To the 기숙사 (Dormitory)!

What impeccable timing.  Right after I post about life in the hasookjip, I get notified of an opening in the dorms (I joined the waiting list as soon as I arrived).   After much deliberation, I’ve decided to move into SK Global House, one of Yonsei’s international dormitories.

Why, you might ask?  Wasn’t I just describing the perks of living in a hasookjip?

The Korean 노래방 (Noraebang)

What an experience.  I can now say that I’ve visited my first 노래방 (noraebang)!  And in Seoul no less (rather than LA’s Koreatown).

How I ended up in a noraebang at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon is actually kind of a funny story.  

An Afternoon at 청계천 (Cheong Gye Cheon)

Yesterday, I spent most of the late afternoon and early evening at 청계천 (Cheong Gye Cheon), a stream that flows west to east through central Seoul.  The restoration of the stream was completed in 2005 and aimed to create “a human-centered, ecological-friendly urban area in a city that has been the nation’s capital for 600 years” (taken from the description of the restoration posted by the stream’s starting point).

교포 (“Gyopo”), or What I Never Knew I Am

*Updated with some new (and more accurate) information!

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A couple of days ago, I casually discovered that there’s a name for people like me.

하숙집 (Hasookjip) Living

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m living in a hasookjip, or boarding house, rather than the university dormitories.  While initially planning my stay in Korea, I was interested in living in a hasookjip because it’s a more immersive experience than living in the dorms.  Not only do you actually use the language (English very quickly becomes the language-of-choice in the dorms), but you also get real, home-cooked Korean breakfasts and dinners.

The Streets of Sinchon

I posted some photos of Sinchon in my Photo Reel section, but didn’t include them in a post, so here they are!  There are also photos of Ewha, the women’s university right next to Yonsei, at the end.

Korea’s Best Dessert: 빙수 (Bingsoo)

So what is bingsoo?  I’d call it a cross between shaved ice and a fruit sundae.  The ingredients vary depending on where you go, but fruit and ice are the essentials. 

Good Morning Vietnam – Pho in Seoul

After shopping in Hongdae the other day, Jiyoung and I traveled across town to eat dinner at Good Morning Vietnam, a Vietnamese restaurant that my aunt (Jiyoung’s mom) runs.  We got a two-person set that came with spring rolls and a small bowl of beef pho (pronounced fuh) for each of us.

The Perfect Café – Part 2 [Viya Café]

After my lunch at Starbucks yesterday, I met up with my cousin Jiyoung in 홍대 (Hongdae), a neighborhood just one subway stop away from where I’m living.  Hongdae is similar to Sinchon in that it’s also a bit of a college town; it’s home to Hongik University.

Lunch at a Korean Starbucks

Oh, Starbucks.  You follow me everywhere I go.

I’m usually not one to frequent a global chain while visiting a foreign country, but I tripped down the stairs this morning and hurt my foot (nothing serious), so the Starbucks just around the corner suddenly became a very attractive option for lunch.  As I scanned the refrigerated section of pre-packaged foods and beverages, I spotted the 불고기 브리또 (bulgogi burrito).