British Council and Seoul

(30^th September until 2^nd October)

Today on Friday I had a meeting with the British Council director. He liked to find out more of British students and studying in the UK from abroad and now here in S Korea abroad. His mission is to bring more UK students into Korea, as many of them come for travel but not studying. He is keen to find out the reason on it - why and how do they hear about the opportunity of coming to S Korea. I hope I can contribute to his mission - by posting my experience here and be read by my home university for the start and expand to other students who come across this blog and make them exited on what they can experience while being here. 

In the later afternoon was a session for Korean students  on who like to find out more about the UK and progress their studies there. I have been asked to come for the Q&A session that students could ask me on my experience - as technically I will encounter nearly the same problems as they will do. They also can ask me about the student life into more detail as British council would answer it with case studies and on past students they had meet on the return. The lady from the British council had been greatful that I have attended the Q&A session of her event.

 As soon the event has finish we made our way to Seoul. It is now the last weekend for my girlfriend here in Korea or only one day off the weekend as she is flying away on Sunday morning. The weeks had gone by very quick I still can remember on how I pick her up from the airport and actually on how myself I just arrived to Korea.  

Before the meeting of the Brtish Council we said good bye to her friends from the church at a place which my friend had recommended me to go for tea and coffee (or Coffee and bread).  As the name says you get for every drink you order 4 to 5 different types of bread. The price of the drink does not vary much from other places, therefore actually it is cheaper in this place if the cost of the bread is included into the price. 

After the meeting with British Council we made our way to the station and set off to Seoul. I promised the hostel to come for 10pm but due to late finish and want to save a bit of money (therefore not token KTX) got the train at 7pm and arrived at around 11pm in Seoul. The hostel is very friendly and let us arrived and check in for 11pm. I am not sure as if I had been guest there now twice or is that there policy to wait until 1am. 

The next day me had met up with our friend from Seoul and said good bye to him (or at least my girlfriend). We also have given him the Kimchi we had made ourselves in Suncheon. He was very happy - as it is actually his favourite Kimchi.  

We could not stay long with him as we had been looking out for our tour guide and needed to go to the theatre at 2pm. The promised tour guide did not had shown up or they already meet up and walked around. We did not had register for the tour anyway as it was closed - as we found out one day before. We just thought just to join them when we arrive there. We just made our on way at Namsan to the Namsan Tower. It is very confusing on how to get there, from the base it might be a 4km walk but then it can not decided itself either 2.7km and then you walk for a long period of time (maybe up to 5mins) and the next sign says 2.6km or 2.8km.

 Maybe we just walked wrong or they can not decided on where to start the measurement, but during the time many new ways up have been formed which are a little bit faster then the sign says. Therefore it might be a different way.  After a while of walk we found the way to the tower, but on the way there we had found other interesting things, such as a wedding and a Korean garden. 

As soon we reached to the tower we could only stay for a while before already making the way down. As we are going to the show "Pan" not far away (by subway) from here. It is a traditional show of Korea, and we purchased the tickets online. 

It was actually very easy to find the location - as on the map they given it looked simple but when actually being on the road it is a bit more difficult. In this case the simplified version had worked and we found it on the first go.  Unlucky both camera have died - as forgotten to recharge last night. We need to remember the event of today in our brain. I surely will not forget it as I was able to participate in one of the games they played. They played very nice music and told stories, those who's Korean isn't fluent there had been subtitle provided on the screen behind the acting  and on the side there was general information on what this play was about. 

After the show we had a look around the area and head back to the hostel for an hour to recharge the cameras.  Then we head back to the Namsan area to look around the market - as last time we been for the food but not for items. As my girlfriend wanted to buy last minutes gifts. 

 The next day has broken up and it is Sunday. We had made an early start to the airport. The flight was scheduled for 11 in the morning. After I said good bye to her, I wanted to visit Incheon and token a bus from outside to Incheon Train Station. Incheon itself is also very big therefore I just visited only two parts of it China Town and an Island. Where I could find a Korean style garden with buildings and Emigration Museum. I have learnt on why Koreans aim to US and who the first emigrates of modern Korean been. It was also interesting to find out that Koreans in 1903 had been classed as "low cost" labour. 

I did wanted to stay to long in Incheon as I had been a bit tired and needed also to be back to the dorm before 1am. 

I also did not wanted to sit on the subway all the way to Seoul Station and decided to take a bus to Daegu, which is nearly gone the similar time as I would have taken the subway plus train. 

Busan

(23^th September until 25^th September)

It is back to Friday – the weeks are going very fast somehow these days. It shall go a bit slower again. Today my girlfriend and I are setting of to Busan. As I don’t have any classes and no meetings we decided to go to the bus station just after breakfast and purchase a ticket. As Busan is only 1-2hours away from Daegu there is nearly every 30mins or one hour a bus leaving from Daegu station.

We needed to go to Busan for two reasons, the main reason is for the examination of my girlfriend in her IELTS exam and the second just to travel and take a look around the Port city which had been shown cased many times on the TV Channel Arirang.

The bus journey has taken more than two hours, due to being a general service and stopping at every motorway junction to drop off and get on people. I wonder myself on how they manage to get their to the motorway stops and on how they will continue their journey if they had gone off.

All the time when you arrive with the bus you never get taken to the main city as you will be in Europe bus service or Taiwan bus service. They will drop you here off in Korea close to the motorway – in Busan case it is North of Busan. We needed to catch a metro service to City Centre. As we did not have an accommodation yet we made the decision to go to city centre and look around for guesthouses or motels.  

After we moved into the accommodation we gone for food hunting as it was already afternoon time, and there is a market nearly similar design to Andong. In Andong inside the markets had been food vendor, but in Busan or at least in this one there was no food vendor. We managed to find a place outside the market to eat something and to decide on what to visit.  The tourist map recommends to go to Songdo Beach and the port area of Busan. I feel the port is nothing special, maybe as visiting or living near a port.

There had been some confusion between tourist map, local people and Russian tourist on which bus to take. As arrived by metro to the designated station and exit, we asked local people on how to get to Songdo but either this did not speak or not understand English. I see then some tourist coming to our way – I am sure they must have visited the beach or may had an idea where to take a bus. They come from Russia, so I used Russian language to find out – they knew on the opposite side we could take a bus – but it will take to long for arrival of the number we waited for so we asked a local person which bus to take and given us a number. When boarding the bus we asked the bus driver if he will go Songdo Beach but he said – yes but on the other side so we shall wait for him or other bus to come.  We cross again a street and waited for the bus. Then suddenly a bus stop and I try to practise my Korean reading… and read “Song-do”… and quickly jump into the bus to ask if he will go Songdo Beach. Luckily he was indeed going to the beach.

After reaching the beach we had taken the trail which goes along the shore – which is very unique. I wish something like that will be built in Berwick-upon Tweed. That the promenade not suddenly finishes by the rock. I guess it will be a long dream due to all the Health and Safety issues – so I enjoy walking here in Busan along the shore on a secure pathway and hang bridges.

Tomorrow would be the exam - therefore after the beach we had made our way to the university. We shall see where it is and find the building. We had been stopped on our journey by a performance at the Busan Train Station.

 

More videos of the show can be found on their website here.  It was a very interesting show, showcasing again the Korean culture everywhere across the country.

After the show we continue our way to the final destination to the university ground.  The area did not different much from KNU area. Bars, shops, takeaways, etc. Just a bit more busier doing to being two universities at one place.

 Let me skip the part on finding the buidling and get to the eating part. We had some dinner on the street, as we already tried all dishes from restaurant but not the street food yet. We had chosen a few food to try out. Which was very nice and cost a little bit cheaper then in restaurant. After we continue our search for food, and come across an interesting ice shop. The lady is preparing fresh waffle (so shall be hot) and put in 3 spoons of ice cream inside. We bought one ice cream for  $Caribbean 5 as the lady is collecting foreign bank notes, we did not need to pay in Won. Actually we paid more in $ then the price would be in Korean Won. It was still nice and a great experience to try it out, and the waffle become cold with some tricks of the vendor so that the ice cream will not melt.

The next day has come up and it is the exam day. A very long day of waiting for myself. I had brought my Korean homework and study material to practise and read for small quizzes to coming up the following week.

After the exam was finish my girlfriend and me had made our way to Busan International Film Festival part of town. Where we also arrange to meet up with my KNU friends who also come to visit Busan. The only problem had been to communicate as due to my credit has run out and in Korea you can not top up your phone on the weekend due to being the server is down or something. Which is very strange, but at least the member of staff in the phone stores are friendly and let you borrow their phone to you to call your friends. Therefore recharge your phones before weekend or you will be stuck with out connection.


We managed to find my KNU friends and then look around the BIFF Sqaure, before going to get some food and visiting the bridge "Gwangan Bridge" on Gwangalli Beach. My girlfriend and I already seen it yesterday from the other side on where the cars drive on. As it isn't far away from the university.

It is a nice place for taking pictures at night - just need to find a good spot where not many people are walking or they either become ghost or block the view.

The day has gone to the end, we spend a little more time at the beach as we did not been in rush to return to the train station.

The next day we planned to go to visit the Fishery Folk Museum and China Town, and then we shall return in the late afternoon to Daegu.

In the Fishery Museum, we could learn of the old Busan and traditional way of catching fish up to today's method on catching fishes. It is an interesting museum to explore on how the culture has change from the tradition to the modernization.

We had contiune back our journey into town on where we gone and visit China Town or Russia Town. Every second store had a Russian name "Magazin", "Coffee Bar", etc and in between Chinese and Taiwanese Restaurants.

As it is already being getting to late afternoon we decided for one more attraction to see near China Town which is Yongdusan Park. Is on a little mountain which does not need to be climbed up as they have a stair escalators to the top.

Some tourist will say that Busan is not an interesting place of visit. I guess it depends on what you like to see - as it is still a city but with few nature points left such as small parks and the beaches surrounding the area of Busan.