Four months sounds like a long period of time but it will all come to an end quickly, especially the second half. I was fortunate to have Tran by my side all the time as well as great friends around me; still, below are some lessons I learned from trials and failures while living in Korea. 가자!
The End. For Now.
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📍137 days of living abroad You probably get the point by now, but it's impossible to talk about my semester abroad without having a glimpse of Trân. So, I wanted to start this post by dedicating my appreciation. Thank you for hopping on the plane and embarking Korea with me! More than anything, thank you for being my best friend, and even better friend by the days. Things never went our ways, 80% of the time, but once our eyes met, we burst into loud laughter and everything was going to be fine! We share the same brain cell! You trusted my nonexistent sense of direction and made sure that I was always well-fed (I gained quite some weights!) Ohh, thank you for waking me up in the morning as well! She absolutely hates my 100 alarms.. People say "don't dorm/live with your best friend, you might lose the friendship by the end of it!" But for us, it was a BOGO deal! Our friendship only strengthened and I am forever grateful for the memories we shared together. Love you! Trân and I were Vietnamese aunties in Dongdaemun. Our place was only 2 minutes from a subway station and a 10-minute walk from the infamous Dongdaemun Design Plaza. It usually took us around 20 minutes to get to school everyday, from Line 1 to Line 6. I grew fond of our home, it was a cozy size for the two of us with newly equipped furniture. I especially love the gudeul aka ondol, the unique floor heating system that kept us warm and toasty! Another place that we frequented often in the neighborhood was Myeongdong Cathedral Church. The church is located in Myeongdong, 10 minutes away from Line 4 stations. It is also a popular tourist attraction because the beautiful church featured in many films and dramas. The architecture is absolutely stunning! English mass is offered at 9 a.m on Sundays..so you could guess that we definitely struggled getting ourselves to church. As if our location could not get any better.. we were only 1 station away from Gwangjang Market! We came here to eat, buy grocery, eat some more and for Pono's last dinner in Korea as well. Don't be afraid to try something new, especially when it is a specialty of the place that you are visiting! We did not hesitate for the raw octopus and raw beef. Delicioso! Until next time, this is the last of my Aloha Friday series and my adventures abroad. This chapter might close but a new chapter awaits. Let's continue to go places! Day 137/137. Grateful that it happened!
I remember welcoming December sleep-deprived. The temperature was casually negative 8 Celsius but felt like negative 13... so it was warm when it went back to the positive! December also meant school was coming to an end, which was last push for group projects, presentations, reports and finals. I really enjoyed the courses that I took and wanted to leave a great impression with my professors and peers. I am certainly satisfied with my results! I would not have been able to do it, if it was not for a joyful visit to this heaven, Bau House Dog Cafe, to release all my worries in the world. As soon as finals were over, it was time to say farewells to the friends who I got to meet in Korea. I am way too bad at it, I got teary every time! Thanks to these individuals, everything kept getting better (not all pictured, missing some!). Of course, it was a must to see team Korea from HSBC/HKU Competition with Annie before I head off. I left Korea on the 23rd of December to spend Christmas in Vietnam with my friends and family. It had been 8 years since I moved away, it was a nostalgic feeling! Then Da Lat and Singapore happened. I returned to Vietnam on New Year's Eve because I wanted to experience the midnight fireworks at the avenue. Chaotic, polluted and crowded, it took my friend 2 hours to finally parked our vehicle but we made it in time and had a memorable New Year celebration! I spent the next few days with my family, played with my niece because I could barely be physically present for her, and caught up with my friends. On my last night, I met up with team Vietnam from HSBC Competition! We reunited over a few cocktails and constant laughters, a perfect way to end my visit as well as my semester abroad. Hawaii, I am on my way!
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