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.

My 2013: Once upon a time in Korea...

It has been almost 5 years since I first set my foot on the "Land of the Morning Calm" - Korea. Come to think of it, I will miss Korea very much even after I have graduated and returned to Malaysia for good. I will miss waking up early under the nice cool weather of spring, experiencing the scorching summer heat wave in Daegu, listening to the sound of rustling leaves in the autumn, and trying to catch the first snowflakes of the winter. I will greatly miss my friends too.

My autumn 2013.

It was sad knowing I will leave the land I now consider my second home. I have so many good memories and I am sure I will never experience some of them if I am to continue my studies here in Malaysia. 

**

Few months ago, I backpacked to China and Taiwan alone. It was really an awesome experience and if I have the chance to do this again, I would. Travelling alone (especially when I was in Taiwan) taught me a lot about life. I learned that not every things in life goes the way we want them to be - I was in Taipei when typhoon struck so I had to change some part of my trip itinerary and skipped some places. I will write about my trip one day.

The Bund, Shanghai 2013

The Bund at night 2013

Stone carving at the Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou

Outside Suzhou station

National Palace Museum in Taipei- the best museum in Asia!

Hi Taipei!!!

Life must go on...

Jeremy Lin who?

While I was in Shanghai, I made friend with a lone Dutch backpacker and we traveled around Hangzhou together even though neither of us can speak in Chinese. Over there too, I met a friend who I had known for over 6 years when we were in Singapore for the first time in person, therefore fulfilling one of my bucket list - travel to Shanghai. 

We visited Suzhou together and it was quite interesting to know that in Suzhou, the residents speak in their own distinct dialect like my friend with her distinct Shanghainese dialect when she spoke to her mum. And I was invited to her home for real Shanghai food. Cool huh? :)

**

Of late, I am extremely busy and sometimes, I felt very exhausted. Tired of finding job, stressed from juggling my time between attending classes, gym and other priorities, and worrying much about my future. Unlike my peers who already knew what they want to be in the future, in my case, I still do not know what I am suppose to do with my life. If I already knew what I wanted to do in my life, my life would be very easy.

KNU Graduation Album Photo shoot

I would just work hard to achieve that primary goal and everything else will fall in place. Sadly, it doesn't seems to be like that for me. I always want to find a career that I can dedicate my whole life on because I will love doing it. I have yet to find it. On the other hand, just in case you didn't know, I already got a job offer from Samsung in Malaysia before I have even graduated but I am still considering whether to accept it or not. 

Finally, after 5 long years... almost done...

The main reasons are that I enjoy studying more than working and I would like to work elsewhere first before coming back home for good. In my case, entering a foreign university to continue my studies requires lots of money and I vow to myself not to depend on my parents after graduating. I want to stand on my own two feet this time. I am fortunate though that my parents are still working and not dependent on me.

In Korea, unless you are an engineering student (to a smaller extent, business school student) or a graduate student, the possibility of you getting a decent job in Korea is quite low for foreigners. I am a science major with a minor in business administration, applying for job here is horrifying difficult because they seemed to reject applicants majoring in science. Or maybe I am not good enough... :(     

Busan Firework Festival 2013

To see as much as I can before I leave Korea for good...

Nevertheless, I am not a person who gives up quickly and moreover, going back home for good doesn't sounds so bad at all. It is just that I am quite nervous of whether I will get used to living in Malaysia and starting all over from the beginning again here. One more month before the end of my university life and may it be a memorable one.

Journey to the "East" (Penang) and Life...?

After a short trip back to my home state, Penang, for Chinese New Year- finally, my real holiday began for 2 weeks. It's easy to imagine the life of a foreign student in Korea, life practically revolves around academics, work, going home for holidays or outing with friends.

Pic from the Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang

Fast forward, my winter vacation is now over and life as a student officially begins...

**

Last December up to the last week year 2012, I was quite busy. 12/12/12 (12th December 2012) was a memorable one for me because I remembered not sleeping revising for my end term exam. While others were celebrating the once-in-a lifetime occasion, I was preparing for an exam. It was not because I hadn't done any revision beforehand. (Nevertheless, some of my Koreans friends I knew rarely sleep during the exam weeks.)

I dislike obtaining average results in the subjects I love very much. I remembered very well that day because I drank 4 mugs of tea and 2 cups of coffee that night for the first time, and I had a huge headache afterwards.

Translation: "If living is just for the sake of living, the pigs in the forest are also living. If working for the sake of working, even the monkeys work". A very inspiring quote by an Indonesian writer and let's all live a meaningful life.

University life is about learning to set your goals (achieve good results, etc), time management, and most importantly, learn as many as you can. I set my short term goals to obtain good results in these papers.

In the end, I came out top of my class (I was quite surprised too!) for the subjects of immunology and molecular biology. Hehe. Ambition can make the impossible possible. In other words, my late-night "sacrifice" works.

My third year in university was more about choosing courses I like or something which I am able to learn. I also took golf lessons last semester and it was really fun. (In this final year, I will most likely be taking tests required for either graduate school admission or employment and travel.)    

The following week, winter lectures began. I took 2 lectures (the max ㅠㅠ) from noon till evening everyday. Here, our university offered classes conducted by foreign professors and I took a lecture (Organizational Behavior) conducted by a professor from Luxembourg.

The other was chemistry. I always have problems in chemistry since coming to Korea... Chemistry I, II, Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry. 화학이 있으면 내 세상에 참 어둡다... ㅋㅋ

Like most first year science lectures in Korea, the classes, exams, books and lecture materials were all in Korean. It was my battlefield again and I felt I have only myself to blame. 

Winter classes were extremely exhausting, it sucked the life out of me. With little time I had after squeezing in assignments, home works, KNU Times, gym and other commitments, what's left was for sleeping.

Even though, I had struggled a lot, life as a student is very rewarding. As students, we can afford to make mistakes and failure is not something to be frowned upon. Failing when we start working seems to be another story. MORAL: ENJOY YOUR LIFE IN UNIVERSITY!!!

**

After my winter lectures and never ending KNU Times meetings (my uni's English magazine and I work there), it was my trip back home for Chinese New Year. For convenience sake, I chose MAS (Malaysia Airlines System) over the legendary Air Asia because it delivers my luggage directly to Penang without having to claim the luggage at KL.

Suggestions on things to bring back: Seaweeds, Korean rice wine (more variety here), ginseng (only if you like it), Korean cosmetics (imported ones are EXPENSIVE!), face masks (CHEAP!), and all the girly stuffs.

WTH!  How can my luggage be misplaced? 

The trip back home was not without any drama. My luggage was misplaced on the flight back home. With nothing but only the clothing on my back, I had to shop around for some clothing. Most of my clothing in Penang were either given away or thrown. They were either too worn out or too big for me now. Cannot be naked lah... have pride... have pride... ㅋㅋㅋ

**

I'm home. At last... I'm home...

Penang is one of the most live-able cities in Asia and coupled with its best food, friendly people and nice weather, this little state is one of the best places to live and work.

Starved from the delicious Malay sambal and Indian curry in Korea, without fail I would eat them almost everyday when I was back in Penang. Maybe, just maybe... I may have Indian or Malay blood. Malay and Indian food are really sedapppp! (delicious)...

Malaysia....

(Halfway eating the) Black Pepper Venison. Yummy!

I can never not enjoy eating Malay or Indian food from morning till night. The smell of the spices and curry powder, in a cacophony of sound as customers shouted for their orders, such experience was indeed a memorable one. Penang food or Malaysian food generally, is world class, far more varied and delicious than Korea.         

Nevertheless, to be fair, Malaysia is a multicultural society so comparing to an almost mono-ethnic Korea is like comparing apples and oranges. I like Korean food too :)

Piping hot Indian Samosas...

If you happen to visit Penang, one of the tastiest Indian Samosa can be found at a small stall located in Little India. Located on the block right opposite of the Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple along the Masjid Kapitan Keling Road. During my numerous visit there, the vendor was constantly frying pieces after pieces of samosas.

To my surprise, the piping hot samosas were almost never left to cool down. Customers were already lining up the moment the samosas touched the tray to purchase a bag of delicious Indian snack.

RM 75 to spend, paltry sum but it's free! :)

Another highlight of my winter vacation in my home was my first casino visit on a cruise ship! I was quite excited when I was given some free chips (RM 75 for first time player to the casino) to "gamble". Maybe I might even ended up with enough money for a brand new Tissot watch. :P

I had unrealistic goal but gambling at a casino changes your perception about money and the game of chance. Money does indeed doubled at the baccarat table but frankly, beginner's luck won't last long.

Breakfast on a ship.

Even though, the money I bet was not my money, having grandmother at my side was equally annoying (and entertaining at some point). She will say... "Come on, stop being a gambler like.... Let's go home... (Home to where? Am I have to jump over the ship and swim back? Ah...)"... So I stopped. No more free tissot watch for me... Huhuhu...

I will never be a gambler (touch wood). I don't believe in the game of luck like lottery but I believe there's no harm playing (with the free chips given) after paying so much money to be on the cruise ship. That's what most people on a cruise ship do anyway. Mathematically speaking, baccarat is the only game where the player and banker have equal chance of winning.

The probability of winning at other tables in a casino is low because there are too many choices when placing a bet. In baccarat, you bet either for the banker or the player (betting for draw is another option though). If you place the winning bet, your bet will be doubled. Simple as that.

Un-break my heart...?

My grandma likes song especially the oldies. Instead of playing at the casino, she would be strolling around the hall listening to musicians and bands playing their songs. I am not a fan of oldies so... casino seemed to be more fun. Sigh... This was how I spent my first night of CNY in the ship.

Liqueur chocolate - I prefer Anthon Berg's but couldn't find it at the airport.

Anyway, I was in Penang for only around two weeks. On the fifth day of CNY, I was already on the plane flying back to Korea. On a side note, I was so fortunate because MAS allows the passengers to carry additional 10 kilos of luggage starting from the day of my departure.

Due to it, my luggage was filled to the brim weighing around 28.5 kilos. Most of it was filled with food. Typical Malaysian mah... :)

**

Before and after

Clockwise from top left: Tuna and eggs, Broccoli, Almond pudding with lychees, Curry chicken

Last week in Korea, I happened to be motivated to cook some dishes. For the first time in my adult life, I managed to churn up stir-fry broccoli with mock duck, tuna and eggs, curry chicken (it was too complex so had to rely on curry in can ^^) and almond pudding with lychees for desert. This was how I spent my free time during the vacation.

**

Polvoron!

My favorite snack from the Philippines- Goldilocks Polvoron. I received it from my Filipino friend every time he is back from his hometown. It is one of the best snack I've ever eaten from the Philippines. (If you happen to find it here in Korea, I would really appreciate if you can tell me where it is.)      

**

An intrusion by more than two hundred of people on the East Coast of Sabah recently sparked a debate on whether the state Sabah belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu or the Federation of Malaysia. Resource-rich Sabah has for long been a land of envy among many Malaysians living in the peninsula. However, because it is located away from the capital, many West Malaysians tend not to care much about it.

Generally speaking, states in the Borneo island like Sabah and Serawak have one of the lowest population density in Malaysia. Due to the vastness of the land unlike in the peninsula, development cannot be spread out benefiting all people. Hence, discontentment can arise.

Before sounding like an arm-chair general or strategist, like most peace-loving Malaysians, the "invasion" by the so-called followers of the Sulu "Sultan" is unjustified. Any sane Malaysians will always agree if the use of arms against her citizens by any groups, it must be responded back severely. Even if the land is your property, how can you barge into someone's house with a gun and evicting/threatening them?

"Interesting" comments in CNN

Relying on history was not always the means of the creation of a country. The decision lies with the citizens living in the area, in this case, the Sabahans. In compliance with the principle of self determination, Cobbold Commission was created to hear the views of the people of Sabah and Serawak on whether they wish to join the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. An overwhelming majority wanted to be part of the federation.

Nevertheless, regardless whether there was a referendum or not (like reported on most Philippines medias), if a referendum was to be held now, I am pretty sure they would most likely be part of Malaysia than to be under the Sulu "Sultanate". A country is viable only if the citizens agree to be under your administration. By mere claims and sending of an armed group, it was an intrusion to the national sovereignty.

Life of Pi

And what is the best way to deal if negotiation with the armed men to leave peacefully failed (even after three weeks)? You guess. 새학기 새시작~! Have a great weekend aight!

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!