Work has finally started!!

The weekend had ended and then we meet monday at the Seoul ICYE to meet our contact person for our work. The original plan was for me to work at Gangnam YMCA, but the Songpa YMCA was in desperate need of a girl volunteer because of the lack of women staff. In the beginning I was a bit skeptical about it, but it was an amazing choice. the people at Songpa YMCA is so nice and took me in from the first day. They are all so nice people. My contact person in Songpa YMCA is named Mun Philju and are also the one I will have korean lessons with. I was hoping to start work the next day, but there was a national holiday so we could stay home so I started work on Wednesday. There where no children the first days because it t was a start of a new term so there later that week (friday) we would have a opening ceremony for the children. 

Since I had a day of Tuesday I decided to walk op the nearby mountain. It was a small one, but on top of the mountain there were snow.

On Wednesday I went to work and I meet up with Jiwha (our contact person ICYE) so she could take me to Songpa YMCA. 

My work place is in front of Lotte World and Lotte World Mall!!! If you don't know Lotte World then it's a giant indoor Themepark near a lake (Seokchonhosu). Lotte World Mall also have the tallest tower in Seoul.

The entrance for Lotte World

Here I meet my new coworkers. They where all so nice to me and I hade brought some presents from Denmark for the boss and the coworker I would be working with the most (Jee hyunjung). I was told that we would get new children and that they where 4/5 years old, so we would have to prepare the classroom before they would come friday. We did a lot of cleaning and I was cleaning out this small room filled with things were some of them needed to be thrown out. I also made nametags for the children.

Wednesday was also the day that we started having our weekly koreanclass at ICYE so here I meet up with Joakim at a coffeeshop and I had my first kimbab... I was amazed!! 

Linda joined us later and we had our lesson

On Thursday I went to Gangnam for my korean lesson at yeoksam culture village center. The lessons I had taken a test to join beginner A2 level. When I came home, my roommates, Joakim and some other Danes ha a b-day party for Luna one of my roommates. We had cake and pizza. 

Friday was the day of the entrance ceremony of the children. 

It was fun to participate in the ceremony since I also had to show my face to the parents... I kinda messed up.. I was so nervous that I almost presented my self (taking a step an then bowing) before my turn. But my coworker held me back. I was a bit embarrassed..

After the ceremony the day started. we have 17 children and they are all so adorable, but learning their names is hard. I have faith though that I will learn them ^^

When the day had ended I had plans with Linda and Jihwa to go to Dragonhill spa a Jjimjjilbang aka a spa. It is one of the most famous one in Seoul. 

We had to pay around 12.000 or 14.000 won for the entery. We got a green set of cloths, 2 towels and a key. The key was super cool. When we entered there was a shoe looker where we placed our shoes. 

Then we followed the path and after the lockers there was this mine garden and brigde.

after changing cloths we went to the area where you can relax. We were hungry since we had not eaten dinner so I got some weird looking eggs. 

My favorite of them was the black one, it tasted the best ^^

We then had patbingsu (redbeanbingsu) with berries.. It was really good <3

they had all these random rooms. One of them was a coldroom.. I would call it a freezer, there was a snowman...

They also had hot rooms.

One of the rooms was being renovated since there had been a fire there around a month ago, so that area we could not enter.

We then went outside since it was not that cold... I know its marts... but outside that had a outdoor pool. There were people swimming in the pool but we only had our feet in the hot water. 

We then played some games and then went upstairs to get some fried chicken.

We tried this game.. It was scary...!!!

On our way down the stairs I saw a danish tuborg beer sign on the wall  ^^

Then we went to the shower area to shower. We wanted to sleep so we slept in the relax area. I ended up sleeping on the floor next to a guy who was drooling a lot and next to a really pretty guy.. I was originally sleeping in a massaging chair, but it got uncomfortable after some time. The guy drooling had apparently earlier puked on the floor (he was really dunk) but when I slept on the floor there was nothing.. Linda and Jihwa had seen it, but I had been asleep so I didn't here it. 

We went home in the morning since Jihwa had to go.

Sunday me, Joakim and Linda was volunteering at a basketball game.. It was the start of the season so they had a ceremony. I was fun to be there but we did not do anything. Every time we asked to help out they politely said "no its okay". 

After the ceremony we went to have lunch with korean volunteers around our age. 

Me and Linda had not had enough of today so we went to Hongdae to visit a selfie latte cafe; CaFace.

we shared since it was expensive. I got my face on the coffee, and the coffee was also really good. 

The face on the coffee is made of cream. 

After the coffee shop we went around Hongdae and saw some street performances 

Sightseeing of Seoul and practical stuff ^^

After a good weekend after the camp, were me and Joakim Saturday went to Hongdae to party. Here we saw streetperformancer and a lot of people. We had a great time were we went to bars and to an underground club.. it was a little to noisy for me so I did not like that part to much.. at one of the bar we met some guys whom I played dart with and we ended up eating ramen and dumpings with live later that night.. 

Sundays view of our rooftop ^^

We had spent so much time in Hongdae, so we ended up having to take the first train home the next morning... We were home at 7am.... it's the latest I have ever been home... but it was so much fun ^^

Monday 22/02 -2016

Okay so this week I dont really remember what we did from day to day... but what I do remember is that we started our korean lessons in the morning af after lunch we did other stuff/practical stuff.. 

I think that it was monday that we got our bank accounts and our korean creditcards so that our workplaces would be able to pay us. 

it was also on many that we went to Insadong - a korean traditional place - this is the place to buy souvenirs... me and Linda bought some chocolate from Jeju-island though.... ~delicious

We went to the center of Insadong

It's here that there is a poop-cafe and a lot of other cool stores. 

It's the top building where it says cafe ^^ the poopcafe~

'

At the very top of the building, is a place where people come and write down there dreams and hang them up.. there were so many!!!1

After walking around Insadong, we went to Gyeongbukkung palace. It was really cold to walk around but really nice to see the palace. I was amazed by the architecture and all the colors.

Inside of the palace - the Throne room ^^

After walking some more, these cute girl wearing hanbok came over and asked if they could take a picture with us.. and sure they could, I got a picture too ^^ (hanbok is korean traditional clothing)

After out tour of Gyeongbokkung we went home. But on our way home we saw this arch (Bullomun) down in the subway. The legend says that once one passes through the gate, they would never get old forever.. so of course we had to walk through it ^^

Eternal beauty.. who could say no to that!!

 Tuesday 23/02 - 2016

nothing much happend that day.. we had korean lessons and then we went to get our korean simcards... this was the worst hell ever.... it to HOURSSSS!!!!! just to get a damn simcard.. unbelivable!!! and after I got that stupid simcard.. I figured out that the phone that I had bought back in november in Denmark, did not work with the card.. Yes I could ring aand text but I could not use the 3g one the phone since that they in Southkorea have LTE (which btw is soo much better). Soo I had to figure out if I wanted to buy a new phone... I had already decided if a wanted at new, new phone it should be a samsung 6s edge.. the phone man told me he could get it home the next day, so I would have to wait... but the problem about this phone that is was in gold... A color that I did not wish to get... and I was also a little expensive..... 

I did not buy it that day... I wanted to think about it because paying for something used without having seen it, is not my thing. 

Our lunch tuesday was Jjajangmyeon ~amazing!!!

It does not look so appealing!! I I'm telling you, It's AMAZING!!!!!

Wednsday 24/02 - 2016

After korean lessons and lunch, we went to apply for our alian regestrations cards... and took forever!!!!! there where a hugh line of people so we had to wait again for hours!!! but thanks to Jihwa. our contact person we (me, Joakim and Linda) could go to a nearby bookshop and look around (maybe buy something), so that time could fly by faster ^^ we did not get the cards that day because it took time to process the dokuments.. and we had to pay for the damn card... and its mandetory... ~weird....

Todays lunch was dumping!! #lovedumpings!!!

 

Thursday 25/02 - 2016

So I decided that I wanted the phone... but I was still anxious about paying for a phone without getting it the same day.. the phoneman saw this and then he started talking to this costumer that came in the shop to sell a phone.. the phone man said something in korean (I did not understand) and then came over with a white samsung 6s (which was a model that I also wanted). He asked me if I liked it then I could buy it.. I loved it so I said that I wanted it.. before I said I wanted it i did not know that the phone belonged to the costumer... the phoneman said.. "this guy is selling his own phone to you because you were not sure about the other one). SO the only reason to why I could buy that phone, was because of a nice guy what happend to walk in to the store and just out of nowhere sold his phone to me... ~IWasSoHappy!!

People can be so nice.., I had never Imagined that moment... <3 <3

For todays lunch I had to try korean bibimbab #AmazingISay!! <3

This day was also the day that I took a level test for extra korean lesson in Gangnam (southern part of Seoul/district)

I passed the beginner level 1 so was put on beginner 2. I was so happy since my selfstudy back in Denmark had payed of, so I could skip a level. I worked so hard for it and I studied a lot in Denmark.. 

The reason why I decided to take the korean classed was because ICYE only offered koreanclass to us once a week and I did not find that enough. So I asked Jihwa if she knew where I could take extra Korean classes.. She found classes in Gangnam and they where even FREE.. YEES FREE.. omg that just made it all better.. I had to by the books.. But how cares... it was so worth it.. I'm happy that I took the test.. and to my luck this was also the last day that you could take the test because the classes started the next week. So I was lucky ^^

Friday 26/02 - 2016

Today was an eventful day. 

We had korean lessons and after lunch (I had soup and kimbab), we went on more sightseeing:

Kimbab

the sightseeing started in Namdaemun market. Here we walked around and I happend to pass some sock with m fave k-pop group (GOT7)

I did not buy a pair (regretting it so much)...

We then went to a traditional korean village (bukchon hanok village) near the Namdaemun market.

The village was so pretty!!

As our final desitantion of our tour we went to Namsam tower.

We took the tour bus up, and let me just say, the view was amazing!!!! you could see all of Seoul.. It was so pretty!!

Billede

My beautiful Seoul!!

Look at this view!!!

We did not pay to get up in the tower but that does not mean that we did not get a view... The area around the tower was also full of attractions. 

One of the famous spots near the tower is the locket area.. This is the place where lovers come and "lock" there love for ever.. It's a cute thing to do but also so cringe worthy... I have never seen so many locks in the same place, its amazing!! ^^

SO many locks!

This other "attraction" was the korean fire (dont remember the name). The use for these are that in case of a war (invation from Northkorea), they will light them up (fire), so that they will burn and so that people will know that thet the country is at war..

Lets hope that they will never be used... ^^

There was also a cute panda ^^

and more locks..

Our day ended with me and Linda meeting up with my roommates in Myeongdong to do some shopping.. but we did not meet for long, since the other girls wanted to go somewhere else, and me and Linda wanted something to eat..

So we parted ways and we went go get samgyeobsal since Linda had not tried it yet.. and she LOVED IT!!!

After eating we went home.. not much shopping was done that day ^^