Korea Day 2: Arrival at Kookmin University

Bethany and I checked out of our hotel and after a bit of traveling arrived at Kookmin University. It took a bit to find the dormitory and to work through language barriers to get checked in, but we eventually worked through everything and were assigned a room. After getting settled in Bethany and I met Sushant and Mausam, two other students from JSU participating in Kookmin’s Short Term Summer Program. We all went out for lunch together and did a bit of shopping. Sushant and Mausam are both international students from Nepal. I really enjoyed their company and learning about where they’re from over lunch. Our meal was the highlight of the day. The food was great and the restaurant owner kept bringing us free gifts ranging from delicious rice wine to postcards featuring traditional Korean art. He also told us about the art on the walls and gave us a tour of the art throughout the restaurant. He was so friendly. It was a really great experience, especially for our first day. Afterward, we did a bit of shopping and returned to the dormitory. Late in the evening Bethany and I finally met our roommates, Tabitha, and Alaina from Wisconsin. Both are super sweet and I’m looking forward to getting to know them.

Day 2: Seoul Station, Kookmin University, Jeongneung

• Checked out of  K-Pop Hotel Seoul Station
• Took 2 trains and a bus to Kookmin University
• Checked into the Dormitory and explored
• Met Sushant and Mausam
• Lost my T-Money Card; Replaced it with a Cash Bee Card at the Ministop
• Jeongneung
  • Took a bus to an area with a Daiso, got lost along the way
  • Korean meal at Songdam Restaurant
  • Shopping at Daiso and a small Grocery Store
• Finished unpacking and organizing my dorm area

K-Pop Hotel Seoul Station

We woke up around 8 am to pack our things. Our hotel offered cereal and toast for breakfast so I enjoyed that with a cup of espresso in the cute basement lounge area for guests. Bethany and I went to the roof to check out the views of the area. I found the space quite charming with the outdoor grass carpet, garland lights, and pinwheel table. We checked out of K-Pop Hotel Seoul Station between 10-11 and began our trek to Kookmin. 

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Traveling to Kookmin was a bit of an adventure, especially with our luggage. We had to take a couple of trains, and then a bus (once we figured out what direction we were supposed to be going in). A friend had told me not to take a bus with our luggage because they are usually packed but I couldn’t figure out how to call a taxi. Thankfully the bus wasn’t very full this time of day.

Kookmin Dormitory

We took a bus after getting off the subway to Kookmin and slowly found our way to the dormitory, checked-in, and settled into room A407. The four-person dorm was slightly more spacious than anticipated with desks and lockable wardrobe cabinets for everyone. Our roommates had already arrived but were nowhere to be seen. I unpacked and organized my stuff. I’m super excited to be staying in a dorm since I’ve never stayed in one before.  

Since I’ve never stayed in an American dorm I can’t really say how they differ except that in this one you take your shoes off at the door before entering the main part of the room, and the lower bunk beds are almost on the floor.

Dorm Room Tour

Jeongneung

Lunch at Songdam

We went to Jeongneung to pick up supplies for our dorm rooms, but we were hungry so we went in search of food. The first restaurant we visited was closing so we ate at the next restaurant we found. We weren’t sure what to expect as we were hungry enough to eat just about anything. Songdam, the restaurant we wandered into, was a traditional Korean restaurant. We took our shoes off at the door and were escorted to a side room where a man I assume to be the owner translated the menu and explained how some items have to be ordered by at least two people in order to be made. We all tried Soju for the first time, it tastes similar to vodka and was served with little shot glasses. 

The owner treated us to Korean Rice Wine, which we all loved, and some sort of Korean dessert beverage (tasted kind of like a very dense grape juice). He gave us postcards and menus as souvenirs. He also took great pride showing us pictures of famous Korean art featured around the restaurant. He was a really nice guy. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, especially for my first real meal in Korea. 

Shopping at Daiso and a Korean Market

We picked up supplies for our rooms at Daiso. It wasn’t a full Daiso like the ones in Japan or the U.S. as there was no food section so that was a bit disappointing.  We picked up some snacks at a small grocery store down the street and then listened to an outdoor performance while waiting on the bus.

Kookmin

I returned to my room when we got back to the dorm and settled in. I picked up some snacks, mostly ones with cool packaging, and ate a watermelon ice cream cone that had a sort of bubblegum flavor to it. My bed is really hard and my pillow is tiny but aside from those things the dorm room is quite nice. Later in the evening our roommates, Tabitha and Alaina showed up. They came to Korea together from Wisconsin, both are super sweet. I’m looking forward to getting to know them.

View more photos from this day in our gallery.