It’s really hard to decide on one’s favorite places in such a huge and culture rich city like Seoul. There are a lot of places which totally swept my heart and made me fall in love with the country all over again. I still tried to compose my ten most liked places where I usually spend most of my time.
So well, what would be such a huge list without the landmark of Seoul: The Namsan Tower. It is located on the Namsan hill and is the highest point of the city, meaning you will have a stunning view all over Seoul. This sight is beautiful by day and incredibly mesmerizing by night. You should try to see the sunset fromabove the city as well. You can walk all the way up if you want, there’s an easy railway leading you up but it will take you some time. You can also take the cable car for around 8€ (two ways ticket).
You should be prepared for seeing a looooot of couples on the top of the Namsan Tower (as well as everywhere in Seoul, I swear). They hang their locks on the side framings or on especially designed trees and figures for that matter. But you better don’t by any souvenirs up there, it’s way more expensive on the top than it is at the bottom of the hill.
I really fell in love with the Han River (Han Gang), which divides Seoul into two halves. The River is very broad and a lot of themed ships are frequenting on it (A Cherry Blossom one, A movie theatre one etc.). My favorite spot at the very long river is the Yeouido Park. There are some water parks in the middle of that area which are incredibly crowded on hot summer days. In the evening you can also usually find some bazaars and a lot of amateur singers and bands standing near the river serenading Korean ballads.
In short: The ambience is almost magical and you won’t get bored here, no matter how much time you’ll spend. In addition there are a lot of walking side tracks where you can pass hours of admiring the beautiful nature, playing sports games. And if you get hungry just order some cheap food per app and you will get it delivered directly to the park within 20 minutes. (Special Advice: A very convenient app is “Yogiyo” where you don’t have to be able to read Korean, just click on the pictures of what you want to eat and enable the GPS button on your phone)
Another great location at the Han River is the “Ttukseom Resort”. It has a waterpark which is really crowded in summer, but now that it got colder it’s calmer than the Yeouido Park. A perfect location to just let your thoughts wander and take long walks, looking at the Namsan Tower from the riverside or the skyline of Seoul. You can take a lot of beautiful pictures at this location!
Koreans love cute and fluffy stuff, but Koreans also love some adrenaline. The result? Lotte World, the biggest indoor amusement park of the world which looks almost a bit like Disney World. It has many cute rides directed towards younger visitors or special parades with cute costumes, but also a Gyro Drop or an area called Adventure world with more adrenaline inducing rides.
I totally loved the rides that were outside, they are more exciting to do, but you have to be prepared for long waiting hours (up to 3 hours if you go there on a bad day). Still, it’s totally worth the money and definitely one location you have to visit once.Special Advice: If you plan the trip beforehand, you can register yourself online as a VIP to get the Magic Pass – you will be able to pass by the long line and it will be your turn immediately.
Another thing you should remember: Try to get on the big balloon or the train in the beginning, they surround Lotte World on the inside and outside once so that you get a better overview on which rides it has to offer and where are standing the most people at the moment.
Surrounded by skyscrapers in Seoul are many so called “Hanoks”. They are traditional Korean houses which are around 600 years old. Hundreds of them form a small village in the heart of Seoul called Hanok village.
Typical for Korean architecture is that they all have elaborate decorated roofs and old doors out of wood. Even nowadays there are still some people living inside of them, so when you go through the streets and take pictures you should try to keep as quite as possible. Korean houses usually have thin walls out of paper, so the residents hear what happens outside.
Special Tipp: If you ever want to experience the traditional way of Korean Lifestyle, you can go to a Hanok Hotel where you can sleep in such a room on korean futons. If you are lucky you even get the chance to be part of a traditional Korean tea ceremony.
The first thing you will see in Korea are Cafés everywhere. I tried all kinds of cafes since they are the best study location: cat cafes, manga cafes, game cafes, raccoon cafes, sheep cafes, hello kitty cafes, one piece café… But what I liked the most is the good old dog café. There is a very big one called Bau House with a variety of small and big dogs, even some puppies. You don’t have to pay an entrance fee, you just have to order at least one drink.
Also different than other cafes you can spend the whole day there without being afraid of getting kicked out or having to order something else.The dogs are raised really well and they aren’t spoiled at all (in most other cafés the dogs are getting used to being fed by the customers which is why most of them eat way too much and only come to you when you just arrived and have gotten some food by the staff). But it’s totally different in Bau House. Also the area around it (There are different Bau Houses all over Seoul) is very lively and worth the visit.
Special Advice: Bring a cardigan or a jacket with you because the smaller dogs love hiding inside of them and cuddling against you from inside.
There are five huge palace complexes in Seoul, but except for the Doksugung Palace all of them were originally burnt down during the Imjin War, partly by slaves who wanted to destroy evidence for their status. Complexes that were rebuilt after were inhabited by Korean Royalty until the 20th century and are now open to the public. You should get a ticket for all the Palaces at the same time, it costs only 8€ and is valuable for a few weeks.
You can see the houses and gardens that were used by the Korean Kings and Queens. In some complexes you can even enter and admire the inner architecture which is very different from Korean inside architecture nowadays. And if you want to totally dive into the flair, you should rent a Hanbok, the Korean traditional clothing, and take pictures inside of the palace as if you would have lived there in earlier times.
Secret Advice: Don’t miss out on a walk through the Secret Garden next to the Changdeokgung Palace. In the past it was only accessible to royal members, but a few years ago it was opened for the public. The Garden is of mesmerizing beauty.
Now that I told you a lot about specific places, I want to tell you more generally about areas that you totally have to explore. The most popular one is definitely Hongdae. It is the typical student area with a lot of cheap shopping places, cafes, karaoke rooms, restaurants, street food and so on. Hongdae is awesome to hang around during the day, but Hongdae is even better by night.
The shops are still open, it is super lively and the ambience is great. You can stay there the whole night without being afraid of shops closing down. There are usually dance crews and singers performing, street art is being made on the spot, young people are everywhere, it’s easy to meet new friends. Definitely a spot to spend hours at.
Special Advice: In Hongdae is the Trick Art Museum with a lot of 2D art pieces that give you the illusion of being part of a 3D art piece. A lot of them are really well made.
Oppa Gangnam Style – the song is the reason why almost everyone knows the area Gangnam. It is known as one of the wealthiest quarters in Seoul which is visible in the architecture, the brand shops, the fashion of the people
frequenting the streets and of course the prices. Still it is absolutely worth the visit, the big boulevard at the Gangnam Station is stunningly beautiful with all the skyscrapers and huge displays. Which is another thing you have to get used to here, there are huge displays with advertisements, the news and show clips everywhere.
In Gangnam I love going to the COEX Complex: It has a lot of nice small shops inside and the highlight is COEX Aquarium which is like the Korean SeaLife. The tunnel inside where you are walking beneath all kinds of fishes and sharks and turtles has been used as a film and series location really often and it is really worth the visit.
You should check out the small side streets as well, there are a lot of exotic and super delicious street foods and smaller souvenir shops which are way cheaper than the ones in the main street.
Special Advice: Korea is the country which has designed the first 4D cinema- it is located in Gangnam, so if you have the time you should check the cinema out.
Myeongdong is the first place to go to for most people arriving in Seoul – you will see a lot of people with their luggage around that area who headed there straight from the airport. It is the main shopping area in Seoul with a lot of side streets for everything your heart desires: Cosmetics, Clothes, Accessories, Cafés, Restaurants, Karaoke Rooms, Game Rooms, Cinemas, Theatres, and huge Shopping Malls.
You should definitely try out the Chicken and Ddeokbokki (=Rice Cake) Street Food Places. It has an awesome seasoning and keeps you full for the rest of the day.
Special Advice: There is the Nanta Theatre a few minutes away from the subway station. It offers daily presentations of an interactive Korean Drumming Show which is called “Cooking Show”. May sound a bit weird in the beginning but is very well made, they have a fun story, the performers sing, dance, and use cooking utensils as their drums which is why they call it cooking show. Incredibly entertaining and memorable!
The area that is the most popular among foreigners is Itaewon. A few years ago it was almost exclusively the area of US soldiers, but by now it is also frequented by Koreans. There are a lot of cheap souvenir shops, so definitely buy your souvenirs here and not in Myeongdong or near Seoul Station. Also many foreign restaurants can be found here, even German ones (“Glücksschwein” and “Ach so…”). If you ever miss bread (you won’t find any normal bread in Korea) come to Itaewon.
The area may be not as fancy as Gangnam or Apgujeongrodeo, but it has its own multicultural flair. You should totally check out the Bob Marley Café if you have some time or go to the Turkish restaurants in the side streets.
Special Advice: In Itaewon is the Samsung Museum of Arts – you should definitely give it a visit when you pass by.
In Korea, they have a different education system than us. In every class you take, you will have to take Midterm Exams as well. There are closed books and open books exams (in which you can take all your notes and your laptop with you). Some of them are oral exams in which you have to have a simple discussion with your professor or hold a class on your own. Exams in general take place during 2 weeks and last around 1-3 hours. Since usually you did a lot of homework and presentations in the classes, it’s easier to study for the exams since you researched deeply into the topics before already. The Midterm exam usually is worth 20-30% of your total grade.
If you have any questions about living in Korea, you can always ask me. (Mail: amana.zohor.miloudi@mhmk.de)
Sincerely,
Amana Miloudi
I really cannot believe that I am packing my things and returning back home. It feels like yesterday I arrived at campus and got my keys to my student room. Well, at the end of this week I am returning them back! Unbelievable! Every experience I made so far studying in the coolest and most vibrant capital, London, is unforgettable.
The University of Westminster Media, Art and Design Department at Harrow is the best place for future Media and Communication Designers as well as for Graphic Designers to get inspired by module leaders and fellow students. The campus offers a wide range of facilities that can be easily accessed for your student work. It has a photography department where you can book a studio for your project. There is also a 3D Workshop studio in which you can explore more about arts and crafts and laser print your design outcome on a chosen material. There are no restrictions on your creativity. Our module leaders pushed our ideas further and helped to get the best out of us. Throughout the semester I really enjoyed working on a sketchbook, that along with our final projects, would be graded. This book should document our research, ideas, inspirations and project sketches throughout every topic. The messier, the better. So as I said, there is no limit for your ingenuity and you really get the chance to step out of the ordinary.
All modules we had covert mainly consisted of graphic design projects. Finishing up a website, visualising data, creating a poster or an artwork out of sound, all of them use graphic design skills. Being familiar with Adobe programs like InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop are advantageous for finishing work. If not, the module leaders will help you out through any project and will support you in every occasion. But don´t worry because you will definitely have a lot of interactions with all fellow students and you will be like a little family. You guys will inspire each other through idea sharing and work showing. There is a lot of criticism and discussions not only with your module leader but also with your class mates. This is such a great experience you can make in order to be more – I would say “expressionistic” – as for a designer it is always better to look beyond the horizon.
This development would not be achieved if I weren`t in London. This city is perfect for design students where you can open up your maximum potential and bring your ideas to life! In such a diverse city you get the chance to meet international people from all over the world and share your experience with each other.
When you are there, get the most out of the city and visit as many of the 300 museums, galleries and exhibitions as possible! Travelling around the city will show you many historical and classical buildings as well as modern architecture. The perfect combination of old and new is amazing. You cannot get enough of London´s scenery and you are always busy with taking pictures, especially when it comes to the weird and wonderful.
Please, take the chance to visit Bath and Oxford as well! I really recommend doing the One-Day Harry Potter Studio and Oxford Tour as this was the coolest experience ever in my life! Even if you are not a crazy Harry Potter Fan, it is amazing to see how much work people put into the movie! You will see the magic of filmmaking, including the Great Hall, Dumbledore`s office, the triple-decker bus, the Ministry of Magic and so on. After the tour you will head to Oxford where you will have a guide who will show you the beautiful universities and historical spots.
Also visit Bath, even though it is a small city and the streets are very narrow, it is on the UK tourist trail. Make your study abroad extraordinary and as a media and communication design student I highly recommend choosing London as your top study location because there you really develop your full potential.
You will love London.
Instagram #livelearnlondon
I love weddings. Even in Germany I am excited if I am able to attend a wedding celebration. A very special part of our semester abroad was when we were invited to a traditional Malaysian-Indian wedding, by a dear friend called Ameer.
We met Ameer during the first months of our stay in Malaysia. His sister had planned her wedding celebration during the four months of our stay and joyfully agreed that my roommates and I could come to her important day. Weeks before we were already really excited and nervous about this event. Questions like what we should wear, what type of present should we give the bridal couple and what kind of gift could we bring for the parents, were racing through our minds. The presents were important to us, since we were invited into their home.
Friday evening we arrived at the beautiful big house of the wedding couple in the Malaysian state Kelantan. On our way there we already discussed what would be an appropriate form to greet the parents of our friend, Ameer. We learned that you do not always greet someone with a handshake in Malaysia. The traditional salutation among the Muslims is the Malaysian Salam. You stretch out both arms and the hands only touch lightly at the fingertips. After that the right hand moves to your chest, as a sign that this salutation comes from the heart. Only people with the same gender are supposed to shake hands. Therefore, we only greeted the mother of our friend. We saluted his father with a nod of the head. Later, we could observe that the sons, grandsons and male cousins saluted the father by kissing his right hand.
Before entering the house, we had to take off our shoes. The whole platform in front of the entrance was covered with several pairs of shoes. We were welcomed with immense amounts of politeness, openness and warm-heartedness. As soon as we took the first step into the house, I felt at home. First of all, we got some overly sweet welcoming drinks and some food, which was typical for the Malaysian culture. I already had many experiences, where food was the priority and first interaction at Malaysian events.
They served rice with chicken and anchovies, which tasted very good. Later on we got some salty crackers and had the chance to taste the famous durian fruit, which did not satisfy our German taste. However, since we wanted to show gratitude and interest in their local culinary delights we tried the fruit anyway. During the first hours of our stay we spent most of our time eating, talking with each other and getting to know the parents and the bridal couple.
The next day we dressed up in our extensively planned wedding outfits. Since the family is not that strict about their religious values I was allowed to wear a dress, which does not cover the shoulders, but was long enough to cover the knees. As a sign of respect I chose a scarf, which I put on while there were many guests, to cover my shoulders. I was very surprised and overwhelmed of the three wedding dresses the beautiful bride chose for only this one day. The first dress looked like a dress of a princess, the second dress was a traditional Malaysian wedding dress and the third dress showed another Malaysian wedding outfit.
The bride looked stunning beside her groom, who always wore a perfectly matching suit to the bridal dress. The basic idea is that the bride and the groom feel like a queen and a king for one day. The wedding couple stayed in their beautifully decorated wedding court located in the house for the whole day. It was a festively decorated place, which included a bench in the centre of a little platform, where the bridal couple was sitting. This court constituted the perfect surrounding for taking pictures with the family and all the wedding guests. The interaction between the bride and the groom attracted my attention.
While they were taking pictures and received congratulations from guests they acted cautiously with each other. They smiled and laughed at each other, but there was no exchange of touches or kisses. In the evening we had the honour to accompany the bridal couple, while they were taking intimate pictures on the rooftop terrace. Only the photographer and we were present. I was surprised how tender and sensitive they were interacting, but it made me realize how deeply in love with each other they are. I felt honoured that the couple let us be part of their honest feelings. Still, no kisses were exchanged the whole day.
The most important thing for the Malaysian people is food. As already mentioned, food plays a big role at any time of the day and in all situations. The buffet presented delicious food, the most enjoyable food we have had so far during our time in Malaysia. As always rice, vegetables, chicken and beef were the main components of the Malaysian food served. As all the wedding guest were eating with their hands I also wanted to try it.
It took me some effort to lead my hand stuffed with rice, chicken and sauce to my mouth. Our Malaysian friends showed us how to lead the food with the thumb easily into the mouth in an aesthetic way. Furthermore, we learned that we always have to take the right hand, because the left hand is seen as being unclean in Malaysia. It gave me a positive feeling to try a new way of eating and leave my old habits behind, which allowed me to fully experience the Malaysian culture. The meal tasted much better when I was eating it with my hands. Furthermore, we were told never to point at someone or something with the index finger. The Malaysians use their right hand thumb to show the direction they want to show you.
All in all, staying at the home of a local family and experiencing a Malaysian-Indian wedding was the most interesting and impressive adventure during my semester abroad. The memory will always stay close to my heart. I learned a lot about the Malaysian cultures, tried new things and had to overcome unpleasant situations. Through this I learned a lot about myself, such as being comfortable with new situations and getting better in articulating myself in English. I overcame my shyness of meeting new people, because the ones I met were all very friendly and open to me.
“… And then I realized adventure is the best way to learn…” – Bye Bye Bangkok! It’s been a pleasure. –
The Exams are over! Our Semester abroad is coming to an end. After four and a half months we are here, all of a sudden. Some of us did go home already and others keep travelling through Thailand or other countries nearby. Thailand, you have been good to us and I would like to thank you that!
On Friday, 1st December we, the BKK Class of 2016, have celebrated our Farewell Dinner on a cruise ship. We all had to realize that an exciting, moving, interesting, after all a great time has come to an end.
Personally, I am very happy that I have been chosen to go to the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. As it has been mentioned before, Chula is one of a kind and not comparable to Macromedia. From day one we have been welcomed with smiles and a very welcoming attitude. Not only from our teachers and the International Office, but also from other Thai students you are going to meet on Campus.
Every Ajarn, how teachers are called in Thailand, will connect with you on a different level, especially since most of them are foreigners as well. They will give you tips and will tell you all kinds of crazy stories about their living experiences. I’d recommend to listen carefully…you might find yourself in one of those situations! 😀
The International Office has been very generous with us and with our travel plans we all had during the semester. Ajarn Hong once said to us that “we shall go out to see and experience Thailand with our own eyes” and I am very grateful for that.
Though, when I look back now, there have also been rough times and not everything has just been great and awesome all the times. Everybody will face times or situations that are going to be hard. For all those that are going abroad for the first time and have to choose a University –
DON’T WORRY! You are not alone!
All the other students you are here with will probably face similar problems. Still, Thailand is a complete different country with cultural habits one has to get use to. There will be situations you will not understand at the first sight and maybe never at all. I know that it sounds weird but trust me! Be open minded and not afraid to change own habits but rather jump right into it. Studying abroad is also about surprising yourself and Bangkok is definitely the right place to do just that!
Finally I would just like to say that it is bitter-sweet to leave this place. I am very grateful that I got the chance to meet so many different people and was able to make awesome friends from other Macromedia Campuses.
Kop Khun Kha, You guys are great!
Until we meet again….
Nobody wants to be reminded of the thing that is coming way to soon – winter in Germany. Although there are of course many things to be looking forward, it’s definitely not the cold or even the snow.
Even in December it is nice to be at the beach, to enjoy the sun and to watch the surfers competing with each other…but you should have a jacket with you, in the late afternoon it is getting cold here as well.
Because of the many holidays in the last time, we had the opportunity to travel a lot. Our last trip started with a visit of the Death Valley. Visiting it in November or December is recommended, because it is not that hot at all. So everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful landscapes without sweating to death. There is a lot to see and our day was packed with a lot of sights, for example the ‘’Dantes View’’ were you have a really nice view over the valley or the ‘’Badwater Basin’’, the lowest point of north America, where you can find the famous salt flats.
The next stop on our road trip was Las Vegas. Let me tell you, this city is crazy with all the lights, advertisements, people, cars and buildings. The rumor that there is nothing to do in Vegas if you are under 21 years is wrong. We spend 2 whole days there just watching different water and fire shows, walking up and down the strip, visiting many very crazy malls, where you can think you are somewhere in Europe and just enjoying the craziness of this city. The fact that even big and famous hotels are very affordable and that parking is free in the whole city is nice to save at least a bit of money.We had the chance to be on Black Friday in Las Vegas, which was a very interesting day.
I had some prejudices about this very special day for many American Woman, like to rush into the stores and grab whatever you get or to wait in line to try on your items forever. Some of them are real, some of them not. We started our day at the Outlet near Las Vegas at 7 am, which was a really good time to start because nearly every store was empty and you get a lot of discounts. Around midday we went to the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, which is a bad idea if you don’t like it to be in a store with 1000 other people. The whole mall was so crowded we had panic to loose each other and after we visited a few stores were you had to wait approximately an hour to try on your clothes and wait after that at least another hour to pay for it, we decided to leave. If you ever have the opportunity to be here at Black Friday – you really have to get up early!
After we left Las Vegas, we enjoyed the capital of California, Sacramento. Unfortunately, it rained all day, but the city looks good with rain as well. It felt a bit like home in autumn, with the beautiful colored trees, the sweet little houses and the inner city with its small shops. The Capitol is worth a visit, you can participate at free guided tours though the government building, which was very interesting to compare it to the German Bundestag.
On our way from Sacramento to Monterey we stopped for a second, but really short visit in San Francisco. The city was really nice decorated for Christmas and it was nice to see the city and its landmark the Golden Gate Bridge again.
The last day of the holiday we spend in Monterey. A really nice city with an even nicer coast. This was a place where we wished to spend more time because of its beautiful landscape. The way back to San Diego was long but the long drive was worth it. The famous highway 1 along the coast offered so many beautiful views that we couldn’t stop at every nice spot in order to reach our final destination at the same day. After a week traveling, coming to San Diego was like coming home.
Although I am kind of on my way to Hawaii and after that to Vancouver, to use my free time after the university ends, I will always be glad to come home – to my new home in Pacific Beach, San Diego.
(First of all: Unfortunately my external harddrive stopped working, so I lost all of my pictures and can’t use any right now.. I am going back home in 2 weeks and hope that I can fix it then! Will add pictures then. I hope. 🙁 )
Like probably everyone who plans on going abroad for more than a few weeks I spend many hours researching about my destination and it’s culture and especially it’s etiquette. (If you don’t do this, please, please, please do us all a favor and do! There’s nothing worse than uninformed foreigners who behave badly and ruin the reputation of people who actually want to move to a different country.)
After actually living in Korea for a few months I came to realize that a lot of the information on the internet is inaccurate or already out of date. So today I am going to give you a 2016 update on the things you will most likely stumble upon if you Google your way through things you need to know before moving to Korea. Is it really seen as rude if you stick your Chopsticks in to a bowl of rice? Do people really judge you and tell you about your flaws? Let’s find out!
So, this is actually a stereotype that confused me quite a bit and before I came here I thought there’s no way that this is even a thing. But ever since I came here I actually do understand why people would think this way. No matter where you go (unless of course you visit a shrine, museum or temple) chances are very high that you will be hearing Kpop playing around you. Want to go to Myeongdong and shop your way through the day? Prepare to hear Kpop. Want to sit down in a cafe and talk to your friends about god and the world? Prepare to hear Kpop. In our university we can’t even enter the building without hearing Kpop play through the speakers! Yes, you read that right. Our university plays Kpop music in the morning when the students start coming.
Despite Kpop being played everywhere not all people do like it or listen to it in their free time. I asked many, many Koreans what kind of music they listen to and the answer was ‘not Kpop’ about 75% of the time. I guess hearing it all the time does get you annoyed after a while. Even if you are Korean. (Yes, hearing ‘Shy Shy Shy’ at least 15 times a day does indeed get annoying, believe me.)
I read this on the internet a lot before coming here and I am really glad that I learned the basics before coming here, because it is simply NOT TRUE. I don’t even want to sugarcoat it for you that’s how untrue this is. You want to order in a fast food restaurant? Don’t expect the waitress to understand your order if you speak in English. Instead many places like McDonalds do have computers where you can order, so if you are not confident in ordering in (even broken) Korean you can use this. Want to get around town in a Taxi? Make sure you have the address written down in Korean, because otherwise you might end up somewhere else. You want to ask somebody for the way? Good luck on that, because out of 5 Koreans you encounter only 1 or maybe 2 if you are lucky will be able to understand you or reply in English. Of course, it could be that I am just unlucky, but after living here for a few months this is my experience. Not even most of my classmates speak English and they are attending an English class. (No idea how they manage to do that by the way..) I recommend at least learning the Korean alphabet to be able to read signs and say what you want if it’s written somewhere. I promise you the Korean alphabet is the easiest thing to learn and it won’t take you more than an hour or two if you are a slow learner. There are many nice tutorials on how to learn it easily.
Of course, by saying that not everyone speaks English I am not saying that no one does. There are kind a bunch of Koreans (especially university students and people who were abroad for some reason) who do speak English just fine. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t expect to be able to get along without having communication issues. Well, of course there’s always a way of communicating with your hands and feet.
First of all, yes, the subway system is great and also easy to use! But it also got major flaws. The biggest one: Despite Korea – especially Seoul – being a culture that is mostly active at night.. The subways don’t run 24/7?! I am honestly still so shocked about this. The Subway doesn’t run any later than midnight. On the weekend it stops even earlier than during the week (someone explain this to me please?!). If you want to go out with your friends or visit one of the many markets that are open during the night, make sure you get there earlier. And also keep in mind that the public transport doesn’t start running again before at least 6 AM or something like that. While Taxis definitely are cheap in Korea compared to western countries, it still isn’t recommendable taking one every single night. Unless your budget has no limit of course.
The second flaw is that it can get really really expensive on the long run. While taking the subway one time is ridiculously cheap compared to for example Germany (You pay less than 1 Euro for one trip with the subway, no matter how long the trip is) it is incredibly expensive if you take the subway 1-2 times a day or more. Because there is no unlimited access card like we are used to. If you are a student or someone who works in a different city and you have to take the train at least two times a day in Germany, you can just buy a monthly card for a fixed price. In Korea this doesn’t exist. So you are forced to pay 1200 won every single time you get into a bus or the subway. Considering you go to school once a day this will leave you with expenses of about 30,000 won just for public transportation each month. And this does not include the trips you want to take in your free time.
Unfortunately this is mostly true. Depending on where you live it might not affect you because modern buildings aren’t affected by this.. but once you step into a bathroom of a restaurant, internet cafe or any other private public place.. prepare to put your toilet paper into a bin next to the toilet. No seriously, do it though. You don’t want everything coming out back on you.
I have read this many, many times. No matter what website I look at – they all tell you not to do this under any circumstances. I asked all of my Korean friends and none of them even knew that this is a thing. Maybe 50 years ago, but not now. So unless you are eating with elders don’t worry about this. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind while dining with Koreans though:
Trust me, you don’t want to do this. In my time here I have not once seen an electronics store like we are used to. (Saturn, Media Markt & Co.) And it is generally hard to find things. I am not sure why, I think most Koreans order their stuff online. It is also surprisingly hard to find things such as Video Game stores. Which is odd considering how popular these are here.
Another thing you definitely want to bring is deodorant and if you have any favorite type of shampoo or toothpaste bring that as well. You might find it here, but it will be very expensive.
Man this one was the biggest bummer. I can’t explain how many times I’ve wandered around town looking for an open WiFi when I first came here. Yes, you will find some and most cafes have one as well and they will give you the password if you order anything. But to save you a lot of time and nerves I recommend buying a Korean Sim Card and Data.. It’s not expensive and pretty easy to do.
Huge yes. I feel much safer here than I do back in Germany. This is not only because there are always people around you on the street, but I guess also because of the fact that there are cameras everywhere. Even all cars have blackboxes. So even if one was to commit a crime, chances are high that you would get caught.
It’s really interesting to see how most people leave their doors unlocked and many street food stalls are just covered with a blanket while they are closed, simply because theft is so unusual in Korea. Even when I am out with my Korean friends we will leave our bags somewhere in a club and I will ask them to bring them with us because I am scared someone will steal them they just say ‘Nah, no need. We are in Korea no one will steal them’.
All of this doesn’t mean that you should not be careful. Things always happen. I am just saying that you have no reason to be overly paranoid about crime.
I read a lot about Koreans being ‘more open’ about their opinion when it comes to look. For example people will tell you if you gained weight or if you look like you didn’t sleep much. Also I read that you will get stared at if your weight is above average. But I have to say that this has not once happened to me. I even went to a jimjilbang once (Spa/Sauna that requires you to come in your birthday suit. Yep, all naked.) and no one will look at you. People don’t care.
So if you are scared because of everyone on the internet telling you about how Koreans will judge you or stare at you because of your appearance, rest assured because no one cares. And I mean that in a good way.
Here are a few little things I want to share with you about Korea
And last but not least my favorite for you. Thank me later.
I felt like Trump. Him speaking to an audience – like a hero.
I am talking about the first time ordering food in Chinese. Due to the big lack of English language among Chinese people, we (Annette and myself) are now best trained in non-verbal communication. Most Chinese people cannot even read Chinese characters, so even asking for directions is an act.
Since I had an 8-week online Chinese course and now Chinese classes three times a week, I am starting now to understand more and more. Even reading Chinese characters in the streets is possible. Useful in restaurants while ordering food. You want to know if you order donkey or chicken.
You like personal space? Leave it behind. Prepare to get in touch with many people, whether you like it or not. As a blonde girl, I had to take so many pictures with Chinese people. I even got babies to hold for camera. On every sightseeing trip we went to, we were more exciting for chinese tourists than the sights (there are that many chinese sightseeing groups than in other countries). Going by subway, whole China tries to fit in one.
Talking about getting in touch with people, it is an important thing to connect as much as you can. Coming here, we went to print out our own Visit Cards to hand them out. If you have a nice conversation with Chinese, you will get a Card. This is seen as the common way to network in China.
Networking is the easiest in bars and clubs. Since Chinese love going to Clubs, especially with electronic dance music, there are special areas only for Chinese. Internationals have free entry and alcohol in these locations. Eventhough the alcohol is very bad (poured into Belvedere and Hennessey bottles), you get a table and can have a nice time for free. Rich Chinese people have big lounges and watch international people having fun. I feel like a zoo animal every time.
Everyday more and more, I realise what interesting kind of country this is. It is a country full of contrasts. On the one side, there is the old Chinese culture with its history and beliefs. Chinese believed that the „country in the middle,” was carried by a tortoise. Other countries were somewhere in the ocean. That’s why China still does not really know much about other cultures. On the other side, there is this modern efficient side. Big skyscrapers and new technology. Most of the older generation has a smartphone.
Talking about efficiency. Chinese people are so special. Everything is supposed to be efficient here. But people behave differently. People sleep everywhere. During daytime in their cars, in classes, during worktime. And I have never seen people consuming that much food. In Restaurants for example, you cannot even see the table. While Sightseeing, they just sit down everywhere and consume food. Acting after needs and heart. This is refreshing beneath German strictness and narrow-mindedness.
We got a bit tired of China- i still love it, but i used to love it more (yes ovo). But all in all, I am so happy I chose Beijing for my exchange semestre. We have the best time being here and experiencing this beautiful country with its whole weirdness.
It is getting colder in San Diego and the leaves turned brown – rarely noticeable. And also rarely noticeable that the time to say Goodbye came closer and closer.
Enjoying the last chances of going to the beach, hanging out with the just met friends with whom we spent all our adventures and impressions with.
The last months were very exciting, and the events estimated. From the presidential elections over a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon to a Kanye West concert in LA. Experiencing the elections first hand and staying up all night, just to see the outcome of it. Sharing the thrill with the Americans, as if you were involved yourself, experiencing the disappointment and frustration, as well as the joy and success of the different parties.
In comparison to our first months here, where we just relaxed more or less all day long and enjoyed the Californian lifestyle with the beaches, longboarding and discovering the close environment, our last months were road trip months, in which we travelled as much as our schedule allowed us to. One of our trips was straight up to the north, at the coast along, starting in San Diego driving all the way up to Santa Barbara, passing Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Venice Beach and Malibu. The sea, beaches and places one is passing by are just awesome! Good music, the best girls ever and a bright blue sky is all you need.
A further trip is going more into the east, speaking of Nevada and Arizona. Our first stop was Las Vegas which is just a crazy, exciting and tacky city. Seeing all those famous sights and lights, trying one’s luck with gambling and walking down the strip. Thinking of movies such as Rain Man or Hangover, we were itching to go on the roof top of the Caesars, were all began. Crazy enough we made it over the elevator, stopping without a guest card before the last two floors, over several corridors and different stairways right to the top. And … we made it! Just like in the movie we stood there and enjoyed the view over the nightlife of Las Vegas, Jägermeister for everybody! (just kidding the last door to the roof was locked – at least we tried 😀 )
The trip went on through the desert to the Grand Canyon. Coming along all those little and lonely villages – some more or less pretty – meeting very friendly locals. Spontaneously we thought how we could experience the Grand Canyon in the best way and also getting the best view – let’s take a helicopter ride! Getting very excited about it, we went to the airport just before the entrance of the National Park, getting some information and before we knew it we had our tickets already in our hands. Sitting right in the front next to the pilot was already just amazing! We took off and flew into the direction of the Canyon. It was not very high, but there it was! The slope! As we flew over the Canyon it was simply breath-taking. None of us was able to say a word. We were just smiling and enjoying the ride. Looking one mile down at the Colorado river.
Our last trip we are planning to do is going a bit further up into the north over Monterey to San Francisco.
This diversity in landscape was already used in the film industry several years ago, when it was not possible to travel that easy and money was bare. The whole European landscape can be found in California and the states around it, from lakes and mountains to deserts over to the sea and beaches.
Furthermore, all the different holidays and feast Americans are celebrating like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Black Friday is worth the experience. Going to different street markets, from food, to vintage to the beach festival or at the Christmas Balboa lights – Californian life is happening outside.
And finally, rarely noticeable California became a part us. The sea, people, beach, city, friends all this is now a part of us and will always be in our hearts. We all cannot wait to exchange our experiences with our fellow students who were all in different places and got different impressions of cultures, people and lifestyles.
“Life is what happens to you, while you are busy making other plans.”
I would like to start with an honest opinion about what kind of difficulties one can encounter here.
I would like to start with an honest opinion about what kind of difficulties one can encounter here.
The biggest problem in Pohang and at Handong itself is that most people do not speak English, especially in service positions. On campus the staff in the cafeteria or in the convenience store do not understand English at all, not even basic English. Figuring out how the cafeteria works at the beginning is very difficult, because everything is provided in Korean. So the first time you want to order you should take a Korean speaker with you. Once you got it you will have no problem ordering food there on your own. But also classes which should be provided fully in English can be an obstacle for internationals, especially if you have only Korean professors like me. Some professors will start discussing things with the Korean students in Korean during class and will also allow Korean students to use Korean even in assignments and in exams. For a non English native speaker like me this can lead to a big disadvantage. I have to add here of course that not every Korean professor will be like that since some really provide their classes only in English and create an equal standard for everyone. But sometimes you feel excluded because of a certain language barrier which will haunt you even through group projects.
Many Korean students are afraid to communicate in English so that you should not expect everyone to communicate with you in English, especially not when you are the only international in that group. Besides the communication problem there are many things you can look forward to experience in Korea in general and about Handong, so do not be abgeschreckt of the language barrier. One of those things is for example the Korean food.
Korea offers a wide variety of food, meaning there will be something for anybody here. I could list so many foods but that would take too much time be warned because some Korean dishes are very spicy so if you cannot take spices you should be careful about that. Korean food culture itself is very unique since people here like to share food with each other by eating from the same big plate all together. One of those dishes is called Jimdak, which is chicken with noodles and sauce and dokboki (Korean rice cake -a must try out). Chicken itself is in Korea very popular and although it sound simple, it tastes better than any other chicken I have ever eaten before and I will definitely miss it when I am back in Germany.
But not only regular dishes are quite worth trying here but also desserts will make you fall in love with Korean food even more. Korea´s street food markets are also something you should not miss out once you are here. Strolling through those markets will make your mouth watering and will make you want to try out everything at once -which is unfortunately impossible since there are too many booths.
Another thing you can look forward to are the many cheap trips Handong provides for their students. From Andong´s mask festival, where you can see some of Korea´s tradition and culture and the traditional dance of different countries to experiencing a K-pop concert live while being at the front row, you can enjoy many different trips with great events thanks to Handong.
But even if you do not take place in such trips you can discover a lot by going on your own since there are many places around Pohang you can easily get to and are worth discovering. On of those cities would be for example the traditional village called Gyeongju where you can try out a Korean traditional dress called “Hanbok” while taking pictures in a Korean palace. Then there is the second largest city in Korea called Busan. You can enjoy the beach here through boat trips, eat many delicious food in street markets, visit traditional temples and much more. There are of course many other places worth to visit that would take too much time listing them all.
I could not travel around too much because of the huge amount of workload the university demands from one so you should be prepared that university life here will be much harder, especially if you have to take five major classes, which not even most of the Koreans themselves choose to do. Unfortunately interesting classes such as “Korean culture and language” got completely cancelled for media management students of Macromedia due to some schedule problems so that you cannot even experience Korean culture during class. I think if you choose to come to Handong you have to be open minded about several things and maybe you should travel after the semester ends so that the workload does not hold you back to experience the Korean culture fully.
That is why I will stay a little bit longer in Korea and travel around that great country that has to offer so many interesting places to see. But even for people for me that had to spend most of their time in the library on campus the university itself offers many great events on campus that I will talk about in my final review.
