Orientation Day

Today was the orientation for the program. It was so nice to finally meet some people! There are 5 other students from America, 2 from Netherlands, 1 from Belgium, 1 from Canada, and two young women not adopted-one from China and the other from Latvia. We received information about the program and then were given a tour around campus. After that, we all went out to lunch and then to a Walmart/Meijer type of store for groceries or other items everyone needed. 

We were on our own after that and a small group of us went exploring around town. I am really excited about the soccer fields here (indoor and outside)-we even passed the soccer team when we were on our tour. So, I was looking for some soccer shoes-no luck. Then we stopped at a cafe and chatted a bit. After wandering around, we all took a rest before meeting up around 6 for dinner. It is a really fun group and everyone seems really comfortable with each other. Everyone is very friendly and interested in where or what everyone has been doing with their lives. We found a restaurant that Maren and Ben (sister and brother-USA) had visited before and had dinner there. I ordered bulgogi-it was pretty tasty. :) Our group coordinator, Jihye asked for everyone to meet up at 8 (one participant was coming in the evening) so we could go out together. 

Tomorrow some of us are planning on venturing to Pusan on our own! This should be interesting! :) Although a few of us do know some basic Korean, so I think with what everyone knows we can get by alright.

If you want to send me any mail or packages my address is:
Amy Anselmino
English Town Room 410, Inje University
Obangdong, KimHae City
Kyung Nam, South Korea 621-749

I'm not actually sure where the breaks in the address should be; this is my best guess, but I figure if you have all of the information it shouldn't matter which line it is on! :)

Chicken, rice, kimchi, salad, AND egg drop soup! First meal with the group

Ben and Seung Bae being adventurous trying a honey dough fried treat...it was delicious!

Bulgogi!! YUM!

Some weird corn with cheese dish...

First Day at Inje

Today was the first day waking up in the dorms! I was told by the young woman who picked me up at the train station that there was an orientation for me at 10. I went to look for the room she told me about, but no one was there. The guard/front desk guy told me in broken English there wasn't anything scheduled for today. So, I waited around anyway and then went walking around Kimhae. It started raining, and unfortunately I forgot my umbrella at home. I wasn't able to find any shops selling umbrellas either-many restaurants and shops were closed, and I think it is maybe because today is Sunday. I was about to turn around and come back to the dorms when I spotted several church steeples nearby and I decided to see if I could find a church. Two of them didn't seem too promising from afar, but the third had a giant stone Jesus statue. The first two were small buildings and didn't seem Catholic. When I got to the last one, I saw the church schedule and there were services every day posted (that seemed on the right track), there were stained glass windows which also seemed right, and finally I noticed people bowing (the service list showed a mass at 11-and it was 10:50!) as they went into the church area-I stepped over so I could see what they were bowing to and I saw it was a statue of the Holy Family. I figured I had found my Catholic Church! As I walked in, I was handed a church bulletin and at the top I saw the word "Catholic"-I was so relieved! The Mass was hard to understand, but enjoyable too. 

After Mass, I walked back to the dorms. I was just hanging out here when there was a knock on the door. My roommate had arrived. Her name is Jung Yoon. She lives in a city I've never heard of about an hour away from here. Her parents were here to help her unpack her things. After about an hour or so, she said that since her vacation wasn't over yet, she was going home and would return on Tuesday. I studied my Rosetta Stone program after she left, and then took a nap. It is about dinner time now, but I'm not sure if I want to venture out in the cold and rain without an umbrella!

Made it to Inje University

I made it to Inje University! (I have to make sure to include 'University' because there is actually a city named Inje, but it is no where near Kimhae, the city where the University is located.) I left around 9 am to make my way over to Seoul Station. Luckily, I found elevators when I did not think there were any! However, I did encounter a few places where I needed to lug my suitcase up a few steps. I received my ticket and had about an hour to wait for the train. The train ride was uneventful; the only unfortunate thing was that I had to store my suitcase right in front of me so I had no leg room for the 5 hour ride. When I got to Gupo Station, the coordinator was not there immediately and I was a little nervous, but after waiting for maybe a minute she arrived with her boyfriend to pick me and another girl up. Then we drove to the University. I lugged my suitcase up a bunch of steps and have just been settling in. It feels good to unpack, but a little strange to be living in a dorm again! My roommate is not here yet and there doesn't really seem to be anyone here...I know the girl I came in with is on the floor above me (she is not Korean, so I am a little confused) and there were also two guys that were walking in when our car pulled up-those are all the people I have seen so far. Classes don't start until the 2nd (the 1st is a holiday). I have a bathroom-shower, toilet and sink in the room which is soo nice. We also were given bedding. Food service doesn't start until classes do, so pretty soon I will go see what I can find in the area! I have an orientation at 10 AM tomorrow morning. It's really cold in my room and I'm not sure how to work the heater.

Train Station (my train is 2nd from the bottom)

Lots and lots of mountains

Entrance to the room! (bathroom on right)

Bunk bed-I took the bottom

Desk area

Sign in front of dorm

Last Day in Seoul

Today was my last day in Seoul! I had a hard time deciding what I was going to do, but I ended up picking a museum to visit. I went to the Seoul Museum of History-I had never been there and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the history of Seoul and some general background on Korea as well. After the museum, I wandered around the area and found a Buddhist temple and took some pictures there. I was still early for meeting up with Hwa Sun, but I walked towards the subway station anyway. I found a (chain) bookstore and popped in and was easily amused with the children's section-Korean workbooks and books. :) Then a short subway ride to meet up with Hwa Sun and Jaebin. We stayed at her home for about an hour and then left for the restaurant. It was a restaurant I had been to with the Kim's four years ago, but at a new location. We were later joined by Hwa Sun's husband, Mom, Dad, and sister-in-law (her younger brother's wife) and her baby, Chin-oh. We had bulgogi and Korean noodles. After dinner, Hwa Sun, her husband and Jaebin walked me to the subway and now I'm back at the guest house. The doorman (around 70 years old or so) at the guest house is sooo sweet! He does not know much English, but does a very good job trying. He gave me a package of some rice cake 'cookies' and gave me a big hug and kiss goodbye-his shift is done at 6 AM and I'm leaving around 9:45. I told him I was coming back in June and he was happy about that. When I came into my room I noticed there is a new heater; a few minutes after I came upstairs there was a knock on my door. The doorman wanted to make sure I knew how to use the heater. **It was very cold today!!**

I have everything mostly packed for my trip to Inje tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about navigating with all of my luggage, but I have a pretty good idea of where I am going. The next stage in this trip is about to begin! 

Really cool gigantic model of Seoul!

Shoes!! Love them at any century! ;)

Sitting on a replica of the King's throne in the museum

Dinner with the Kim family! Back row: Hwa Sun, me, Mr. Ryu, Chin-oh, and Ki Yuk's wife; front row: Mrs. Park, Mr. Kim, and Jaebin

Yesterday (2nd day) Continued and Today (more coming later)

Today (Wed) was a busy day! I met Jay at City Hall. Jay was my seatmate on the plane and after 13 hours sitting next to each other got to know each other some. He is a native Korean, but has been living and working on an island in the Caribbean as a chef in a Hyatt Hotel. He is in Korea on a short vacation. We walked to Gyeongbuk Palace which was only a few blocks from the subway stop we met at. Along the way we passed some statues/monuments of a few important Koreans and took pictures there. When we were at Gyeongbok Palace, Jay pointed out that we could see the Blue House-where the President of Korea lives! After we walked around the palace grounds for a bit, we went to Myeongdong, a very popular shopping area-full of lots of young people. We went to a famous Korean Noodle Restaurant-we even had to wait for about 10-15 minutes! After lunch we walked over to Cheongycheon, one of my favorite spots in Seoul. Cheongycheon is a stream that has been cleaned up and built up in the last few years. It used to be really dirty, but now it is beautiful and peaceful. 

Then, it was off on my own to get to Hwa Sun's! I couldn't remember which entrance to the giant apartment building was hers and went to the wrong one, but the doorman let me call her and then took me to the right entrance. When I went to get the elevator I saw it was coming down and when the doors opened...there was Jaebin!! Jaebin is getting sooo big!!! He will be turning 7 in April-I cannot believe it! We left almost right away because Jaebin had a belt test for Taekwondo. He is a 2nd level red belt now! We returned to their apartment and played games and visited. Then we met Hwa Sun's husband at a Chinese restaurant near their home. It was pretty good-we ordered sweet and sour pork and I got fried rice as a side. Then they drove me back to the guesthouse. 

TODAY:

Right now it is 6:30 AM, but I have been having trouble sleeping. The past 2 nights I have been waking up a lot but could fall back asleep. No such luck today. Later I am going to meet up with Hwa Sun and Jaebin again! :)

At Gyeongbok Palace...6th time here! :)

Noodle place in Myeongdong

Tossing a coin and making a wish at Cheongyecheon!

Jaebin (front right) and his best friend (back left) doing their test

Paris Baguette for dessert...LOVE THIS KID!!!

 Hwa Sun, Mr. Ryu, Jaebin and "Maumay" the dog

(Thursday evening)
Today was fun! Hwa Sun picked me up at a subway stop near their home and we went on to the English Children's Library in the Itaewon area. After that we returned to their apartment for Kimbap for lunch. :) Then we went to Jaebin's violin lesson. After his lesson, Jaebin went to practice reading (Korean) with his friend and he is having a sleepover there! Hwa Sun and I went to a mall so she could get a piece on Jaebin's violin fixed. Now I am back relaxing at the guesthouse. The only plan for tomorrow is dinner with the Kim family! :)

Jaebin in the library

Main part of the library

Jaebin at violin lesson!

Second Day in Korea

Today is my second full day in Korea!

I landed on Monday, February 21. Min Kyung was able to meet me and help me get to the Guest House in Kangnam. We went to a restaurant called Food 2900 and ordered kimbap for dinner.

Yesterday we had Dak Galbi for lunch-my favorite!! After that we did some errands, including looking into renting a cell phone for me. However, it looks like it will be too much of a hassle...so I will be going cell phone free for 4 months!! We window shopped around Hongik University and then went to Yeongdeun to see the mall there. After that, we went to the underground mall next to the big mall and I bought my first pair of shoes! :) We had mandu for a snack/dinner and we parted ways.

Today I am planning on visiting Gyeonbuk Palace and meeting up with Hwa Sun and Jaebin. 

Min Kyung and me at a Dak Galbi restaurant in Kangnam

Dak Galbi!! They just added the rice.

Big (only) shopping mall in Korea

I think it might be bigger than Mall of America!