04/01/2019
This past month has been quite a kick-off to my journey. Because I'm half Korean, a lot of things like mannerisms and the culture feels familiar. But I think the biggest culture shock for me was seeing the driving here in Korea. Hawaii driving etiquette is friendly and really encompasses "Aloha." Here in Korea, drivers are quite aggressive. Taxis are really cheap compared to Hawaii. They'll get you home quickly and efficiently, but at the cost of giving you carsickness or even whiplash. I was stuck in Hongdae which takes about 45 to get there by train. Delivery mopeds will speed right through a crosswalk even on a red light. Buses here are manual and will also brake abruptly. When braking, they leave about 3 ft gap between the car in front and to be honest, trying to keep your balance on a packed bus can sometimes feel like your first time ice skating.
As an update, if you decide to study abroad or even visit Korea, I highly suggest downloading the following apps: KakaoT (taxi), KakaoMetro (subway), KakaoBus (bus), and CityMapper (like Maps). These Kakao specific apps give timetables for the bus and subway. CityMapper is like a Google Maps, but it specifically gives minute details like what exit to take. Efficiency is key!
