SLOWLY, BUT SURELY: VULNERABILITY

I'm entering my fourth week in Seoul! I'm still adjusting, to say the least. I went from having a packed schedule at home (handling 3 jobs while also being a full-time student at the same time and making downtime to hang out with friends and go to the gym) to only attending school for the first half of the day, going to the SNU gym immediately after, then running errands before I head back home. It's weird being this free, and I'm not too sure if I like it... yet.

I made it a personal goal to hang out with as many friends as I could before I came to Seoul, and that was both a blessing and a curse! I had back-to-back lunches and dinners almost everyday for the entire month before I left, and I think because of it, I miss everyone a little extra. I miss my friends back home so much, and when there are days I am free after school, I wish I could hop in my car, pick them up, and just hang out for a bit -- if it were over coffee, food, or just at even the most random of places. But of course, things are different here because: 1) I don't have a car, 2) my regular friends are an ocean away, and 3) I am still new to the area. Again, it's an adjustment. An initially bittersweet, but overall refreshing one.

Homesickness is a real thing, and I personally thought I would have never experienced it due to my frequent traveling to places such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, etc. I guess the difference with my one/two week trips versus my exchange in Seoul is that I'll be away from home for quite a while. Unlike my other trips, I had a mindset that I will be returning to Hawaii soon, but here in Seoul, what impacts me most is when I realize I'm going to miss out on my most important friends' birthdays, graduations, and other events. However, slowly but surely, I am beginning to get over these feelings due to great platforms like Facetime. I've always preferred calls over texts (because I suck at texting), which does come as an advantage especially when I just want to have a nice, easygoing conversation with a friend from home. Plus, we're never put through anything we can't handle, so with that in mind, these anxious feelings are just another obstacle in the road I shall strive to overcome.

One thing that has and is helping me cope with homesickness is the SNU Buddy program. If you plan on coming to SNU, or wish to study abroad in general, definitely sign up for a buddy program if there is one available. I am so glad I signed up for one, especially since I've been feeling homesick lately. They truly exert their best efforts into assuring a memorable experience for the exchange students, and for that I am forever grateful. Here are a few photos of what I've been up to since I last posted -- I've hit a lot of the main tourist destinations, and now it is my goal to find "hidden gems." My buddy group also has students who are interested in photography, so check out their photos as well! They're amazing! (see below)

Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace in Hanboks (photos via SNU Buddies, Jessica and Namjoon)

Bi-weekly dinners with SNU Buddy

Bi-weekly lunches with SNU Buddy

I can't wait to explore the rest of Seoul, let alone, South Korea. The amount of cafes and restaurants here in Seoul are endless. I am an avid coffee drinker, so I am on a quest to find the best cafe's here. Stay tuned for a post (probably toward the end of my semester) that covers all of my recommendations and must-do's!