Continuing the Posts recovering

A lot of peepsss are leaving for Korea; its the FALL season!

August 30th, 2012
This period, is definitely a good period to head to Korea. Quite some of my friends are going to fly there, such a coincidence, and its making others envious too! Haha. This year, many are going to Korea, but I believe, we all can't say the same for next year. All of us agreed in unison that we may not be going to Korea in the near future at least, we realised we should be heading somewhere else, somewhere we have not been before. So lets just all grab the chance and make it worthwhile.

First up is Liz maknae, who came back last week and heading back this friday.

Alison is also back?? And going back for another 3 months of exchange. Sounds like a lot of fun, Alison? If not you will extend? hehehehe.

This friday too, Jojo unnie is going for a two weeks holiday in Korea. May / may not be able to meet.

Beginning Sept, Li Ling unnie and Sylvia unnie are going there too. May get to meet Li Ling unnie there! Such a coincidence.

Mid Sept, Zijing and I are going...!

My goodness, its two weeks from now.

And then upcoming Oct, Karen unnie, Sylvia unnie, and Vivian unnie are heading there as well.

Certainly, fall season.. is the best. Happy Thursday. ^^

Application for Student Visa to Korea 

 August 22th, 2012

 For students who wish to go to Korea for an study exchange of more than 90 days (i.e. more than 3 months of stay), all the information can be found on their embassy website.
http://sgp.mofat.go.kr/eng/as/sgp/visiting/visas/index.jsp

It is very common for Singapore students to head to Korea nowadays for a short exchange. However I will just like to add on here, its regarding our experience when we head to the Korean embassy to apply for visa. So if you wish to apply your visa successfully without any hiccups, maybe here's some useful advice from my friends and I who had went through the tedious process.

Firstly. Kindly prepare all the required documents in advance. Do not miss out any of them. The above website has stated the following, however I will like to point out, please bring all the original copies just in case for verification.

In a gist, do prepare:

- A certificate of employment / A certificate of prove as a student in the school institution (ORIGINALS, or Certified True Copy)
- Passport
- One Passport-size photo
- Admission letter from the school institution in Korea
- Cash of 66 SGD (Single entry visa for more than 3 months), or 106 SGD (Multiple entry visa), its preferable to be exact. Charging by card is strictly not entertained. Only cash allowed.
- Bank statement showing your transactions for the past 3 months. If your bank is in a form of passbook, kindly go to the bank for a CTC copy. In any case fyi, they have to prove that the bank account has a minimum of 3K USD.

If you have all these prepared, you are already halfway through. Well done. Application hours are only from 9am to 12noon sharp, level 16, Goldbell Towers @ Newton, beside the Prudential Building. Newton Mrt station, exit A. It is advised that you head there early in the morning, say 9am when they opened. Just in case if you have any documents you have forgotten, you could still head back office / home to get it and come back for the second time.

When you reach the embassy office, walk straight ahead to the extreme end and look for Visa Application form in one of the pigeon hole. Kindly fill in that form, and press for a number. Make sure you fill in the application form correctly and sign at the end of it.

Prepare all your documents ready beforehand so as you won't be fumbling for all your documents when they asked for it at the counter. Their service are pretty mediocre, and may scare you off.

Following things you are to take note of:

They will collect away your original document of your certificate of employment / prove of student in school. I've no idea why they would want the original document, but that really took me by surprise. When I politely asked, I was given the rude answer of "I don't care, that's your problem, not my problem."

Do take note that it will take 4 working days to process the visa, so make sure you have it done before you fly!

Regards.

 

A Photo A Day #12 - Streetfood in Korea

 Tuesday, 9th Oct, 2012

 

Its egg cake. The egg smell is quite fragrant.

As we all know, its the spicy rice cakes, ttokppoki. And kimchi pancake beside it.
These streetfood are really filling, they can easily become a meal.

 Have been busy with school life

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

School has been busy; I'm having assignments every two weeks, not to include about the daily revision that I need to have.

I'm already in the mid semester of the school term. School term is not three full months as we normally call it; its only a ten week program, which means its only two and a half months. Just went through the mid semester test, and in a month's time, my end semester test would be coming.

Just to update over here, I wouldn't have much extra sufficient time for my blog, as I will be studying till the late nights. Perhaps only during my winter vacation, I would have a little time? No idea, perhaps by then I would have other activities lined up.

See how it goes!

Placement test at Yonsei University

Friday, Oct 5th, 2012

Okay I'm damn determined to finish my photo backlog before my school starts. I don't want any backlogs. And I know it well enough not to take so many photos when I don't even have the time to process it all. Especially on a daily basis when it will be ongoing for the next couple of months away. I'm seriously very glad I don't have much photos taken for the day because I just don't feel the need to take for the sake of taking. Resorting myself one photo for the day would be the best.

24th Sept 2012, Monday

Oh my gosh. The placement test was so hard. And there were a lot of student intake this semester!
Nevertheless I just tried my best.

The Chinese restaurant being referred here is still korean style food. This is jjajjangmyun (black sauce noodle), where you mix the noodle properly and eat it like that. The black sauce sometimes has onion, meat, and potatoes inside.

Sweet and sour pork.

Lizzie introduced us to her group of friends that she hanged out often with. They are so cute and funny. Heh.

Looking forward to meeting them again, for some outing. ^^

  Samcheong-dong, Bukchon Hanok Village, Anguk

 Monday, Oct 8th, 2012 published

25th Sept 2012, Tuesday

I've always heard that Samcheong dong is a very nice place to hang out, and since its near Bukchon, we have decided to check it out today since the placement test is over and results won't be out till tomorrow orientation. 

How to get here: Its simple. Get off at Anguk subway station, exit 1. Walk on straight, turn in right when you see Pungmoon Girls' Middle school. I think its gonna be a little difficult in recognizing as its written in korean, so if you see a school just turn in right after that. Walk on straight, all the way till you see Art Sonje Center, where you will see an information centre ahead across the road. Cross the road and proceed ahead, you will see the Samcheong-dong culture street in no time. If you get to see lots of shops and famous cosmetic shops like Etude House, Face Shop, you are on the right track, I would say its pretty commercialized. 

Likewise, if you want to get directions and map, you can head to exit 6, going up, you will see the Jongno Police Centre; the tourist information centre is situated beside it, where you can get to collect brochures and ask for more detailed directions and they would be very eager to assist you. The Seoul booklet that I have collected from them are rather precise, and its gonna be the book I'm going to refer in the time to come when visiting other places in Seoul and ticking each page away. ^^
Website is www.visitseoul.net .

 

Brought my newly bought 50mm F1.4 lens out for a photowalk today. Not too familiar in using this lens. As my original lens was wide angle, I could stand close and yet capture a full angle of it. Like the picture above, I had to stand at least 5m apart. Slowly getting used to it~ I really like the bokeh, and that's why I picked this lens over the 50mm F1.8 even though it is so much cheaper.

To be honest, when Zijing and I reached this place, our reaction were the same..
Is it just it? So many people commented how nice it is, its just like this?
Isn't this just a normal street? Overrated, I guess. Its nice to walk in, but its just only a street, isn't it.
Cafes wise, there are pretty a lot. ^^ I would love to find the tea outlet that has been advertised here.
Saw a lot of people going to this tea cafe for their traditional cakes and tea.

There's Hello Kitty cafe here, but over here in Sinchon there is another outlet of Hello Kitty too~

Special mention: I think in contrast, the Bukchon Hanok Village would be more interesting.

Look out for this Cafe Terrace, and walk up the stairs, you will reach Bukchon Hanok Village. Its fascinating that its a residential area, people are living in the hanoks till today. Maybe for kids like me, having lived in city area, and HDBs in Sg, it is fascinating. Its just like how people lived in Kampongs last time.

Its how contrasting these traditional houses exist in the midst of all commercial buildings.

This is the trademark look of Bukchon Hanok Village. Very comfortable to walk around. My next aim is to capture the 8 scenic spots here.

 

Answer Me 1997 - the painful one-sided loves 

Tuesday, Aug 28th 2012

Do not have the time to watch dramas nowadays, no idea why. I used to remember I have time for all of these, but these recent 2 years I have gradually stopped and resorted to reading their recaps, until some good ones really attract my attention to chase the drama.

Have been following this drama recaps - Answer Me 1997 for quite a while. And while reading it, I can totally feel the realistic vibe from the students. Even the recappers have been talking about how it feels so good. The drama year revolves about teenagers from 80s. Fandom, school life, first loves.

There was a few that I like and thus sharing it here. A painful one-sided love. Episode 10.

Joon-hee: The reason I like you? Because you're that person. Because you're you. Is there another reason besides that one? I'd rather know the reason if there was one. Then I could find a way to not like you. If I can't avoid it, then there's only one thing I want: to remain by your side, unchanged, for a long time. Here's to our love, that chills our hearts. (toasts)

Joon-hee asked Yoon-jae: Why do you like her (Shi-won)?
Joon-hee: “Isn’t Shi-won the person you’re closest to in the whole world, like a twin? You like it when you’re together, and it’s comfortable, and even if you’re not doing anything, there’s no awkwardness between you. That’s what I was always most envious of. Isn’t that why you like her?”Yoon-jae says no, he’s wrong about that. Joon-hee: “Then why? Why do you like Shi-won?”
Yoon-jae: Because... she's pretty. Awwww.

Its the same for Yoo-jung and Hak-chan coupling.
Yoo-jung: Why do you like me?
Hak-chan: Because you're cute, and pretty.

How about Shi-won and Tae-woong?
Shi-won: Oppa, Why do you like me? Because I'm like Song-joo unnie?
Shi-won asks if Tae-woong likes her because she reminds him of unni, but he says no, he did at first, but not now. “Because you’re pretty.”
She points out her un-pretty features, but he says she’s still pretty in his eyes. “Though, not in anyone else’s.”

Back to their reunion, someone answered in the same manner too.

Because she's pretty. Because everything about her, from her wrinkles to her moles, is pretty in his eyes.

So sweet. P.s. Due to translation difference, the pretty here does not only refer to the appearance. Subtlely, it refers to a person being pretty as a whole. A pretty heart. A pretty smile. A pretty vibe. Just everything is pretty about her. Quotes taken from dramabeans.