Korea life - day 49 (week 7) / (Seoul) 1A first class outing

Holiday is now !! But because most of my friends had heading back (to their country) this holiday, is mainly just me alone here :( .. thought will be able to have fun and crazy trip together. Since no one around, I will just to enjoy life myself. Had been heading out to cafe everyday now and I notice that Korean really love their coffee alot as the cafe are always full with people at any time of the day. But I have to stop heading to cafe and drink coffee for a while as I had problem sleeping at night these few night (for example I could only sleep like 8am in the morning (next day)!! ) and school is going to start on Mon !!! I need to fix my body clock back within this few days !!

I know that I'm very late in my posts these day but I will still keep blogging my late post as I want to keep these memories with me even till I get older as not even a one day did I regret making this deciding to come to Korea.

Korea Life - 12 Apr 2014 (day 49 week 7)

So fast, I had lived in Korea for almost 8 weeks now. Can not longer live like a tourist anymore, need to start thinking of ways to save up, so today decided to make my own lunch before heading out. As PQ is staying just opposite me, we could save the cost and make meal for 2 which is even better for me since I can save even more like that ! Make mac and cheese this afternoon, (will upload the receipt once I get all the picture ready. )

Went to Hongdae to a flea market which only open every Saturday from 1 to 6pm only. Is not very far away from the subway station but still have to walk at least 10 min to get there. When we reach there, we were pretty surprise with the amount of people at the flea market. The small area was fully flooded with people and that I wasn't able to take picture of the place at all. As the amount was people was too much for me to handle, we only stay for 10 min and went to other area to walk. But it was too early in the morning, many store has yet to open (Hong dae is a place where is more interesting at night ). So we went back after that.

[Hong dae flea market is open from March to November only from 1pm. The things selling here are mainly handcraft goods make by university students , therefore price of the good might by slightly higher. To get there, alight at Hongik station (Line 2) ; exit 9. Below website has more information, map and other flea market in Korea  - http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=309567#1 ]

 Headed back to rest abit before heading out to meet my classmate. When we were discussing for our very first class outing, our class chairman didn't want to do (as he is not joining), no one wants to make any decision. Since no one want to do it, I did it, but I can't stand it that they even need me to decide where to go /what time to meet / what to eat !! I just made up excuse saying I'm not at home and got  someone else help me to see where to eat

We had BBQ buffet near Hyehwa station (where more than half of us are staying around here). We ask to meet at 6.30pm and did booking for 7pm as we guess there will be people who won't appear on time. ,  waited for all to come then headed over together.  Our class has more than 10 people, we had to have at least 2 (fire) pit for us. So we split one table who drink and another who don't. I choose to sit with the people who drink as there are more Chinese on that table (the other table us more japanese and is pretty hard to strike a conversation with Japanese although I can understand). Was able to have lot of fun and many talks even though we met a month ago only. We wasn't very close before this outing and was worried that we might not able to enjoy, but turn out that we had fun.

MEAT !! very cheap !! (Won)12,000 per person only (excluding alcohol ) 

After all the eating, we heading for KTV. The place was pretty big but the sofa was too small for all of us, we had to squeeze together to fix all into it. We first book an hour only, but we didn't had enough so we added another hour. Something I like about Korea's KTV is that the charge by how big the room and how long. Back in Singapore, it charge by amount of people and the time period (like 11am-2pm ; 2pm-6pm). After 2 hours, some still want to sing while some want to go back. So we change to another KTV with more chinese songs after most of the japanese student went back. In the end, we played till 1am then went home. 

Korea life - Day 65 week 10 / (seoul) SKKU SLI level 2 start

Korea life - 28 Apr 2014

Start of level 2 at SKKU today. I was so worry about the test that I need to do on the first (PQ was asked to do a small test before being split to her class.) but we wasn't asked to do any test. And I worry that there are no one I know same class as. Although I'm quite sad that im not in the same class as LG but luckily I'm in the same class with CL and other 2 japanese from 1A.

Same as level 1, only had half day school for the first day. I don't like the timing for level 2 as it is so different from level 1 (everyday from 9am - 10.15am , then 12.30pm - 3.45pm), at least I have some interesting teacher so not that bad at all .. 

Korea life - day 62 (week 9) / (Seoul) last day as student of class 1A

25 apr 2014

School start at 10 o'clock for level 1.
Actually wanted to go school with qi (her class start at 9) but can't wake up so I went alone
All 3 class are asked to sit in the same classroom

We had quiz / games before we proceed with the class completion ceremony
I passed overall and can go up to level 2 !!!!

Took a lot a lot of picture then we had lunch at the school canteen as teacher having meeting in an hrs time. Since no one want to do decision, I was forced to decide sometime fast. So we had fried chicken in the school canteen (was so expensive !! But no choice)

Then after that we went to play pool (forced to do decision again) , spent 3 hrs there. Then went to meet the rest to have dinner as a class. The place we want to go don't allow underage so we had to find somewhere else.

Found another place but in the end the food was too spicy for most of them!! So more than half went of to find somewhere else and the others half (drinking beer) stayed. Teacher pop out half way !!! We went ktv afterward with teacher and sung for 2 hrs. Was so tired by the time I reach home 

Korea life - Day 48 (week 7) / funny day

Korea life - 11 Apr 2014 (Day 48 week 7)

Somethings happen this afternoon that I find it too funny.

Normally I don't get lost easily if I had been to the place before.
This afternoon I accompany LJ to IFC mall to change a pant,
This is my second time visiting IFC mall.
And I totally forget here to alight !!
(then I remember that time I was just following, I didn't put the effort to remember to go)

And here come the funniest of all.

Headed to Seoul station to meet PQ after that to do some groceries shopping.
We had dinner first at a fastfood chain nearly before we start.
WE SPENT 4 HOURS THERE !!!
(I can't imagine how could I spent so long there !!??!?!?! )
We did bought many things that we won't take the subway back, so we took the cab (for 4 hrs?).

Korea life - Day 44 (week 7) / (Seoul) making of strawberry jam

Korea Life - 7 Apr 2014 (day 44 week 7)

We were able to make strawberry jam with the strawberry that we picked at strawberry buffet yesterday
PQ made before, so according to her, it only just need 4 things!!

Strawberry jam making

Thing needed -
Strawberry
Lemon
Sugar (optional)
Energy to keep stirring  >u<

Steps - (fire MUST be in small fire at all time)
1) Strawberry some cut into small piece , some mash it up & get ready lemon
2) Put 2-3 spoon into the freezer first (you will need this to test if the sauce is done)
3) Cooked the mash up strawberry first, once is boiling add in the cut strawberry
4) Once is boiling again, add in lemon juice (you can add in the lemon if you like it sour)
5) Keep stirring as it will burn if you don't stir. Form will form up, up to you if you want to remove the form or to keep it. (I didn't remove it as I will have lesser jam at the end)
6) Once the sauce start to get thicken, take out 1 spoon from the freezer to try. If the sauce don't spill off the freeze spoon easily, it means that is done !!
7) Wait till is fully cool down then bottle it up

How long it take will depend on how much of strawberry you cook. I cooked quite alot so it took me around 40 min (excluding the cooling period of the jam)

Korea life - day 43 (Week 7) / (Nonsan) Strawberry festival

Life in Korea is getting more and more busy than when I was in Singapore !! Everyday we are given  tons of homework, exams and even presentation !!  I wasn't able to touch my computer at a month !! And it's just 8 more days to my level 2 final exam, need to work abit more harder for just this 8 more days and I'm going to have a 10 days holiday (not only weekend like level 1 to level 2) !!

Korea life - 6 Apr 2014 (Day 47 week 7)

Heading out to a place called Nonsan as PQ checked out that there is a strawberry festival here today. Want to save some money (so we could spend more there !), we packed our lunchbox (just kimbap) this morning before taking the train to the Express bus terminal station

Where to buy the bus ticket to Nonsan 

Once we reached the Express bus terminal, we looked for the bus terminal station to Honan line to buy the bus ticket (as the online website only has Korean and only accept credit card) and there are signboard everywhere leading us so we didn't spend too much time on finding the counter to buy the ticket. We had some time before boarding so we just sat down (and restroom) and wait to board the bus

Boarding the bus to Nonsan !! 

After 2 hrs of bus ride, we finally arrived at Nonsan !! PQ checked that we should cross the road to take a bus to the festival area. We waited for while but the bus number that PQ checks never comes, so we asked the only bus driver that kept appearing. The kind bus driver asked us to board and drive us to the bus terminal and took us to take another bus to the Strawberry festival area. In no time, we reached the event area very fast. There were so many cars, people, booths and so many thing to try and see !! SO EXCITED. But there were too many people and too many food, so we only tried hottok and ice-cream (all with or made from strawberry)

The Nonsan strawberry event !! 

The pass that allow us to go in freely 

After almost visiting all the booth, we took a taxi to the farm area to pick strawberry. We actually wanted to walk to the farm area but luckily we listened to the farm owner and took the taxi, it is really not walking distance to the farm.We were asked to paid 10,000 won (per person) and we were given a pass to go into the greenhouse with full of strawberry !!! We are allow to pick and eat on the spot. As long as we are inside, we can eat as much as we like and we could only carry one handful out of the place !!

Inside the greenhouse and look at the strawberry !! 

Is totally a strawberry buffet !! And at this point, our Singaporean bad habit comes out !! We are not allow but we bought plastic bad and pack some as we were eating !! >_< (so bad !! PLEASE DON'T LEARN). After all the eating and picking (and packing), we totally smells like strawberry !! Hahaha, I think I need to stay away from strawberry for a while. I can't believe I had strawberry for lunch (and just strawberry!!) HAHAHA.

The place owner helped us to call for a taxi and we headed straight to the bus terminal (was too tired from all the picking of strawberry). Bought the first bus back to Seoul, however due to the bus was full packed, we were unable to sit together, but it doesn't really matter as we were busy sleeping all the way. Due to the festival, many of the road was full of cars, in the end it took us 3 hours to come back to Seoul (actually it should take 2 hrs only).