This is my P.O.V. in Korea as an international student.
I feel that to adjust to my life in Korea, I have to be a night person with stamina and need speed to keep up with the fast buses. Here are some of my other impressions:
The serving portion of meals in every restaurant is too large for me. Even at HomePlus, everything feels bigger than what I’m used to!
But the good point is that I can enjoy a variety of dishes and eat a well-balanced meal every time.
Everything here moves fast, especially when I take buses. The bus speed is way faster than in Japan. I feel this is due to the bus lanes here.
In Japan, there are no bus lanes, so buses also line up with general cars, and buses are often delayed.
Also, getting ready to get on and off the bus is fast!! Everyone is in a hurry. We shouldn't wait, we have to get on the bus ourselves even if the bus isn't right in front of you.
I usually get tired around midnight, like 12 or 1am, but it seems everyone here goes to bed at 3am. Even restaurants or shops are open until midnight. And when I wake up early, the entire town is asleep and I have nothing to do, so I feel I'm becoming a night person.
When I walk around here, I see a lot of people who are calling and even on the bus they are calling someone. Korean students will also call me often. In Japan, people don't call, especially on public transportation like buses or trains. But it turns out it is easier because by talking on the phone, you can get to the point right away without typing!
I feel Koreans are into Chicken… chicken is everywhere. There are many chicken restaurants in town, and if you want to deliver, it’s always chicken!
The other day, I went to Hangang to see a drone show, and as soon as I got out of the subway, I was given a lot of flyers for chicken.
I have been to Korea nearly ten times, and I'm gradually getting used to Korea. I began to catch the bus and manage to get on, and even press elevator buttons immediately. I'm getting used to ‘hurry-hurry’ culture (빨리빨리 culture - Korea’s fast-paced mindset that values speed, efficiency, and quick results in daily life and work).
I still have things I want to do like go to the sauna, eat tangsooyook, and do chicken-beer (치맥) at the Han River. As college students, we have countless things to do, like pre-reading and assignments, but I hope we can make many memories with our cohort members in Korea.
<aside> 🔍 Kaho is a third cohort student in the School of Innovation Foundations at Taejae University. She is an international student from Japan who loves k-pop and football.
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