Author Archives: Carlos Hernandez

The grass is always greener on the other side.

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I have been reading this expat blog in China lately called ChengduLiving – a blog featuring expats in China – specifically Chengdu, reporting on his life there and experiences throughout China. My interest in China has spiked recently – mostly due to the conflicts between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands and also a Chinese Culture class I am taking. Previously, I have tried to take Chinese culture courses and found myself uninterested – but this professor I have right now is in charge of the Chinese language program at USF, visits China every year, and has over 20 years of experience in China which is really quite amazing. I sometimes even jokingly think he has a Chinese accent instead of an American one.

Senkaku Islands Dispute

Anyway, back to my main point. I stumbled on to this expat blog by writer Sascha when I was looking up stuff on the island disputes and was very interested in his post called Don’t Believe the Protest Hype – where he suggests that Chinese people are not quite as angry at the media seems to be indicating and many people are jumping into the protests just to do something instead of out of anger. Of course, he wrote this early on in the conflict and it seems the overall response has mostly shifted negatively now – though intellectuals do seem to condemn the violence. His blog was the first time I read a positive point-of-view about the Chinese who are protesting in what seems to be an endless wave of media coverage and speculations that Japan and China will go to war (essentially meaning the USA and China go to war).

I would imagine this can be a scary thing for the Japanese people considering any military action would likely be sought by China before Japan. Many articles and reports suggest this conflict (either through force or economic power) isn’t in the best interest of the Chinese Community Party though – especially in a time when China’s exports continue to slow and they face inflation and the economy slows as most countries do when the middle class begins to climb out of poverty. I do believe that cool heads will prevail though since China has control of it’s people (who it unleashed) through it’s immense military funds.

Enduring the China Blues

Another blog ChengduLiving has that I found interesting was Enduring The China Blues, where the same blogger talks about recent decisions by expats to flee from China back to their homes after realizing they can’t assimilate with China and feel a longing to return home. Now this was something I could really relate to since last year I had similar feelings when I was living in South Korea and I’m sure that many expats have at one point or another had the feeling that they just don’t belong in this world they have decided to explore.

I would like to share something in regards to this – the grass is always greener on the other side. A famous saying with a ton of truth behind it. When I was living in Korea – I truly missed the United States and Florida. I missed the my family, my friends, the beaches, the food, the warm weather (Siberian winds in Korea were no fun), my car, and many other things I previously took for granted when I lived in the United States.

Now that I have come home and live in the United States it is fair to say I overly glorified the home I came from – this probably had much to do with the fact that I had never traveled abroad before and was not used to homesickness and coming to a no place. That’s not to say that I didn’t assimilate into my life in South Korea – because I truly did. I learned how to work with taxis, bargain with shop owners, travel in subways, find good restaurants using Korean search engines and social networks, and so many other things. I became accustomed to people staring at me because I looked different and to nobody understanding anything I said.

Now that I am back in the United States there are several things I miss about Korea and I can now reflect back on now that I am home. Here are things I really missed about Korea in retrospect and that make me want to go back and explore the world again.

  • The cheap Korean food – specifically samgyapsal – which cannot be found anywhere in Tampa Bay is something to miss. After a few weeks in Seoul, I arguably became tired of Korean cuisine and the search for decent foreign cuisine was a true issue that bothered me daily. Still – I wish I could have great Korean food AND great foreign food. I have spent over $500 in Korean food this year (with only about 10 visits to Korean restaurants) in Florida which would have fed me for quite a long time in Seoul.
  • Taxis, Subway, Buses - Although I missed driving, I totally forgot about expensive gas prices in the United States and have watched gas gobble up my earnings in the United States. I also have to be cautious about going out and drinking which was never a problem in Seoul where a taxi was just a minute away from taking me home. Combined with the cheap subway and bus – transportation in Florida truly needs to improve someday.
  • City events – Life in Seoul is never dull. The Seoul Lights Festival, The Fireworks Festival, Chuseok, the list goes on. I really miss living somewhere – where the city was often putting itself ahead and trying to be competitive in the world instead of trying to figure out what teachers to lay off and how to save money.
  • Nightlife – The nightlife here in Tampa Bay is disappointing and completely uninspiring. Compare the streets of Gangnam, the crazy clubs in Hongdae, all those fun spots in Itaewon – my nightlife has been completely demolished by coming back home.
  • Arcades – I love video games – but video games in the USA have become more of a home hobby than something you can enjoy with others (except for online play). The arcade era is dead in the United States, but still thriving in Korea and Japan.
  • Bargaining – Shopping was a sport for me. How low could I drive the price and make the seller give in to my demands? A true stress relief and something that became very interesting once I learned the hang of it. Shopping is boring in the USA – see a sale and buy it – the end. The style of things here is nowhere near as unique as in Asia either.
  • Cheap haircuts – I normally don’t pay for haircuts in the USA because my Mom is a licensed cosmetologist – but in Seoul haircuts ranged from 10,000-14,000 won which is really cheap compared to the United States where it be $20 average and you don’t get the awesome head massage by a cute Korean girl like you do in Seoul.
  • Cafes – I frequently complained in Seoul about the $7+ coffee that many coffee houses served – but after coming home to a dominated-Starbucks coffee world where coffee is frankly nothing but syrup – I would much rather go to the independent shops in Seoul and also enjoy the cool themes that they enjoy.
  • Late-night options – Seoul never closes. You can go have food late at night, karaoke late night, club til 6am, anything you want to do you can do it. Here everything closes around 10 p.m. A definite bummer.
  • Noraebangs – I miss you karaoke. Korean karaoke spots are $25+ an hour in Tampa Bay. :(

That’s not to say there were no drawbacks to living in Seoul, but I realized later that I needed to be more objective in my analysis of comparisons between my former and new home. After coming home – the friends that I missed so much turned out to not be the best of friends. The family I missed went about it’s business after we reconnected briefly (except my parents which things have been up and down with), the club I missed went about is way, everything I missed wasn’t here when I came home or just seemed better thinking about it in retrospect. I believe I should have kept on going in Korea and traveled more and that is exactly what I intend to do once I get my degree. Suck up the differences – there is a world out there to explore.

Always remember the grass is always greener on the other side. Remain open-minded and continue exploring. It’s worth it! My next stop will be Japan next year. :)

Last Thoughts in Seoul – Reflecting

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The last few days in Seoul had an odd feeling to them. Sitting in the lobby watching people slowly leave the dorm building with their packed luggage bags – heading back to their homes, family, and friends all over the world. Walking through the dorm halls – each door had our names on it with a flag of where we came from and I began thinking about how we were a brave group of individuals. Not everyone dives blindly into a new world, leaving everything loved behind – but we all came to South Korea to explore and live a new life. Some of us came for a temporary stay, while others have plans to spend the rest of their lives in Seoul.

My close group of friends planned one last night out in Sinchon, the college town near Yonsei, and we visited old spots we frequented during our stay for one last time. That night it sprinkled snow and I experienced my first snow. It was a happy night. Another night, a friend and I headed to Dongdaemun and I showed him how to haggle – a skill I picked up and mastered during my stay in Seoul – something I am now proud of.

A final outing occurred the night before I left Seoul and during this outing many people broke down in tears as they started saying their goodbyes. We all hope we’ll meet again – but even if that happens, we’ll never meet again in the same situation – although the memories we made will certainly be with us throughout our lives.

As I packed my bags to head home – my friend Wason, notified me that it was snowing outside – as if Seoul was saying goodbye to me. I went outside and the snow was coming down. It was an experience indeed – I wrote goodbye to Seoul in the snow. I’ll post the photograph below.

A few hours later – a few friends: Allen, Wason, and Sunny had breakfast with me as I spent my last few minutes at SK Global House. Allen and Sunny helped me carry my heavy luggage to the limousine bus stop to Incheon Airport and as we left it began to snow again – this time a much heavier snow. It was beautiful and indeed I can’t imagine a better ending to my time in Korea.

While riding in the limousine bus to Incheon Airport, I started reflecting on the first time I rode the limousine bus to Yonsei University with my first friend in Seoul, Taylor, just a few months prior. All the excitement of living in a big city and experiencing all that Seoul had to offer me. Indeed, Korea offered me an experience like no other and I’ll always remember the many people and experiences it brought to me. I have no regrets about this once in a lifetime opportunity to study abroad.

As I sat in Incheon Airport waiting for my flight to depart on my laptop. I saw an overwhelming number of Facebook status updates of people saying goodbye and I felt overcome with emotion. Sadness mixed with happiness that I found a new home, new friends, and I was ending a time in my life that was at times lonely and then at times completely fulfilling. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.

Finally the boarding began on a long flight back home to Tampa, Florida…

Partying in Seoul – Where to find the parties

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Seoul is one of the largest cities on Earth and as such has parties happening almost everyday. As a Yonsei student you will be given several opportunities for free admission to clubs and also chances to interact with club promoters to run the city. Here are some of the top clubbing promotion networks I encountered while in Seoul:

Krome Entertainment: Organized in 2010 and also constantly planning parties all around Seoul

Sky Events: Social Korea Youth, connecting students from all the Universities in Seoul

Students Gathering in Korea: Promoted 2 School Uniform parties in Hongdae, among other parties

Watz Up Korea: Consistently planning parties around town, including the first Caribbean club nights and basketball-themed parties

Riding The Daikanransha (大観覧車) Ferris Wheel in Tokyo

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One thing I always to do on a trip to Japan was ride a ferris wheel. Ferris wheels were something I loved as a kid. Growing up in San Francisco, there were frequently local fairs that would open at the malls nearby and whenever one did I was quick to bug my mother to take me so that I could ride the Dragon Wagon and the ferris wheels. The only time I tend to see ferris wheels nowadays is during the Florida State Fair, which occurs once a year for a short time. Daikanransha (大観覧車) Ferris Wheel was a must-stop for me. Tickets were 900 yen per person.

I had ventured into Odaiba earlier in the day and after spending hours at Sega Joyopolis and the nearby area it became clear I would be strapped for cash and could only visit one more place in Obaiba. I decided to take a trip to Palette Town and take the 16-minute ride on the Daikanransha Ferris Wheel. Daikanransha was the world’s tallest ferris wheel when it opened back in 1999, but lost the title a short while thereafter. It is also Asia’s 10th tallest and the world’s 12th tallest wheel ever constructed.

The ferris wheel ride was amazing, but since I traveled alone this day it was a little lonely on the 16-minute ride. On the way to the top they played Christmas songs (as you can hear in the YouTube video) and I started to miss home due to the the overwhelming memories of Christmas with my family. Luckily, it wasn’t Christmas just yet and I would be home in a few weeks to celebrate.

The view from the highest point of the ferris wheel is fantastic and just something I think everyone should see. When we started to pass a skyscraper close by I became a little apprehensive and had one of those moments where I want to get off. I also started to think about what kind of scary scenarios would play out if some kind of a natural disaster occurred while I was in the ferris wheel, definitely thoughts that wouldn’t occur if i had a phone someone else on the ride with me. Regardless, it was an amazing experience that I will always remember.

On my way home after the ride I went through a Toyota display where they show off their latest car models. You can go on a tour here earlier in the day, but since it was a Sunday night – I was just passing through.

I had a run-in with Japanese politeness and culture on the subway heading back to my hostile. I was staring out the window looking at the lights in Tokyo and as the train came to a stop – I looked around the subway and made accidental eye-contact with a Japanese businessman. The man bowed and said “sumimasen oyasuminasai”, which means “excuse me good night” – I bowed and was honestly blown away by how polite he was to me. Never in all the times I rode the subway in Seoul did anyone do such a polite thing. I was moved by this and several other moments during my visit to Tokyo that really made me appreciate Japanese people and their culture.

First thoughts arriving in Tokyo, Japan

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I always dreamed of visiting Tokyo, Japan and I finally visited and fulfilled my dream for my 22nd birthday. The experience was like no other – It was enlightening and expensive with the current values of the yen, but an important experience for me to have. The flight from Seoul to Tokyo was painless. I flew a Korean discount-airline with some friends and planned my entire trip out in advance, I wasn’t going to allow anything to stop me from exploring as much of the city as possible in a 4-day trip.

My last visit to Narita Airport may have been uncomfortably hot last summer, but during this visit we were quickly able to pickup our baggage and make our way to the Narita Aiport Terminal. I chose the cheapest train to Tokyo: the Keisei Limited Express which cost about ¥1,000. At first I was confused on how to get to the train, being used to the Seoul subway system. The train ride felt never-ending, but eventually we arrived in Taito – a friend and I sharing our excitement to finally be in Japan.

One thing I noticed was most of the Japanese people that boarded the train were older – a trend I would witness numerous times throughout my vacation. The aging Japanese population is apparent when you compare to how many young people are always riding the subway in Seoul. I also noticed many Japanese people were using flip-phones and when you’re in Seoul, it seems like almost everyone has an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S2 – I thought Japanese people would be a step ahead with NTT DoCoMo phones I saw in magazines years ago being so advance, but perhaps the average Japanese person does not own those phones.

An interesting design on chairs in the subway.

Most of my friends picked housing elsewhere since they planned their trip out before mine. We shared a convenience store meal and I discovered that spaghetti in Japanese supermarkets is delicious - maybe I could trust Japan with foreign food?!

I was on my own to look for my hostel: Backpacker’s Hotel New Koyo. The place wasn’t too shabby. The man at the window was welcoming, helpful, and helped me settle in – showing me to my room. The room was small, as expected – but big enough for a temporary stay. The place was equipped with Wi-Fi, a lobby and computer in the lobby, and maps/information readily available in the hallway. There was a heavy amount of dust and perhaps mold in the air – but I wasn’t going to complain when I was paying $20 a day for a hostile in Tokyo – I just needed a place to store my things and sleep a few hours.

I dropped my luggage off in my room and decided I couldn’t wait. I headed out to Akihabara – video game mecca…

Heading to Tokyo this weekend!

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I will be in Tokyo, Japan this weekend celebrating my 22nd birthday! It has always been a dream of mine to visit Japan since I was young. Now I get to see Tokyo in real life. There are plenty things on my to-do list. Here are a few things I plan to do during my trip:

  • Visit Tokyo Tower in Minato and see the Tokyo Starfish Highway from the observatory
  • Checkout Akihabara – the video game and anime mecca (Club SEGA! =D)
  • Ride the ferris wheel in Odaiba (one of the tallest ferris wheels in the world) and checkout the Venice and Statue of Liberty replicas and of course more arcades
  • Travel around Shibuya and Shinjuku – one of the brightest spots of Tokyo at night with tons of life
  • Eat the freshest sushi in the world at the Tsukiji Market
  • Checkout the Meiji Shrine and Sensoji Temple for a bit of culture/history
  • Witness the people dressed up in Harajuku on Sunday

I can’t wait! Tokyo here I come!

SK Global House: Pros and Cons

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SK Global House and International House (I-House) are the two main dorm buildings at Yonsei University for international students. They provide affordable housing and plenty of amenities for students. I chose to live in SK Global House because of the extra features and bathrooms inside the bedrooms (in I-House there are common bathrooms). SK Global House is only slightly more expensive than I-House. Here are my pros and cons of living in SK Global House after living here for almost a semester:

Pros:

  • Washing machines and dryers are located on the Basement 2nd floor of SK Global House.
  • A dry cleaning service is available for students on the Basement 2nd floor and very affordable. As an alternative you can pay the dry cleaning service to wash your clothes for you and they will even fold your clothes for you.
  • Each floor in SK Global Lounge has a lounge and study room/media room for you to go to when you get tired of being squeezed in a small dorm. There is also a lounge on the main entrance where you can hang out with your friends since each floor is gender-restricted.
  • SK Global House rooms have bathrooms inside the rooms – nice because when I need to use the bathroom, I would rather use it in the privacy of my own room. I-House residents share public restrooms.
  • GS-25, a popular convenience store chain, is conveniently connected to SK Global House so you don’t have to leave the building to grab some food or home items – although I will warn you the prices here are much higher than your average restaurant in Korea. There’s also an ATM there if you one. The same goes for the food options connected to SK Global House – Burger N Shake, Caribou Coffee, Cafe Kikini, and a tonkatsu/ramen place. If you’re hungry for some Korean food I suggest the Korean restaurants in New Millennium Hall and the Korean Language Institute building. They also sell snacks there.
  • Living in the dorms makes it easy to make friends and you will likely meet the same people on the elevator, at the convenience store, in class, and then later on roaming in Sinchon.
  • There are a number of places that will deliver food to SK Global House since students regularly are ordering food there.
  • There is a kitchen in the Basement 3rd floor of the SK Global House and you can buy storage space for pots and supplies.

Cons:

  • There is a constant mosquito problem in the two dorm buildings. They seem to be living within the vents and if you leave your window open prepare to be harassed by mosquitoes.
  • Living with lots of students means you will no doubt be prone to whatever illness is spreading around. It’s hard to avoid when everyone presses the same elevator buttons and opens the same doors.
  • No member of the opposite sex is allowed on your floor, nor are they allowed in your room. You’re an adult, but you’ll be living like a teenager. They will watch you with security cameras located everywhere.
  • If learning Korean is your goal of coming to Korea – you’ll have a hard time doing that as most people in the dorms will be speaking English…it wasn’t a problem for me since I was more interested in meeting people from around the world.
  • Although there is a fridge on each floor in SK Global House – people steal each others food regularly and its such an issue that I can’t even buy anything to store in a fridge.
  • Although there is internet at SK Global House – it is painfully slow and sometimes randomly disconnects.

Why Korea?

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One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is why I chose to go to South Korea for my study abroad program. My background is grounded in Japan and Japanese culture so why would I choose to go somewhere else as an exchange student? There are so many options to choose from in the world. What made South Korea stand out to me? I get the question from other travelers, exchange students, and from Koreans themselves who are intrigued to at the attention their nation is receiving from foreigners.

Here are some of the major things that brought me to South Korea:

  • Korean culture caught my eye – I could only get a glimpse from Korean television, and other forms of entertainment…I wanted to know more about this nation that few people in my hometown seem aware of. I have been able to experience the culture first-hand by visiting palaces, museums, and interacting with the cities and towns personally and this has made my trip here one I will never forget
  • Korean language – As an international business major with a focus in Asia I want to learn as many foreign languages as possible and study as many markets as possible – coming to Yonsei University allowed me to enroll in Korean language courses not available at my home university and pick up some of the language and although the Korean program here is not really my cup of tea…I can’t deny I learned lots of Korean words and phrases I would have never learned this quickly at home without an instructor or class environment
  • I enjoy eating Korean food in Tampa at Korean restaurants – Korean food in Korea is actually quite different in terms of flavor (it is sweeter in the USA), but still interesting nevertheless
  • Yonsei University is one of the major universities in South Korea and I wanted to experience a big city life for a change after living in my quiet suburban life in Tampa for so many years – with so many districts such as Sinchon, Hongdae, Gangnam, and Itaewon and an affordable and efficient subway system to connect them I have been able to hit the streets on foot and explore the city as a true Seoulite
  • I wanted to make business contacts in South Korea and I believe I have quite successful in acquiring business relationships with several important people in Seoul
  • There is no denying the advantage of using the United States dollar in South Korea. Many times things that should have cost me $100 were only $85 or less after converting my dollars into wons. The state of the dollar versus the yen is no secret and I hope someday it improves, but I think surviving a semester in a major city in Japan would be a huge challenge and be very limiting – I have been able to go out dining, partying, and fully been able to enjoy myself here in ways I couldn’t even enjoy myself at home in Florida
  • My Yonsei friends I made at home made a big impact on me and actually made me think about Yonsei University as my choice school. Cool, collected, and social-able; all the good times we had in Tampa inspired me to head to Korea and meet other native Koreans and I have indeed many Korean friends in Seoul during my stay

That concludes most of the major reasons that brought me out to South Korea for my study abroad program. I still have another month and a half in South Korea before I head back home to Tampa. One thing I realized while starting a new language here was just how much Japanese I know. I’ve decided to go home and intensively study my Japanese and head to Japan next summer for an intensive language program so I can be at a high level before I graduate from USF.

Meeting other travelers here with many dreams like myself has been a big inspiration. Many of them are planning to build their lives here or make future trips and I feel inspired to make my dreams happen as well. Of course, the journey is the reward and the best thing about studying abroad has been meeting so many amazing and open-minded people from around the world. I hope one day fate will bring us back into the same path again after this program comes to an end.

Sick while abroad in South Korea? Here are some tips.

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Sorry for the lack of updates! I just recently recovered from a flu and midterm exams (a horrible pair to have actually). I learned some valuable lessons from this experience though:

  • Make sure to pack some cold medications from the U.S.A. before heading to another country (researching to make sure it is legal first of course)
  • Vitamin C is scarce in South Korea. Tropicana orange juice is around $8 and fruits in general are expensive…you will certainly want to bring some Vitamin C pills with you to keep your immune system up
  • Visiting the international clinic is way more expensive than visiting a Korean clinic, however if you need a doctor’s note for classes (almost every class in Korea has required attendance) then you will need to visit a real hospital and get a doctor’s note. Pharmacy notes may not be accepted
  • Make sure you’re always ahead in your classes so you can afford to miss a few classes – this flu bug severely put my academic performance in jeopardy and getting through the flu was extremely difficult while trying to stay up cramming and doing homework
  • Bring a friend if it makes you more comfortable, but just make sure you go early enough to the doctor! My doctor told me if I had been a few days later I would have developed pneumonia
  • Be wary of consuming raw food in Korea…some friends have had some nasty experiences doing that. On that note never drink tap water. My friend hiked a mountain here in Seoul and when she got the top someone gave her tap water and her stomach was in trouble for at least a week
  • Most Korean pharmacy’s sell cheap over-the-county fixes as well – you might want to try those if you arrived without any medication
  • Sleep is essential – and on that note make sure you air out your room and throw away anything that might be housing the germs as well
  • Try calling home…it might make you feel better. I know every time I talked to some friends or family members I felt better about my illness. It’s re-assuring to speak to someone who knows you well about your troubles. Skype has unlimited calling in the United States for $7/month and it includes landlines and mobile phones so you can talk to your family and friends all you want!
  • Make sure to save your receipts so you can report it to your travel insurance!