[Geumcheong,Geumjeong,Ansan]

Seoul is an amazing province, with tons of minoring cities, you just look at the metro subway and just want to go to every single place on the map. Well yesterday I tried exactly that same thing. I decided to go to Geumjeong for lunch since I spotted it on the map and thought it was close and far enough for it to be away from the areas around Sinchon(where I reside) since I tend to sometimes get cabin fever staying inside the dorm so often. //Also I heard it has a nice large mall.// Sinchon is a great city, but I'm here in Korea to have ADVENTURES. So around noon I hopped on the subway and decided that I can definitely make it back in time for my language class at 4pm with time to spare. So I did so and just sat and people watched on the subway, mp3 player-less just to absorb up the feeling of everything. That kind of thing. I arrive at a stop though that the announcer says something that sounds remarkably similar to "Geumjeong" and the subway screen says "Geumcheong" which I sort of assumed it was right? I got off in "Geumcheong" and after walking around outside the subway, I noticed, I was not in the right place.

Due to a spelling error(yay Korea, thanks.) I got off in Geumcheon, NOT Geumjeong. But I decided to make the best of it and explore the place for awhile. It was a nice, quiet city. Large skyscrapers were being built in this small town which I always think is surreal to see huge rising apartment complexes and business buildings around small humble homes and businesses.

So after getting myself terribly lost after about an hour and getting some delicious kimbap and peach 2% (FYI kimbap is the korean version of... a sushi roll? But can have meat or kimchi inside too, very good on the go lunch or snack, and peach 2% is delicious peach flavored water. Currently they have kpop group Big Bang members on the bottles. lol) I finally pulled a taxi and got to the subway, I was WAY off. lol So I got on the subway and had another good couple of hours to spare and so I found GEUMJEONG on the subway map and headed down there. It was a bit more urban and lively, but still had that small town feel with the looming giant buildings being constructed.

So tired, exhausted, and ready to go back to Sinchon, I head back on the subway after eating dinner at a delicious samgyupsal(Slices of pork, like uncured bacon?) restaurant, I head back on the subway half-conscious and unfortunately... doze off. I wake up about a good... 20-30 mins later and my heart jumps because I am NOWHERE familiar close to where I live. I jump out of the subway and walk out and see that I am currently in "Ansan". I pull out my subway map and I just burst out laughing. I am literally on the edge of Seoul, about to exit the province and visit the moutains and oceanside. Well, I don't think I can make it back in time for my language class since it is currently 3:50PM and I'm about an hour or so by subway away from Sinchon. So I just stroll around, just sit and relax on the benches outside and wish that I could trek up those mountains and visit the ocean. Thank god it was a gorgeous day that day. But I only snagged one photo. Haha, not too exciting.

But since there are no skyscrapers in the background, you can assume it's quite in the middle of nowhere. Overall I did miss Korean class, but it's never too big of a deal if you're an international student. (I'm a good student, don't worry, I swear) but just the trip itself was worth it. I just love getting out of the citylife and seeing the other sides of Seoul that not many people visit. I did grow up in a small town so it's like, going back home in a way? Hopefully I will go on more many random adventures, but this time... I hope it was less chaotic than this one. Cause it's not too enjoyable getting a call from a friend asking "Where are you at? You're missing class." And the only thing you can respond is "Hm. Not sure. Will try to be back by before nightfall.":)

P.S. Here's an illustration of the Seoul subway map. The red is where I started in Sinchon where I live, the green is where I first stopped, Geumcheon. The yellow is where I stopped and originally planned to be, Geumjeong. The orange is Ansan. Way off as you can see. Way to go, me. Hahahaha~

[ Lau-Tastic ]

I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this, but drinking and clubbing is such a huge part of staying social in Korea. Honestly, I don't want to be mean, but if you don't drink atleast, you are not going to make very many friends here.

Last night some friends and I entered into Hongdae, a very popular clubbing nightspot for college students of all ages to go bar and club hopping until the wee hours of the morning. My friends and I were searching for a music club that my friend knows the DJ of, and beforehand we hit up Storm Bar. It's such a mellow atmosphere, and they have water constantly running on the windows to make it look like it was raining. Gorgeous, but... kind of gloomy.

Afterwards we went to go find the club, and passed a very popular club called M2, and I was walking pass a group of friends, and then I saw a guy walk by and I made eye contact with him and my brain was turning and saying to me "Hey. Step it up, you know that guy. You know who he is." Then I realized I just stared down Henry Lau from Super Junior (M). That fresh faced mochi-cheeked break dancing violinist Canadian. This fellow:

He was also taller than I actually imagined. I think he was atleast around 5'9''. I approached him while he was in line with his friends and I think they thought I might be another random Korean fan, but nope, I is American, they seemed to be a lot warmer to me then. Hahahaha~ in the end I couldn't take a photo of him because of the whole Jaybeom thing recently going on, and how much Koreans freak out about certain crap scandals and netizens dig into everything.

Here's how the convo went basically:

Me: Um... uh... are you...

Friend: Yes yes, hello hello, how are you? (in English with a korean accent lulz)

Me: Are you Henry Lau?

Henry: Hahaha~

Friends: Hahahaha! Of COURSE he is Henry Lau from Suuuupper Juniorrr~~~

Me: Haha, it's really great to meet you, I'm Julie, it's a pleasure to meet you, I'm a huge fan.

Henry: ::shakes hand:: Thank you! It's very nice to meet you too, so um... are you from California?

Me: Minnesota...haha~

Henry: Oh wow, you know about Super Junior and you're from Minnesota?? Do many people know about us?

Me: Kinda... hm, well it's kind of like how well Super Junior is known in... Canada.

Henry: OHHH... I see. Hahaha~

Me: I'm sorry to bother you though, I was wondering if I could take a photo?

Henry: I'm really sorry, I really can't, umm... if you ask my friend maybe, but I just can't.

Friend: Yeah, I'm very sorry, but you know Jaebeom and everything? With all that stuff floating around, netizens and Koreans will just nab anything floating around, I really would love to let you but we just can't. I'm really sorry. :(

Me: No, it's really okay, I honestly understand. I know how it works. :)

Friend: Henry you'd better tell her you're sorry. Tell her you're Sorry Sorry.

Henry: Hahahaha~ okay, "sorry sorry sorry sorry, naega naega naega manjeo~" ::rubbing hand and snapping finger movements::

Me: Hahaha! Yay! ::claps:: thank you!

Friend: Again we're sorry, but he can give you a hug!

Henry: Yes I'll give you a hug! ::initiate the most forward and sudden awesome hug ever::

Me: Awww, thanks! That really made my day, really, thank you so much, it was great meeting you. I'll be behind Super Junior 100%.

Henry: Thank you so much for your support, keep supporting us please!!! We'll do our best for you!

And then I went off, him and his friends actually said I should come party with them, but realistically I know it would be amazing, but I had friends waiting on me and M2 is huge, packed, and I don't think I'd be doing much there except getting lost and squashed. But anyway, it was so amazing not only to meet someone from Super Junior, but one who's a definite favorite member of mine. /end fangirl rant

[ 433 ]

Hello, 안녕하세요, everyone~!

Finally, after 2 months of doing nothing but literally sitting on my bum at home, I arrived February 24th, 2010 at my new home for the next semester. The second International House (now known as SK Global House) in Sinchon, Korea on the Yonsei University campus. After 16 hours of flying, an overnight layover in Japan, I'm finally back in Korea for Spring. This second time around, my experience getting from the airport to my dormitory was a lot easier than the first time, and I knew the surrounding area like the back of my hand. I arrived at the SK House around 3pm and I noticed something. It's BIG. It was being under closed(loud) construction all last semester and I saw for the first time that it was gigantic. There are about 7 floors and 3 basements. There is many facilities including a GS25 (a local convenience store chain), a Caribou Coffee (yeah, coffee here is a little less than $2 for a regular cup~) and a large cafeteria and a school supplies store. Aside from the long, long ordeal of finding me an available room(since the dorm is still being constructed on) I finally landed in my home sweet home, Room 433. After much nagging I also got my old roommate from the previous semester, Sandy Lim as my roomie again.

Not only is it cleaner, have more nooks and crannies [sorry everyone, but this detailed explanation can only be understood if you were there at the other dorm last fall... :( ] but the floors are heated, we have a sink, shower, and toilet, and BALCONY with a beautiful view.

For now though, more students are still moving in, and the city is quite empty and a bit quieter because the semester hasn't started yet. Also fridges coming next week, I need my cereal and oatmeal... please be patient until the magic starts and the real adventures begin...