On Milk and Sunshine

One reason to exchange your comfy life for a place at the other side of the world is without a doubt the weather. Dutch winters are simply the worst. I mean, cold is not such a big deal, but the lack of light causes many of us (including me) to adopt a gray mood similar to that of the sky. Until two weeks ago, a coat was not necessary here in Seoul, but the summer is officially over and it’s getting cold, really cold! (It will be around -5 when I leave!). However, there is one thing that makes it so much better: Sunlight! The sun here is still shining so bright! I am wearing sunglasses all day together with my winter coat. I love it!!! No vitamin-D deficit for me this winter :D. Also, the leaves are starting to change color and it’s so beautiful! There is a hill just outside my dorm and it’s great for autumn walks, just imagine all that sunlight falling trough brown, yellow, purple, red, orange, pink and green leaves. If you ever visit Korea, do it in fall!

Okay, enough of making you jealous, I also did my share of proper Dutch advertisement here. Last week there was the International Students Festival and all countries were supposed to show something of their culture. In Korean terms: food and clothing. So that is exactly what we did. I never imagined myself walking around in Volendamse Klederdracht, and can’t say I really liked it. Especially those wooden shoes, they are killing! We baked pepernoten (we simply ‘forgot’ to mention Zwarte Piet), pancakes and hutspot. Koreans love hutspot, who would have thought? There was a catwalk (just smile and wave…) at which point I began to wonder for whom we were actually doing this. As no one seemed really interested in what the countries had to offer, but simply wanted as much free food as they could and take fancy pictures. Once again, Korea University knows exactly how to get the best picture out of everything. So after 30 countries walked and danced there way over the catwalk, there was a publicity moment like I only imagined at the Oscars. “We are now all going to bow in the traditional Korean way”, after which a hundred cameras flashed in our faces! I am sure all pictures will be used to show how incredible internationally orientated KU is, but as you probably know by now, that is the biggest bullsh*t in the world. Nevertheless, we had a great day! Especially when we introduced some old fashioned Dutch games such as Spijkerpoepen (Nail pooping), koekhappen (cookie biting) and eierlopen (egg walking). Interestingly, Anne Frank is the most famous Dutch person ever. She tops Nijntje, Armin van Buuren, Rembrandt, and the king and queen.

In my dorm, at least once a week someone shouts:” Where’s my milk?!” Sharing a kitchen with 400 hundred others is challenging. We have four fridges so you can imagine what a mess it is, and people tend to steal my milk. It turns out milk and bicycles aren’t that different, so a proper milkwar has started. Too bad there aren’t any locks for milk. There is a lock on my door, but apparently the staff is allowed to open it. Next there will be room inspections. Proper ones: they will go through our belongings, searching for alcohol and other stuff you are not allowed to have. What a democracy this is! But since our guard doesn’t speak a word English, I don’t know where to start a revolution. I just have to make sure those Soju bottles are nicely tucked away…

Every day I encounter new thing about Korean culture that surprise me. It was already clear that they have quite traditional views on marriage - living together, or having a baby, while being unmarried is simply no option – I was still surprised to encounter something called a bride’s course. You go there to learn - oh yes dear fellow feminists - how to cook and clean! So you can be the best housewife in the world. I should not have surprised me after a Korean female student had suggested that Korean women live so long (they live extraordinary long compared to their husbands), because they feel a duty towards their choirs: “Thinking about the responsibility of the household simply keeps them from dying” is what she literally said! Luckily, there are some awesome Korean girls who are a bit more bright.

Apart from the ISF, the only other adventures I had included alcohol (because you know, I had to study during the days…). We went to Hongdae a few times, which was pretty cool. The Hongkuk university there has way more creative courses, so the whole area is just really hip and fancy. Once we entered a shady looking staircase in the middle of the shopping street and ended up in tiny Berlin-style bar. We met some nice people and went to blow some smoky bubbles in a shisha bar as well. Last weekend there was also a big Halloween party in the same area. It was fun, but it reminded me a bit too much of high school: bad music and drunk teenagers.

Only six weeks left here in Seoul, I can’t believe it. I have now reached the point I so desperately wanted to, but was also very afraid of: I am not sure I want to leave....