South Korea Trip, August 3

Good morning Gangnam!  It is foggy this morning, but I still love the view from my pillow when I wake.

The weather forecast calls for rain, which one could guess from the fog and overcast skies outside my window.  The temperature today will be hot but not as hot as back home.  I will be comfortable.

Today's Agenda

At my home in USA, I start my day with a list of goals.  I think that it is an excellent idea to bring that habit to my home in South Korea!  I will share my day's goals every morning, then every afternoon I will update with what I accomplished or experienced that day.

These are my plans for today:

• Finish organizing my home in South Korea.
• Exchange my second batch of money.
• Get a tattoo.
• Visit the National Museum of Korea.
• Eat supper at 소산 (inspiration*)

* Sources of inspirations for my plans are linked.

Today's Experiences

Today was a long and fun day full of adventures!  It was a challenge, and I got lost several times.  But because of the challenges I faced today, I know what I need to study tomorrow morning.  I will improve and do even better tomorrow.

Convenience Store

After getting extremely lost for a few hours, I was exhausted and dehydrated from walking so much.  I planned to ask for water at my destination, because I know that phrase, but I kept getting more and more parched in the meantime.

Eventually, I asked for directions at a phone store that advertised English.  They couldn't help me but directed me to a 7-11 across the street.  The 7-11 gave me incorrect information, further confusing me about how to get to my destination.

I decided that I could not wait until I got to my destination to get water, so I walked to the cooler in the back and pulled out a water, I noticed the price, then I walked up to the cash register and paid the correct amount.  Purchasing a water is a small thing, but it felt like an accomplishment.

Also, I didn't mind being lost so much, because I discovered a really cool area of Seoul.  I may go back.

EXID Tattoo

I officially became a fan of EXID in 2018 because I liked their humor, songs, and fan interactions.  EXID started to mean more to me in 2019 with the release of "We Are..", the song that healed my heart by helping me to let go of a poisonous old grudge and trusting again.  EXID continued to have big influences in my life, mostly indirectly through their activities and updates, but sometimes directly by giving me personal advice.  Their fans -- my friends have also influenced my life, and the fan support projects often push me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow.  I think that everything about becoming a fan has been good.

I decided to get a tattoo of EXID on my wrist.  It is an acknowledgement of their effect on my life's path.  It is a permanent "thank you" for the happiness that they have given me.

Visiting the National Museum of Korea

I visited the National Museum of Korea.  I was afraid to take pictures of everything, so I only took pictures of items that I saw others taking pictures of.  There was a really cool throne in the museum, but I was afraid of being disrespectful if I took a picture of it, so I erred on the side of caution and did not.  These below are the pictures that I did take while at the museum:

I wanted to visit the Hangul Museum afterwards, which is part of the bigger museum (I think), but I was too late.  I had gotten lost earlier in the day, so I was behind schedule, and I didn't make it before the museum closed.  If I'm in the area again, I may visit then.

Eating at 소산

소산 is a restaurant that EXID Hyelin recommended on her lesser-known food account.  It was close to the museum that I had just visited, so I planned a trip there for supper.

소산 was a very difficult restaurant to find!  The GPS took me to a coffee bean store in a back alley of back alley of a back alley.  I walked around the maze of alleyways for a while but had to eventually give up.  I would eat elsewhere.

It just so happens that my friend messaged me right after I got out of the maze and asked me what I was doing.  I was hungry and frustrated, so I hope that I didn't complain too much.  My friend knew of the restaurant that I had just given up on and directed me back into the maze of alleyways and to my desired destination.  (Thank you so much!)

I guess it was because I was so tired from the long day, but I could not read the menu or communicate at all.  The staff was helpful and just recommended a meal.  I think it was duck.  Whatever it was, it was delicious!