I still remember the sinking feeling in my stomach three months into my first year in Daejeon. I was sitting in a café in Dunsan-dong, staring at my laptop screen, refreshing a job board for the hundredth time. My savings were dwindling, my visa was tied to a contract I desperately wanted to leave, and … Read more
I still remember the first time I got sick in Hongdae. It was a freezing December night, my throat felt like sandpaper, and after a quick Google search, I realized I had no idea how to navigate the Korean healthcare system. I walked into a clinic near Hongik University Station, confidently said “Hello” in English, … Read more
I still remember the pit in my stomach when my first boss in Korea handed me a contract written entirely in Korean. I was young, eager to work near Camp Humphreys, and terrified that asking too many questions would cost me the job. I signed it blindly. Three months later, I realized I had been … Read more
I still remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when I realized my Korean wasn’t good enough to understand the real estate agent’s rapid-fire explanation of “management fees.” I was standing in a tiny office in Seomyeon, sweating through my shirt, realizing that finding a place to live in Busan wasn’t just about money—it was … Read more
I still remember the first time I got sick in Suwon. I was living near Yeongtong Station, running a fever of 39°C, and I had absolutely no idea how to explain my symptoms to a doctor who didn’t speak a word of English. I walked into a local clinic, pointed at my throat like a … Read more
I still remember my first winter in Hyehwa like it was yesterday—and not fondly. I stepped out of my one-room near exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, dressed in what I thought was a respectable Seoul winter coat, only to have the wind cut through me like a knife. My nose hairs froze. My hands went … Read more
I still remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when my first Korean landlord looked at my foreigner ID and simply said, “No.” I was standing in a real estate office in Seomyeon, surrounded by flashing listings on a tiny monitor, completely overwhelmed. I had the cash, I had the job, but I didn’t have … Read more
I still remember the sinking feeling in my stomach during my third year in Bundang. I was standing in the cramped waiting room of the Suwon Immigration Office, clutching a stack of documents that looked thick enough to be a thesis. I had taken a day off work, paid for a taxi because the subway … Read more
I still remember the sheer panic of my first week in Gwangalli. I had just finished unpacking a mountain of IKEA boxes and Amazon deliveries, and my tiny studio apartment was drowning in cardboard and plastic. I confidently carried it all down to the street, dumped it near a pile of other garbage, and went … Read more
I still remember my first week in Daegu, standing at a bus stop near Dongseongro with sweat dripping down my back. I was staring at a bus driver who was waving me away because I tried to pay with a 10,000 KRW bill. I had no idea how the system worked, I couldn’t read the … Read more