From Thailand to South Korea

Thailand has been good to me for the past 8 weeks. Now, it’s time for me to head off to my next adventure, which is South Korea!! I can't believe I will have the opportunity to finally visit my dream country. Ever since I became interested in South Korea's culture and history, I have dreamed of visiting this place. I'm so proud of myself for being able to accomplish one of my long-time dreams.

As I was getting ready to check in to my flight in Thailand, I just found out that I needed to have a visa in order to transfer planes in Vietnam. I was so shocked to hear this because I didn't know anything about this and nobody inform me about this! Anyway, I had to buy another ticket to South Korea, which was very expensive, but I didn't let that dampen my mood of going to Korea.

After a day of traveling, I have finally reached Incheon International Airport. Bruh, the feeling I'm feeling is so surreal. Once I got my baggage, I took the train to Seoul Station then caught another train to go to Hongdae station. When I was exiting the arrival area of the airport, I felt a little starstruck because it was the same exit that I have seen in Korean dramas and where Korean idol exit from. It's not every day you complete one of your dreams of visiting another country.

Once I got to Hongdae station, my friend, Karen was waiting for me. I was so happy to see her again. She was an exchange student at UW-Madison for a year and I'm finally seeing her in her country. I planned on staying with her during my time in South Korea. After resting and dropping my baggage at her place, I decided to explore around Sinchon. The good thing about her apartment was it was near Yonsei University, so there was a lot of college students and people that were my age. The street was filled with different stores, coffee cafes, cosmetic stores, and fast food places. Also, there was a mixture of foreign students, who could have been part of Yonsei International Summer School. Another interesting thing I noticed was the number of couples I was seeing. They wore matching outfits, holding hands, and laughing with each other, which was something I didn't see in Thailand.

The part of Sinchon I explore

The most surprising thing that occurs as I was exploring was when I saw my friend, Melissa! This was very unexpected and unplanned. I remember her telling me that she was doing a summer abroad in Korea, but I didn't expect to meet her in a coffee shop or run into her in another country. We stayed at the coffee shop and talk about my time in Thailand and her time in Korea. She ordered for us lemonade and 팥빙수 (Patbingsu), which is sweet red beans with shaved ice. It was so delicious and the perfect snack for the hot summer. After that, she showed me around Yonsei campus and then we went out separate ways.

The cafe I saw my friend, Melissa at

팥빙수 (Patbingsu). A sweet red beans with shaved ice.

Yonesi University

I was filled with so much joy because I was living my dream!

As I was exploring the street, I saw the street performer.

Later in the night, my friend and I went to a Korean BBQ Place for dinner. It was very homely and the meat was amazing. So far, Korean food hasn't disappointed me yet. After dinner, we went to the PC room, which is a gaming area for a gamer or those interested in games. This is something you wouldn't find in the USA. There were separate area for each person. The area consisted of a large computer screen with headphones, keyboards, a mouse, and a very comfortable chair. Seeing this place, I realize the gaming culture in Korea is huge.

Dinner at a BBQ place

The PC room/store

Well, that is all for my first day in Korea. Can't wait to continue exploring the country!

P.S. The good thing of flying form Thailand to Korea is you don't experience jet lag.