This week was definitely one of my favorites since arriving in Seoul because my grandma came to visit! Getting to explore the city with her made this week extra special. We checked something off her bucket list by eating ramen along the Han River, just like in so many K-dramas. It was such a simple…
Tag: Ava Leonard
Research, Royal Palaces, and Real Growth
This week felt like one of those weeks where every day was completely different from the last. One day, I was standing at the DMZ looking across the border into North Korea. Seeing the two countries separated by just a few hundred meters was honestly surreal. It is something I’ve learned about for years, but…
Finding my Volume
Week four and I finally feel like I have been here long enough to really notice the cultural differences, not just observe them from the outside but actually feel them in my daily life. But first, the best part of the week. For the Fourth of July weekend a huge group of us(12) made the…
Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable in Seoul
This weekend, we traded the busy streets of Seoul for the historic city of Gyeongju. We explored centuries old temples, wandered through local markets, learned how to make traditional gochujang during a cooking class, biked through the city, and even ended the weekend at a K pop concert. It was one of those weekends that…
Building a Routine on the Other Side of the World
Two weeks into my internship at JHSUSTAIN, I feel like I have finally found my routine. Seoul itself has continued to surprise me. The city moves fast, but something is grounding about having a routine here. Knowing which subway line to take (line 5 and an approximate 42-minute commute), which coffee shop to stop at,…
Subways, Sustainability, and So Much Walking
It is honestly hard to believe that I have already been in Seoul for a week. The time has gone by so quickly that part of me still feels like I just arrived, but at the same time, I feel like I have already learned and experienced so much. Between starting my internship, exploring the…
Hi, I’m Ava, and I’m Going to Seoul!!
Hi everyone!! My name is Ava Leonard, I am a rising junior at the University of Pittsburgh, and I am SO excited to finally be writing this. In a few weeks, I will be heading to Seoul, South Korea, for the summer, and I honestly still cannot believe it. But first — let me introduce…
You must be logged in to post a comment.