Long overdue post

So yeah, this is what I’m like when it comes to writing shit, well actually most things – too lazy. When I initially plan things in my head they’re extremely ambitious and what not. But then it never happens which makes me realise how lazy I am.

Anyway this time I’m actually going to write something long (and complete) enough to post. I actually wrote up like five half-written posts then went meh fuck it, before this and the blob about the iPad. (They’re all still saved as a draft :p)

So a lot of things have happened in the past month-ish:

Second weekend of February
Chinese New Years (although it’s celebrated by like all East Asian countries). It’s customary to visit relatives – which I did and met relatives I didn’t even know existed. Was pretty good, ate too much and got sick afterwards but overall it was great :p It was pretty tiring though because I sort of have to act like a messenger for my family since they’re all in NZ and visit everyone important and call those I couldn’t visit.

Some other weekend in February

So I tutor these like 7 year olds, and their parents thought it’d be good if we (parents, 7-year olds and myself) went to Lotte World which is one of the biggest theme parks in Seoul. It wasn’t that fun to be quite honest because, well, how much fun can you have riding kiddy rides and “mini bumper cars” all day long which I couldn’t even ride because I was too big (LOLWUT?!!???!)

aw so cute (I didn't lock them up I swear)

The day after Lotte World

I’ve been living at my dad’s friends’ house but it’s about an hour and a half travel to SNU (Seoul National Uni) so I had to find a place closer to SNU. I had an option of:

• A really nice neat modern place with wifi ready to go, which was going to cost me 3,000,000won (~3,750NZD) deposit plus 550,000won (~680NZD) per month

OR

• A pretty crap place, which required no deposit and was only 350,000won (~430NZD) per month.

Both places provided breakfast and dinner, and did your laundry.
I came to a conclusion that if I wanted to get my money’s worth in the really nice place, I just couldn’t afford to miss out on ANY meals etc., but obviously I’ll be eating out most of the time.
So I moved in to the pretty crappy place and actually, the crappy place isn’t that crappy, well at least my room isn’t. It’s just that the food is pretty shit and its nothing more than a substitute of not eating. Plus the hallway sort of thing reeks of something I am not able determine. But I’m sure it’s a combination of every foul odor all combined in the worst possible way. (but my room smells like peaches cos I bought a peach fragrance jelly thing ^^ LOL :P). Also the location of this place is really good. There’s a bus stop literally at the front gate (like the name of the bus stop should be named after the owner of this house or something) that’s got around 10ish busses stopping by it. Also, if I cross the road, there’s a shuttle bus that goes straight to uni for free :D (Oh wait, did I mention that I have no internet connection here?)

Internetless Sean
I live on the internet and live off the internet. The internet is my life and my life is the internet. But the one BIG downside to this place is that the landlords don’t provide you with an internet connection and expect you to just get it all set up yourself (because in Korea where customer service is crazy, if I call them up today and ask for a connection, I’ll be browsing the web tomorrow morning, no shit). And another thing is that the concept of “being capped” (mobile data etc. exclusive) is non-existent. So the rational thing to do would be to get the “standard internet plan” (100mbit line LOL wtf is ADSL2+ w/ a theoretical speed of 24mbit Telecom let alone the 8mbit lines) and share it via wifi. It did surprise me though because the four other people living here all have their own connections. I guess a 100mbit line is not enough for Koreans to share -_-. BOTTOM LINE: I don’t want to pay for the full amount because I won’t be home all day but really need it for the couple of hours at night but haven’t really gotten around to talking with other people that live here yet. = no internet @ home fml.

Sometime last week of February

Got a haircut.

Some other day on that week

So I enjoy tweeting (twitter.com/sean_choi) and I found out that these people actually have “tweet-ups” and just go for a drink or something. I found one that was like for English-speakers living in Seoul. I actually went to one in December last year and decided to attend another one. These guys were pretty amazing people (in so many ways, but mostly cos they were “cool geeks” with lots of money and know other amazing people, although one guy did say that a “cool geek” is an oxymoron LOL). So yeah that was a lot of fun.

A couple of days after the tweet-up

There was like a school orientation for SNU exchange students. Most of it was just a repeat of information we already know (with extremely bad powerpoints and presenters who read off the slides more boringly than a 15 year old doing his first ever presentation). And after all the boring bits, we separated into “SNU Buddy Groups” and went on a campus tour. I think that was the one thing on that day which was worth my time (not that I had anything else to do). After that we all just went out to have dinner and had a chance to get to know each other a little better.

Last weekend of February

I received an email awhile ago from one of the arts people in the UoA about how they would like help promoting the UoA at the “QS World Arts Tour” held in Seoul although I’m an accounting/computer science major. But sure, why not. So I went and got a nametag and all but the event itself was not quite promoted enough to be able to promote anything. Which was extremely disappointing because it was QS who had organised it and they’re the ones who rank all the universities in the world. The exhibitor from Auckland felt bad because I had come all the way to the event for nothing so she gave me like a desk calendar thing and a classical music CD. Definitely my type of music.

First day of Uni

SNU is located near/by on a mountain and the campus is fucking huge. Luckily for me (not), the College of Business Administration (Acctg) and the College of Engineering (Compsci) are on two opposite ends and there is just no way of going back and forth without bussing (I think it’s like 5-6 bus stops apart or something). I had two compsci lectures today. The first guy is Indian and reminds me of Sharma (for you botany people) or another comparison would be… Talks like Gamini but teaches like Steve from econ111 (the infamous shit lecturer LOL). The second lecturer was an Australian guy who seemed really nice. Both classes are taught in English, examined in English and whatever in English.

First week of Uni

In a nutshell, it's pretty much been

"hey what are you doing tonight?"

"nothing"

"cool lets go get a drink"

"okay ill find some other people"

and that's how you conclude your night

then the next day, repeat.

It's surprisingly affordable to drink, but I guess it'll sort of die out (really?)

And that brings this extremely long post to today.
Another day awaits me and for anyone who reached the bottom, congratulations. You’ve just wasted a significant amount of time reading this pointless blog.
So that was my life for the past 4 weeks ish. Maybe I’ll write another one like this in a months time :p

I'd read through it again just to proofread... but its too long

Forgive me if some parts aren't completely comprehendible.

p.s. thank you sara for putting up with everything for 32 months :p

i love you :)

Here are some random photos I wanted to include but couldn't fit anywhere in the post:

They have mega in Korea too :o

At orientation. It was pouring down with (acid) rain (because it's so polluted in Korea). The guy on the left with an umbrella's from NZ but he just wouldn't let the poor guy in the middle join even though the guy's like soaked and already balding.

I had to get another one...

Freshmen/First year welcoming at SNU. Insanely packed.