Good Evening everyone!

Or perhaps I should say good morning, as I am now in a time zone thirteen hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone!

After a greuling seventeen hours of flying from city to city, we have finally arrived to Seoul. Our first stop from Pittsburgh was Dallas, where we had a layover for two hours and in that time, explored Terminal D of the Dallas-Fort Worth airport and ate Chick-fil-A for breakfast. As we were traveling to Seoul the past morning, I had not completely registered that our Plus3 program is to begin. Once I saw the city below me as the plane descended, my excitement was immediately sparked. It’s happening! I am extremely excited to finally kick off this immersive experience that I have been looking forward to since January.

Once we departed from the airport, we all entered the bus taking us to our first hotel during Plus3. Each and every person on the bus, including myself, was staring out the windows of the bus and marveling at the beauty of Seoul. I have never seen a city like Seoul before. Coming from the New York City area, I am accustomed to the sights and sounds of a city. However, Seoul does not compare to the cities I have traveled through in the United States. It is its own entity, and it was very interesting to observe a Korean society firsthand. For example, 99% of the cars owned by residents in Seoul are only either black, silver, or white. It is extremely rare to see cars of colors (like red or blue) because of their collectivistic society. The collectivist culture covers all bases: from the types of cars they drive to the similar-style apartments the residents all live in.

Once we arrived, we had our first orientation dinner, which was delicious! The Korean food I had in the United States cannot compare to this first experience. The restaurant we ate at was walking distance from our hotel, so we were able to explore the streets while heading to a delicious meal. Most notably I had tried anything the fermented fish . Furthermore, I am a big fan of the Korean chili paste, Gochujang, which adds some spice to dishes like bibimbap. Eating the pork, duck, and bibimbap that was served, I am so excited to try the food Seoul has to offer. Tomorrow we will travel throughout Seoul and visit cultural landmarks such as the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Jogyessa Temple, and the Bukchon Hanok Village.

As for now, I will sign off and go to sleep!

Goodnight,

Maria