Ooooh, We’re Halfway There! | Education Abroad GeoBlog

Don’t let my light hearted Bon Jovi-esque title fool you: I’m not at all happy about the fact that I am already halfway done with my study abroad experience. How did this happen, and how can I slow it down?!

(Side note: sorry I’ve been too busy to write the past month. The only reason I’m writing this right now is because tomorrow in Korea is ‘Children’s Day,’ meaning no classes… so I can stay up til 3 am writing and doing laundry WOO!)

So much has happened the first part of this semester. I don’t let a single day go to waste. Whether that means traveling to a different part of Seoul to go exploring or just staying up all night eating delivery jjajangmyeon and watching movies with my friends, I am loving every moment.

I’ve been to a traditional korean market. I’ve eaten live octopus at a fish market. I’ve gone bungee jumping. I’ve seen my favorite korean artists perform live. I’ve been able to be a mentor to the cutest ten year old girl ever. I’ve taught english to the elderly. I’ve been to an overnight sauna. I’ve gone to the DMZ and stood in North Korea. I’ve done korean karaoke (a few times hehe). I’ve worn a hanbok. I’ve performed the korean traditional drum and dance. I’ve eaten jjajangmyeon on Black Day. (#foreveralone). I’ve visited a Buddhist temple. I’ve had fried chicken and beer at the Han River, which is totally the thing to do. I’ve gone to a trick eye museum. I’ve gone to a board game cafe. I’ve eaten enough bingsu to last me a lifetime. Most importantly, I’ve made some incredible friends who I never would’ve had the chance to meet back in the States.

And I’m only halfway done 🙂

There are so many moments when I remind myself I’m actually living in Seoul, and it’s such a surreal realization. I truly wish all of you reading can get to experience something so fun that it makes you this happy one day.

AND I ALSO HAD MY FIRST FULL KOREAN CONVERSATION THE OTHER WEEK. My very first post, in the airport in Detroit, I wrote that a major goal was to have a full korean conversation. I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!!!

Granted, it was with a group of children… and I did have my two friends Anne and Melissa with me which was a huge help to buffer if I needed a second to process what they were saying… but regardless, it was one of my favorite experiences thus far. My friends and I took a weekend trip to 가평 (Gapyung) to go to a 맥주 festival because why not, and there was when we ran into the kids. It all started because one of the little kids was referring to us as “할아버지” (grandpa) and the mother kept telling him to call us “누나” (older sister). So of course then he switched to “아저씨” …old man. :'(

Since then, I have felt a bit more comfortable speaking Korean, and have felt my listening skills improving. I even had a short but fun conversation with one of the sunbaes (seniors) of my drum club the other day on campus, which I was proud about for the entirety of the rest of the day. Although I’m improving, I feel as though I’m definitely not going to be satisfied with my skills when I leave here end of June. But that just gives me all the reason to return one day~

See more for some picture goodies from the past two and a half months!