I really love the CNN cafe on the Ewha campus right by the international student dormitories (in the international education building). I just wanted to write a quick blog about this nice study spot, because I feel like it's affordable, it has nice wifi, and it is a comfy cafe for group presentation meetings because of the many tables and comfy chairs available on both the ground and 2nd floor.

Of course, it is expected that one will buy food or a beverage if they will be staying in the cafe to study. At the CNN cafe, the coffee is a bit cheaper than most cafes outside of Edae, and they have a large drink menu so that everyone can find a drink they like. They also serve warm food items such as french toast, hot dogs, and other sandwiches and pastries.

Last semester, they used to have the most delicious sandwiches, but something happened and they are gone now! I was sad to find out that those sandwiches aren't sold anymore! :0 But I recently tried the hot dog, and I have to say, it's the best hot dog I've had in Edae.

It's easy to procrastinate when trying to study alone in your dorm room. If you don't mind the friendly background noise of cafes during study, then definitely try this cafe to help you study for the fast-approaching finals!

Study Spot: CNN Cafe

Yesterday, my sweet boyfriend sent me a package! I knew he was sending it, and I even knew the items being shipped, but it just felt so good to receive something in the mail from him from over 7,000 miles away! He even included the most heart-warming hand-written letters. :3

The Ewha Graduate Dorm office called my dorm phone and told me my package was waiting for me. I took my student ID, and I was so happy to pick up my parcel because I was feeling quite homesick yesterday evening. It was perfect timing, because the package made me feel instantly closer to home and to my boyfriend.

A present from my boyfriend...my favorite character, Pusheen the Cat, on a shirt! He also sent the most romantic letters!

If you are about to begin a long distance relationship due to study abroad plans, then I highly suggest you and your significant other write letters to each other and also send items in the mail. Also, leave a favorite plushie or t-shirt for your loved one while you are away, and get them to give you something special of theirs as well. Having something of theirs to hold (something with sentimental value) when you are far away from them can help you remember the amazing times you spent together. 

I will be writing more about my long distance relationship later on! Keep on the lookout for more love posts! :D :D :D  

The Best Boyfriend: PACKAGE FROM THE US!

Since I've been trying to continue my healthy eating in Korea, I've been staying away from pizza, fried foods, alcohol, and sugar. Sometimes this makes it hard to eat out with friends and colleagues. But recently, I discovered a delicious and pretty healthy restaurant called Ugly Stove. The food is so good. There is something for everyone here! I have eaten dinner here on multiple occasions, and I always have consistently good service and food. 

There are many items in the long menu including delicious brunches, pastas, salads, steaks (pork, beef, and chicken steaks), desserts, and many beverage choices (alcohol, coffees, teas, smoothies...). They even have Starbucks coffee! Ugly Stove is really proud of the homemade ricotta, and you know what? IT IS SO GOOD! 

I liked the ricotta salad I ordered once, but I will warn you, it is REALLY sweet. The loved my last two beef steaks I ordered, though they were quite small and thin...a little tough sometimes. In general, for 15,000 won, I feel like the steak was worth it along with the potatoes, salad, ricotta, and sunny-side up egg, pineapple wedge, and mushrooms that come with the no. 6 steak. My friends who joined me always enjoyed their plates, and they mentioned that they would definitely recommend Ugly Stove to their friends.

 

Your Next Hongdae Brunch Destination: Ugly Stove!

Recently, my friend Henry introduced me to a  wonderful Thai and Vietnamese restaurant in Sinchon! It is hidden in a little side street near the main road, and it is becoming a really really popular eating spot. The wait can be long during peak dining hours, but the wait is usually worth it if you really desire the Thai flavors.

Carley's Pho

Henry, Carley, and I went not too long ago and feasted! We tried pad Thai (6,500 won for one order), Carley got some pho (6,500 won), and I ordered the tom yum soup (8,000 won). The flavors really surprised me. I have tried some not-so-good Thai and Vietnamese food in Korea previously, and so I really enjoyed the flavors tasting less Korean.


I liked that the pad Thai wasn't overly sweet, and that it came with egg, peanut, bean sprouts, and a lemon wedge (though I usually get lime wedges in the US). The tom yum soup was also quite tasty and spicy, and it came with a good number of shrimp in it. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the soup had a lot of inedible lemon grass and bay leaves in it. I didn't taste Carley's pho, but she really enjoyed it. It was HUGE and had tons of beef!

My Tom Yum soup

Pad Thai

Delicious Thai food in Sinchon: Bangkok Express!

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