How My First Week in Korea Went

My first few days in Korea was such an intense and stressful turn of events ranging from missing my flight, losing my luggage, and taking the wrong bus after landing. On the bright side, my first impressions of this country have led to my expectations. PEOPLE ARE SO NICE!!! To start off this story, my original connection flights were from Boston to New York, and from New York to South Korea. I had booked my flight with American and Asiana Airlines. When the day came to take my flight (February 21st), I arrived in New York from Boston without any issues only until then, this was when everything went downhill. This was my first time leaving the US and I didn't have the experience of taking different airlines. I had landed in New York two hours early (landed around 9am, flight to S. Korea was around 11am) before my trip to South Korea and I went to the gate where I was suppose to go to and TSA told me that I needed a new ticket (get an Asiana Airline ticket since I had connecting flights with that airline which makes sense, I only had American Airline tickets). But at that time I did not know so TSA told me to go back to American Airlines (Terminal 8 at JFK NY) and to see if they can book a new flight for me since the informational desk at Asiana Airlines were empty. When I arrived to terminal 8, I told American Airlines my situation and had told me that they were unable to book a new flight and told me to return to Asiana Airlines (Terminal 1). For about 2 hours I had ran back and forth between the two terminals (as they keep telling me to do so), and eventually I had missed my flight. My aunt had did everything to help me to solve this situation such as calling the airlines to see what we can do. In the end, the best option was to buy a new flight ticket (I did with Korea Air). Unfortuntely, my hometown, Rhode Island was 4 hours away by drive, and so I had to stay overnight at JFK. I had spent exactly 24 hours at the airport until my flight the next day, February 23rd. While shocked, confused, scared and didn't know what to do, I was grateful for my family and friends that kept me company during the 24 hours.

The next day came for my flight with Korea Air and I proceeded with the regular airport routine. I had landed in Incheon, South Korea and I had one mission, and this was to find my luggage. It was very late at night and I was extremely exhausted after an almost 14-15 hour flight, but I was determined with this task. If I had taken Asiana Airlines, my luggage would be at terminal 1, but I had landed at terminal 2 since I flew with Korean Air. After signing many documents, I had taken the wrong bus outside of Incheon Airport Terminal 2 and ended up about 40 minutes away and was accidentally all the way in 강남 (Gangnam) and had to take another bus to get back to the airport (keep in mind this is my first time using the transportation system and I had no idea how to get around). While on the bus, I asked a woman (who didn't speak much English) for directions to the airport and then she LITERALLY got off the bus with me to show which bus to take next. Again this is my first time traveling to Korea so I didn't have a T-money card (card used to pay for transportation). On the way back, I told the bus driver I didn't have a T-money card so he allowed me to have a FREE ride! I currently dorm in Woojungwon (a dormitory at Yonsei University), and this has the same address as the SK Global House (another dormitory for international students), and so I had a taxi driver take me there. The taxi driver didn't know how to get to Woojungwon so I ended up arriving at the SK Global House. I asked the front desk for directions and my RA had to come pick me up to bring me to Woojungwon (so embarrassing). He gave me a quick tour around the dormitory and this marked my first experience in South Korea. 

For about a week without my luggage, I was attending the CIEE Orientation schedule as they already had a few activities planned. That weekend later, I decided to go back to see if my luggage was at the Incheon Airport. I called a taxi and he was speaking to me in Korean (I am still a beginner in this language), and I replied, "한국말 잘  못해요" (I don't speak Korean that well), and luckily, he also spoke English! He told me he has a daughter living in the States so he had already knew some English. On the way to the airport, he offered to help me look for my luggage! We walked around to look for the Asiana Airline informational desk and asked for the lost and found and THEY HAD MY LUGGAGE!!! It was currently at terminal 2 (Korean Air) and the workers there told me that it would take about 20-30 minutes to transfer my luggage between the two airlines.  I was so so happy because I didn't want all of my personal belongings to be lost. We returned back to the dormitory and I was on my way.

Here is a small vlog showcasing my first week here in South Korea!

You can follow me on instagram as I do upload weekly vlogs such as visiting kdrama filming locations and general week in the life! : @dnt.3

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The photos in this blog were taken during the week I did not have my luggage. It was a struggle during the time, but everything went well in the end. :)