2013 and 2014: The Reminiscence

"Oh, how about a round of applause, 

yeah a standing ovation..."

This year marks the end of my undergraduate university life. I began my education in a Chinese kindergarten (near my home), which was surprisingly interesting because I don't speak Chinese at home and how I did manage to graduate from this Chinese-speaking kindergarten still remains a mystery... The only collection of memories I had were being punished to stand on a chair with hands up (for doing something I can't remember clearly) and giving welcoming speech in English during my kindergarten's "graduation". 

Will you... will you be my queen? my one and only soul mate?

After that, I went to a good primary school where I remembered the first question asked by my classroom teacher was "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Trying to come out with a sophisticated English word or two to describe my dream job or career, I said "An encyclopedia! Teacher!" (I meant "cardiologist" la but I could not think of that word and accidentally spurted out my silly ambition to be a "book"). Luckily, with the exception of my teacher, I guessed no one my age understood what I had just said.

I also remember that I once sold paper cuttings of Power Rangers characters from old newspapers and flyers for 10 sen each. At the end of the day, my pocket jingled with shillings. Those days, we can buy a small bowl of noodle at the school canteen for only 30 sen. Business was very good... Hehe...

I did quite well academically while at primary school and passed the "express" promotion examination during my standard three (I was allowed to skip a year of education, standard four and go straight to standard five). However, I did not take the offer and continue my primary education like the majority does. My secondary education was at Penang Free School, which was my dad's school and one of the oldest English school in Southeast Asia so naturally, I was very happy. 

I only wanted to become a doctor when I grow up during my primary school. In secondary school, I began to participate actively in school's societies and clubs. One of the clubs that left me with many good memories was a club related to buying, making and selling things - Young Enterprise, as the club was called then. I was the youngest member and I happened to be among the members who sold most of our "company"'s products.  

The careers I was interested in during my secondary school years were doctor, entrepreneur and scientist, in that order. After graduated from form five, I applied for the government's scholarship to study medicine abroad. However, since there were other better candidates than me, I was not chosen and so I went to a private college to study accountancy under another full scholarship. I felt the first few weeks there were quite a waste of my time because instead of learning something new, I learned things I felt to be too basic (maybe I was wrong because it was still the start of the semester and I already expected much).

The Movie: Ninja (and) Turtle: Me and Hugo

Undergraduate Korean Government Scholars at KNU - thanks for the memories... 

Some students there were very clueless of what they wanted to become in future - no dreams, no ambitions. Just like mosquito, aimlessly sucking their parents' hard-earned money dry. Nevertheless, I met quite a number of brilliant people over there. The most interesting thing here was that the male to female ratio was skewed towards the female. Hoho! One guy to five, seven girls... No competition among the guys at all! :) Sometimes, I consider myself an alumni of that college - TAR college, even though I was there for only a month. It was a fun experience studying at this college. 

Fast forward, I went back to form six to try my luck to enter a local medical school or at least some biology-related courses. Unfortunately, I failed to enter to any local university for any of the courses I wanted. Neither medical school nor any biology-related course in any university in Malaysia. The irony was that I was already awarded with a full scholarship by the Korean government. Almost five years had since passed since I thought of that again... 

DEC 2013: Daegu

"When one door closes, another opens but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us..." by Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone.   

**

My year 2013 was a very fulfilling one. I traveled to Shanghai (and Taiwan) solo and therefore, achieving one of my bucket list. Yippee!!! Shanghai is a beautiful city, a collection of splendid Western architectures intertwined with Eastern influence. A city where money can almost get you everything - fake friends, fame, cravings and sometimes even love. The memories travelling alone and making friends with complete strangers while living in a cramped dormitory to cut cost magnified the benefits of seeing the (some of the) world when we were young. 

JULY 2013 (Shanghai Solo): The downside - Not being able to take nice pic of yourself...

DEC 2013: Super delicious Him Heang Tambun biscuit from Penang!

I will definitely allow any of my children (if I have one!!!) to travel and see the world under a strict student budget. Without the comfort of living in hotel or anywhere overly comfortable, we learn to adapt by eating what the locals eat, experiencing local hospitality, making silly mistakes but learning from them, staying safe and experiencing life. This is what I call a true "adventure".

2013 was also the year I received my first job (bucket list no. 3) offers before graduation. One is from Samsung in Malaysia and another from Donghwa in Korea. I have to admit that I am not looking forward to work but to continue my studies. I enjoy my student life (who doesn't?) - problems can mostly be solved by reading books and once the problems were solved, we can pretty much do anything we like. Working is another story. Maybe... I will continue my studies again after working for a couple of years. 

**

One of the things I noticed about the job prospect in Malaysia for students majoring in Biotechnology or any Bio-related fields was that they have very limited choices of finding employment if they want to continue doing things related to their major. Such Bio student can either continue their education, maybe up to post-doctorate or if not, directly becoming a research assistant. Some might even work as lab technicians, drawing blood and analyzing the blood sample everyday. Boring right? 

Malaysians in Seoul and the Lost Boy (guy) from Daegu

Sadly, there were Malaysian-government sponsored students (who majored in Biotechnology at Ivy League Universities) only received employment offer to be a lab technician at a small health clinic. A complete waste of talent. Malaysia wants to attract and retain talented individuals but nothing have been done to expand employment opportunities to such qualified people. "Malaysia Boleh (can)"! (sarcasm)

There is no BioValley - a so-called cluster of biotech industries congregating in the same location proposed by the government many years ago but nobody knows about the operation status now. No new research institutes. Not many good or renowned bio companies operating in Malaysia. More importantly, nothing had being done to educate the students about pros and cons of majoring in science especially related to biology if you do not have any interest at all. I believe student who chooses this field of study needs to be passionate, be flexible and truly know what they want to become in the future, rather than choosing it because this course has becoming more popular among students these days. Choose your career wisely!

Beautiful temple in Daegu...

One the other hand... I am currently doing a meaningless unpaid internship (I kinda regretted taking this offer but even though I can quit it anytime, I wanna try it out first...) at a Korean fashion start-up company to spend my holidays doing something interesting or to learn something new about business. What's my job scope? I am designing accessories like rings and bracelets. I was a science and business student... Now, I am a fashion designer... Versatile huh? ;)

What pissed me off then? Well, I felt I learn nothing much here, unpaid (but helping others to earn money), waste of my time, having colleagues who only complain but cannot come out with ideas or solutions (I hate it very much), a colleague who always whine about the cold weather (I even gave her my 100 bucks winter jacket and yet she still complained... hmmn... come on, it's winter!) or that she is hungry all the time, etc etc. Sigh... I hope I will never experience such things when I work in a real company...

**

My goals this year are 1. Sleep early (sleeping 2 am and waking at before 8 am everyday is not good). 2. Cook more delicious food (eg. steak, cheese spaghetti, Hainanese chicken rice, etc). 3. Buy a car with my own money (in Malaysia). 4. Learn how to ride a motorbike during free time in Malaysia. 5. Help people especially children in need. 6. Bungee jumping (in my bucket list). 7. Try to sell off some of my text books, golf glove, tennis racket and hopefully, my old yet playable guitar (to save space and get back some money...) 8. Use my Polaroid camera more (film is expensive but the after-effect is much more memorable than using a DSLR)

It's over. finally...

Even though I will no longer continue with my old routine at my university, and living in the same room of over five years (Whoa! Haha), I am looking forward for the endless possibilities awaiting me at the end of road. Choosing to spend my five years studying at Kyungpook National University was and still is one of the best decisions I ever made. The last sentence from the final Harry Potter novel series (out of seven) was "All is well". Yes, "all is well" for me too. THE END.

Kobe, Kyoto and Tokushima: Where East meets West

Day 2:

Entrance to Ikuta Shrine

Not feeling refreshed from my late sleep, tea provided by the inn provided enough caffeine to wake me up. Another day, another place to go. Our next destination is Kobe. We took a train from Osaka to Sannomiya Station (This is where the famous Ikuta Shrine is located). Then, after a short walk along Ikuta road, we reached the Ikuta Shrine.

Ikuta Road

Ikuta shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan. According to Wikipedia, it was used as a base for a festival welcoming back warriors from the latest attempt to invade Korea. The shrine is quite small and I don't think it can even accommodate more than a hundred warriors comfortably. Unless they squeezed like a sardin can, it is plausible... 

The lady in red...

By the time we reached Kobe, it was already raining heavily. I love rain. Rain reminds me of my hometown. The smell of freshly mown grass after drizzle is my favorite smell. I always hope one day, when I am successful, I can afford to have a big garden beside my house. Every time when it drizzles, I would be sitting on the bench, looking outwards while drinking hot cocoa. Peaceful and relaxing.   

Shinto wedding ceremony

At the Ikuta Shrine, we were lucky to witness a wedding ceremony. Shinto is one of the very beautiful beliefs still practiced by Japanese. During the wedding ceremony, we saw dances performed by two young performers. The were graceful. After Ikuta Shrine, we visited the Kobe mosque. My friend performed his Friday prayer while I waited for him. Kobe mosque is one of the very few Islamic buildings in Japan that survived the World War II allied bombing in June 1945. Somehow, the mosque was eerily quiet and nobody was around after my friend finished his prayer.      

At the Kobe Mosque

Kobe is not really an ideal destination for people looking to save money. It resembles more like the affluent Gangnam minus the hostess bar than anything. This is a place where expensive Kobe beef restaurants and high fashion boutiques located side by side. Louis Vuitton retail shop in Kobe was fantastic even from the outside. The interior resembled a glittering palace with lots of helpers serving the customer. Anyway, I am a practical guy and I don't like spending thousands of dollars for an identical bag. 

Our Day 2, Kobe City Route

Getting to Kobe Tower...

Here we are... Kobe Tower!

Our next destination was the Kobe Tower. To recap, we walked from Ikuta Shrine to Kobe mosque to Kyu-kyoryuchi (the up-class fashion district) to Kobe Tower. Taking taxi in Japan was a big no-no for us. We preferred spending money on good food than on transportation. Transportation expenses in Japan can be exorbitantly high if compared to Korea.

The admission fee at Kobe Tower

Kobe Tower is one of the must-visit spots in Kobe. The entrance fee is either 600 Yen or 800 Yen that also includes an entrance to the Maritime Museum. We chose the 800 Yen ticket. However, I do not recommend the Maritime Museum! It was really boring! Better save your 200 Yen and buy me a drink. After around an hour indoor in both the tower and museum to avoid the rain, we went on with our main plan of the day - meeting our Japanese friend and her friend from Kuwait.

At the Kobe Tower

We were to overnight at his house today. Our host was kind and extremely friendly, we had a small party at his house (he cooked some nice looking Kuwaiti food for all of us) that night! I even learned from him an interesting Japanese phrase sure to make heads turn. "Hitome boresteh shi mai masta". It means "I fell for you on my first sight".

Yesterday by Kaori

Before we slept, we went to Sento /Onsen (a public bathhouse). I was very reluctant to go there but left without any choices, I merely obliged them. It was my first and will probably be my last in Japan. The water was either burning hot or freezing cold. Not good... not good...

Small gathering

Day 3:

Hi Kyoto!

One of Kyoto's landmark

Kyoto. From Kobe, we took a train to Kyoto. Kyoto is the eighth largest city in Japan. Kyoto is a very traditional city due to its influence as the Japanese capital for almost a thousand years. Spared from heavy bombings by the Allied forces during World War II, Kyoto continues to be main city in Japan to experience Japanese culture.

Kyoto is highly recommended and I love how the city balances modernity while at the same time preserving its heritage. A convenient way of getting around Kyoto? Use the city buses. A one-day pass costs 500 Yen which is cheap considering the bus route covers most places here and a one-way journey by bus is already 220 Yen.

Day Pass - 500 Yen

Hmmn.... what to eat for lunch..

Tempura (1,050 Yen)...

Toei Kyoto Studio Park or Toei Uzumasa Eigamura (entrance fee is rather steep: 2,200 Yen) was the first place we visited in the morning. It is a theme park catering for tourist interested in traditional Japanese streets and buildings. The main highlights of our trip there were the ninja performance (all in Japanese, Damn... cannot understand a thing!) and the ninja maze (It was really fun but sadly, the time needed to complete the maze was too short).

Toei Kyoto Studio Park!

Sayoranna... yawn...

We spent some time over there. Then in the evening, our friend (the Kuwaiti and my Japanese friend) went back to Kobe and Tokushima respectively. Our next destinations are the Shinkyogoku (a good place to buy Japanese souvenirs) and the Kamo river (to see the crowds lazing around at night). At Shinkyogoku, there is a long stretch of street catering for tourists buying Japanese souvenirs. My observation: shops located at the middle of the street somehow sold similar souvenirs cheaper than the rest. Hmmn...

Shinkyogoku - for Japanese souvenirs!

Kamo River

With the Pachinko shops still buzzing with people, we strolled along the Kamo river. Kamo river at night was literally occupied by young couples looking to escape the city heat or hide from their parents' prying eyes. Along the river, there were many high-end restaurants serving foreign cuisines. Our accommodation for the night was at Khaosan Kyoto - the best dormitory I've ever been! Clean, comfortable and the bed even comes with a curtain to block the lights.

Highly recommended dorm in Kyoto!

As my dorm was located on the fifth floor, unfortunately, it has only a shower place and a toilet. Imagine sharing the same shower place and toilet with all the residents of fifth floor. Luckily no two people had diarrhea at the same time... The dorm located on the second floor is much better. It has more toilets and shower places.

Day 4:

Kinkaku-ji - Temple of Golden Pavilion

The first destination of the day was the Kyoto station. As I was carrying a large backpack, and my friend had a hand luggage filled with souvenirs. We had to find some place to store our bags and Kyoto station was also a good place to start our journey. After storing our belongings, we purchased the one-day bus pass again.

First tourist attraction we visited? It was none other than the famous Kinkaku-ji or the Temple of Golden Pavilion (Entrance fee: 400 Yen), an UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can read all the history here. What I like about this place was the beauty of the garden. It was so picture perfect. After Kinkaku-ji, we went to Kiyomizu-dera (300 Yen), a very famous Buddhist temple in Kyoto. This is my favorite and most memorable place in Kyoto.

Japanese students at Kiyomizu-dera

Beautiful...

There's also an interesting story to be told. Hehe... While we were going up the steep road to reach the entrance of the temple, I saw some girls wearing Yukata (another type of Japanese traditional attire). Thinking it was another great opportunity to get my first photograph with Yukata ladies. I politely asked them for permission to take a picture of them and us with them. They happily obliged. I think, to them, we were irresistibly good looking.

Japanese in Yukatas

One of my favorite question to ask any locals and foreigners is "Can you guess which country you think I come from?". They answered....... "China"..... I was like "What? Chinese?". Ah never mind... Nevertheless, I spoke a little basic Japanese and this was how our friendships with Japanese strangers began. We accompanied them to take photos (they helped to take our pics while we reciprocated by becoming their part-time photographers).

Oh really, drinking from all three streams no good?

After sometime with them, we hurried off to the Otowa waterfall. "...The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy..." I never knew drinking from all three streams were considered greedy.

As there was nothing much to do further up the temple, we returned to the main temple and we met the Yukata ladies again. We exchanged our greetings and I (and my friend) took a Polaroid picture with them. While walking downhill, we went around the traditional streets and we even saw ladies wearing Kimono. Awesome! I bought several packets of Yatsuhashi, a traditional Japanese snack (250 Yen each), for my department staffs and Professors. The taste was so-so but I regretted not buying one for myself.

Ladies in Kimono

At the bus stop after the end of our trip to the temple, we saw the Yukata ladies (at the opposite direction) again. They waved at us and instinctively, we waved at them back. Meeting them was one of my most unforgettable moments in Japan. Sadly, our bus came too soon after and we did not manage to get their phone number or Facebook. Inside the bus, I saw them trying to look for us at their bus stand. It was nice knowing them though we don't even know their names. Very interesting huh?

Ladies in Yukata

Thanks for the memories... ladies in Yukata...

Fushimi Inari

Our final destination in Kyoto was the Fushimi Inari-taisha (entrance is free). A shrine famous for the wooden blocks along the gates. Since we did not have enough time to hike all the way up, we spent our time taking pictures along the gates. This shrine like the many shrines and temples we visited, it was equally beautiful. Statues of foxes were found in many places in the shrine. I was curious but so little time to know and see more. From Fushimi Inari Shrine, we took a bus back to Kyoto station. We were to take an express bus to Tokushima, a small city to meet our Japanese friends. Another city to cover... another adventure...

To be continued....

A Guide to Studying in Korea II

Somehow, I believe there are still many new things to see and experience even if we have stayed in a country for quite some time. This is now my fourth year in Korea and I have yet to visit the little Korean island called Jeju (제주도), a little less than an hour ride by plane from Daegu.

Hangang River Cruise in Seoul

Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju

I have seen many friends graduating one after another and it is always a bitter sweet moment. I am happy to see them graduating but I do not know what is next for me after my graduation.

There is so many possibilities and frankly, I am quite reluctant to make a firm decision on what's next after the hard mortar board placed over my head. One more year and I'm taking it one step at a time.

**

These days, Korea attracts a lot of students around the world for its decent and affordable education. A small minority of them are sponsored by the Korean government, and the rest are self paying students (mostly from the mainland China). Malaysia, as far as I know, is the only country sending students to Korea under the Public Service Department (JPA) or the MARA scholarships.

In my case, I am the Korean government scholar and when I first arrived to Korea, I was pretty clueless because I was never a fan of Korean dramas or songs. I was literally "lost" in Korea for a couple of weeks because I can't speak Korean, no buddy, couldn't use my laptop and I did not meet any foreigners (I was wrong though, after a few weeks, I met four helpful Malaysians) living in my university.   

The moral of the story- Some basic Korean language proficiency does helps but what's more important is your sense of adventure, never be afraid to try new things.

Living Cost

This is very subjective and it varies from city to city. In Seoul, a normal meal at the university cafeteria will be around 4000 Won (1200 Won for a roll of Kimbap but eating Kimbap everyday is just too much). In Daegu, it ranges from 2500 Won (A rarity these days unless at the cafeteria) to 4000 Won.

Nevertheless, living in the dormitory is much better because some dormitories (like mine) provide 3 complete meals a day at a lower cost (You have to pay for it in advance and the fee will be already included in the dormitory housing fee).

The Fee for the dormitory (at Kyungpook National University) is around 1,100,000 Won (or approximately 1,000 USD) per semester and this includes the food. Staying outside will cost you around 250,000 Won per month (excluding food) in Daegu but it can be more costly in Seoul. 

Most of the time, the 집주인 (landlord) will ask for a deposit (at least 1,000,000 Won but it is refundable at the end of the contract) as a guarantee.

For Malaysians, treat 1,000 Won as RM 1. This makes life easier if we do not convert the currency. OMG! One watermelon for 60 Ringgit (20,000 Won)? This is crazy! Well, some fruits in Korea can be very expensive.

The strawberries (spring), the persimmons (fall) and the sweet yellowish honeydew (summer) are very cheap depending on the seasons.

Housing: 150,000 Won to 300,000 Won per month

Food: +-200,000 Won 

Telephone bill: 15,000 Won (a normal phone) to 80,000 Won+ (smartphone)

Lifestyle/Fashion

Koreans generally love coffees. Hence, coffee shops are found all over the places. A minute walk from my dormitory, I can find at least 6 cafes. Although, I am not very fond of coffees, I wouldn't mind if people were to treat me with Starbucks coffee- I love it.

However, I would always order Hot Chocolate or Blueberry smoothie if I am with my friends. In a normal cafe, it will be around 3000 to 4000 Won. Yummy.

During exam weeks, it is also not uncommon to see students staying the whole day in the cafe revising. I find most Koreans especially those living in Seoul are very fashionable. Somehow most Asian clothing fit them perfectly.

Nevertheless, most overseas brands are very expensive because it is usually only one distributor monopolizing the business. ZARA, Guess and GAP are mark-up around 20-30% more than the usual price.

Sometimes, I have to wait for sales to afford one. 

However, you can get cheaper ones if you are to shop at hypermarkets (like E-Mart, Homeplus). Jeans is around 20 USD+ and shirts are affordable (maybe around 15 USD each?). You wouldn't be able find such price if you are to shop at Uniqlo (A pair of jeans is around 50 dollars+).

If you can, do not buy any winter clothing from Malaysia (unless if you are coming during winter) because you can get one in Korea similar in price, more variety and of course, better looking. :)

If can, buy the "Heattech" clothing by Uniqlo or equivalent (I am using one from Giordano). It does keep you a little warm as long as it is snugged tightly (fit) around your body. On the other hand, a jacket will be fine during spring and autumn. For first timer to a four season country, adjusting to the temperature can be a bit problematic so bring a thick jacket or sweater if you couldn't bear with the cold.

My city, Daegu, is the third largest city in Korea. There are many places to enjoy and experience the culture, but being a student, like everyone, I have to watch over my spending. Korea has many cheap places to play sports (ex baseball), snooker, karaoke (노래방), and drinking.

Karaoke or Norabang is only around 20,000 Won for 2 hours (depending on the hours) but you can get a smaller room for 1,000 Won per 4 songs. Cheap huh? Besides Korean and English songs, there are plenty of Filipino (very old songs according to my Filipino friend), Vietnamese, Chinese and Indonesian (old songs too) songs available too.

Cinemas are everywhere. A ticket here is around 7 dollars which is almost double than to Malaysia. (TIPS: If you purchase a ticket for the first screening of the day, there is a discount, a ticket costs only 5,000 Won/less than 5 dollars, but you have to wake up early to watch the maybe 9 am movie!). I did that only once though (because of Milla Jovovich- the sexay Resident Evil zombie slayer. hehe).

Transportation

One word - Awesome! In cities like Seoul, Daegu and Busan, public transportation there are very efficient, convenient and fast. Understandably, public transportation to places located at the outskirts are hard to find but overall, good. If you are staying in Korea (eg Seoul) for a week plus, it's better to use the transportation card (Seoul T-Money: 3,000 Won).     

Studies

Korean language is (depending on people, some find learning Korean easy in the beginning but in my case) difficult when you start but once you have mastered level 2, learning level 3 is surprisingly easier. I went out with many friends even though we can converse in only level 2 Korean.

In Seoul, it is more common to find more Japanese students at the language institutes than other nationalities but in Daegu, the majority of the students are from China.

Level 1 is about the Korean characters and very basic conversations. Level 2, 3 and 4 are all about commonly used grammar and vocabulary. Level 5 and 6 delve into more serious topics like opinions on politics, etc hence, expanding your vocabulary.

Frankly speaking, science subjects during the first year will be very difficult no matter which level you are in. My first year was tough because all scientific terms, books, lectures are all in Korean. And I did not learn any scientific terms (not even one) in Korean during my time at the language institute. I was starting all over again from scratch.

Time passes, and from second year onwards, English books are widely used. Koreans still use translated books (depending on the professor's permission) but most exams are in English. Alright... I chose classes that give English exams paper! Life was easier from then on... 3.77... then to almost 4... You just need to work a little harder and smarter than the Koreans. Nothing is that simple lah.

Depending on the professors, you are allowed to use electronic dictionary to translate the Korean terms during the classes or examinations. Some scientific terms cannot be translated by the dictionary. :( My phone's dictionary perform the same task in translating but the only difference is that you are not allowed to bring your phone into the exam hall.  

Vision Korea 2012

Teammates

I have almost fulfilled the prerequisites to graduate from my major. Hence, I am now trying to minor in Business Admin. To minor in a particular field of study at my university, you need to complete more than 22 credit hours. I am not sure whether the same applies to other universities in Korea.

Internet is super fast in Korea. Streaming movies, downloading, etc are a breeze but there are many sites that are censored by the Korean Government. Anything to do with pro North Korea is censored. Try searching for "North Korea official website" if you are in Korea and you will know why when you click on that North Korean homepage.

The best part of your life begins during language institute (lots of field trips, free time), drops drastically during your first year, and improve as time passes. I believe as long as you have the perseverance, never give up easily and be optimistic in life, everything will be fine.

Scholarship

Scholarships are not easy to get in Korea. It is like a hit or miss, either you get it or not. A few Koreans I know work as tutors, waitress and even as convenient store employee. Some Koreans too work as staffs in their university department offices to pay for their education.

To obtain a scholarship from any university, you need to have good results. According to my university's scholarship guide, you need to be the top 7% of all international students to receive an 80% (80 percent deduction from your tuition fees) scholarship for the following semester (Top 30% only entitled a 20% scholarship).

My university's link (scholarship, admission info, application, etc): Click here

Study in Korea (Korean Government Scholarship, etc): Click here

Tip: If you love writing, try to apply to be a reporter at your university's English magazine. You might receive an additional 75% scholarship. If your academic results are good too, you need not pay any tuition fees.

My studies are already sponsored by the government so I am not entitled for the 75% scholarship but this is a good way to get free education in Korea for students without any scholarship.    

The Korean government has strict regulations on working part-time for the foreign students and since I haven't work part time before, I cannot comment on this. For some Malaysian students sponsored by the Malaysian government, a handful of them are doing the "Halal" Tour (a tour catering for Malaysian Muslims to Korea, a niche market). All I can say is that they are earning huge sum of money from it.

It is very easy to succumb to the temptation of getting easy money, but as a student, I believe that if you can juggle between both work and your academic obligations, then, go for it, as long as it is legal and within the boundaries of law.

If you want to work but is not so fortunate to get a job, try to apply for part time job at your university's lab, department, etc. The minimum hourly wage is 4,860 Won per hour. (However, if you are working at some restaurants, you might be paid less. Sadly, some employers do not follow the government's directive.)

Weather

Spring is cool and refreshing and if you are allergic to pollen, it can be a big inconvenience. Summer is hot and humid (very similar to Malaysia but Daegu is hotter than Malaysia during summer) and yes, we have typhoon in Korea (occurring almost every summer). Autumn is similar to spring. In between seasons, it will rain quite frequently, so be prepared with an umbrella.

Winter is dry and freezing. What makes winter unbearable is the wind factor. The chilly wind does make your ears "numb" so it's good to have ear muffs and muffler to cover your neck but I felt beanie is optional.

Getting a Job/Graduate Studies

To get a job in Korea, it is advisable to graduate from a Korean university. Many companies in Korea require their foreign employees to be at least proficient with conversational Korean. From my conversation with my friends working in Korea, landing a job here without any Korean proficiency is quite difficult. Unless you plan to work as an English teacher, the probability to get a job here is low.

If you are graduating from Korean university, every year (around early October) in Seoul, they will be a career fair for foreign students in Korea. Students can also try applying for internships (and this may lead to full employment after graduation) at every semester.

Link for the 2012 International Student Career fair here (Note: many companies' job offers have already been removed from this homepage). If you plan to further your graduate studies here, you can refer to any Korean university's homepage and find their graduate admission procedures. Scholarships are available but the most rewarding scholarship is from the Korean government.

The merits of graduating in Korea lie not in the strength in their education (not perfect in my opinion), but in the chances of working for a numbers of well known companies headquartered here, learning to adapt in a homogeneous, hierarchical society and experience living in one of the most successful Asian Tiger economies.

Conclusion

In between my free time, I contribute articles for the Korean food (Check them out at the koreataste.org link here) blog. For half-a-year too, I worked as the ASEAN-Korea weblog correspondent, writing articles about my country. I have to admit due to deadline constraint and my other commitments, they were not as perfect as I wanted them to be.

The poem "If" by Robert Frost still holds true to this day and it is one of my favorite poems till this day. I am neither the first to step foot on this Land of Morning Calm nor I am regretting my decision to study in Korea.

Honestly, Korea is still not a preferred destination for education to most people, and I can understand the many reasons behind it. In my case, I love to walk on any untrodden path (the path people rarely take) and enjoy the nice scenery along the way.

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

"If" by Robert Frost

May you have a fantastic 2013 and best of luck!