SNU take 1

I doubt I'll be posting once (or twice) daily once classes start on Monday (Dec 3), but as of now, I wake up at 6 or 7 am, go out for a bit/run errands in the afternoon, then have nothing to do during the evening... nothing, that is, except for updating the blog... :)

Today I decided to head to SNU for the first time. I took the bus right past it during my Bedding Adventure, so I knew how to get there... but apparently I failed at getting back (more on that later). It only took about 25 minutes overall to get from my room to the classroom... and it probably would've been less had I taken the first bus that came to the bus stop, but I didn't realise until it was pulling away that it stopped at SNU. Oops.

SNU is surprisingly pretty, with Gwanak-san ("hat-shaped mountain") in the background. Someday, I will totally be climbing that mountain. There are many 3-4 hour trails nearby (though, obviously, you can turn around any time before the end, but that seems like a waste). However, as I was out of breath just climbing the darn hill to the Language Building... I think that goal might take til spring or summer to accomplish. ^^

Anyway, some pictures of campus:


On the left, SNU's "main gate" (정문, "jeong-mun"). On the right, the view from about 10 steps past the main gate.


Left: The bottom of the hill to climb to class. It doesn't look like much from this angle.... but my poor legs
and lungs will tell you differently. Right: The two Korean language buildings. Also, construction.


Left: Half the stadium that's across the road from the language buildings. Looks like they took the bleachers out for the winter. Right: The SNU cultural center, along the same road as the main gate. This was on my way back to my room.

However, things never go as planned. I decided to take a different bus on the way back (so far, I've only taken #6515 everywhere, because it's easy, though inefficient, to only remember one number and one route). I got on #5516 just inside the main gate, thinking it was #5515, which goes further back into Daehakdong (closer to my room), rather than just traveling along Sillim-ro outside the main gate (leaving me to walk 4 blocks). So I got on and waited, and waited, and waited.. for it to make a left onto a side street from Sillim-ro. It definitely didn't. It took me 2-3 extra stops to realise I was well past my area... and that point, I said "screw it, it has to come back eventually" (because it's also a bus I can take TO campus). Turns out that "eventually" was pretty accurate:


A nice tour of the city.

I was telling myself "as long as we don't cross the Han River..." right as we approached the most northern part, and I saw Namsan Tower (a landmark just on the other side of the river). Luckily, a few seconds later, we made a U-turn and went back the way we came.

On the plus side, I got to see a LOT of Gwanak-gu (the district where I live) and Dongjak-gu. And we went past a store dedicated entirely to bedding (near Boramae-ro 2-gil)... /cry. Anyway... I also noticed that there's a stream right along Sillim-ro, with a walking path and biking path. That could be useful later on (wishful thinking?):


This particular picture is about 1/2 a mile from my road.

After all that, I need a drink! I bought a bottle of makgeolli (rice wine) from the mart that's a half a block from my room. It was 90 cents. It's strangely carbonated, and strangely...thick. Also only 6% alcohol (according to the website).


Taste that polished rice....

Oh - I almost forgot... after I got off the bus at the right stop, I bought a drying rack and some hangers. After unpacking all my sweaters, and moving my jackets from the back of my desk chair, it's starting to feel a little like home in here. :)