Dorm life and my first week of school in Sogang

I've officially been living in Korea for about two weeks now and I'm already getting quite familiar with my surroundings. Sogang University is located in the Mapo district (마포구) of Seoul. It is conveniently located literally right next to the Seodaemun district (서대문구) which is home to Sinchon (신촌동), a largely populated neighborhood because of it's active nightlife and close proximity to other universities including Yonsei University (연세대학교) and Ewha Woman's University (이화여자대학교), two other universities affiliated with my school's student exchange program. There are a lot department stores, restaurants, and convenience stores located near by so getting what you need doesn't require a lot more than proper research of transportation to and from (more on than next time, I suppose).

The Albatross

I haven't actually had the chance to take too many pictures of my school but there's actually not much to take pictures of anyway. haha! It's a fairly small school compared to the other universities I've visited here. My classes are in only two buildings, both of which are a five to ten minute walk from my dorm. I only have three classes and they're all on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I've got five days out of the week to explore the rest of Seoul, run errands, and complete my homework of course.

Dorm life here is not that different than from UH Mānoa. The rooms are equipped with a bed, a desk, several closest spaces, and the restroom and shower room are separated. Sogang's international dorm, Gonzaga Hall (곤자가국제학사) actually has a lot of strict rules and is actually based on a point system. Students lose points for disruptive behavior (including talking to loudly, leaving trash around, not following rules, etc.) and are actually kicked out of the dorms if 100+ points are accumulated. Points are also earned for volunteer work and exemplary behavior. (All of these behaviors are recorded and enforced through CCTV cameras all over the hall.)

GS25

Kosa Mart

The photo on the left is of GS25 (usually shortened to just GS), a typical convenience store you'd expect to find at the corner (or middle) of almost every street (literally). The other more popular names include Family Mart, Ministop, and 7-Eleven. They all offer everything a convenience store should from snacks and beverages to cigarettes and toiletries. Most (if not all) of these stores also have microwaves available to heat up food (especially 라면 / Ramen) and tables and chairs either inside or outside for you to enjoy your snack right then and there! Most of the stores also offer T-Money and you can also recharge them at the cashiers. Kosa Mart (on the right) is typically more of a local business type of stop and doesn't usually offer food heating or T-Money services but does have a large variety of produce available.


All in all, I'm quickly adapting and getting into the groove now that school has officially started. Now if only I could get my Korean to adapt faster too! ㅎ-ㅎ;;