It’s already been about 2 months since I arrived in South Korea! How time flies. I think I’m becoming more settled now and have found a new routine. I have a bank card, a resident card and home internet now. I am familiar with the bus system and which buses take me to the places nearby that I need to frequent. I know where to buy the best priced washing detergent and I’m still trying to get use to grocery shopping and my minibar sized fridge.
I’m still getting use to the language barrier. I do still feel a little intimidated eating at a place that only has a Korean menu and no pictures (I’m onto 2 Korean classes a week now!). Give me pictures and I will be happy to point and order without actually know what it is in the dish. This backfired on my the other day when I ordered chicken and it was spicy!
There is something so freeing about being here. I think it’s because I’m away from the daily grind of sorts and am treating my time here as a very long and extended holiday. I’m more preoccupied with planning trips to different cities than I am with life planning and “adult responsibilities”. I spend my free time learning Korean, organising my days, going for walks in the plentiful parks, reading and exploring. I am spending much of my time doing the very things that make me so happy and calm. Life is good.
Street eatery in Bukchon Hanok Village
As I sit here writing, the there is a choir of cicadas outside. It’s warm and alittle humid but not raining. I know I need to try and enjoy the nice days as much as I can. I’m becoming a local now- using my umbrella as sun shade and have a mini fan that I can carry around for those humid times. My new mini adventure now is to try as much of the local ice-cream as I can. There are a few unmanned lolly stores around. You can pick out an ice-cream for about 500-1000 won. That’s less than $1.
There is also a unmanned fruit store near where I work. You simply go in, pick out what you want and use a self check-out. I’m in awe that there’s so much trust here but there are also CCTV camera’s everywhere. It’s nice being in a country and area where it’s so safe and you can have nice things because people follow the rules.
Speaking of safe, in my 2 months here, I’ve also managed to lose my phone. Most of me was thinking, that’s it, it’s gone forever but another teacher kept telling me that it’s Korea, it’ll turn up. And sure enough, it turned up. I had dropped it on the bus and the bus company had my phone at their depot. I’ve been reunited with my phone since.
Entrance to the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul
Jeju tangerines
I’ve changed my mind and now think that groceries are quite expensive here. Fruits especially! But, we need to eat fruit so I have no choice. There are plums, peaches, nectarines, tangerines, watermelon and rockmelons right now. I plan to buy a slice of watermelon to enjoy this weekend.
Book store in the MMCA in Seoul
Related Posts:
– South Korea Dishes To Try
– Welcome to Suwon, South Korea
– Staying In A Hanok, Seoul
Lingo in Transit 
Reading you, I am also impressed how easy collective life seems, based on efficiency and trust. Instead of cash machines, I expect banks to place a stack of notes on a stool in the street. Dream on.
I guess the downside is that if you’re different in anyway- it’s very noticeable in this society. Definitely dream on hahaha!
It’s wonderful that you’re getting settled in nicely in South Korea. Opening up a bank account, getting a credit card, and other logistics can be daunting tasks, especially if there’s a language barrier to be had. But it looks like South Korea is treating you very kindly, from inexpensive, convenient food to a returned lost phone (the latter unheard of in the US…). I can’t wait to read more of your adventures abroad!
I did have help because of the language barrier at the bank. But setting up internet at home was a lone trip and we made use of translating apps to get by. Getting a phone back in Aus is also unheard! I’ve heard lost earpods and wallets also generally make their way back to you.
Oh wow what an amazing experience, it’s wonderful 🙂 I’m so excited to follow along with your adventures in South Korea!
Thank you!
How amazing! I can feel by reading your words that you felt peaceful when writing them, and it is absolutely fantastic that you get to enjoy and savour all the little things that you love! I didn’t know fruit was also expensive in South Korea but I knew that it was in Japan so maybe it is for the same reason (that I am unaware of ahah)! Enjoy your time there and I can’t wait to read more about your adventures!
I’m really not sure of the reason either because it’s all locally produced fruit. One must eat though so I’ll just have to deal with it!
Pingback: The Shoes I Packed For 1 Year In Korea And Thoughts – Lingo in Transit
Have great year (or more?) in Korea! Are you teaching English there? I taught out of the country (U.S.) for 8 years, best experiences of my life. Glad to follow your journey. In Japan, one could point to photos on the menu or plastic food in the window, and we had the same requirements for separating trash and recycles, a good practice.
Yes, the plan is one year at the moment. Then who knows…..was just looking at jobs back in my field and that didn’t excite me at all. Oh wow, 8 years! You give me courage Ruth. Oh I would imagine Japan would be similar to here.
Pingback: 11 Months in South Korea – Lingo in Transit