My second trip to a cat cafe was so much fun. Henry, my friend from Taiwan, and I went to Hongdae and had a great time petting all the sweet cats at Hello Cat Cafe. I really enjoyed it because there was a cute naked cat there! For those who don't know, I LOVE NAKED CATS. My choco milk drink was also so adorably cat-themed (drinks were in the 6,000-8,000 won range), and in general, the atmosphere was really laid back and fun.

We had to take our shoes off upon entrance, and we also had to disinfect our hands. The cafe's policies regarding treatment of the cats was offered in both English and Korean, so that was nice. The facility seemed to be clean, and the employees were kind. The kitties seemed happy and healthy, and that made have a more enjoyable experience.

The cats were very friendly for the most part. Maybe it was because we went a little later in the day, around...8? I really had fun relaxing and getting a some oxytocin flowin'. :)

Hongdae Cat Cafe with Henry-shii!

This semester has been full of so many emotions, adventures, and friends (some old, and some new!). I have finally returned to my blog since taking a blogging hiatus for...pretty much all of Winter break...and even during most of this Spring semester....oops! I've never been very good at blogging consistently. :( But I thought I'd try to start up Seoul Kissed again in order to share my final days at Ewha! I also would like to look back on these blog posts in the future to remember how my study abroad here in Korea really changed my life.

So much of my life has changed since the end of last semester. I fell in love with an amazing man back home during the Winter break, and I started living a much more healthy lifestyle (taking care of my body, getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking more water, etc). I am preparing for my senior year at my home university, and I am already thinking about what I'll be doing after graduation (work, graduate school, something else?!). This semester is really making me realize how close I am to finishing my undergraduate career. This is a scary thought. 4 years goes by so so quickly! Definitely make the most of your college career by studying abroad. :)

So, I just felt compelled to write this short blog post as the beginning of my blogging for my second, and last, semester here at Ewha. I'll continue to blog about my experiences until the end of this semester....June 17th, 2015! Looking forward to sharing my many experiences on Seoul Kissed!

Until next time,
Chloe

I'm back!

This past semester at Ewha has been such an incredible experience. I learned so much about Korean and Chinese history and politics in my classes, and I am so happy with my progress in the Korean language after completing the Ewha Language Center's Korean 1a and 1b program. Now I am back in Atlanta enjoying the Christmas holidays with my family...a well-deserved break!

My grades this semester were good, though I was scared about a couple of classes, Korean being one of them. I was put into an accelerated Korean I class...but things turned out OK! By the end of the course, my beginning Korean knowledge increased by 100%! My Chinese politics class was quite difficult because of the subject. So much dry reading that went on and on and on! But by the end of the semester, I was able to finish a final research paper, presentation, and written final exam on the topics covered in class. I feel much more aware of contemporary issues in East Asia after this course with Dr. Sei Jeong Chin. Religions in Modern Korea was an interesting class, but I don't recommend this course because the exams were fill-in-the-blank...a.k.a., an easy class to fail if you're not studious. My favorite course was called "Everyday Cultures in Modern Korea" with Dr. Sang Ho Ro. His lectures were quite interesting and he was a funny professor.



Aside from my coursework, I learned a great deal about myself and my wonderful country through experiencing life in fabulous Seoul! I also never imagined I could meet so many genuinely kind, brilliant, and amazing individuals - both Korean citizens and fellow international students - through studying abroad in Asia. This very special opportunity to spend time abroad has changed me as a person: it has allowed me to participate in a different culture than my own, it has enabled me to expand and strengthen my views on social and political issues, and it has given me an opportunity to live life as a global citizen.

I'll Be Home for Christmas: Home for Winter Break!

Today was a chill Saturday. I got lunch with a friend in Edae, and then we tried a new cafe, Café D'ate, that opened just recently near Sinchon.

The cafe had really nice decor, and the open window design is a great study spot with natural lighting. The coffee was really good (as always, I try the Americano) and the coffee was reasonably priced. The large Americano was only 3,000 won! I think that the Americano definitely beats Cafe Bene's large Americano!

After chatting in the cafe for a while, we decided to go by Eclair Hair so my friend could get a cut and style. Eclair Hair is close to Ewha - it's actually right down the street from the Ewha main gate. It was really fancy...TV's, fake leather comfy chairs, plush pillows, and the staff were extremely polite (bowing, asking if I wanted a drink, thanking us). There were also mirrors everywhere...too many mirrors!

It seemed like the hairdressers really loved hair. They cut and cut and cut. They made sure every single hair was in the right position.  They even had hair assistants who were on stand by with a rolling cart of extra tools, products, and supplies. My friend was kind if disappointed in the hairstyle, but it looked good anyway. It was a very Korean look! And it was pretty cheap - only 18,000 won after student discount!

Inside of Eclair Hair...note the comfy chairs :)

Café D'ate & Eclair Hair

This post is way over due! Last month, I biked along the Han River with friends...it was way more fun than I expected! We went to the Ewha Subway Station and took line 2 to Hapjeong Station. I used this blog post to decide how to get to the Han River, but when we got out of Hapjeong Station, we still had to walk a few miles before even getting to the Han. Then there was even more walking trying to find the bike rental place...next time, I will try another method of getting to the Han River. I don't suggest taking line 2 to Hapjeong if you can't handle very much walking.

When we finally got our bikes, it was such a great feeling. After all the walking, riding with the cool wind in your face felt great.The day we rode, the sun was overcast, so it felt very nice and cool. It is hard for me to believe that I have not ridden a bike in nearly 7 years. Time really, really flies!

The bike trails at the Han River were nice, but there was not much to see along certain paths. As expected, everyone biked on the right side of the road, and people would pass by in the opposite direction on the left. There is a nice view of the Han River while riding along the main path, though, and there are places to stop biking to walk along the river. There are also rest stops along the biking roads where you can stop and take a rest.

After riding on my bike for a long time, we stopped, and I was able to try riding on a tandem! The tandem is so much fun when you get used to it. I have a picture on the tandem with my tall friend, Juha, but I had to switch partners so I could ride in the front (he was too tall for me to sit in the front because his handlebars were too low because of my height). Thankfully, there was another friend who rode with me on the tandem. We were probably going way too fast, but it was so cool to pedal in sync with another person.

After biking for a little over an hour, we decided to get lunch in Sinchon. We took the subway back, and we ate at an all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant. Biking the Han River with friends is definitely a must-do experience for anyone who visits South Korea! That day was definitely a day I'll remember long after leaving Seoul...

Biking Along The Han River

This past weekend has been so much fun. We did not have school on Friday because of a Korean holiday, National Foundation Day, so I hung out with friends, ate good food, shopped in Edae, Hongdae, and Sinchon, and enjoyed the beautiful changing weather. It is beginning to feel like Autumn in Seoul!

I met with my Ewha PEACE buddy, Minji, and two other international friends for lunch. Ken is from Brazil, and Ha is from Vietnam. I am so happy to be able to meet and get to know such interesting, smart, and kind people. Living in the Samsung International House has been a great experience for me, as I was able to make friends from all over the world, like Ken and Ha!

We ate at a small restaurant that made "steaks" close to Ewha called Popo Tree. The food was actually pretty good, and the menu consisted of mostly affordable meals. I would definitely go back again. (Read a review of Popo Tree here)

After lunch, we did a little bit of shopping around Edae, and then we decided to head back to campus. Ha left, as she was going shopping with another friend. But last minute, we decided to stop and get churros! The cafe was in a side alley walking away from Ewha's main gate on the right, but I forgot its name. The ice cream and churros really hit the spot! And I really enjoyed sitting outside under the bright blue sky of Autumn. It was a good day. :)

Friday Fun in Edae

I always love splurging on a pedicure and having a fun sister day with the little sis, Catie. Well, today, I decided to try a nail salon called Fair Lady near the Ewha Subway Station with Emma. I researched online, and I thought this would be a great choice, since people were saying great things about the service.

The nail salons near my home charge about $22-27 for a pedicure. The price range for a pedicure at Fair Lady was about  25,000 - 60,000 won. I paid 30,000 won for the "nail care and color." Now I know that "nail care" isn't the kind of pedicure I usually get in the US...

The nail care and color package really was nail care. She only cut my nails and worked on my cuticles (it hurt a lot at times!). I mean, my feet do look a lot better, but I was a little disappointed that it wasn't like the pedicures at home with the semi-foot massage and foot exfoliation. The young woman who worked on my nails was considerate and nice enough, but she was extremely slow.

Now that I am 30,000 won poorer, I have new motivation to learn how to cut and take care of my own cuticules. I tried the Korean nail salon thing once, but they don't compare to the Vietnamese salons in the US.

Fair Lady Nail Salon

Last weekend, I went to the Table A Cat Cafe with another international student and friend, Emma. We had finished eating dinner in Edae, and we were about to do some shopping when we noticed some really cute kitties through the window...

The cafe was kind of pricey, with the cheapest drink (cafe Americano) being 4,000 won, and the prices going up to nearly 6,000 won for bubble tea. We thought that playing with the kitties was worth it, though, and so we handed over our money to the cashier. We then sat down in the play-pen-like cat area and waited for our drinks, while we waited for the kitties to come over and play with us.

The kitties were playing with a cute little boy and his mother, but they soon wandered nearer to our area. The cats were so small, and they were so light! They seemed so sleepy at first, but after a while, they began to perk up and really get into the feather toy! For the most part, the cats looked healthy and happy. The facility was clean, and the coffee was fine.

I enjoyed my first experience in a kitty cafe, and I am excited to go more. I might even go to one in Hongdae tonight.

Table A Cat Cafe!

This blog post is way overdue! I have been in South Korea since Monday, August  25 (Korea time), and I have been enjoying every single minute in Seoul! Even after the short time I've been here, I feel like my perception of people and culture has changed dramatically. Studying abroad is truly what everyone says it is...a life changing experience! I have met so many interesting and accomplished people, and I find the people of South Korea to be some of the nicest people I have ever met!

So many adventures have taken place since my arrival, so I will start posting about events that have already taken place, as well as blog about new experiences of the week such as school life and life in the city. There are a few Korean cultural norms that I find quite interesting (and sometimes very strange from a my own US cultural point-of-view) that I will also share in upcoming short blog posts. :)  I am eager to continue to fully immerse myself in this upbeat, fashionable, and energetic country, while I am an exchange student at Ewha.

Currently, school is out for most of the week because of the Korean traditional holiday, Chuseok 추석 (click here to read more about Chuseok), so hopefully I will have much more time to catch up on my blogging!

Until next time...
XO Chloe

A Life Changing Experience

This past week has been crazy! I have been so busy driving around town doing various errands in preparation for my fast approaching adventure in Seoul! After all the applications, phone calls, time, and miles, I can't believe the day really almost here.

On Monday, I drove to the Peachtree Center in downtown Atlanta to pick up my Korean Visa from the office of the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea. My sister joined me on the errand, and so it was a fun and pleasant outing. Basically, we went in, got the visa, and left in about 10 minutes (though I had previously submitted my visa paperwork in person a week earlier).

Peachtree Center - International Boulevard, Atlanta

As we were already downtown, we decided to stop by one of my favorite cafes, Cafe Intermezzo, in Midtown. I got the "Cafe Mozart," and we also had a delicious cheese spread appetizer. It will be the last time I eat at Cafe Intermezzo for many months...

Cafe Mozart at Cafe Intermezzo

This week, I also went to pick up my contacts from the eye doctor, and I also went to my bank. I was even able to convert some cash to Korean won. $1 (US dollar) is about ₩1,000 (Korean won). The money is so colorful compared to American money!

I've been finishing up packing this week as well. Trying to meet the linear requirements for the luggage can be difficult. It was very hard to find a violin case that fit the Korean Air carry on requirements. I don't know how professional musicians travel with such expensive instruments. :\ Roundtrip price for a cello? Almost $800!

Amongst all the preparations for the trip, I am trying to enjoy the last days with my family. It's weird to think I'll be in another country for so long!

Last Week in the Peach State