When I first arrived in Korea, I was running on very little sleep but was way too excited to stay inside. During my first few weeks, I spent most of my free time just wandering around Seoul and seeing where I ended up. One of the first places I visited was Ikseon-dong Hanok Village, which quickly became one of my favorite neighborhoods. The small alleyways are packed with cafes, restaurants, dessert shops, and little stores, all tucked inside restored traditional hanok houses. It felt like there was something new to look at around every corner. I also visited Jogyesa Temple, which was surprisingly peaceful considering it’s right in the middle of the city. It was nice to take a break from the crowds for a little while before heading back out to explore. From there, I walked along Cheonggyecheon Stream, where people were sitting by the water, eating lunch, or just relaxing after work. I had to pick up a little fun drink from one of the many coffee chains in Seoul. My personal choice is Mega, but Ediya is a strong runner-up. Those first few days were the perfect introduction to Seoul. I loved seeing how easily the city mixes old and new. You can walk past centuries-old buildings and then be surrounded by skyscrapers a few minutes later. It made me even more excited for everything I would get to experience over the rest of my internship.

When I first got to Korea, one of the first places I found was a tiny coffee stand called MONO Coffee. It’s not really a café with seating, just a small window where they serve drinks and a kiosk outside to order. I started stopping there every morning before work, and after a few days, the owner recognized me. Eventually, she’d peek her head out the window whenever she saw me walking up. She was learning English, and since I was learning Korean, we’d always spend a few minutes practicing with each other while she made my coffee. Some days we’d talk about the weather or my internship, and other days we’d just laugh when one of us couldn’t remember a word. Before long, she had my order memorized, so I barely even had to use the kiosk anymore. It was such a small interaction, but it became one of my favorite parts of my morning. It made Seoul feel a little more familiar, and it reminded me that you don’t need to speak the same language fluently to make a real connection with someone.