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My tips for traveling & living in Korea while studying abroad!

Top 10 Tips For Korea 1. Buy a SIM card in advance (Chingu Mobile 5-month plan). 2. Bring cash with you (refill transportation card, ARC insurance fee, night market). 3. Get a climate card for transportation but still buy a T-money for emergencies and out-of-Seoul trips. 4. Make your ARC appointment early in advance and take a headshot; ARC registration fee is roughly $25USD. 5. Myeondong has the best exchange rate for changing money. 6. Learn to read Korean and practice common sayings (Hello, thank you, goodbye). 7. Familiarize yourself with Naver Maps; word spellings can be different on Naver from Google or need to be written in Korean. 8. Be careful during rush hour and do not sit in designated train seats (those reserved for pregnant women or the elderly). 9. Visit areas outside of Seoul (Yeosu, Busan, Jeju, Jeonju) You need a T-money if you do! 10. If you think you packed light, reconsider taking some things out. You will buy a lot more and won’t need it as much as you think you d
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Meeting New Friends & Experiencing Seasons

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 Near the end of March was the beginning of the cherry blossom season here in Korea. The weather started getting warmer but the air also felt a little suffocating. On the day my friends and I visited the river where we could see the early blooms in Gangnam, the sky was noticeably foggy and the air felt too dry to breathe.  Cherry blossoms at KU science campus I never experienced living in an area with changing seasons since Hawaii is always hot throughout the year. When I saw flowers starting to bloom in the trees and bushes that were once dead, it was so beautiful that it felt like I was walking down a flower aisle at school. But sadly it doesn't forever as they quickly die and become green.  The flower view on campus Studying on a bench on campus It was shocking to know cherry blossoms can't last more than two weeks, a friend I met from New Zealand said their blossoms can last a month. The short time I lived in Korea from March to April was one of the best memories ever. Besi
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March in Seoul

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  I was walking around on campus and was able to capture the sunset hitting the LG-Posco building beautifully! Mandy and I were also free to attend a KU club fair where booths were out in the yard and students can do activities for different groups like drawing, playing guitar, and foreign exchange clubs to help foreigners adapt to Korea and learn the language!  Korea University Business Building  Club fair at KU This was my first meal at the science campus cafeteria. Lunch here is super affordable and plated so nicely that it felt like I was dining at a restaurant.  5,000 KRW School Lunch!  📍Science Campus                                                   Pop-up stores and events is a very popular trend here in Korea. Whenever a brand has a new promotion, you will likely hear of a pop-up event. For most pop-ups, you do activities and earn free gifts like keychains or snacks, and it's good exposure and way for consumers to interact with their brand. They also do pop-ups for celebr
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First Week Of School + Eating Poop & Visiting Han River

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 It was finally the first week of school! The classes that I picked are Advertising Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Management, and Marketing Research. However, after reading the syllabus and meeting the professors, I decided to drop Consumer Behavior and take a Korean 101 class instead. Reasoning was because I found the professor's teaching style a little more traditional, he required students to use no devices and expected all students to print out material from BlackBoard for his class which can be costly.  My schedule was quite flexible and easy to manage! I can get to class on time in 5-7 minutes walking from my Goshiwon which is very convenient and like Shidler, we have one day free from the week so we can study or go out and visit places. On Fridays, I usually make plans with people who also did exchange at Korea University from Hawaii or go on campus (sometimes cafes in Anam) to study.  My schedule!         My first lecture in Marketing Research KU has two campuses;
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seeing snow & meeting Enhypen + KU orientation!!!

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Many things occur during my weeks 3 & 4.  It was soon late February but it started snowing which was surprising. Although it wasn't my first time experiencing snow it was my first witnessing it falling from the sky. This week I was also able to go to a concert held at KSPO Dome. Enhypen, one of my favorite Kpop group held a 3 day concert and I was able to buy tickets for 2 days. On the first day, my friend and I waited outside the venue in the early morning for 3 hours in line to buy merchandise. It was super cold as it was early and we were surrounded by snow. However, it was a one-time experience and I don't regret it. The whole concert and experience was so amazing, I was able to see them up close and jam to their songs, honestly a highlight I would remember forever on this whole trip.    The fourth week is when school started their orientation! Korea University has a buddy exchange program where they split exchange and visiting students into groups to chat and interact
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In South Korea For The First Time!

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My First Time In Seoul + The Things I Learned ♡  Week 1-2 in Korea 🇰🇷 Life in Korea feels like a long dream. There are many places you can visit by train and it's tempting to buy the things you can find here for a cheap price compared to Hawaii. The first 2.5 weeks felt unreal. I went to many popular places like Hongdae, Myeong-dong, Insa-dong, and Gangnam to sightsee and shop. My friend and I went to Mood Collect in Gangnam to get our color analysis, a very popular must-do when you go to Korea! We also bought a lot of skincare from Olive Young, one of the most common stores you will see in Seoul.  Mood Collect is located in Gangnam / Instagram: mood_collect Nightlife in Korea is lively; most stores in the city don't open until 12 in the afternoon, and it's relatively easy to find cheap foods nearby like at a convenience store or street food vendors. However, the smoking culture is very big, the streets get very dirty with cigarette butts laying everywhere on the floors a
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