Luca’s story about his international experience in Seoul and his ‘Internship at the Italian Embassy’.
Arriving in South Korea must have been a culture shock as Luca began his international experience in Seoul, South Korea from Bologna, Italy. As an economic powerhouse, Seoul is technologically forward but also profoundly traditional and this mashup must be profound for a first-timer.
‘What struck me the most, having never lived in a big city, was living in the midst of skyscrapers’.
Where is Seoul?
Seoul is the fashionable capital of South Korea. K-Pop, spicy food, temples and gigantic malls are just some of what awaits your arrival in the city. There’s a juxtaposition of tradition and modernisation, which attracts curious travellers from across the world. Luckily there is a vast subway system, where you can reach all the major sights easily, as they are only a few stops from each other.
Who is Luca?
As a Political Science and International Relations graduate, the 28 year old certainly went to the right place to discover a new and exciting culture. Having already studied on the Erasmus Program in Krakow, Poland, he’s certainly open to new experiences. He attended a course to learn Polish (definitely not an easy task) and he was after a new challenge.
Through the “Tirocino Maeci Miur” program, he was accepted for an internship at the Italian Embassy, which was sponsored by the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
Having ‘always been curious about how an embassy worked’. Luca decided to throw himself in the deep end, not knowing much about Korean history and culture before he went. He went with a desire to have an opposite cultural experience than what he would have had in a western state.
‘The only thing you know when you go to Korea, is that you will definitely face a different culture and mentality, the problem is, that you don’t know how different it will be’.
What is an international experience in South Korea like?
Luca describes Seoul as a super chaotic city, at any time of the day, in all neighbourhoods and is particularly fascinated by the international Itaewon nightlife. He explains the contrast of the student district Hongdae, where green spaces, with pagodas and lakes situate in the midst of total chaos. This was the area he was able to make friends and network through the streets and squares of the neighborhood. ‘People come from all over the world, to spend the evening together’.
Were there challenges about living in Seoul?
‘You soon learn to greet with a bow, rather than a handshake’
Before stepping foot in Asia, Luca was an Italian who stereotypically loved pasta and found the food in South Korea one of the hardest things to overcome. Mostly due to how their food relies so heavily on spices, which eventually he came to love. The food he misses the most is Mandu (Korean Dumplings) which he describes as being like steamed ravioli.
What I found particularly striking was Luca’s take on the Korean people, he explained how for them ‘Society comes before the individual as they have a sense of responsibility towards the country’. At first, it might seem odd that they work 12 hour days to advance their nation, but who are we to judge? It’s just a different way of life.
I asked Luca about assimilating into the Korean culture and he spoke about English being the main barrier. He decided to participate in linguistic tandems, as many Koreans do want to learn English. There’s an app called KakaoTalk which is an exclusively Korean version of Whatsapp and he still keeps in touch with a number of people using this platform.
He made sure he learned a few key words in Korean, but he struggled with understanding societal norms. For example ‘blowing your nose in public is considered rude, but you can safely spit on the street’.
What stood out about working in South Korea?
For a tourist a lot of things about Korea might seem strange at first.One being that it’s normal for couples to wear matching clothes, something I have witnessed in the US before… but they take it a step further.
Another stand out moment for Luca was on ‘Pepero day’, which is on the 11th November. This is a national Korean Holiday, which started in the 1980s and revolves around snacks, yes snacks. It’s similar to Valentine’s Day in some ways. Kindly, you give Pepero snacks ( similar to Mikados, a chocolate breadstick) as a present to someone who you love. On this special day, Luca witnessed people going to extreme measures to confess their love in exciting ways. Everyone in the city was carrying huge packs of Pepero and it’s easy to see how that might be a strange experience. Sign me up.
Top tips for people who want to have an international experience in Seoul:
His top practical tip is not to buy a Korean sim card. He found them to be expensive and useless as the WiFi is free all over the country. It’s always useful to save money when you go to a new place.
He also explained it’s a great opportunity to visit new countries nearby. He took advantage of this and headed to Japan. First, Kyoto, which is a beautiful city, to enjoy a full immersion into Japanese culture. Second, Nara, a welcoming city, which is famous for its free roaming deer and largest wooden Buddist temple in the world. And finally Osaka, which he found to have many metropolitan similarities with Seoul.
The top places you should not miss in Seoul:
If you’re considering a trip or you want to live in South Korea, (specifically Seoul) Luca’s top 3 places in the city are:
- The Gyeongbokgung Palace, in the Jongno district (the Imperial Palace). This palace was built in 1395 by King Taejo and there are free guided tours in English, Japanese and Chinese. To have a unique experience, you can visit with a traditional Emperor Costume
- The Hongdae District, which is full of life, no matter what time you visit. It’s definitely the place to be if you want to see how exciting Seoul life can be. Interestingly, this district became a vibrant and creative place to be 30 years ago when house prices were low. Students from the nearby Hongik University decided to set up shop and it became extremely popular with young people. You can still feel this today.
- The Starfield Library, located inside the Starfield COEX Mall in the famous wealthy Gangnam district. It is truly a unique place over many floors, where you can immerse yourself in books in a range of genres. With a collection of over 50,000 books, you’ll definitely be able to find ones you enjoy. Be sure to take a picture with the 13-meter tall giant bookshelf and the quirky paintings.
Where should you visit outside the city?
For a different experience, Luca suggests visiting some of the national parks out of the city. For example you could visit Bukhansan in the northern part of Seoul. The name means ‘big mountain in the north’ and has a rich history. Also you should visit the Bukhansanseong Fortress which lies along the mountain’s ridges. What’s great is that you can hike the mountain at any time of the year, with each season bringing something unique. Such as the flowers that bloom in the spring.
Alternatively, you could visit Nami Island (Namiseom), which is a popular spot for tourists outside of Seoul. This is because you will find beautiful views all year round with stunning tree lanes, woodlands and riverside walks. What is interesting is that this is an independent island-nation and it actually has its own currency and flag. The values of the Naminara Republic are of fantasy and creativity and they want to inspire their visitors with a fairytale. Rent a bike, go on a boat trip or fly on a zip-line. There’s certainly something for everyone on this magical island.
Any final advice for someone looking to live in Seoul?
To end, I asked Luca what advice he would give to someone wanting to have an international experience in Seoul or doing something similar and his response was extremely positive:
‘Do it absolutely! Especially if you are interested in international politics and specifically if you are interested in a diplomatic career. Do not be afraid to choose destinations far from home or that are not mainstream. Travel with an open mind, and get ready to be fascinated and interested by everything you will experience’.
Of course, not everyone will have the opportunity to work for an embassy, so if you still want to work in South Korea there are other options for an international experience in Seoul. For example, you could work as a Second Language Teacher (ESL), the schools usually provide accomodation and the pay is fair. The most common visa for this is the E2 and usually lasts for one year.
This is part of our series of mini-stories about living, working abroad and unique travel experiences. Read about what it is like to Live and Work in Sydney Australia or Travelling the Balkans. Alternatively for more Asia inspiration read an Asia Travel Bucket List.
Photo Credits: averagelives.com
I loved Seoul so much as a tourist! But I’d love it even more to have an international experience like this!
Cool post – super interesting about the South Korean culture. What an awesome internship opportunity of a lifetime! Studying abroad is really important. I did my study abroad in Ecuador (I am from the US). Learn and grow so much through these experiences.
This sounds like a really fun experience for Luca (or for anyone!) But now you have made me all curious for Pepero day! That is pretty genius marketing from the pepero company to get people to confess their love with their product!?