When I first started traveling around Seoul, I felt really scared! Figuring out how to get my Climate Card was tricky. The machines mostly show Korean, and while they do have English options, it was easy to get confused. For example, I didn’t know that you can’t use bills over 50,000 won (the currency in South Korea). I kept wondering why my money wouldn’t work until a kind Korean man came up to help me, despite the language barrier. Thank you, mystery helper!
When it came to riding the subway and buses, I was nervous about making mistakes or getting lost. I didn’t realize how fast you need to move to get on and off! I definitely went the wrong way a few times, but I noticed that people could tell I was a foreigner and didn’t know what I was doing, and they were usually willing to help. The good news is that it doesn’t take long to learn the ropes.
On a personal note, I really miss being able to sing loudly in the car whenever I want! Even the buses in Portland are much noisier. Sometimes, being on a quiet subway where everyone is staring at their phones feels a bit sad. I’ve learned to bring a book or listen to podcasts, however, and I’ve started discovering new music, which helps make the rides more enjoyable!
In South Korea, there's something called Ppalli ppalli culture, which means "hurry hurry." This culture is all about doing things quickly. For example, when you're in an elevator, people press the close door button repeatedly. If you're walking down the street, you need to move fast.
