First Trip to Korea (Part 2)

If you haven't read the first part of this trip, here is the link.

As I told you on my previous post, I was there for a week on business purpose. I wouldn't to worry so much about my trip. When we arrived in Incheon, my boss already there waiting for us. We took bus from the airport. I vaguely remember we had to pay around 150.000 in rupiah or 15.000 Korean Won for the fare. The bus was neat and clean. Right next to the front door of the bus, there is an empty square place guarded with pole for us to keep our luggage there. The seat it self remind me a seat on Executive Train Argobromo or Cirebon Express. They even have a cup holder on the seat. So, I could put my warm chocolate there. I had to get warm chocolate in the airport because it was really really freezing cold. It was early march but still amazingly cold. No more vile of snow but still freezing cold especially for our Indonesian (summer all year around) skin.

Cup Holder

My 'ex' boss

A view on the street to our apartment.

There were 3 teams from overseas branch that come for the training. 3 to 4 new employees on each branch and they assigned us to our own apartment. My boss being Korean didn't need to stay in the apartment. So it was only the 3 of us (girls) in a 2 bedroom apartment. I got a twin bed room with another Indonesian girl. The bedroom was pretty big and so the bed too.

It was a lot nicer than Sheraton Bandara in Jakarta. We had to stay a night there due to delayed departure. Me and D (initial for the other Indonesian girl) got our own room. But when I opened the door to my room, the light is somehow already on, even when i hadn't put the card on the card holder and turned on the lamp. It was chill there and we just had a bad feeling. So, me and D decided to share a room. And her room was also creepy.

 Did you see how creepy it is, right? One other lady that we talked too during the waiting period (due to the delay) said that something happened to her last night. Like she felt certain present on her room. She didn't get to sleep at all because she wanted to protect her little daughter.

The flight experience was really nice. We sat next to a really fine looking Korean man with American accent and a nice tattoo on his bulging arm. But he didn't want us to disturb him. So he moved to another seat. Jeez..what a snob. 

This is a water faucet in Incheon. You get to drink from a tap water there.

D just finished changing her outfit to winter clothes right before we went out to get the airport bus.

 2nd day of our trip, right after work. Me, D, and a girl from vietnam branch decided to go for a midnight shopping in Dongdaemun area.

Waiting for Jiachol/subway train in our station (the closest one to our apartment is Seodaemun St)

Inside the train

We watched Cooking Nanta first

 On our 3rd day, we went to Hongdae area after I requested to our seniors because I really wanna see the merry night life in Hongdae.

Looked at me all happy..lol

HongDae most famous Tteokpokki shop. Suppppper Delicious.

bite bite bite..nyum nyum nyum

With our senior co-workers who wanted to be called 'oppa' hahaha

4th Day: After work, our president of the company suggested all of us to go to Namsan Tower. So, off we went to Namsan Tower with 3 company cars. It was a beautiful place. I finally able to see the infamous love lock place where you can chain a lock that has a written of your undying love message to the one you love there. A jumbo vile of love message on a wall from all lovers around the world. It was a romantic place to visit. Unfortunately I went there with co-workers and bosses instead of with the love of my life (which i didn't have).

Had to take a picture in front of Jakarta's window in Namsan tower.

On 5th Day of our trip, we went to see the River Stream or also know as Cheon GyeCheon. Unfortunately it was raining. So we only spent a little bit time there and decided to go to Dotta Mall instead.

Finally met Eonni again. On 2009 we met in Indonesia when I was still in college.

In front of the office and the last day of the training

We went for dinner and karaoke with the whole team on our last night there.

Last dinner with the whole team.

Karaoke Night is about to start.

Hanging out in the Vietnam branch's apartment on our last night and sharing our local snacks that we brought along from our country. I brought Durian candies. Vietnam girls brought their famous dried fruit varieties.

 These days, when I think about those days when i was working in that Korean center and the training days, I really miss my friends even my bosses. They treated us nicely. I really like it there. I wish there would be another chance to meet all of my friends again someday whether it is in Indonesia, Vietnam, China, or Korea. I learned a lot during the training and during my time working in the Center. It helps me grow as a person and as a professional too. I won't be here where I am without any of that. I am grateful and thankful everyday for all the things that I have experienced along the way.

First Trip to Korea (Part 1)

 I have never posted about my trip to Korea on my blog before. I decided to finally post it in here.
On January 2012, I got a job in Korean sort-of-NGO-like company. They said I have to get a training for new employee in Seoul, South Korea. Because the headquarter is located in Seoul. On early February finally I issued my first Passport in Kanim Jakarta Selatan.  I got my passport a week after applying it.

I thought applying for Korean Visa would be difficult. But apparently since I am working for Korean Government (by the time), it was actually easy. It only took less than 2 hours to get the Visa. I just have to go to the Embassy with my boss and talked to the Head of Consular or something. And I got the visa within the same day less than 2 hours. On my second Korean VISA, i got it after a day, but I didn't even have to go to the Embassy. Oooh goody! The benefit for working in my previous office.

I didn't go to Seoul by myself. I went there with another new girl from the office. The rest of the team was waiting for us there, including new employees from other countries like China and Vietnam.

Don't worry, I am not gonna bore you with the training detail. I am just gonna share you the story of my first visit to Korea, a country that I had been longing to go ever since I was in college. It was one of the reasons why I started to learn Korean from internet.

Waiting for the Korean Air in Soetta Airport

Just arrived in Incheon, Seoul 

Standing in front of our apartment. I lived in Vabien II, close by to Seoul Police Department's Central Office.

Learning how to use the T-Money that I got from my kind boss.

Part of the training is to contribute in local orphanage. I feel like I was in K-Drama, a Cinderella story ;-)

It was March but still really cold for me. It helps a lot to eat warm steamy odeng 'fishcake' on street food stall during our midnight shopping experience.

Most favorite dish during winter, I don't really know the name. But it was a combination of seafoods, vegetables, and ramyun boiled in a big pot on your table.

One of the cosmetic store in Dotta Mall near Cheon river stream

Futuristic Electronic Car in Museum of Technology

Shoes Repairmen has their own small cute box shop

I spent a week there mostly in the office. The only free time I have was at night. Either I would spent it gossiping with the new girls in their apartment (3 or 2 girls per 1 apartment) or we would do some midnight shopping, karaoke-ing with boss and senior co-workers, Watching Cooking Nanta show, or meeting with some of my friends from Korea or Indonesian who lives in Korea. I shared apartment with the 2 other new girls from Indonesia's office (one Indonesian, one Korean who lives in Indonesia).

I would share more about my trips on the second part of my post. Thank you for reading my post. 

PS: Continue to Part 2, Here.