By Yara Palin

Some of the treats that can be found on the streets near Sungshin Women’s University. All photos by Yara Palin.

On the cold, wet evening of Feb. 22, after a 14-hour non-stop flight, I arrived in Seoul, South Korea, where I am spending the semester through the Lehman-Sungshin Exchange Program. The local time was around 6 p.m., but in New York it was 3 a.m., and after a one- hour bus ride to my dorm I was ready to turn in. I would soon find out that while some things here work just like in New York City, others are a world apart.

My adventure began the next morning, when I woke refreshed and energized to explore the city. More populous than New York City, Seoul is home to 10 million people, compared to New York’s 8 million, and the main streets are always bustling. While there are many businesses known to Americans such as Subway, McDonald’s, and KFC, you cannot come to Korea and not try the street food.

However, if you’re craving a taste of home you still can’t go wrong with going into a more familiar establishment. Most of the food tastes the same, and there are even additions made to the menu that feel more Korean. A lot of people may understand what you’re saying but not all employees will speak English so keep that in mind while ordering and be prepared to point A LOT.

The nightlife in Seoul is “can’t miss.” First stop was Hongdae, and of course, I would have to take the Seoul Metro to get there. Seoul’s equivalent to New York City’s MetroCard is the T-money card which works the same way but is way cooler. If you purchase a T-money card at a convenience store, you can ask the clerk to give you a card with your favorite K-pop idol. Or if you’re like me, you can purchase your card at a kiosk at any train station. This option does not offer customization.

Costing about $3, the card can be reloaded with any amount that you choose, and can also be used to pay for some taxis and in certain convenience stores. Thankfully, the vending machines that sell these cards have English language capabilities.

Once my T-Money card was loaded I was ready to board the train. The main difference between the train stations in Seoul and New York City is how much cleaner they are here. Although trash cans are practically nonexistent in the train stations---and pretty much everywhere else---there is zero garbage on the floor. At the edge of the platform is a sliding door that only opens when the train arrives, to prevent people from falling onto the tracks.

An entire platter of chicken comes out to 10,000 Korean won, which is less than $10 and a pint of draft beer was only $2.

Once you’re on the train, show time is over. That’s right, you won’t find any performers or anyone asking for money on the trains in Seoul because it’s considered impolite to be loud on all forms of public transportation. Anything louder than a whisper can draw stares and side eye. There are also seats on each end of the car for pregnant women, the elderly, or the disabled. Do not even think of sitting there. Hongdae is a college town near Hongik University known for its urban arts and indie music culture, clubs and entertainment scene. The one thing everyone kept recommending was Chimaek (치맥). This is a compound word formed from chicken and maekju, the Korean word for beer. An entire platter of chicken comes out to 10,000 Korean won, which is less than $10 and a pint of draft beer was only $2.

My friends and I had one more surprise lesson about the train system. We were shocked to be ejected from the train exactly one stop before the Sungshin Women’s University Station. It turns out that the trains in Seoul stop running at midnight sharp, so we were forced to hail a cab home. After a good twenty minutes of waving our arms helplessly into the night, we caught the attention of a cab driver willing to drive us back to our dorm for the reasonable fee of around $3!

So ended my first day and night on the town in Seoul. As I looked out my window and saw the famous Namsan Tower, I went to sleep excited for what the next day had in store for me.

A Lehman Student’s First Day in Seoul