bless her seoul

Airports/Airplanes: So I didn’t sleep the night before to prepare for the time zone difference between NY and Seoul (13 hours ahead jesus christ) and also to make sure I packed and had everything ready to go by 6am. My mom rode with me on the bus on the way to JFK airport to keep me company and to make sure I got there alright. 

“Oh you can celebrate the Fourth of July in-- Oh. Wait.” 

I was a little worried about my pillow being an issue through security but I passed through pretty fine (even though I got teased by one of the TSA agents :^/) In the airport, I exchanged my money for the first time, got fascinated by Korean won and how colorful it is, and then proceeded to sit around for 2 - 3 hours before it was time to board my flight. Cathay Pacific has some pretty nice seats even for economy seating and there was a tv embedded into the seat so I got to watch some movies (10 Cloverfield Lane, Mad Max) and some of Luther which I haven’t watched in forever. There was a little asian lady who was in the seat next to me who totally looked out for me in terms of cup ramen and chips and didn’t mind when I had to get up to go to the bathroom. We had two meals on the flight. For lunch I had this shrimp/corn/cheese salad thing that I wasn’t really a fan of but it came with bread and fruit so I was fine. Then for dinner there was this chicken curry dish with mashed potatoes and bread and fruit and they also gave me ice cream so I was pretty goddamn happy with that one.

Eventually after 14+ hours and flying over Greenland/the North Pole and a bunch of turbulence, we arrived in Hong Kong. And boy did my ass hurt. I made my mandatory calls and went to search for my gate. HK’s airport is really fucking huge might I just add like I’m sure I could get lost in that place. I had to wait another 2 hours for my second flight and this lady who only spoke in Chinese ended up sitting next to me as I waited and I think she tried to get me join in on this travel group thing she must have been a part of. Eventually the call to board allowed me to escape. This time I was seated next to this older asian man and we ended up watching Man From U.N.C.L.E at the same time for a bit. I had some pasta on the flight this time with more ice cream and was on this flight for about 4+ hours making my flight hours a grand total of 19 hours. The guy talked to me a bit before we landed and I mentioned I was from New York and he apparently lived in New Jersey for a bit before moving to Hong Kong. My second pilot also sounded British and way too charming than he should have :^/ Getting through customs took a while and I almost saw a fight break out on the other line but I made it through pretty fine and my suitcase was waiting for me at the same time. My ISA director found me when I was trying to spot the group and we hopped onto the bus towards campus at 10pm and got there around 11pm. Met my roommate Liam for the first time and collapsed to bed. 

D+1: ISA had their orientation the next morning which I surprisingly woke up early for and we rode the train for the first time. Seoul’s subway system is beautiful and it just makes me entirely bitter about the subways in NY. There was also a cute guy in a baseball uniform on the way to train but nevermind that. Had to figure out how to use the turnstiles and our director got shut out of the trains at one point making sure that everyone was together lol. Snacks and milk was provided before we checked out Gwangjang markets in Seoul which was entirely fascinating and I’ll provide pictures of later. Lots of streetfood and my roomie and I got some beef bulogi before we rushed to catch up with the rest of our group. After that was Gyeongbokgung Palace which was absolutely beautiful! We learned a little bit of how the palace was set up and explored the Folk Museum that was inside. Plenty of people in hanboks there too which apparently let them get in for free. 

Then we went to Insadong to try on hanboks for ourself and while I wish my boobs fit in the one I tried on a bit better I felt pretty goddamn royal in it. After that we were free to wander on our own so a group of us got smoothies at Miss Lee’s, a cute cafe like place before trying to find E-Mart. We ended up getting lost after someone pointed us in the wrong direction and we found out that it was too far to walk to from where we were at. Giving up by sitting on some bench, an old couple stared at me and smiled and I smiled back. Then the guy with us spoke Korean to them which got the couple excited. They decided to show us where E-Mart was (because the old man was like “I am retired. Lots of free time.) We found out he was a former professor and knew a bit of English himself thanks to his students so he loves seeing students around. 

E-Mart ended up being closed so they just ended up taking us out to dinner (paying for it too at that!) and invited us to an orchestra concert that their church is hosting sometime this month. Then they showed us a farmer’s market and even invited us to drink because me and another girl said we liked to drink. We got a selfie with them too! They were honestly such a cute couple and I can’t believe I found my Korean grandparents on the first full day in Seoul. 

D+2: Next was Korea University’s orientation! And honestly the campus was so beautiful that I know for a fact that I’m going to be salty as hell when I go back home. The cheering squad was nothing I’ve ever seen at home like I’ve never seen such school spirit before. I had lunch with a group of people, mostly other ISA students and a couple of non-ISA people. One of the non-ISA people who had been at KU for a bit longer turned out to be from Brooklyn too! At the end of the orientation, a bunch of us “snuck” into a buddy group because we never got to sign up for one and went on a campus tour. The campus is fucking huge like probably 3 times the size of my own campus and it even has its own movie theater like the hell is that? Squirrel Trail didn’t have a squirrels but it did have a big ol’ lazy cat and I loved it instantly. 

After that a group of us decided to go out together to get some food and drinks together, thus became the formation of our #squad. We found a beer place that had some pretty good soju and flavored beer that even I could enjoy. Walking in one of the businessmen/people who were there before us stared at me/us so I just sort of smiled back because??? I didn’t know what to do. In the end they ended up joining us because the one who stared at us really wanted to join in and soon enough everyone joined in. One of the guys in our group got the only business woman of the group’s kakaotalk (and she’s married too lol) and I got the guy’s kkt to send them the pictures we took together. 

In the end, this group ended up treating us for our drinks and I am still in disbelief that happened.

D+3: My first day of class! It was mostly introductions to be honest and a little bit of painting in my watercolors class. I had lunch with someone who spotted me as another ISC student and we ended up walking around and chatting. She was from Australia and I told her that the next time we hit a cat cafe I would invite her over to join our group. Somehow in the span that it took for me to say bye to her as she went to class and me spotting some of my friends, I ended up losing my phone. I ended up being late to class in an attempt to find what I did with it and went through the rest of the day being anxious as hell but inwardly. I didn’t have Korean class yet because it was just a placement test and I already knew I had jack shit Korean experience. We ended up buying face masks afterwards to have a mini-face mask night in the future and ended up checking out the campus library which is also fucking beautiful. Another girl ended up approaching us for help with her paper because of English and we swapped kkt in case she ever needed more help or wanted to hang out. 

D+4: My phone was found and placed with the lost and found! I got a message about it after my morning class which was honestly a blessing. I had a feeling someone picked it up and waited until all the lines for the ID cards was all gone which took until the next day. I can’t say it was a really eventful day this time. We went out to find a place to get a converter and a hair straightener for one of us in our group. Stopped by in a Starbucks to take a little break and one of the baristas there smiled at me all cute and shit. After class, I got to try bingsu for the first time and if I remember right, just had a bit of dinner with friends.

D+5: More of class and met some new people but more importantly-- We went to a cat cafe!! It was like an hour before they closed but they let us in and we got some drinks and played with cats for a bit. Two of the cats ended up playing with me and the cat toys I had borrowed and I was honestly in heaven. Once they closed, we got some dinner together at some restaurant, partly because the guy standing outside who was inviting people in was really cute. Food was delicious and I got to try haemul panjeon aka a seafood pancake. We barely got out in time to catch the train back to campus but we made it. 

So after researching a bit and walking around the tiny shop I got the following for my trip:

Malachite: Malachite absorbs negative energies and pollutants, picking them up from the atmosphere and from the body.  Guards against radiation and clears electromagnetic pollution.  Malachite clears and activates the chakras and attunes to spiritual guidance, opens the heart to unconditional love.  Encourages risk-taking and change, breaks unwanted ties and outworn patterns, and teaches how to take responsibility for one’s actions, thoughts and feelings.  Malachite releases inhibitions and develops empathy with others.  It alleviates mental disturbances and combats dyslexia.  Enables you to absorb and process information.  Releases negative experiences and old traumas. Stimulates dreams. 

A couple of sites list Malachite as an important protection stone for travelling, especially when traveling by air so that was the first one I wanted to get. It took me forever to find because it was separated from the the main crystal pile area but I found a really beautiful one that looks like it’s making a dumb face on end and I love it. (Also apparently it’s a Libra stone which is important for me.) 

Black Sardonyx: Sardonyx is a stone of protection and strength, promotes virtuous conduct and integrity, attracts friends and good fortune. It brings lasting happiness and stability to partnerships,  supplements willpower and strengthens character, increases stamina, vigor and self-control. Sardonyx improves your perception of others and helps you process the information that you receive. It alleviates depression and overcomes hesitancy.  Improves perception. Black Sardonyx also absorbs negativity. 

It wasn’t my initial plan to get this stone but I picked it up and it felt good in my hand so naturally I had to get it. 

Black Tourmaline: Tourmaline aids in understanding oneself and others.  It promotes self-confidence and diminishes fear.  Tourmaline attracts inspiration, compassion, tolerance and prosperity.  It balances the right-left sides of the brain.  Helps treat paranoia, overcomes dyslexia and improves hand-eye coordination.  It balances male-female energy within the body.  Enhances energy and removes blockages. Black Tourmaline can be used to both repel and protect against negativity.  It is excellent for deflecting radiation energy.  

I usually like stones that feel smooth and this one feels a little gritty but I bet if I cleanse it it’ll feel better. Also a stone I wanted to help ease any worries I had before flying.

Blue Lace Agate: In addition to the generic healing properties of Agate and Chalcedony, the Blue Lace Agate variety is a very cooling and calming stone, endowing us with a sense of peace and tranquility.  A powerful throat healer, it assists with verbal expression of thoughts and feelings.  Blue Lace Agate is a great nurturing and supportive stone, neutralizing anger, infection, inflammation and fever.

Another stone I found sites listed in travel protection stones, but more so to promote a sense of ease and peace when going away. 

Moonstone: A stone for “new beginnings”, Moonstone is a stone of inner growth and strength.  It soothes emotional instability and stress, and stabilizes the emotions, providing calmness.  Moonstone enhances intuition, promotes inspiration, success and good fortune in love and business matters.

I’ve been pretty anxious lately and I couldn’t resist the moonstones really. Plus it’s the summer solstice and the first full moon on a summer solstice in 70 years and there won’t be another for 70 years! It’s honestly a really beautiful, feel-good stone to me.

Goldstone (Black): Goldstone is said to be the stone of ambition.  It builds energy, courage and a positive attitude.  Increases drive and confidence.  A gently uplifting stone, Goldstone promotes vitality.

I already have a goldstone that’s orange in color and it’s a manmade stone but I love the way this one looks. It looks like a midnight blue sky and as you may have noticed, I chose stones by how they feel to me.

Clear Quartz: Clear Quartz is known as the "master healer" and will amplify energy and thought, as well as the effect of other crystals.  It absorbs, stores, releases and regulates energy.  Clear Quartz draws off negative energy of all kinds, neutralizing background radiation, including electromagnetic smog or petrochemical emanations.  It balances and revitalizes the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes.  Cleanses and enhances the organs and subtle bodies and acts as a deep soul cleanser, connecting the physical dimension with the mind.  Clear Quartz enhances psychic abilities.  It aids concentration and unlocks memory. Clear Quartz harmonizes all the chakras and aligns the subtle bodies.

I have a couple of clear quartz stones but it never hurts to have more! This one in particular has flecks of orange/yellow in it and it looks like there’s gold in it from a distance so naturally I love it. 

And thus is my travel gemstone collection! I’ll probably co-opt another gemstone satchel that I have around so I could put them together in my carry-on bag. I would have gotten another amethyst stone but  

I also got a tarot reading done too and man it was a really good reading that sort of got on my case but was important for me to hear.

But anyways, we talked about expectations I might have and what my goals should be when I go over there and she really made me reconsider a lot of what I was thinking. Namely the whole worry I have about making friends (which is always my worry you know). But I have friends here too. I’m sure I’ll meet amazing people and we’ll be an interesting group together but I shouldn’t have expectations. Instead, I’ll focus on being open to what experiences may come.

My mom told me she is most likely going to cry when I get to the airport and I don’t know how to take that. Like this will be my first real trip outside of the country and it’s half-way across the world. And my mom and I are close so I’m rarely that far away from her. And I know I’ll be fine and she’ll be fine and she is just being a little dramatic. But it will be different this time and it feels like it. I am a little scared about this. Excited but still very anxious. 

Little over a week and this still feels like some long elaborate dream. Like I’m going to wake up and the tears I shed months ago, the running around that I did, the internal anxiety I had about if this was going to happen will all be fake and I’ll be back in my spring semester of college. Like pinch me or something. 

I am considering what I could possibly do to see some kpop concerts while I’m there and it’s all feels like I’m just daydreaming all of this. Even my attempts to learn some Korean before I head over feel like a fever dream.