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— The first time I walked into a hospital in Pyeongtaek, I was sweating bullets. I had a killer ear infection, my Korean was limited to “hello” and “thank you,” and the receptionist at the registration desk just stared at my passport like it was a puzzle. I ended up pointing at my ear and … Read more

I remember my first week in Daejeon Dunsan. I was so proud of myself for cooking a proper meal until I faced the kitchen trash bin. In my home country, you just toss everything into one bag and forget about it. Here? I ended up with a pile of food scraps, plastic bottles, and general … Read more

I remember my first week in Daejeon Dunsan. Standing at a bus stop, staring at a route map written entirely in Hangul, sweat dripping down my back in the humid July heat. The bus came, the doors opened, and I froze—no idea where it was going. A kind ajumma grabbed my arm and pulled me … Read more

I remember my first month in Gangnam. I was living near Samseong Station, working late, and the subway felt like a second home. But then came the weekend trip to Daejeon, the grocery run for bulk kimchi, and the sudden realization that owning a car in Seoul wasn’t just a luxury—it was a ticket to … Read more

I remember my first week in Suwon, clutching my Alien Registration Card like a golden ticket, only to be met with a stern “No” at a local bank because my phone number wasn’t registered yet. It felt like a bureaucratic brick wall. But after ten years, I’ve cracked the code. Here’s how to open a … Read more

I remember my first week in Sinchon, fresh off the plane with two suitcases and a head full of K-drama dreams. I walked into a real estate office near the university, confident I’d find a cozy one-room. Two hours later, I was drowning in terms like ‘전세’ and ‘보증금’, wondering if I’d accidentally signed up … Read more

I remember standing at a bus stop in Seogwipo, Jeju, sweating in the humid summer air, watching three buses with the same number pass by in different directions. I had no idea which one actually went to the beach. That’s when I learned that “knowing” how to take the bus in Korea is different from … Read more

I remember freezing in front of the ATM in Bundang’s Seohyeon Station, trying to remember if my D-2 visa let me open a bank account without a mountain of extra paperwork. Turns out, it did—but only after I had my ARC and a letter from my professor. That was 10 years ago, and I’ve since … Read more

I remember my first winter in Suwon, standing in the freezing rain at the bus stop in front of City Hall, trying to figure out which bus went to my Korean class. My phone was useless—no data, no maps, and the bus stop signs might as well have been written in Martian. I learned the … Read more

I remember my first week in Suwon, standing in a crowded electronics store near Suwon Station, trying to explain to an ajumma that I just wanted a SIM card for my phone, not a whole new Samsung Galaxy. She kept pointing at a sign with ‘외국인 유심 추천’ written on it, but I couldn’t read … Read more