A Year in Seoul

Simon and Martina’s tips on the flight to Korea! Could...

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:14:42 +0900

Simon and Martina’s tips on the flight to Korea!

Could have helped me before I went to Korea.

Book arts in Hongdae! For anyone who wants to make books and...

Sun, 05 May 2013 13:32:21 +0900

Book arts in Hongdae!

For anyone who wants to make books and such, head over to Celltong in Hongdae.

If you can’t read the Korean, the green dot indicates the Green line subway stop “Hongdae Uni. Station” exit 9.

Walk straight from exit 9 until you hit the second street facing parallel to you. Turn left until you see the starbucks and tony moly store. Walk towards tony moly until you see the Lush store and turn left, until you hit a small alley way that slopes downward. At the end of the alley way is Celltong (the pink circle).

If you pay above a certain amount you get a small gift!

The people who work there are very nice and they have workshops every now and then in that store.

Don’t know if this is true but it wouldn’t hurt to...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:12:00 +0900

Don’t know if this is true but it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Hello, I saw that you took Women and Music in Cross-Cultural Perspective? How was it? Do you really have to take intensive notes? How was the exam? Thank you.

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:52:48 +0900

If the Women and Music in cross-Cultural Perspective class is still an online class it was SUPER EASY.

Actually, all the online classes were really easy. Usually you watch a video per week and either write a response paper or another small assignment. Most times the powerpoint is provided in the Ewha online site.

What most people do is take notes (or copy from powerpoint) and save it on a Word document and when a quiz or exam comes up, just open the Word doc. and just find all the answers within the given time.

For this class in particular, the assignments were mostly response papers. They’re aren’t that long, maybe one to two pages double spaced.

I usually screen shot or transcribed the powerpoint and those were my notes. It wasn’t much.

From what I remember of the exam, it was pretty easy. I can’t recall if it was an essay exam but I can definitely say that the class was really easy overall.

Hi there! I am planning to study at Ewha under KGSP. I have read from the graduate dormitory site that they have a maximum of 1 year residence rule. Will this hold true for everyone or are there exemptions for people who live miles and miles away and cannot afford to rent a place other than the dorm? Thanks a lot! I hope you can help. :)

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:45:34 +0900

I’m not familiar with KGSP, but there are places around Ewha and in the Hongdae/Sinchon area that rent out to foreigners. There are a few hostels nearby from what I remember.

But I know for sure that there are places that rent out to foreigners but I do not know the specifics. It’s best to contact your advisor or whomever is in charge of the program you’re in.

There might be a chance that you can live in the Hanwoori dorms (for regular Ewha students but the year I was there, Ewha had placed several foreigners there) but there are specific rules in that dorm. One major rule is the curfew.

I also don’t know the range of rent in that area or availability but there are some sites that are geared for foreigners who want to live near Ewha.

Is the ihouse convenient store open 7 days a week?

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 09:15:09 +0900

From what I remember, yes, but the hours are a bit earlier on certain days. And the hours are different during the semester and for winter and summer break. I can’t recall the specific hours.

How close is the Ewha-Samsung Education Culture Center to the dorms?

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 06:00:59 +0900

The international dorms and ECC are very close to each other. It only takes a few minutes to get to the ECC. On the campus map there’s only the Auditorium in between (and kind of the international edu. building I think). It took me maybe 5 minutes or less depending on how fast you walk.

How are the dorm rooms? Like are they roomie (I have a double in the international house). And I'm planning on bringing sheets, what size beds are there

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:43:54 +0900

There are a few variations in sizes. I am only familiar with iHouse C but it is probably similar for the recent additional iHouse dorm.

I also had a double room and it is quite large. But there are different kinds of double rooms and different kinds of single rooms. Depending on the location of your room you may get a smaller room.

For the double I got, there was a small balcony, two twin sized beds (they have drawers in the bed frame), two desks, one mini fridge, a shoe closet, and two closets. In the double room I got that’s located in the middle of the hallway is probably the larger sized double room. It could fit (depending on how you arrange your room) probably one or two more twin sized beds. I don’t know how large it is in square meters or so.

There is another kind of double room that’s very small because of its location and the fact that there is a bathroom inside it.

Here’s a link to more info about the dorms and what they’re like. Don’t be fooled by the photos provided. They show the kind of furniture they got but it’s hard to convey size and it’s a bit misleading.

All the beds in the dorm are twin size.

I made a previous post about the dorm rooms but the link should also list them.

i was at ewha last semester, the bus that goes to the airport leaves some distance from the back gate, the bus that arrives is at a different part, closer to the metro stop. just to clarify.

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:34:55 +0900

Thanks! :)

One useful tip, once you get off the 6011 bus at the back gate stop, head in the opposite direction...

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 04:45:08 +0900

One useful tip, once you get off the 6011 bus at the back gate stop, head in the opposite direction of the Ewha middle school. That will give you a sense of direction and when you continue along that road, there will be an alley way on your left (on your way there you’ll notice words in different languages saying hello) and if you take that alley you should see a building that says ewha swimming pool and that is the right direction to head if you’re looking for the international dorms. From there continue the slope uphill and there will be more buildings ahead but there should be signs to direct you to the dorm.

I hope this helps everyone on their journey!

On a scale of 1-10 how difficult would you think it would be for someone to travel from the airport to Ewha on there own. Say a person with very basic Korean speaking skills and OK reading. I mean after the airport bus (which seems easy enough) would it be hard to find my way to the university after getting off the bus? Also, hows the shopping and prices near the campus? thanks ^_^

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 04:40:03 +0900

Thankfully Incheon airport has a lot of English signs so navigating the airport was pretty easy for me since I, at the time, just barely learned how to recognize hangul.

If 10 is most difficult, I would say that getting from the airport to Ewha is about 3 or 4. Depending on what bus you take (6011 gets you to the back gate and 6002 gets you to the front gate) it can get a little tricky.

The back gate stop (which is what I took) is about a block away from campus but there aren’t obvious signs to direct you to the dorm. For the 6011 stop you cross the street to the left and walk parallel in the same direction as the 6011 bus is leaving. The campus is on the left.

On the campus map where it says Back Gate is where the 6011 bus drops you off. I couldn’t find a more detailed map but gate is right by the bus stop.

It’ll take a bit getting used to but once you find your way into campus there should be signs in English to direct you. I’m sorry I can’t give you better directions.

The shopping near Ewha is greatly directed to the female students so you’ll see many vendors and stores selling jewelry, clothing, small cafes, shoe stores, etc. The prices are supposedly the best in the area but for international foods it can get really pricey regardless of where you are in Korea.

did u sign a phone contract in Korea? If so would I be able to do it the same day I arrive? Also, what do I need to bring with me to do so?

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 02:44:42 +0900

I was lucky enough to have a friend from my school go to Korea before I did and she gave me the phone she used there. It was a prepaid phone and my Peace buddy helped me put more money into it.

But a common way to get a phone is to sign a phone contract. One of my earliest post was about getting a phone. Sometimes people are lucky and they can use the phone they already have with an international plan but for most people they bought a prepaid phone or signed a contract and got a new phone out of it. I think they’re both similar in the sense that you pay for however much data you want to use and when it runs out you just go back to the store and put more money in it.

I do not know how much it is for the contract itself but the average price for a phone was about 100,000KRW which is a bit less than $100. And then you put however much you think you’ll use on data.

It’s best to have a Korean buddy come with you since the phone sellers (for the most part) do not speak English.

Is the 45,000 won given to the Buddy just for picking me up or is that price includes the transportation costs for both the Buddy and I? Im a little confused about that. If you can clarify that be great.

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:49:24 +0900

The 45,000w is given to the buddy who then buys tickets for the both of you. The rest, I assume, is just payment for the student. I have no idea. Really it should be 20,000w but I don’t know why it isn’t.

I saw an older post you made about airport pickup. Would you say I should go with the buddy pickup or would the bus be an easier option?

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:41:42 +0900

The buddy system is easier as you have someone to show you how to get to the dorm from the bus stop but it is more expensive. It is valuable information to know how to get to and from the airport.

Should you take the buddy pick up, make sure to look around and try to remember the street if you plan on traveling to other countries or when you return home.

However, If you want to save money I suggest to take the bus option.

It’s only 10,000w compared to the 45,000w for the buddy pick up. There are informational booths and you can ask the person how to get to Ewha. But here’s a link to the list of limousine buses and the one you want to take is either the 6011 or 6002 bus. The site gives a map of where to go and where the buses are located on the first floor.

Once you reach the Ewha back gate it might get a bit confusing but if you choose that option, take the 6002 bus to the front gate so that (depending on the time of day and how crowded the streets are) you can ask people how to get to the campus (take the street that is sloping downwards and keep heading in that direction until you see the gate which is hard to miss). And once you pass the gate you can probably ask a student where the dorms are but it’s towards the left past the circle road. If you have no idea, there’s a campus map right by the main gate.

I hope this helps your decision.

hi I'm heading to ewha in 2 weeks and had some questions. I'm a male and I was just wondering what I should expect when I get there? (I know there's a lot of negative views towards male foreigners). Also how are the facilities (gym,stores,etc) in/around campus? And my last question is about transferring money. I also got the gilman scholarship and I'm wondering what I should do about money there. Right now I was just thinking of bringing my BoA atm card but I also thought of opening an acc there

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:06:00 +0900

Well, based on what I’ve seen, usually if you are a foreigner regardless of gender, Koreans will look and notice you. Sometimes foreigners who are from Asian countries or are of Asian descent, depending on how you look, people may treat you differently. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing.

To be blunt, if you’re white or of European descent people will be sort of in awe or curious and generally very welcoming. But if you (I don’t want to be offensive or anything) have darker skin, people will stare and sometimes act suspiciously of you.

Overall, if Koreans know that you’re foreign and you need help or are struggling with something, they’ll usually try to help you. Although there are quite a number of Koreans who are embarrassed or shy about communicating in English.

For general Korean strangers outside of campus, if you’re in a store or something like that, sometimes people will suspect that you’re up to no good. But more often than not, they’re kind and willing to help.

For Koreans (Ewha students and fellow international students) there will be a kind of gender stereotypical interaction. Because Ewha is an all women’s university (except for the international students) Ewha students will be eager to befriend you and have language exchanges. Typically with international students there will be some grouping of cliques or whatever (for example, French hanging out with French people).

As for facilities, depending on which international dorm, there is a gym at the basement of iHouse dorm. There are several convenience stores in ECC( the main building that’s underground) and other facilities like a printing center, bank, bookstore, cafe, Starbucks, and even a small theater.

If you’re looking into buying groceries, there are a few markets within walking distance or you can take the subway or bus system. Your best shot in finding what you need is asking your Peace buddy or another Ewha student.

Since Ewha is an all women’s university, the immediate area surrounding the campus is geared towards the female students (i.e. jewelry, clothing, cafes, make up stores, etc).

What I did about transferring my money was I put the scholarship into my bank and whatever was left after my plane ticket purchase was withdrawn as a check which I then deposited after making an account at the Ewha bank. I don’t recommend doing this because it took about a month before the check went through to my account.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized I could just use my BOA bank card to take out money from my checking. The drawback about that is the international withdrawal fee. It’s not much but depending on how many times you withdraw it may be expensive. What I did after figuring that out was withdrawing chunks of money and using it until I am about to run out and take out however much I need later.

So in the end I suggest just putting the scholarship in your bank and withdraw however much you need from a nearby atm (there’s one in the iHouse basement or a few at ECC). It’ll save you a lot of trouble.

Hope this helps.

You mentioned a health fee on a previous ask. Is that mandatory to pay?

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:33:38 +0900

Yes, it is mandatory to pay and I think it’s required every semester. My memory is a bit fuzzy but usually the fee is accompanied with the dorm fee which is billed every semester.

are the buildings where the classes are held easy to get to or we need to take buses?

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 13:50:31 +0900

It depends on where you’re living. If you live in the campus dorm you can just walk to your classes. Although for the art department and I think a few other departments, their buildings are on a steep hill. Usually most classes are held in ECC which is across from the main gate. Between ECC and the international dorm is another building where classes are held.

So depending on how used to hills you are it’s relatively easy. All the classes are reachable on foot.

How does the language placement test work? I have no prior knowledge of the language.

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:06:46 +0900

Everyone who registered for a Korean language course need to take the placement test so there is be a specific time and location where everyone will go and take the same test.

Depending on how well you do you will be directed to some staff who will ask you some follow up questions.

For basic to no level in Korean you can just put your name on the test and turn it in. You will then be directed to some staff members and also have a short follow up. Pretty much someone will ask you what your level in Korean is and you can say none. Then they’ll place you in level 1 Korean class and will later be notified which class section and room you get.

So, don’t worry and just make sure you get there and check the announcements and signs about where to go.

Hi! First of all, I wanna say thank you. This blog has been very helpful! What I wanna ask is about Ewha's dorm's entrance fee? I was looking through the website and they mentioned an entrance fee of KRW120,000. Do you remember paying for this fee when you checked in for your dorm?

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:20:31 +0900

Cool! Glad to hear that my blog is helpful. There is an entrance fee plus a health fee of KRW 60,000 (I think it’s about that much give or take 10,000).

Usually there will be a sheet of paper in your mail box listing the fees. And if I remember correctly, these fees are applied each semester. The costs differ for the winter and summer breaks.

there's still no wifi.

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:58:53 +0900

Good to know. I’m not surprised the dorms haven’t changed.