After a total of 35 hours spent traveling (most of which I was awake for), I finally touched down in South Korea. This was the moment I had been looking forward to for months, and it was finally within my grasp. From the moment I stepped into the cold air outside of Incheon Airport, I was filled with an array of emotions. The main emotion was excitement. I was ready to explore the city and my new home.
I spent the first day exploring a little with a friend. It wasn’t until I sat in bed at my Airbnb that night and realized that I was alone in a different country. I felt a little bit of fear and nervousness, but those emotions were gone by the morning.
During my trip abroad, I came across a few things that surprised me. The first thing that surprised me was the pace of life in Seoul. I’ve traveled to larges cities in America such as Los Angeles and New York City, but none of these cities can match the pace of Seoul. During the day, the rush to get to different places was very evident, and it even had me jogging with everyone else to make it onto a bus or train before it would leave me. By the night time, the speedy culture seemed to calm down, but it was still in the background. This was something that I surprisingly adapted to very quickly.
Another thing that surprised me was the convenience of delivery food. The options for food are endless, the service is speedy (it wouldn’t be Korea if it wasn’t fast), and the food is delicious. After a long day of exploring, it was so simple and convenient to pull out my phone at home and order from any nearby restaurant.
My first impression of South Korea was an extremely positive one. It met my expectations and exceeded them. I feel as if I’ve learned so much about this city already even though I know that there’s so much more to learn. Let’s see where the next adventure will take me!