Hello :)
About 3 years ago I came back from my exchange year and started my bachelors degree in Korean Studies. By now I have finished my degree and am about to go back to Korea to continue my studies. I will do a masters degree in Korean as a Foreign Language at Hankuk University for Foreign Studies. I about a week I will board the plane, that will take me back to Korea. In order to keep friends and family updated I will start a new blog. Click here to visit my new blog
New Adventure! GO!
Aug 13, 2017
Nov 4, 2014
Coming back.
Hello there.
It has been a few months since I am back in Austria. Since I came back my life in Austria has changed a lot, even though it seemed like time had not passed at all while I was gone. Coming back was hard for me. Even though I had heard a lot that it will feel as if nothing had ever changed, I was surprised when I came home and it was excatly like everyone had told me, the same. But the "same" was very hard to adapt to. Living just like I have lived before made it hard to believe that I had even been gone. Korea was merely a beautiful dream that I have been missing almost daily. The months of summer break with nothing to do and no koreaness around me were hard. On some days I missed the life I had in Korea to an extent that I'd rather taken a plane back there than to accept that life goes on.
With moving to Vienna and starting my Korean studies at university things got better. Firstly, I think it was due to the change in my daily life, and finally I had a reason to leave my house again. Secondly, Korea became a part of my life again. Due to my studies, I have met koreans and non-koreans, who are just as interested in Korea as I am. I speak korean again, not on a daily basis, but it is getting close. I hear about things that I have expiericened first hand. I would lie if I say I do not miss Korea, my friends, the food and so on any more. Even saying I miss it less would not be the truth, but having it back in my life makes it easier to wait for the day when I can go back.
After being in a foreing country for this long will leave it's traces on you and for me those traces are there to stay. I do not want to wash them off. I do not want to forget and I will not ignore my desire to go back again. A part of me belongs to Korea and the other to Austria, which one is the stronger is for the future to find out. For now I am home, but, to me, home is not just one place, neither in Austria nor in Korea.
Thank you for following my journy, and who knows when "Maria goes to Korea" will be true once again.
Maria
It has been a few months since I am back in Austria. Since I came back my life in Austria has changed a lot, even though it seemed like time had not passed at all while I was gone. Coming back was hard for me. Even though I had heard a lot that it will feel as if nothing had ever changed, I was surprised when I came home and it was excatly like everyone had told me, the same. But the "same" was very hard to adapt to. Living just like I have lived before made it hard to believe that I had even been gone. Korea was merely a beautiful dream that I have been missing almost daily. The months of summer break with nothing to do and no koreaness around me were hard. On some days I missed the life I had in Korea to an extent that I'd rather taken a plane back there than to accept that life goes on.
With moving to Vienna and starting my Korean studies at university things got better. Firstly, I think it was due to the change in my daily life, and finally I had a reason to leave my house again. Secondly, Korea became a part of my life again. Due to my studies, I have met koreans and non-koreans, who are just as interested in Korea as I am. I speak korean again, not on a daily basis, but it is getting close. I hear about things that I have expiericened first hand. I would lie if I say I do not miss Korea, my friends, the food and so on any more. Even saying I miss it less would not be the truth, but having it back in my life makes it easier to wait for the day when I can go back.
After being in a foreing country for this long will leave it's traces on you and for me those traces are there to stay. I do not want to wash them off. I do not want to forget and I will not ignore my desire to go back again. A part of me belongs to Korea and the other to Austria, which one is the stronger is for the future to find out. For now I am home, but, to me, home is not just one place, neither in Austria nor in Korea.
Thank you for following my journy, and who knows when "Maria goes to Korea" will be true once again.
Maria
Sep 1, 2014
Dance Video Update
So I just recently figured out that I have not posted the last dance videos, even though I wanted to ^^
so here you go:
TeenTop - Rocking
O.C.A.D.- Muse
Pys - Hangover
done.
so here you go:
TeenTop - Rocking
O.C.A.D.- Muse
Pys - Hangover
done.
Jun 28, 2014
Last Days
Hello!
I wanted to write this post before I left Korea but I did not. So, to all of you who don't know yet. I am back in my home country. I have not unpacked yet, but this will have to happen sooner or later.
My last days in Korea were mostly just meeting friends to say goodbye. But also seeing IU (a korean singer) live, eating a lot of delicious food, going to my favourite Ice Cream place (Ice Pang in Seomyeon) more than once, and more eating. I don't really have anything to say about it and I don't want to think about not seeing my friends (at least for a while). It was a hard week, with little sleep and a lot of tears, but also a lot of laughter. I know that one day I will see at least some of them again. So Goodbye Korea for now, and hello Austria! I love both countries, but it feels strange to be back again. I have heard that people say it is as if everything is the same once you get back, and from what I have seen so far, it is. Of course, there are slight changes, but still everyone is acting just like they did before I left. I don't know about myself though ^^
Here are some pictures from Korea and thank you for reading my blog. I might update how I feel about being home in like a week or something. But that was my year in Korea, I hope you had fun with me a little at least ^^
thank you!
Maria
I wanted to write this post before I left Korea but I did not. So, to all of you who don't know yet. I am back in my home country. I have not unpacked yet, but this will have to happen sooner or later.
My last days in Korea were mostly just meeting friends to say goodbye. But also seeing IU (a korean singer) live, eating a lot of delicious food, going to my favourite Ice Cream place (Ice Pang in Seomyeon) more than once, and more eating. I don't really have anything to say about it and I don't want to think about not seeing my friends (at least for a while). It was a hard week, with little sleep and a lot of tears, but also a lot of laughter. I know that one day I will see at least some of them again. So Goodbye Korea for now, and hello Austria! I love both countries, but it feels strange to be back again. I have heard that people say it is as if everything is the same once you get back, and from what I have seen so far, it is. Of course, there are slight changes, but still everyone is acting just like they did before I left. I don't know about myself though ^^
Here are some pictures from Korea and thank you for reading my blog. I might update how I feel about being home in like a week or something. But that was my year in Korea, I hope you had fun with me a little at least ^^
thank you!
Maria
Jun 23, 2014
My Last Dance
Hello~
So on Friday it was my last day at the dance studio, the videos are not out yet (23.06.2014) but I will show them to you as soon as possible. But the ones from the week before are here for you ^^ Two K-pop dances for you
Dr Feel Good - Rania (It is only me and my teacher ^^)
Wedding Dress - Teayang
Dr Feel Good is probably my favourite video, not because of how I dance (because that is not that great) but just because it is only me and my favourite teacher ^^ She is super cute and I will miss her a lot~~
I also finished packing my suitcase and a package that I will send home. So my room is empty and it reminds me of leaving too much so I am going to head out and meet friends~
See most of you very soon (only 4 nights left in Korea :()
Maria
So on Friday it was my last day at the dance studio, the videos are not out yet (23.06.2014) but I will show them to you as soon as possible. But the ones from the week before are here for you ^^ Two K-pop dances for you
Dr Feel Good - Rania (It is only me and my teacher ^^)
Wedding Dress - Teayang
Dr Feel Good is probably my favourite video, not because of how I dance (because that is not that great) but just because it is only me and my favourite teacher ^^ She is super cute and I will miss her a lot~~
I also finished packing my suitcase and a package that I will send home. So my room is empty and it reminds me of leaving too much so I am going to head out and meet friends~
See most of you very soon (only 4 nights left in Korea :()
Maria
Jun 19, 2014
Cats and Packing
Hello~
So I have about a week left in Korea and I am slowly, very slowly, cleaning my room and packing my things. I have no idea how I should bring all of my things home, I am also working on a package that I will send home, because even if I throw away things that I don't need or want I will never be able to reduce it to about 30 kg (23kg for my big suitcase and about 7kg for my carry-on) The next problem will be how do I bring all of this to Seoul on my own. But besides all the worrying about important things I rather "play". With play I (and Koreans) mean anything that is not work, things that have to be done or school.
So today I went to a cat café, again ^^ I have started to like these places, but still they remind me a lot of my cat at home and I can't wait to have mine back ^^
Jennifer filmed the cat eating my hair~
I have also been shopping for a bit.. because I want to add more stuff to my already to full suitcase I guess ^^ and I picked up pink hair coating, which is similar to hair dye but works a little different. Don't ask me how. I am glad that I understand enough Korean to use it ^^ so my hair is back to pink, a better and brighter pink. The hair coating was a lot cheaper than my visit at the hair dresser. For about 5€ I got 4 packs of that colouring stuff and I only used one so~ I am going to wait and see how well it stays in and if I am happy, I might bring more of the hair coating home ^^ (I kind of also want to try their blue~)
I am very pleased with this pink ^^ (they have a different pink shade too, so I might just buy that one too :) We will see ^^) But I need to practise dyeing my hair on my own ^^ or my dear friends help me~~ ^^
See you very soon
Maria
So I have about a week left in Korea and I am slowly, very slowly, cleaning my room and packing my things. I have no idea how I should bring all of my things home, I am also working on a package that I will send home, because even if I throw away things that I don't need or want I will never be able to reduce it to about 30 kg (23kg for my big suitcase and about 7kg for my carry-on) The next problem will be how do I bring all of this to Seoul on my own. But besides all the worrying about important things I rather "play". With play I (and Koreans) mean anything that is not work, things that have to be done or school.
So today I went to a cat café, again ^^ I have started to like these places, but still they remind me a lot of my cat at home and I can't wait to have mine back ^^
Jennifer filmed the cat eating my hair~
I have also been shopping for a bit.. because I want to add more stuff to my already to full suitcase I guess ^^ and I picked up pink hair coating, which is similar to hair dye but works a little different. Don't ask me how. I am glad that I understand enough Korean to use it ^^ so my hair is back to pink, a better and brighter pink. The hair coating was a lot cheaper than my visit at the hair dresser. For about 5€ I got 4 packs of that colouring stuff and I only used one so~ I am going to wait and see how well it stays in and if I am happy, I might bring more of the hair coating home ^^ (I kind of also want to try their blue~)
I am very pleased with this pink ^^ (they have a different pink shade too, so I might just buy that one too :) We will see ^^) But I need to practise dyeing my hair on my own ^^ or my dear friends help me~~ ^^
See you very soon
Maria
Jun 16, 2014
Dadaepo 다대포
Hello
So on Saturday I finally went to a place that I wanted to go to since December, because I have seen a picture of that fountain on a calender of my second host family. The place called Dadaepo (in Korean: 다대포) is in the very south of Busan and compared to the rest of the city empty. From Seomyeon it takes about an hour to get there, but you can just take a bus so it is no big deal to find it. Before I went I only knew about the fountain show, that I wanted to see really badly, but I never imagined finding a pretty natural beach there. Compared to Haeundae, which was build and is packed with people in the summer. Dadaepo is very relaxing, beautiful and even though they are in the middle of building a park right in front of the beach the natural part is bigger. On the beach near the water you will find little holes in the sand. Why? Because crabs are living there, we also saw fish and other small animals.
Now to the fountain. In summer they have two shows every day, at 8 and 9, for about 20 minutes there is a water show, with light effects and background music. It is really beautiful. I just watched and was enjoying it ^^ my friend took pictures, since we both did not have a camera it's all just crappy phone quality.. but still pretty ^^
If you want to see more just google "Dadaepo" and you will find better pictures. Anyway after the show they let visitors take pictures in the fountain, of course you will get a little wet but it is bearable. ^^
As you can see.. all the pretty pink has already faded out... after a week :( I am very disappointed.. and I will dye it again because I don't like yellow bold hair that much ^^
All the best
Maria
So on Saturday I finally went to a place that I wanted to go to since December, because I have seen a picture of that fountain on a calender of my second host family. The place called Dadaepo (in Korean: 다대포) is in the very south of Busan and compared to the rest of the city empty. From Seomyeon it takes about an hour to get there, but you can just take a bus so it is no big deal to find it. Before I went I only knew about the fountain show, that I wanted to see really badly, but I never imagined finding a pretty natural beach there. Compared to Haeundae, which was build and is packed with people in the summer. Dadaepo is very relaxing, beautiful and even though they are in the middle of building a park right in front of the beach the natural part is bigger. On the beach near the water you will find little holes in the sand. Why? Because crabs are living there, we also saw fish and other small animals.
Now to the fountain. In summer they have two shows every day, at 8 and 9, for about 20 minutes there is a water show, with light effects and background music. It is really beautiful. I just watched and was enjoying it ^^ my friend took pictures, since we both did not have a camera it's all just crappy phone quality.. but still pretty ^^
If you want to see more just google "Dadaepo" and you will find better pictures. Anyway after the show they let visitors take pictures in the fountain, of course you will get a little wet but it is bearable. ^^
As you can see.. all the pretty pink has already faded out... after a week :( I am very disappointed.. and I will dye it again because I don't like yellow bold hair that much ^^
All the best
Maria
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)