Arrival/ Seoul

Preparing for my arrival to South Korea was a lengthy process to say the least. When you are moving abroad for a year, trying to figure out what to pack is difficult, especially when considering the seasons and the weather. A majority of the things that I packed were clothes, but I also brought along some cheap "American style" food like packaged noodles, Oreos, Combos, and Jif for those moments I am sure to miss home, as well as some comfort items like bedding and decor. I flew out of Chicago's O'hare International Airport and took a direct flight on Korean Air to Incheon International Airport. Personally, I love Korean Air. This was my second time using Korean Air to travel to Incheon and I find that their service is great and the stewards/stewardesses are very kind. The food the airline provides is tasty as well, and they typically offer about 3 different kinds of food for the various backgrounds of the passengers. For traveling Economy the flight was clean, comfortable, and easy. Arrival at the airport can be confusing if you are a foreigner; I personally ended up in the wrong immigration line and so it took me a little longer, but everything is pretty well marked. When in doubt, follow someone who seems to know what they are doing. https://youtu.be/TKTdCxaVb88 (Video of my landing).

 With the amazing transportation system in Korea, it is quite simple to get around as long as you can make sense of the maps. So naturally, being able to at least read Hangul is a big help. Another important amenity is a transportation card. You can reload money onto it and it works for the subway train, bus, and taxi. It is easy and quick to use, which is beneficial since the city runs at a fast pace.

닭갈비
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakgalbi
This link has more info on this dish.

My friends are saints and were waiting for me at the airport. They helped me with my luggage and we went out to eat. I cannot ever express how truly thankful I am to them for everything they do for me. My heroes.

This photo shows my first meal after arriving in Korea.  달갈비, Dakgalbi in English, is a hot dish of diced chicken, rice cakes, gochujang (red pepper paste) sauce, onions, and in my case, cheese. Lots of delicious melted cheese. This particular restaurant was located in Myeongdong.

My first day in Korea I visited some familiar places from my previous trip and walked along the Seoul City wall to Naksan Park for a breathtaking (double meaning...as it literally took away my breath to walk the hill...) view of the area. The walk may take some effort, but the view is definitely worth the energy. From the top there is an excellent view of the surrounding city as well as the mountains in the distance. Since I come from an area far from any mountains, I find them to be particularly amazing.  This picture below isn't taken from Naksan park, but rather from atop one of the buildings at Hansung University which several of my friends attend. However, the view is the same since they are right next to one another.

View of Seoul from Hansung University Campus

After the long walk, we of course ate. Seoul has such an abundance of restaurants and street vendors for reasonable prices that finding something tasty to try never takes long. For lunch we went out to eat near the university and had pork cutlets that were very crispy and flaky. The dipping sauces were also unique and delicious, with original, strawberry, and banana flavors. Personally, the banana sauce was my favorite. The slaw side with beet sauce was also quite delicious.

Udon and Pork Cutlet
맛있어요~

Of course, since I was visiting friends in Seoul all we seemed to do was walk around, visit and catch up with one another, and eat. There was lots of eating occurring. With that in mind...here are some of the mouthwatering things I ate on my second full day in Seoul...

Lunch: Sushi!

Sulbing - My all time favorite.
Green Tea and Chocolate Flavor

For dinner I had Ginseng Chicken Soup which was very warming and delicious. The chicken itself is stuffed full of rice, nuts, and seeds. There was also a nice warm broth which made it extra appealing since the weather was chilly. This particular restaurant was located near Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁 (Exit 2 from the subway station). It was a popular restaurant with many people. More traditional in style, it was a shoes off kind of restaurant where you sit on warm mats situated on the floor. This last photo shows the directions for the use and set up of all the bowls and sides that are served with the meal. Especially since I am a foreigner I found this guide to be helpful. Of course, that couldn't be the end of my food for the day. I truly believe Seoul is a city that never sleeps and so cafes and street vendors are naturally a must go stop for your after-dinner cravings. First I stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate place for some dessert. I picked out some chocolates that piqued my interest. The roses I found especially beautiful, so I had to try them. A little chocolate can go a long way though. It was all very good, but too much chocolate left me more than a little thirsty. You would think that after all of that I would have had enough but no, not long after I found myself in a market nearby that was filled with vendors selling food. So of course when I saw some 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) I had to try a few. That pushed my limit, and I ended up being so stuffed with food I found myself regretting it later on that night. It was so good though...

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떡볶이 (tteokbokki)

Rocky Mountain Chocolate

For my final day in Seoul  I found myself eating...once again...with my friends as I said goodbye to them. This time the food was 안동찜닭 or Andong Jjimdak. This was another, naturally, delicious dish of food that I very much enjoyed. Basically it is made up of chicken, vegetables, and a soy based sauce. My particular dish also had dumplings and rice cakes in it, topped with sesame seeds.  

안동찜닭 - Andong Jjimdak
For more info...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andong_jjimdak

After the food I ended up in a  노래방, or a karaoke room, for some good ole singing with my friends. I like the karaoke rooms a lot since they are more private. You can choose your songs and sing alone or with a group. It is a great place for some good fashioned upbeat fun, or just to show off your singing skills, or lack of them. The remote control can be very confusing though since there are so many options, so it takes some time to figure out. Probably is best to memorize what the buttons are. After my final bash I had to take a bus to Gimpo Airport and take a 50 minute flight south to Gimhae Airport in Busan. From there I took a shuttle to Daegu to begin Orientation and training for the program I was accepted to for teaching EFL.