It’s been almost a week since I landed in Korea, even though it feels like about four seconds. In that time, I’ve gotten more or less into the rhythm of things. I know my way around campus, vaguely understand the city’s geography, can successfully order food, have made a few frivolous purchases (astronaut teddy bear pencil case, anyone?), and took the subway for the first time.

I’ve become more comfortable with cold weather, coffee through a straw (this is actually awesome and keeps me from burning my mouth like usual), and random mirrors everywhere. I’ve also gotten somewhat used to people watching me all the time. Especially little kids. I feel like Santa Claus; they run up, giggle, stare for about 30 seconds, then scurry off on their merry way. Or maybe a more fitting analogy here would be the munchkins and the Wicked Witch of the West. I don’t know.

Low point so far: an unsettling 2-hour period when I first arrived and all my electronics were dead, and I couldn’t figure out how to get electricity in my room or contact anyone on campus. I thought the voltage on my laptop charger was incorrect or something. Then I realized I had to put my key card in this little slot to activate the power. Problem solved! Reading directions! Hooray!

High point so far: The food. All of it. It’s all so good, and fresh, and cheap. Very cheap. My friend and I have split $3 meals that we can’t even finish by ourselves.

Finding a place to eat is always exciting. Unless I decide to get something from the cafeterias on campus, I’ll literally just start walking in one direction and stop into whatever restaurant looks good. I haven’t eaten at the same place twice yet. It’s also helping me with my Korean, since there’s usually no English on the menu.

Of course, I’ve only been here seven days. I’ve yet to go deeper into Seoul, or to any of the big attractions. I want to do a few typical tourist things and some hardcore shopping in Myeongdong. And I’m still waiting until the weather is less North Poley to go hiking.

Speaking of hiking, this campus is so mountainous that I get a free thigh workout every time I go to class. I like to believe this will cancel out all the rice and fatty pork I’ll be eating. We’ll see.

There will obviously be higher highs and lower lows to come. But from what I’ve seen so far, Korea is friendly and spicy and majestic. Now I have to go eat.