For anyone who has played Poptropica, or any game ever, there is always an aspect of “unlocking something new.” Embarking on a mission across the world, 14 hours ahead of the Eastern Standard Time, is the closest you can get to unlocking that map in real life. To unlock anything in games, you tend to need to find the key, or obtain a series of tools and gadgets before gaining enough EXP to explore those new parts of the world… In this case, that Key was an acceptance to Seoul National University and also a D-2 Visa. Studying abroad is a journey no different from this. Traveling to a country with a different language and a vastly different culture requires a bit of bravery and a LOT of preparation. But did I prepare enough?
Come with me across the sea but take anything I say with a grain of sea salt as I am writing this while I am experiencing it. This is in no way a guide to how to set yourself up for a successful study abroad, as it is simply how I encountered these situations. All study abroad experiences are different, and mine is specific to Seoul National University (SNU) Business School in the Spring term, as a student on the Fall-Winter co-op cycle. Therefore, anything I type further can be seen as circles, arrows, and Xs on a treasure map.
Many people feel stranded or even lost when they arrive at a destination even if they have a map of the place. It felt that way mentally after my friends and I finished our first meal in Korea and proceeded to ask for a check. To which we were responded to quickly with a “You want a book??” (In Korean, the word for book is: 책pronounced chaek). We then proceeded to try to explain to the very kind restaurant owner that we wanted the paper with the grand total of our dinner that came before the receipt. This resulted in quite an interesting back in fourth where we learned in Korea, you simply walk to the cash register and hand your credit card, or cash, to the restaurant staff.
This internal feeling of being lost repeatedly occurred, especially when spending money anywhere, as that typically is followed with a conversation. The Korean we learned in class helped with understanding things around us, but I was hugely overwhelmed by the quick bursts of Korean words, one after another, that were spoken to me. However, being mentally lost was fully compensated for by the extreme accessibility of the external environment around me. Convenience here is taken at an extreme measure, where I can throw a dart anywhere in Seoul and be within a 5-minute walking distance from a convenience store. Convenience stores like GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, E-mart24, and random small mom-and-pop shops sell thing that range from playing cards to simple meals to even gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes)! In addition to normal convenience stores, every corner you turn, you will be able to see a Daiso and Olive Young in the distance. Daiso specializes in low-cost home goods ranging from Shower heads to pimple patches. In contrast, Olive Young provides Koreans with premium self-care products from Hair-loss Prevention Shampoo to Portable Sunscreen Sticks.
In addition to convenience, many things around us provide comfort. Browsing the streets, we would find many street-food stands and just restaurants in general! Taking public transportation was clean and easy to navigate with apps like Naver Maps and Kakao Maps. A common sight at crosswalks would be a light strip on the curb that follows the traffic lights. This goes hand in hand with the many people staring downwards at their phones, letting them know when they reach the curb and need to stop!
This convenience and comfort come at a price: general rules and expectations of residents. Learning these general rules came directly from experience, sometimes through official complaints and other times through scoldings from locals. Segregating trash and recycling come in multiple steps, where you need to buy specific trash bags for “general trash”. Bringing open drinks onto the bus is strictly prohibited and enforced, a small price to pay for stench-less and clean transit system. Within the first 24 hours of arriving in South Korea, Jay, my housemate, had to toss away two freshly bought coffees before entering a bus! An expectation for all the residents of Korea is the honor system. Train stations typically do not have turnstiles that lock, helping the metro system lower costs of maintaining their facilities, ultimately reflecting on the cost of taking transit! As an adult, the cost of taking transit is 1500₩ (Around $1) more than 50% cheaper than SEPTA! Additionally, on escalators, it is generally accepted that the people on the right side will stand still as the escalators ascend/descend, whereas the left side would be the “bypass lane” where people can use it to walk past others!
Overall, I’ve experienced a fair bit of cultural shock in South Korea, however, comfort and convenience served very well as a shock absorber. The views in the exuberant city are bewildering, even on a daily commute! The people I’ve met so far are very nice and help a lot. Whenever I am really lost, I can always count on a nice 아주머니(auntie) to point me in the right direction with a mix of Korean and body language.
Bonus! Korean words of the week:
Hello: 안녕하세요. (Anh-Yeong-Ha-Say-Yo)
Thank you: 감사합니다. (Gkam-Sah-mnida)
Please: 주세요(Ju-Sae-Yo). Example, 책 주세요 (Can I get a book please)
