We made it to Korea! Did it take the first flight being delayed multiple times and the longest flight I have ever been on, well, yes! But nonetheless, I made it and had a full day of activities. First, we went to Gyeongbuk Palace to see the guards change and to tour the palace, but to get there, we had to take the subway. It was definitely not what I had expected, as it was very quiet as well as clean. There are also designated spots for expectant mothers and the elderly, which I thought was a very nice touch. Additionally, entering and leaving the train is very systematic. You must stand in one line to get on, while leaving space for the people getting off. A very simple way to keep things organized, but something that could never be executed in the United States.

The palace was definitely not what I had imagined because the property had a lot more nature and trees. And another thing that I noticed was that all of the major structures had a variety of different colors and patterns that had specific meanings. The main colors used are blue, red, yellow, white, and black. These five colors symbolize the harmony of the universe: east is blue, west is white, south is red, north is black, and yellow is the center. All of the colors and patterns work together to create a beautiful structure. We then had a quick walk around the Blue House, which was filled with lots of greenery, yet maintained a traditional elegance.

The final stop was the Tungen Market, which was a food market. I bought some lovely sumo oranges as well as a skewer with rice cakes and sausage. At first, my friends and I didn’t know what to get, so we walked around outside the market and were able to take in all of the amazing coffee shops and clothing stores. Every one different than the previous, and it’s very interesting because there will be two coffee shops right next to each other. Nonetheless, I was able to beat my jet leg and have an enjoyable first day!