Meeting A Korean Friend for the first time!

If I were to pick one of the most valuable experiences in Korea, it would definitely be making local Korean friends. The program, Seoulmates, is definitely my favorite part about being a CIEE Seoul student because it’s the perfect opportunity to meet a local college student around the same age as me. When I first got set foot out of quarantine in Korea, I had the pleasure of meeting Taeyeon, the Seoulmate who gave me a tour of Sinchon. During the tour, we did not get an opportunity to talk  much as the group was quite large and Taeyeon felt as if her English was not good enough (Although in my opinion, I think she speaks great english.) However, I asked for her Instagram after the tour ended and asked her if she would like to meet up for a meal! 

A few weeks later, Taeyeon and I were able to meet up in the neighborhood of Insadong in Seoul. Insadong is one of the older neighborhood of Seoul filled with cute traditional cafes and delicious restaurants. It was such a wonderful change from the bustling college neighborhood Sinchon. Initially, I was worried that meeting Taeyon might be a bit awkward since I was still getting used to speaking in Korean. However, once I met Taeyeon it was almost as if the language barrier did not exist. Together, we were both able to communicate using Konglish (a mix of Korean and English) as well as body language. I was worried that we might rely on the translation app, Papago,  to communicate the whole time, but we used the app a total of twice the entire time that we were together. 

In Insadong, Taeyeon took me to a delicious Donkatsu (pork cutlet) and Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) restaurant. Although it wasn’t my first time trying either one of these dishes, it was probably my one my favorite meals I’ve had in Korea so far. The donkatsu was so juicy and fresh it melted in your mouth and the tteokbokki was just the perfect level of spice. After the restaurant, Taeyeon and I went to a traditional Korean inspired cafe. The cafe mimicked the traditional teahouses that were often seen in the Joseon era. Once we finished eating in the cafe, Taeyon and I went to a cute Photo Booth to take pictures and then to get our fortune read. The fortune telling was very interesting as it was almost like a gumball dispenser, but for fortunes. Our final stop before saying goodbye was in a shopping complex filled with traditional trinkets and teas which are perfect for souvenirs.

Meeting Taeyeon truly was a fantastic experience that I’d never forget. Not only was I able to practice my Korean, but I was also able to meet a wonderful person with a warm heart. Thanks to the Seoulmates program, I was able to meet such a fantastic person and a friend for life.