Anyong from Korea!

Hi family and friends!

Here is where I'll be posting updates and pictures on what I'm up to in Korea, and also where you guys can tell me things to do, to see, to buy...

The name of this blog is not particularly poetic or sentimental, but it is inspired by my first impressions of Seoul. In the two and a half days since I arrived, I have yet to see the sun shine over this place. I don't miss it too much yet, since it's been really cool and damp so far- perfect temperature to take walks in and many, many naps.

For the next couple of weeks I'm staying with S. and M. at S.'s family's apartment in the Jamwon area of Seoul. The living situation right now is pretty sweet.

I have my own room, for example. Nice and spacious.

Living room

Note: Those are not massive cereal boxes on the floor, just a weird angle.

Kitchen

Subway and bus stops are close by, and we live near Shinsegae and Central City, which are these HUGE malls surrounded by countless smaller stores. There's definitely the feel of a bustling metropolis.

Since we're on our own for now, we are fully responsible for feeding ourselves. Breakfast is easy. So is lunch. We ate at a small, quiet restaurant run by ahjummas near Sogang University after our first day of classes.

Here's SnM with their epic bowl of seafood noodles.

I had naengmyun ("cold noodles"). Basically ice, pickled veggies, and noodles that you have to eat with a pair of scissors. Yummm

Seriously though, they were pretty good! Much better than the one time I mistakenly had it in Queens. I am aware that I'm supposed to use the scissors before I start eating, but those noodles were so resilient, I just had to keep cutting as I was eating, much to other peoples' amusement. It was also sort of fun, like trimming hair off my chopsticks.

As for dinner, I expect we're going to see a lot of ramyun, rice, kimchi, and that korean beef recipe that has served me so well in college. We'll work our way up slowly...

We're apparently taking a trip down to Busan this weekend, so more next week.

On an ending note, here in Korea they have MONSTER SCALLIONS.

?!?!?!!?