of using English. Make sure you have the location function turned on, use the sparingly-available free wifi (or if you have data, preserve it just for this and KakaoTalk), and pleaaase come to Korea knowing Hangeul (it takes like an hour tops!). As long as you can type what you see, you won’t even need to know what it means…even though that helps too.

 

How do I get on?

Alright, finally to the meat and potatoes. You made it to the subway station at Exit X (x = any number 1-10, because Seoul is ridiculous), and now you just need to get on.

In pretty much all of Korea, you tap your transit card once when you get on, and once when you get off. So if you’re catching the subway, you’ll tap yourself into the turnstile, and you tap when you exit the station. Don’t worry, everyone else is doing it, so when in doubt, just follow the crowd. Look at how easy Joan Kim makes it look! (Skip to 0:49)

How do I get there?

“But how do I get past this funny looking…gate thing…

“and which way do I go…

“and what time does the train come exactly…?”

Everything can be answered by:

Gosh look how helpful that is. Hell, you don’t even need to know Korean to use KakaoMetro. KakaoMap does need some amount of Korean knowledge, but as long as you can read a map I don’t think you’ll be too lost if you’re not very proficient.

As long as you know what station you’re at, and what station you need to go to, you have everything you need. KakaoMetro tells you the departure time, what direction to take, and so so much more. Tadah!

Ok, so you made it to your “B” station from your “A”, and somehow even found the correct exit, but you need to take a bus. Darn, a bus? This is awkward, I haven’t told you how to do that yet. Ready for this?

Whoa, it’s like they thought about this or something. This is where you turn on your location and it tells you the closest bus stop! Unfortunately, you do kind of need to know how to read in order to get the bus stop, but you can use KakaoMap to figure out what direction you need to go in. This comes more in handy when you know what bus you need and really just need to know when the next one is coming. Once you find your bus stop, you wait in line until the bus arrives. File on, tap your T-Money card on the reader (free transfer!), squeeze through the crowd of people, and hold on for dear life because you might fall down…

What about bus/subway etiquette?

There’s not a whole lot different about being on public transportation in Seoul as other countries, but there are some things you should know.

First, get used to standing if you’re young and able-bodied because old people will judge you if you’re sitting and they’re standing. When I was in Seoul, I almost always stood unless I was on SNU’s campus shuttle or it was a particularly empty train and it would look weird if I was just…standing.

Another thing is noise. You don’t have to be silent, but if you’re with a group of friends, you should keep it down so that it’s at a normal conversation level or lower. Again, you’ll get dirty looks if you break this norm.

Finally, there are some lovely seats on the subway that tell you who gets priority in them.  The red seats (sometimes they’re colored differently depending on the subway line, but always have the sign) are prioritized for elderly, pregnant, and disabled patrons. The pink seats are a new feature designated specifically for pregnant patrons. I never bothered to sit in any of them because I didn’t want to have to be on alert for someone who needed to sit. I think most young people avoid the red seats altogether because for some reason there’s some crazy stigma about even sitting in those seats in the first place.

hyolee2 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D

http://www.koreatimesus.com/seoul-to-offer-priority-seats-for-pregnant-women-on-all-subway-lines/

Bottom Line

This is pretty much the gist of public transportation here in Seoul. It looks complicated on the outside, and yeah, it kind of is, but it’s really user-friendly. I caught the subway within hours of being in the country, and I didn’t get lost once (although I DID get lost trying to get to my apartment walking from the station), so I know you can do it! Contact me if you have any questions, and have a blast in Seoul~

Affordable Korean Classes in Seoul

If you search up “how to learn Korean” on the internet, you get a bunch of results for online learning, like Talk to Me in Korean, Duolingo, and How to Study Korean. But you’ll also see blog posts and videos that tell you the best way to learn Korean is immersion.

Looking at places like SNU and Sogang, the Korean class prices can be pretty steep for the unassuming wannabe Korean speaker, clocking around 2,000,000 won for a semester of a daily immersion class, and around 700,000 won for a part-time evening class. For some, the time commitment or money just isn’t in the cards. Maybe you’re only there for under 90 days, or perhaps you’re an exchange student that already has you cramming in last-minute homework at 2am. If you’re in Seoul, you have other options! (Other cities probably have similar opportunities, but I only have experience in Seoul.)

The quality of these cheaper classes is pretty hard to gauge since they are usually run by volunteer teachers, and many don’t survive the semester, but there have been some long-standing ones with a good online presence that you should know about in the case of wanting a cheaper option of Korean classes without breaking the bank or sucking up all of your time.

Seoul Global Center

Cost: 30,000 won deposit (refunded at the end of the session) + textbook (Sogang)

Class Duration: Regular Course, 12 weeks; TOPIK Prep, 8 weeks; 3 times a year

Class Time: Saturdays at various times

This is probably the most detailed level placement for its price in all of Seoul. There is a placement test that takes place when you go in to register for classes, where you will be placed into one of 6 levels. This is also the only cheap alternative to TOPIK preparation classes, and the center refunds your deposit when you show them your test receipt. Located in the Gwanghwamun/Myeongdong area, it’s easy to commute to and is the most organized of the list. Note: There are other centers that may offer separate classes similar to these.

JOINUSWORLD

Cost: Free (recommended 5,000 won donation) + textbook (19,000 won)

Class Duration: Ongoing, new students start on the 1st of every month

Class Time: Sunday 3pm-5pm

This class is good for people who want a Sogang education on a ramyun budget! It’s only up to 1B of the Sogang textbook, so if you’re looking for something a little more challenging, you might want to skip out on this class. This is near the Omokgyo Immigration Office if you’re familiar with the area.

Kongbubang

Cost: Free + textbooks (19,000 for levels 1 + 2)

Class Duration: 10 weeks; 3 times a year

Class Time: Levels 0-4, Saturdays 4pm-5:30pm; Levels 1-2, Thursday 7:30pm-9pm

This class has been around for quite a bit of time and has a tremendous following. Boasting 5 levels and a large cast of teachers, Kongbubang sits near Sookmyung Women’s University Station at the Galwol Community Welfare Center.

Sookmyung Korean Education Volunteers

Cost: 1,000 won per class + 3,000 won per session for textbook

Class Duration: About 8 weeks; New session begins every 2 months

Class Time: Saturday 3pm-5pm

This class is located on Sookmyung Women’s University’s campus in the Social Education building. SKEV allows their students to choose their own level based on the textbooks they use. This class’s success can be attributed the fact that the teachers are students at the university and use this for practice, so there is never a shortage of teachers and relies on the students’ determination. They update their Facebook page regularly and seem like a very nice bunch of people!

SNU International Student Fellowship Korean Class

Cost: 20,000 won + textbook (~20,000 won)

Class Duration: 15 weeks, Fall and Spring semesters

Class Time: Tuesday evenings 7pm-8:30pm

As an alternative to taking classes at LEI on SNU’s campus, SNU students who take part in mentoring and supporting international full-time students offer affordable Korean lessons to foreigners (targeted to SNU exchange students). The classes are on Tuesday evenings and you select your level on your own using this Active Korean Guide. I’m not exactly sure if this is limited to SNU students because you don’t really need a student ID to be a part of it, but you might want to be student-aged as they go on group outings frequently. You’ll probably want to email them at isfsnu@gmail.com to make sure they’re still holding classes since this is student-run.

Closing Remarks

Surprisingly, Seoul is pretty generous with weekly, low-cost Korean classes that fit most people’s schedules. I had the opportunity to take a class (that I subsequently dropped after two classes) at a community center ran by a church that had a pretty good mix of foreigners from different backgrounds and reasons of coming to Seoul. It was also broke into 3 different levels, though it seems I was placed in the highest they offered despite only ranking 2/3 in practice TOPIK exams.

As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for,” and maybe some of these classes aren’t exactly rivals of their more expensive counterparts. If you’re a cheap millennial or just trying to cut costs down for your trip to Japan, hopefully, this guide was helpful. 한국어 배우기 화이팅!

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Guide to Finding Accommodations in Seoul

For whatever reason, you need a place to stay in Seoul for longer than a month and isn’t already arranged for you. Don’t panic! It may seem stressful to think about coordinating a place to live when you’re not in the country, and factoring in time zones, you could be nearly a day out of sync with anyone you may come in contact with. Finding a temporary home while you’re abroad is rough, but by tripping a bunch trying to do just that for my study abroad experience, hopefully, you won’t have to!

Before we start, let’s go over some key terms and examples of each:

One-Room/Officetel (원룸/오피스텔): This is equivalent to a studio apartment. These usually have a small kitchen, bathroom, a bed (or bed equivalent), and a desk. The building may offer free rice and kimchi. The deposit varies, but rent is quite cheap!

Goshiwon (고시원): Smaller than a one-room, may or may not have a bathroom inside, mini-fridge, bed, table, TV. Building usually offers free rice and kimchi. Deposits and rent will be the cheapest here.

Share house (쉐어하우스): Non-related people live in a big house or apartment together. Deposits and rent vary. Singles usually go for around 500,000 won a month, shared rooms from 360k-450k. Deposits can be anywhere from zero to a few months rent.

Hasookjib (하숙집): This is similar to a share house, only there is usually an older woman that will cook you breakfast and dinner. These are harder to find online and you’ll mostly find these when you walk around your desired neighborhood.

Apartment (아파트): Kind of vary, these can have anywhere from 1+ rooms, but the key money is HUGE. I’m talking at least 5,000,000 won (~$4,400 USD), and that’s pretty cheap as it is.

Okay, now that we know what kind of places are available, where do you even start? Great question! If you’ve ever looked for a place to live wherever you’re from, it’s pretty similar. Here are some things to keep in mind.

What is your housing budget?

Ideally, you’ll already have a budget for how much money you want to spend during your time in Korea and all things related, so this step shouldn’t be too complicated. In case you haven’t, think about what’s a reasonable amount of money to spend per month, and in total. Keep in mind that deposits vary depending on the type of residence you choose. It’s best to keep this at a range since there may be some flexibility. For example, you can get your own room in a share house for as little as 400,000 won/mo plus utilities in some neighborhoods, but others may leave you looking at 700,000 won rent, which is sometimes enough to get your own place!

What kind of environment do you want to live in?

One thing I didn’t take into account when moving into my place, an apartment with 5 other girls, was how much I value personal space. I’ve always had my own room, being the youngest of my mom’s kids, and not having my own room was really annoying. I didn’t mind sharing the bathroom and such, but when it came time for midnight cramming, I was struggling to focus and often retreated to the 24-hour cafes nearby. Don’t skimp out on money if you know you can’t live with too many people, but don’t be afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

How soon do you want a place to live?

If you’re anything like me, knowing I have a place to stay before I leave the country is an absolute must. I was open to staying in an Airbnb while I scoped out the neighborhood for a longer-term option, but my mom’s worried face every day was enough to cave in. A lot of the cheaper places won’t have options for more than a month before arrival, while other sites let you reserve a spot months in advance. Keep in mind that unless you put down a deposit, it’s very unlikely renter will hold your spot long enough to let you look at the space in person.

How do you want to pay?

This sounds a little weird, but it’s completely valid. Some places let you pay via PayPal, bank account, wire transfer, or even credit card, but other places really only take cash. Do your research to make sure you can accommodate what your renter wants.

Websites to start

These are all of the websites I used to look for places before I settled where I lived. Everyone should be able to speak English and be sure to ask all the questions you need to be answered before giving money to anyone!

Housing Search Links

Craigslist Seoul

The Come N Stay

AirBnB

Kozaza

Housing in Seoul Facebook Group

KINSA Homes

Links Given by My SNU Buddy

Beewon Guesthouse 

Ziptoss

Mr Homes

Housing Inquiry Resources

Eat Your Kimchi Student Accommodation Guide

WeFancy Housing Guide 

Hopefully, you found something useful out of this post! I did my best to make this guide as easy to use as possible since I know my brain works a little differently than others. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me on my social media!

Interested in being a guest author for Mindful Banter Travel?

I am proud to announce that I am accepting applications for guest authorship for students about to study abroad. If you might be interested, check out this post for more information!

Study Abroad in Korea: Reverse Culture Shock

Hi friends! I must be on a roll because I found some time to update (read: while procrastinating on readings). Since a few posts ago, I enjoyed my last week in Seoul, came back home, and pretty much went straight into school again, jet lag and all. Have you ever gone to bed by 8:30 pm and wake up at 5 am even though you’re a night owl? My ENTIRE first week back felt like I was one of those weird people who wake up early to work out before work. Pretty much how my first week of Korea was. Go figure.

Anyway, it’s really weird because I’ve had a significantly hard time adjusting to living back at home in the States. If you read my Culture Shock post, you remember that I didn’t really have much to say since everything kind of made me feel welcomed. However, being back here has been one of the hardest adjustments of my life.

The Cost of Eating Out

I’ve eaten at restaurants and other fast food establishments in the past 2 or so weeks, and oh. my. god…why is everything so expensive? A bowl of pho ended up costing me $10 after tax and tip! I think the most I paid for the same thing in Korea (for the same thing) was maybe 8,000 won? And this was at a fancy restaurant, not some local restaurant that should probably only charge $6. I had this misconception that Western food was so expensive in Korea, but I forgot that tax and tip play a factor into what you finally pay in America. For that reason alone, my wallet hurts already. (But seriously guys HOW IS $10 a MEAL CHEAP?!)

The Lack of 남친 (Namchin)

My friends grew used to my incessant game of “Where’s Waldo” where instead of looking for a guy in a red and white striped get-up, it was attractive guys, who ranged from average Korean to model potential. Call me boy-crazy, but I was up to the mid-50s (counting-wise) by what I remembered to count, and a lot higher if you count the times I forgot to. But that game came to a startling stop when I landed in Detroit, and eventually back to Philly. The world is definitely a little darker on this side.

Don’t get me wrong, there are probably attractive guys over here too, but Seoul is the hub of Korea, and with only around 6 million people in the Philly Metropolitan area versus a whopping 25 million in the Seoul Metropolitan area…there’s just more opportunity to find a lot of “the ones.”

Public Transportation

If you’ve ever caught the bus or subway in Philadelphia, you are no stranger to SEPTA, probably the worst public transportation system in the great Northeast. The inside is dirty, usually covered in some grime, people eat all kinds of food, and…I could go on. And things rarely come on time. I’m suddenly missing being able to track a bus or train while waiting at the stop. And the little jingle that tells you when the train is coming. Ah. Maybe I should move to Chicago…

So. Many. Plastic. Bags.

I went to H-Mart, that chain Korean market available across the country that Koreaboos always rave about, to buy some essentials pretty much immediately after I arrived home. Besides the $2 Ottogi instant rice (what a rip-off), or the insanely cheap pre-marinated bulgogi meat, I was surprised when the cashier would not stop putting all my stuff in bags as I was checking out. I mean, I bought maybe 15 things and yet I had at least 5 bags. What?! I was lucky to get a free bag (비닐백/봉투) in Korea, let alone have them give me way more than I needed. Even though I had experienced shock when I went to Daiso and had to ask for a bag (and literally 90% of other stores I went to), I already missed politely shaking my head and pulling out the Wonderplace bag I had from months ago.

People Still Stare at Me?

This is really something that didn’t shock me much while I was abroad, but for some reason really confused me when I came back. Pretty much every time I leave the house, I feel eyeballs on me. But I’m not out of the ordinary. I have natural colored hair, moderately built, dress in jeans and shirts with my scuffed Converse I dragged around Korea, and 99% of the time have a backpack on. So why is it that people stare at me in pretty much the same way as they did in Korea? I understood my novelty in Korea, but I’m not so sure about it in Philly.

This post has been in my drafts since the second week I got back home, but I’ve been suffering from so much Post-Study Abroad Depression and trudging through the new quarter that I haven’t gotten a chance to finish it and post. It’s kind of a classic “Week 7 procrastination” fest. That and I miss Korea more and more every day.

Enough of my moaning. I’ll see you soon!

Featured Image courtesy of Zephorah Dove on Flickr

Study Abroad in Korea: Why a Semester Wasn’t Long Enough

You know, I’ve been trying to find something to write for the past couple of weeks, and I have a bunch of ideas queued up, but something has been nagging at me.

I leave Korea next week. In 7 days, I’m flying back home to Philadelphia, and in 11 days I begin my next quarter at Drexel. It’s so weird…I feel like I just started feeling comfortable and it’s already time to leave. And that’s probably because a semester really wasn’t long enough for me. But it’s not necessarily like I had a choice in the matter since the whole quarter vs semester thing kind of ruins any possibility of me staying a year in Korea while still in undergrad.

Anyway, enough jabbering, let’s get down to the list of why I really didn’t have enough time in South Korea:

Grasping the language
It was mandatory for me to take classes for a year before I came here as part of Drexel’s policies so that I could survive in the country, but even so there were still language concepts I didn’t get exposed to until October, November, and even this month even though I got here in late August. Things like 수고하세요 when you leave a store to the worker or being able to answer complex questions going to Tous les Jours came with experience in the country, and I’m kind of bitter that there are still so many things I haven’t experienced language-wise that I have to wait a couple of years for.

Friendships
Naturally, it takes me a bit to warm up to people to the point of talking to them outside of the context where we met. Usually that means classmates, but I even started to warm up to my neighbors, the local convenience store workers, bakeries, cafes, hell even at the supermarket! While I did meet people here, they too were expats and reminded me of home, but I realized early on in my time here that I almost felt more at home with the Korean people I met on campus than the foreigners, sometimes even Americans.

There was one thing I kept thinking of as I was packing my things to move out of my apartment and into a guesthouse. “I’m gonna miss the grandma on the 7th floor who always said hi to me with her granddaughter!” And how could I not have my kimchi jjigae from the restaurant at the corner of my street where I always took 5 minutes staring at the menu even though I have a strong intermediate level in Korean. And don’t even get me started on people I didn’t even get to meet during my time here because of busy schedules. Because I’m still bitter about that.

My Goals for Korea
I had a monstrous, ambitious list of goals for coming here, but I didn’t realize just how lofty they were for my own personality. How much stuff can one fit into one semester while trying to pass with a C for transfer credit? Apparently not much! On top of not being able to travel to Jeju Island, get to all the major cities in Korea, join a club on campus, take a language class, and many more, I discovered new wants and desires that make coming back to Korea for a longer period of time a necessity.

My Otherness is Not a Problem
The thing about Korea, at least in Seoul, is that as long as you can make the first move, or if you can demonstrate your ability to use Korean early on, people will treat you like family after a while. Despite my skin color, my hair texture, my body shape, my slower-than-native-speed Korean, because I took the time to greet people in Korean, use phrases they were familiar with, and tried my hardest, there weren’t people who blatantly disrespected me. There may have been stares (and BOY depending on the day there are a lot of them), but it’s still overall more comfortable being here than in Philly some days. With all the race tension, as a student, I’d much rather be black in Korea than black in Trump’s America.

The Food
You guys KNOW how I feel about Korean food. Easy to access, good Korean food is a luxury in Philly, but here it’s not only easy, but also cheap. Like despite how much western food costs in Korea, I feel like in the grand scheme of things, it’s probably relatively equal in price. Outside of things that include real cheese, because that’s 100% a luxury that I don’t know how I’m surviving without.

Even though I’m leaving soon, I realize that this isn’t the end of me and Korea. I’m definitely coming back, even if it takes a little while. Most likely the next time you see me, I’ll be back home, but I promise there are new posts coming out all throughout the next year. 2016 has been a pretty good year to me, and I’m already forever grateful for the opportunities presented to me this year.

Have a happy holiday, and see you soon 🙂

Study Abroad in Korea: My 5 Favorite Foods

Gah, I can’t tell you how much I’ve been spoiled in this country by its cheap food! I feel like it’s the only place where cooking might only be a little bit cheaper than take-out. In the nearly 2 months I’ve been here, I’ve eaten a LOT of food, so here are the top dogs:

 

Kimchi Jjigae 김치찌개

There was a time in my life here that I ate this about 3 times in a single week because it’s that good, and that cheap. The restaurant near me puts pork and rice cakes in it, which really helps you get full quickly. This comes with rice on the side, and if you sit in the restaurant and the people really like you (or if you’re a foreigner with functional Korean) you might get lucky with a fried egg. It’s way too much work to actually make an entire pot of this stuff, so for 5000 won average, it’s hard to say no.

 

Chicken Mayo Rice Bowl 치킨마요덮밥

This was kind of an accident if I’m honest. My first experience of this was with a couple of friends while doing some shopping in Hongdae. We didn’t really know any good food places that were also cheap and filling, so we landed at a Japanese-Korean food spot (god I wish I knew the name of it) and this was one of the only things I really wanted at the time. I wasn’t entirely thrilled since it was kind of monotonous tasting, but by the 2nd time I had it where the chef had given it a little bit more love, I was hooked. I’ve since learned how to make it, but I can’t nail down how to get the chicken so crunchy.

Kimbap 김밥

For about 2 weeks, I think I ate my weight in this stuff. Let’s get something straight, this ain’t sushi. In fact, it’s better than sushi because I can eat it and it’ll keep me full longer. While you can get the run-o’-the-mill regular stuff for abut 1500 won a roll, you really have to try the variations, like bulgogi, tuna, and for a little more you can get everything put in! What’s really good about it is that if you have any leftover, you can dip it in egg and fry it for either a banchan 반찬 or just a snack. There’s really no going wrong with this.

Take out!

Kimchi Bokkumbap 김치볶음밥

Just like the kimchi jjigae, its fried rice cousin is a staple of mine, especially when I don’t feel like cooking. Basically, take out the extra water, add gochujang, mix white rice and throw an egg on top and you get bokkumbap! It’s ingenious. I can’t say anything else, just go try it! And eat it again, and again…

Meat! 고기/고기구이

Though an expensive treat, especially if you prefer beef, almost nothing beats fresh grilled meat. Sometimes I’ll settle for samgyeopsal 삼겹살 (lit. three layered meat) and just load up on garlic and kimchi, but the days I can score some marinated beef are the best. I personally like my garlic grilled and my samgyeopsal nearly burnt (the fat is too chewy for me), but I’ve grown to like raw garlic too, especially when going to a place with cheaper meat. There are a lot of great places in Sinchon!

Bonus: Hoddeok 호떡

This is a prime season for these fried Korean pancakes filled with honey and brown sugar. I had my first back in America, but the ones fresh off the fryer sold by a random person on the street is some of the best stuff, and for only 1000 won, you really want to come back for more. I remember in Busan there was this place that had a deal if you bought them in groups of 3, you’d get 1,000 won off, so essentially a 2+1 deal. I highly recommend the Edae truck down the street from exit 2!