When in Seoul...

So right, here are a few photos to whet your appetite (if there's any in the first place). All taken by my lousy blackberry camera. 


1 thing I realized about Koreans is that they like to ask 2 questions in particular upon meeting you for the first time:

• How old are you?
• Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend

The first question is asked of course, due to the importance placed by Koreans on hierarchy. The levels of different classes determine how one is supposed to speak when in the presence of the other. Formal, informal, semi-formal. It's all quite confusing for a greenhorn like me. As for the 2nd question.... I have yet to discover why they like to pose this to someone they've just met. Shall ask when I get the chance :P.

My bankbook at ShinHan bank. Got to open a bank account without any hiccups, assisted by David (Jihoon) and Jiun. Both helped me feel very much welcomed at the 1st Hanyang University AIESEC meeting I attended.

1st day also. Was shown to my room, which was, admittedly, SMALLER than expected. But yes, I'm in Seoul, space = money.

Kitchenette with washing machine, microwave and fridge. Door to the toilet.

A VERY blurr photo of Jiun (left), PRESIDENT :P, and En Pyo (dunno if i spelt it right). This was us on our way to the AIESEC meeting in Hanyang Uni.

삼겹살 (Samgyopsal) at a korean BBQ after the meeting (where they surprised me with a WELCOME cake!). Despite their struggle with the English language (save for one person) and my utter uselessness when it came to korean, we managed to somehow communicate at an amicable level. (Oh, one girl could speak mandarin too)

There were about... 16-18 of us at the BBQ restaurant. As common sense beckoned, I proceeded to share my huge cake, which I won't be able to finish on my own anyway before getting JELAK, with all of them. :)

On Friday, King introduced me to Hilary (it's a HE) and SF. We went to the immigration office for nothing :P. Cus I found out that my company would do it for me and they need not apply for leaving the country due to a change in immigration policy. Anyway, we shopped a little (except for King, who shopped more than a little..). Said farewell to them and joined the AIESEC koreans at their alumni gathering. Drank MekJu (Mixture of beer and soju) which UGH-ed. >.<. I'm definitely not a drinker, and probably will never be one. I shall remain the VP (or was it Prez?) of Tomato-face club. 

Sunday: Had lunch with a groggy-looking Hilary, Siew Fung and King at their university (about an hour's commute from Wangshimni station in my area) before following King on a tour of the campus. Gotta say that the buildings at Seoul National University are cluttered more closely together than Leeds. The scenery from certain parts of the uni was awesome. We could see hills rolling as far as the eyes can see. 

According to King, I missed the autumn leaves that covered the hillsides with a blanket of red. I remember vaguely from my last korean trip with my family. It was pretty damn awesome. Too bad I missed this year's. Botak trees were spotted throughout the university, and Seoul for that matter.

Hilly campus. Weird, that both Hanyang and Seoul Nat'l Uni are located on hills. Hilary suggested that studying at Seoul Uni was like training for Kung Fu. :P. Where the sifus are in the temple situated on a hill... also where the disciples rarely venture down the hill until they've completed their training. Seoul Uni students are SERIOUS about their coursework >.<. Too serious perhaps? :P

The wind that day was wild. Bloody cold.

Oh, and it snowed the night before too, in Wangshimni area at least where I'm livin.

On my way back, King recommended this bread. Kyeranbang. Literally means Egg Bread :P. It might seem very normal. I can assure you though, that eating this HOT and when you're in sub-5degrees temperatures is god-sent.

The hard-boiled egg filling. MMMMmmm. DONG's BACK!