LuiginaKorea: Abode

I decided to take a few photos... around my Seoul apartment where I currently reside...

(I suddenly thought of doing this... as I saw a really good home-interior photo post by Sam, the Hong Kong-based blogger here;

http://www.samishome.com/stylenomad/at-home-with-emily/  )

(not that I am anywhere near as good at taking photos as Sam...)

I just generally wanted to give you an idea of what a girl's home interior in Seoul might look like... 

Check out the pink wallpaper in my room...I feel so young again...

I've probably posted this picture of my bed before...

...but here it is again... ;

(Generally, interior decorating for girls' rooms in Korea is EXTREMELY CUTE... I slowly got used to this aesthetic...)

I live with a Korean homestay family...

...and the concept behind this is that I am supposed to become integrated into Korean language/customs as much as possible...

...through eating/learning/sleeping among Koreans day-in, day-out...

I'm not sure if this social experiment is perfect...

...but I think that I can interact with most Koreans comfortably...

...I have Korean language tutorials at home every day...

...since I have lived with 3 or so Korean families over the past 2-3 years I think my communication skills are relatively sufficient...(again, not perfect..."in progress")

I lived on campus at Yonsei University last year, in 'International House'...

...but it was extremely uncomfortable...

... as my room mate was incredibly loud...

...which meant NO SLEEP for 3-whole-months... ㅠ.ㅠ

I think I almost died...

So... while I really wanted to adjust to dormitory life at Yonsei...

...I decided that I could probably maintain more normal living hours...if I accepted an offer to live with a Korean homestay family...

I think that I am quite lucky... I don't know why Koreans are so generous to such a nerdy Australian...

...(especially when I moved 15 of my hanboks into their house...)

...to live among people as a member of their family is really very very generous...

I think I am also lucky that all of my Korean homestay families so far have tolerated the crazy amount of bags and hats I own...

...it's really out of control...

I think that I should open some kind of hat museum in the future...  I have travelled to 30 countries and collected hats from most of those countries...

...plus... I seem to accidentally collect Asian art and some traditional dress...

...I have waaay too much stuff...

In my hometown in Australia... my mother has converted 2-3 rooms in our house into built-in and walk-in wardrobes for her evening gowns, hats, and shoes...

...I thought she was crazy...

...but now I find that I too am getting old and I require more storage for years of accumulated 'cultural treasures' ...

...which I found in China, U.A.E, Spain, the Philippines, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Mexico,  etc etc...

Generally Koreans really like 'new stuff'...

...that is, things sourced from Department Stores...

...신세계, 두타, 롲데...

I think I am probably the opposite...

I think I'm attracted to clothes that smell old and worn...

...I always love it when people offer me their super old stuff...

...it's a sure way of getting an insight into the extreme cultural changes that occurred in Korea in the 80s and 90s...

I can definitely see how Korea was previously influenced by China, and Japan, and now the US (*sad face*)...

...just through everyday items and daily wear...found in Korean homes...

To give you an idea of what the outside of Korean apartments might look like...

In contrast with Australia... most Koreans I know seem to live in high-rise apartments... (there is not much space in Seoul !!)

My apartment complex is operated by Samsung...

I live on the 19th floor...

This is the court yard area...(between the apartment blocks operated by Samsung...)

There are still a few Spring flowers in bloom outside...

The CCTV in the elevator makes me nervous...

Every apartment has an intercom...(which is normal)...

...it looks like this;

...but...

...the difference in Korea...

...is that you receive messages through this intercom from some kind of head office operated by Samsung apartments...

... and they give special announcements about when maintenance will take place, if there is an event... etc etc...

(I thought this was super-scary when I first moved into a Korean apartment...I thought an alien was trying to communicate with me through the intercom...)