how was Korea?
written on December 29, 2023
it’s been a while~
a lot has happened in the past year, life continues to change and move forward but at the same time… I’m still me!
a quick overview of my life updates:
school: Spring 2023 was my last semester at Berkeley, I withdrew from fall
at Yonsei and am set to receive my diploma sometime soon (I’ll be walking May
2024!)
travels: Philly with FCS in Feb, Portland and Seattle with Kayla in May,
New York with Addepar startup peeps, then Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore,
and Taiwan, mostly alone
work: 3 month internship at a startup during the summer, then started as a
full-time software engineer at Meta in Menlo Park in November
how was Korea?
I moved to Korea mid-August and got LASIK two days after landing. Stayed with my uncle for another two days and then moved into the dorms at Yonsei University where I had a single room, a grand total of 100 sqft housing a bed, table, bathroom, and closet all to myself. I spent a week getting settled in at Yonsei, meeting people (mostly foreigners) socializing, making friends, attending orientations, and exploring the neighborhood :)
September
school started, I broke up with my now-ex, joined a running crew, and received an email from a Meta recruiter about starting work in the next month or two, all within the first week (in that order). this month was pretty packed–with interviews beginning at 6am more weekdays than not, hanging out with new friends and exploring Seoul together, going shopping (although I didn’t fit into Korean beauty standards or their free-size clothes), and doing the many other fun and social things that I was in Korea to do. I think.
these days were slightly rough. insomnia came back and when I would finally check the time after laying in bed and staring at the ceiling for hours, it was often way too late to get good rest because of early morning interviews or other plans. going out was fun but socially, emotionally, and physically draining so I would potato in my dorm until the next event. the depression and negative body image joined hands so I’d be skipping food more days than not.
Korea was still fun! There were so many cute cafes where both the aesthetics and actual drinks were enjoyable, an abundance of cute clothes and accessories I took advantage of the exchange rate to indulge in, a time I stumbled across an IU concert while running along the Han River, and the food catered to my palate regardless of the restaurant so I never felt homesick. it was great.
I was… kinda having a difficult time. But my time in Korea was still great.
I went on a trip to Busan with some Yonsei friends over Chuseok break where I experienced staying at a hostel, night life, yacht ride, hiking, and many many bowls of soup. and when I got back in the first week of October, I received an email from Meta asking me to start work in November.
October
I had been aware that this was a possibility but it had finally been confirmed, so I tried to make the most out of the limited time I had left in this side of the world
- Week 1: I spent the first week attending countless appointments, spending time with my grandparents and relatives, and handling moving and onboarding logistics for Meta.
- Week 2: I travelled impulsively, booking accommodations in random Korean cities, figuring out transportation on the way, and searching for things to do when I arrived
- Week 3: I went on a domestic run trip where I ran a 10k then went sightseeing in the cute village with running crew people. I also booked plane tickets for my next trips.
- Week 4: I left for Japan, kicking off my big girl solo travel adventures
I think I returned to my dorm in Seoul for 2 or 3 nights each week between the adventures and exploring. I used this time to hole up in my dorm with my life on low battery mode trying to conserve whatever energy I had to spare. I’d run whatever errand I had to complete, eat out for one meal with a friend, and otherwise do nothing else. I somehow managed to waste a lot of time this way, and I’m still not sure where it all went. there were definitely a lot of contrasting picture-perfect days and days of complete emptiness.
November
solo traveling was nice, at least in the beginning. I realized that being alone was so peaceful and I liked that I didn’t have to worry about how other people felt while making decisions about what to do, what to see, when to move, etc. being alone (as a female) came with the expected challenges of not feeling safe going out after dark, not being able to try as much food, and not getting photos of myself, but it was refreshing to do things on my own timing and relieve myself from constant social interactions.
it was surreal to visit each of these other countries, like I couldn’t believe that I was really there until I heard someone passing by speaking in a language I didn’t understand. I got to meet people I know in unexpected places (like running into a former coworker in Hong Kong) and catch up with friends (my dear brother-in-Christ serving in Taiwan). I was constantly reminded of what a privilege it is to have grown up in the US, having the language abilities and financial capability to freely explore different countries alone as a 21 year old (yes, it is a great privilege).
I was living a life that even I would have been jealous of, but my mind still made everything a battle. jet lag wasn’t an issue but insomnia was. I didn’t get a vacation from my PTSD, so I spent a chunk of time in Hong Kong stuck in flashbacks and spiraling. I forced myself to explore Singapore but depression had me sitting on the ground in a mall for hours. on the flight to Taiwan I found myself questioning: is this really worth it?
behavioral activation
a cognitive behavioral therapy skill for treating mood disorders (like depression) in which you make yourself do activities that seem enjoyable and are consistent with the life you want to live, even if you don’t feel like it, in order to improve your mood
I did the activities. they definitely seem enjoyable. it seems like a picture
perfect dream life.
and I did enjoy it. it was just a lil rough :’)
how was Korea?
I loved it! I had no responsibilities since I wasn’t working or studying and I was in one of the best places to play! Korea is has really good public transportation and is safe, it’s really easy to get around and do what you want, even if you’re alone. and the exchange rate was also really good, so everything was so affordable LOL. I also got to spend a lot of time solo traveling across different Asian countries, which was very cool.
this answer isn’t fake, it’s the answer that I’ve been giving out a lot to people and it’s just not the full story. it’s still very true: I did have a great time in Korea and loved the experience. life being a struggle and persistent depression is just another fact that I sometimes omit. since y’all already know anyways lol. besides, it gets kinda old always being so doom and gloom, yaknow?
but… I’ve been good heh :’)
thanks for reading! and as always, feel free to reach out :)
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