Seoul-ed out!

Greetings from Seoul, everyone, and a Happy Chuseuk! (Korean equivalent of Thanks Giving.)

I can't believe that I'm only 3 weeks into the semester and I've already got a 5-6 day holiday for this annual event. People have told me that it's almost like Christmas to them. Everyone in Seoul City clears out to the rural areas or surrounding Korean Islands to visit family, usually Grandparents where they spend time together. This usually busy mega city is eerily quiet today and a lot of shops and restaurants have closed until Monday! The rush-hour yesterday at the subway stations was crazy. I have to say though that it's almost a relief not having as many people in the city so I don't have to compete for pavement space!!

Before I begin, I would as always like to say a big thank you to all readers of my blog posts. My blog has now received an overwhelming 1,250+ views, with 600+ on my last post alone. I'm so glad that I can share my adventure and experiences with you all. 

Every week after I write a blog, I try keep track of what I've been up to by adding notes to my Iphone. There seems to be quite a lot to sift though today...in other words, I've been extremely busy! 

Last Thursday I got my first taste of what a night out in Gangnam District is like. We went to Club Octagon which is the no1 club in Korea, and apparently the 12th best club in the world! It was incredible. I really cannot describe how crazy nights out are here in Korea- they KNOW how to party. In other party districts such as Hongdae, I would draw comparisons with that and of the 'strip' in Magalluf. I did not expect this sort of culture here. 

Club Octagon- Gangnam. 

On Friday, I finally went and registered for my Alien Registration card which is a card essential for foreigners who plan to stay in Korea for longer than 90 days. The immigration office was full of lost looking exchange students from all over the world applying for the exact same thing. Luckily the immigration officer spoke good English so I was able to register without any bother. I should get it in 2-3 weeks. 

Interestingly, we were accompanied by one of my friend's mentor, who is a 23-year-old Korean guy who has just completed his 2 years compulsory military service. He was part of the riot police. I was very interested about this and asked him questions regarding if he enjoyed it etc. His reply was: "I didn't want to do it, but it is my morale obligation and duty to do this to serve my country and protect it from invaders." As the weeks have gone on in Korea, I've noticed that there does seem to be some form of fear of attack from North Korea. I suppose with a neighbour that threatens nuclear war on a regular basis, then they have ground to fear this!! All Korean males are to complete military service. It is 2 years long and they only get 50 days off the whole time they are serving- a tough gig! I will talk more about the army etc later in my post, as today I visited the DMZ and witnessed first hand the dangers faced by these young soldiers usually of 20-23 years old. 

Me & a 'Korean Soldier' at the DMZ.

I suppose the biggest news of my week was that I spontaneously booked flights to Tokyo, Japan!! I'm so so excited. I'm going there next Thursday (26th) until the 30th. I'm flying with Air Asia and it only cost £80 return from Seoul. It was a deal that I couldn't turn down, and I'm happy that I'll get to tick another Asian country off my list. :) I booked my accommodation tonight, and with the rest of the people I'm going with I'll be staying at the Khaosan Tokyo Annex in a 28-cabin bed dormitory. That only cost £60 for the 4 nights, so I'm doing well so far. Unfortunately though I think I'll spend a lot more money when in Japan, as it's meant to be a lot more expensive. However, I'm just really looking forward to the experience and being able to see things I never thought I'd see, like Mt Fuji, and perhaps a sumo-wrestling match! 

On Sunday, I went SHOPPING! Seoul is pretty cheap in comparison to shopping in the UK. I managed to get a few nice things for the same price as I would normally get for one item in the UK. However...yet again this week I had trouble purchasing shoes! Asian people are genuinely (this is not a stereotype) pretty small...and with this comes smaller feet compared to the BOAT size feet I have at the end of my legs. I was trying to purchase shoes for going out clubbing etc that were comfortable, yet appropriate. I ended up buying some Converse for just under £20 (pretty sure they are £40+ in the UK). They had my size no problem. I then found another pair of converse in the shop which were appropriate to wear when partying. I went to the shop assistant and asked if she had my size (UK-11-12), and she literally let out a 'shriek' of shock and gasped staring at my feet. She then proceeded to make an 'x' with her arms saying "no big size, this too big, sorry." I was pretty gutted! Annoyingly too, this was in Itaewon which is a popular expat area known for having Western sizes. Some places even advertise 'big sizes' outside their clothing shops. However, when they say big, they mean it. All the shirts in one shop were like bed sheets on me. So confusing! In the UK I'm between a M and L but here I'm more like a 3XL! Crazy! Also, those of you that know me well, will know that I am partial to wearing Abercrombie & Fitch clothing- but here in Seoul it really is not a big deal and they sell their products on the street in small stalls (not fake!)...so if anyone wants a genuine A&F t-shirt let me know- it will only cost you £8!! 

Aside from partying and shopping, university is also going well. I'm settling into my 5 different classes and getting used to the teaching methods of my different professors. There is a lot of homework and reading- so that keeps me busy during the week. My media effects professor is so good that he received an applause from the class at the end of every lecture- seems so strange to me, but at the same time I think it's nice because he's genuinely doing a good job and in Korean culture it's appropriate to show admiration and thanks for this. 

I got some good news this week from my dormitory administration saying that I was getting refunded all my money ($1400US) for my rent for the 4-5 months. Apparently I'm viewed as a scholarship student here. To receive this refund however, I had to create a Korean bank account. I was invited into the Manager's office and was told in pigeon English "name signature, name signature" on numerous forms that were all in Korean. Most of the other exchange students have gone through this process and have consulted with their mentors on this, and this is just normal proceedings-hopefully I haven't signed my life away. I'll get my money back during my time away in Japan. 

This week in my digital media class, a girl walked into the class with a Glasgow University, Scotland hoodie on. I was so surprised. I caught up with her after class and her name is Young and she's Korean. She studied in Glasgow for 6 months as part of a study abroad programme. It was great meeting her- small world!!

Young & I- representing Scotland!!

Now onto my DMZ news- it was absolutely incredible. I really recommend you visit this place before you die. It's the only fortified border in the entire world. I've never been to such a place that gives you a buzz of excitement, tension and fear. It separates North and South Korea and during a time when the current leader Kim Jong Un is feeding rhetoric threats to the world, you can feel the tension on the South side and also the fear that this "madman" will eventually do something. We booked through a tour group and it cost 46,000KRW which is £26 for a half-day trip to the de-militarised zone (DMZ). We were picked up at the Lotte Hotel in Myondong and we made the 50 minute trip to the DMZ from Seoul. The tour guide told us that South Koreans cannot enter North Korea. However, if foreigners such as myself want to go- we have to arrange a visa through the Chinese embassy in Seoul, then fly via Beijing to Pyongyang. After this we would have to go and bow to the statue of Kim Il Sung- the founder of North Korea (there are said to be 25,000 statues of him in North Korea). The tour guide told us a lot of stories from years gone by. The barbed wire starts not long after you get out of Seoul, along the Han River. In the 1990s many North Korean spies were caught trying to scuba dive down into the South, so these fences were erected along the river banks, as well as watch towers to ensure the South could never be infiltrated.

Our first stop was the 3rd infiltration tunnel which is a tunnel 73m below ground and it was going to be used to attack the South by the North Koreans. It was discovered in 1990, and the North Koreans claimed they were digging for coal (they painted rocks black...original) and they had gone 435m past the divided line, knowing full well what they were doing. To date there has been 4 secret tunnels found beneath the DMZ, but there is speculation that more may exist much deeper than the 3rd. If any tour guests or normal citizens finds a new tunnel, they will be awarded $100,000US by the South Korean Government for their efforts! The 3rd infiltration tunnel could pass 30,000 North Korean soldiers through in 1 hour, just 50km away from Seoul- a scary thought! 

It was so interesting driving towards the DMZ. The tour guide pointed out the vast difference between the mountain-scape of both North and South Korea. On the South side, the mountains are very green with a lot of trees, whereas on the North side the mountains are brown/black and look bare. This is because they still use wood to heat their homes instead of central heating! Also, at night from a satellite South Korea is shining brightly, but North Korea is pitch black. This is the only time of year when South Koreans can go North to spend time with their now distant separated families (during Chuseuk). Unfortunately relations between North and South are fluctuating at the moment, with the change of North Korean leader. The South Korean dream is said to be that of "unification". There is a dream that one day, Korea can become united once again. Unfortunately that dream seems a very long way away. When we enter the DMZ, the bus is boarded by a South Korean soldier. We were informed that the most handsome and tall soldiers are chosen to do this job as a sign of strength. They count the amount of passengers and register our passports and allow us to enter. These sort of tactics seem to be used in this part of the world...kind of petty! For example, from the Dora Observatory, the best view over the DMZ to North Korea, there are two villages visible. One is South Korean and the other is North. For years the two villages competed in seeing who could have the highest flag pole. At present, the North Korean village, affectionately known as 'Propaganda Village' is winning as their flag is suspended 165m high! On the way out we were counted once more by a soldier to make sure no one had 'defected' to the North- HA! No chance of that happening. 

Imjingak Park- Registration area.

"Thank you for supporting Korea's dream of re-unification."

The last train station before entering North Korea. (No trains go there at present!!)

Propaganda Village 165m flag pole...

So, to wrap up a rather long blog post (apologies!)...this week I'll be doing some more touristy sites in and around Seoul since I have the free time and the weather is great at the moment. It's around 26-30 degrees every day. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts as it does get really cold here during the Winter! I'll try and update you on what I got up to during Chuseuk before I leave for Japan next week. 

Once again, thank you for your support. If you'd like to give me any feedback please don't hesitate in doing so. If you want to see more pictures or speak to me, please add me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ben.philip.750 :) 

Goodbye for now! 

I'm a Seoul man!

Hi everyone!

As you can see from the title of this post, I'm really starting to feel at home here. I can't believe that it will be two weeks tomorrow that I arrived here. It feels like I've been here a month with the amount of things I've been getting up to. I'm not just a Scottish exchange student in Korea...I'm a busy one! 

I'm now into the second week of my university classes. My 'Major' here is Media Communications. I have registered for 5 classes: Comparative media systems, Digital media, Theories of media effects, Broadcasting, and Television production. I'm enjoying all of them so far despite the noticeable workload increase since the introductions last week. My classes are majority Korean students, with usually 5-6 exchange students. I have noticed how strange it is though that I may be the only native English speaker in the room- something I've never experienced. Korean students do however love my Scottish accent when I speak in class. Everyone has been very welcoming and they are all very interested in my background. The professors and people I've met so far the past 2 weeks have been great and I'm sure I'm making some friends for life by being here. It reminds me of my days living in Doha when I was always surrounded by friends from different countries around the world. At least I can 'couch surf' now in almost every country I visit!!

I think the most interesting class I've registered for is television production. The professor was educated in the UK, in London and worked for Channel 4. Our class will involve field trips to television studios in Seoul, such as KBS and also making our own news clips and documentaries- which I'm pretty excited for! 

In another class, the professor who obtained his Doctorate in the US likes to get the class to stretch and do yoga before the class begins to "expand our boundaries"...today we also had a 10 minute meditating session to "strengthen our minds."- I'm sure my home university will be pleased to know that I'm working hard!!

"Expand your boundaries"- class yoga.

I'm adjusting to life on campus here pretty well. My big hike up the campus hills to get to the Social Sciences building are gradually getting easier, and I'm sure my fitness has improved considerably since arriving. As explained in my last post about the food- it's just SO cheap and there's always something for everyone. I do find it strange though that I literally will not be cooking for myself for the next 4-5 months.

One thing that did bug me (literally) was the mosquitoes. Korea has had an unprecedented drier wet season than normal (however it did rain today for the 2nd time since I arrived...) and it's just coming to the end. The mosquitoes will soon die off when the cold winter approaches. I was bitten on my elbow twice during one night. Was itchy and red for days but I went to a pharmacy and got some mosquito repellent and some anti-itch solution. Have also purchased a plug for my room which keeps the mozzies away. 

Another problem I had was trying to purchase some flip-flops that fitted me. The local area where I live called, Wangsimni didn't stock any sizes above a UK9 (I'm an 11-12)! I consulted with my Lonely Planet guide book and it informed me that an area close-by called Itaewon stocked "expat sizes". Right enough, the area was very westernised, filled with western shops and eateries. I bought myself some Havaianas for £5 (they are £20 in the UK!) The area was full of expats, notably a lot of US soldiers on relief. At night it turns into a big party district. I'm yet to check it out but I've been to other party districts so far called Sinchon and Hongdae. (more about that later in the post!)

In Itaewon!

I've been doing some more Seoul sightseeing. On Friday I went to Gyeongbokgung Palace- it is said to be the grandest of the 4 palaces in Seoul. It didn't disappoint- it was beautiful! It's hard to even describe how grand and big they are in words. Pictures won't do it justice either. Luckily we arrived at the right time to watch the daily 'changing of the guard'. It was a great spectacle with colourful soldiers marching to the sound of horns and a deep drum. 

Gyeongbokgung Palace- changing of the guard.

Before the palace, we were also approached by a Korean group of university students who were taking pictures of people holding up their 'life motto.' Mine was "Everything happens for a reason" a philosophy I've maintained for a long time. They posted my picture on their Facebook group. (MottoEight). 

On Saturday, I really exhausted myself with more sightseeing. The weight I must be losing in Seoul must be significant with the amount of walking I do here compared to back home. I went to the Bukchon Hanok Village, which is home to around 900 hanok, Seoul's largest concentration of traditional Korean homes. It was a pleasure to aimlessly wander and get lost in the streets whilst admiring the contrast between the modern city in the distance and the old tiled roofs in front of me. We also went to the observatory where I took a great panoramic picture. 

Bukchon Hanok Village- panoramic contrast between modern and old.

I'm getting really used to the street food here too- it's actually so cheap and great. On Saturday, I had a strange type of sweet bread with a fried egg omlette on top for breakfast then had some sort of chicken kebab on a stick for lunch. I now know the words for "not spicy" too so that's helped a lot!! I would say though that it's pretty difficult to get anything that someone from the UK would consider 'normal' unless you want to pay more for it. But, even then most places here that advertise Western food always give the food a Korean flare which often means adding spice! For example, I ordered a ham and cheese toastie and it came with mayonaise, ketchup, mustard, and jam inside...oh and a fried egg?! Sweet and savoury don't go together. 

On Sunday, I went to Lotte world. It's the biggest indoor theme park in the world. It seemed like a total copy of Disney, but not as good! It was however worth the money. It cost 44,000KRW for a special day pass which is £25.39- much cheaper than theme parks in the UK! I was there from 9:30am when it opened to 10pm at night (it closes at 11pm) and I wasn't bored once. There's a lot of rides for kids but there's equally as many, if not more rides for adults. Definitely recommend it if you're ever in Korea- there's something for everyone. 

Lotte World- biggest indoor theme park in the world.

So, as I come to the end of my post I best get into what the Korean night life is like. One word. INSANE. 

These people really know how to party hard. The amount of people that go out on a nightly basis is crazy. As I said earlier I've been to Sinchon and Hongdae. Two of the big party districts. There has been numerous organised events for exchange students. I've witnessed barmen standing on the bar pouring tequila into people's mouths, pole dancing competitions...and a lot more! All the clubs are fairly cheap to get into as well and drinks are cheap. I have to say though that I'm becoming a bit of a pro at the Gangnam style- it really doesn't get any better than seeing an entire club dance in sync to Psy. I'll try get a video next time! I'm hoping to go check out the Gangnam district this week. 

Club Vera- Hongdae.

I actually just had one of the funniest experiences tonight. I went to get a long over-due haircut. I walked into a hairdressers and the Korean lady spoke no English whatsoever. However, I must be some sort of pro at charades as I've walked out with a half-decent cut! I had to make "bzzz" noises to tell her I wanted my back and sides shaved and then scissor actions to tell her I wanted it cut on the top- it was actually hilarious. Only cost me 10,000KRW too which is just over a fiver back home- cheap!!

Looking sharp.

This week I'll be busy with classes etc, but hoping to do more this weekend. I also need to go apply for my foreigners alien registration card- fun times! If anybody would like to give me any feedback on my blog, please feel free. I appreciate the massive amount of views and support I'm getting on a weekly basis. 

Thanks, 

Ben :)