Seoul, Ulsan, and More! - Blog Assignment #2

Every city has its own spirit that molds the society living within it. My arrival story can only be told in two parts, as it involves two cities that are so distinctly different that it would be unfair to combine it into one.

Seoul (서울)

Honestly, it wasn't as shocking as I thought it would be to land in South Korea. Because I'm familiar with the Korean language and visited the Korean area in Dallas, TX, often, I didn't feel uncomfortable seeing all the hangul that suddenly surrounded me. When I arrived at Incheon International Airport (인천국제공항) I was exhausted. However, I knew I would have a chance to relax and get comfortable with my new surroundings while waiting for Lacy and Luis to arrive later that day. Hwajin, one of my best Korean friends who studied at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith previously on an exchange program, came to see me at the airport. We decided to have lunch together at a restaurant in the airport and just catch up, since it has been over a year since I had last seen her. I was so thankful to have her with me, and she gave me a lot of advice for traveling around Seoul. After Lacy and Luis arrived, we went out into Seoul to find our hostel!

Hongdae (홍대) is an area of Seoul that is full of life. There was so much going on, it could easily overwhelm anyone. Musicians playing and singing, food carts cooking fried snacks, and music blasting from shops that were lined up and down the street. It was really great to stay in an area like this for my first time in Seoul. We spent a few days traveling to various areas of the city, including Shinchon (신촌), Idae (이대), Shinsa (신사), Gwanghwamoon (광화문), Itaewon (이태원), and Myeongdong (명동). We shopped, ate delicious food, and even went to a cat cafe (고양이카페)! It was my first time going to this kind of cafe and it was a fun experience.

Ulsan (울산)

I was sad when I had to leave Seoul, but I knew we would be coming back with UIP in a couple of weeks. As we left the city limits on the KTX railway, I quickly noticed the beauty of South Korea's countryside, full of mountains with farmland and small cities scattered within its valleys. Ulsan was refreshingly cooler in temperature than Seoul, and there has been a lot of rain since we arrived. Because the UIP staff that picked us up from the KTX station were very welcoming and friendly, our car ride through evening traffic to the university was pleasant. While there are still a lot of buildings in Ulsan, the feeling is quite different when compared to Seoul. We settled in quickly, had a tour of the international dormitory, had a delicious dinner at a nearby restaurant, and prepared for orientation day the following morning. So far, Ulsan has been great. The people here (not at the university) seem to be less enthusiastic about speaking English, but I believe that this will be very beneficial to my studying.

다음에 봐요!