Day 2 : Sinchon 신촌

Sinchon : student area
On Sunday, I was actually planning to go to Myeondong 명동 and Namdeamun 남대문, another famous shopping disctrict in Seoul, but I kind of had enough of shopping after one day in Yonsan and Dongdaemun. So I decided to go to Sinchon, a vibrant student area east of central Seoul and major hang out for students of Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University and Sogang University.

All three are well known universities and they also offer special language programs to foreigners who want to learn Korean. A lot of foreigners go there to follow a language program, very popular because of the vibrant atmosphere filled with young people, trendy coffee shops, a wide range of not too expensive eateries, karaokes... and shops of course !

As for me, I enjoyed walking around there, but it was sometimes a bit too crowded for me. Maybe because all of the people looked so young to me, to be honest, I don't really belong to the twenties anymore... although I sometimes might act like one ;).

What I did find was Olive Young and Watsons where I could finally buy some shampoo of a brand I knew (Pantene) and some shower gel (Dove), contact lenses rinse liquid and some facial tissues. The shampoo, however, turned out to be a conditioner when I used it this morning... And yes, it stood on the label '컨디셔닝 린스'. Guess I was too hasty just focusing on the recognizable 'Pantene' label in stead of reading the rest of the text in Korean. At least I will have splendid shiny and softy hair from now on =). Nothing can beat THIS !! Still looking for a shampoo '샴푸' right now...

As usual, I was looking for a bookstore where I could find course books for learning Korean. I found a wide range of interesting course books at Hongik Bookstore, near one of the subway exits of Sinchon. I wonder how many books I am going to buy before I get back to the States. I think I better wait until the end because I will have course books anyway once my class will start on next Monday. (By the way, I am having a placement test this coming Wednesday, I better start studying instead of writing this blog.)
On my way from Sinchon subway to Ehwa University, I bought some basic stuff I needed at a small convenience store - the shop was a bit crappy and chaotically organized - but I found the things I was looking for : a clothing hanger and some plastic cups for tea. A bit further down the street there was a 'hit a base ball' court like I've seen a lot of them in Korean dramas.

After that, I stopped by a small non crowded eatery and ordered myself a 'doenjang jjigae' 된장찌개. Because I am eating alone, I tend to avoid crowded places to eat. Eating alone in a crowded place, gives me a bit of stress and makes me feel even more lonely than I already am. But that situation will change, I hope, once I meet people from my class. Meanwhile, I try to enjoy this short time on myself, not having to mind anybody around me and doing whatever I want.

Well, funny thing is that already two Korean people spoke to me that day to ask me the way. Of course, I had to disappoint them by saying that I can't really understand and speak Korean so well. Not to even mention, I just got here and get lost myself all the time.

The subway


I really enjoy riding the Seoul subway. It gives me a good opportunity to observe people. People reading books, playing with their cell phones or even watching TV or a movie on their portable player. Except for the younger people - teenagers - it's quite calm at the sub. People mind their own business. Or talk quietly with each other or on the cell phone. Sometimes a street vendor steps on the train trying to cell feet cushions for high heeled shoes, sometimes a blind man plays music and hopes for some spare change that people can miss... Some women play with their hair. Some mother play silent clapping games with their children. Did I already mention that the average woman in Seoul is quite well dressed and puts at least a little bit of make up on her face? And most of them really look very pale. When I went to the public bath room, at least 1 out of 2 women was doing something with her hair or make up or powdering on. Even the young men look quite fashionable, all with their trendy man's bag - I think my husband would really fit in as for the man's bag. But they all tend to have the same kind of glasses : the ones with the dark heavy plastic glass frame. Yeah, I think Korean, but maybe East Asians in general, tend to find beauty and appearance very important. And yes, I also bumped into a small clinic for plastic surgery somewhere in Sinchon...

Doing groceries
There are a few small grocery stores near my student house. F-Mart, S-Mart and all kinds of other 'Marts' mostly held by elder people. Some of them are open until late at night, or even 24 hours. Making a living out of that is hard, I think, because there is a lot of competition and being a store owner is not really the most interesting job there is... waiting for customers to barge into the store. But at S-Mart the shop owner is very nice, a 50+ old man. I bought some bananas and yogurt drinks there and I also wanted to buy some bread, but the shop owner told me I'd better come back the next day, because the bread wasn't that fresh anymore and about to expire. When he put my groceries in my plastic bag, he saw the price tag on my newly bought clothing hanger and told me that is was way too expensive.... his ones were only half the price, so I told him I bought it in Sinchon on which he replied that things in Sinchon are expensive. I was charmed by his honesty, or maybe he just wanted me to buy more stuff at his place next time. For so far, I could manage with the very basic Korean I knew. I feel I am enjoying these simple everyday life conversations more and more :).