SEMESTER IS OVER

I have just finished the majority of my exams, 5 in total, in a mere 2 days.

Surprisingly the professors were all very flexible in allowing me to do so.

I will post more random thoughts about exchange life in the next few days- I have just over a week left here in Seoul. I will be incredibly sad to leave but wish all those reading this the best experience in Korea.

I MOVED OUT !! (old news)

Okay, I no longer live at Allive Gositel. This isn’t the most recent of news nor the most interesting.

I moved out during the middle of April after a Korean friend of mine found me a very comfortable, spacious ‘apartment’ in Anam for pretty much the same price.

I took up this offer because of landlord’s conditions- they were generous.

The reasons for moving out are quite simple; although Allive is the BEST you’re gonna get, for a gositel- they are still drawbacks.

For me, the noise was the main annoyance; walls are paper thin (you can hear your neighbour breathing).

This new apartment was not only double the size, in a better location but provided significantly more privacy.

So that’s that. If you have a Korean friend already- get them to apartment hunt for you. You’ll definitely get a better deal than a gositel. If you don’t have this luxury, apply to ALLIVE.

ALLIVE GOSITEL Photos

Exterior 

Big white blinds

Big windows

Shelves and Wardrobe

Scholarships

All exchange students will find the sum of 250,000 won in their bank accounts. This is a scholarship that you shall all receive.

You can also apply for housing/accomodation scholarship; an email will be sent a month into the semester.

I received 500,000 won to assist paying the rent at my residence.

Many students who did not get into CJ house were also offered a ‘free months’ rent to pay for their gositel. I, however, did not receive this, as I found my room at Allive Gositel myself- and was not allocated to it, unlike others. If I chose to ‘go with the flow’ and wait for KU to allocate me, I’d end up at a relatively worse gositel, but receive a free month. I am not sure whether those who already receive the free month can also claim the accommodation scholarship.

Today, rain in Seoul; radioactive?

It’s been a while since it has rained, but today the skies are grey and the atmosphere is miserable.

Rumours have been drifting around about whether the rain is radioactive.

The Korea Herald reports [http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110406000957] “Kim said the seasonal rainfalls could contain air pollutants, yellow dust from China and, this time, some radioactive materials of lowered concentration as they are traveling around the world on the westerly wind. “

He made it clear that Japanese radioactive materials have yet to arrive in Korea directly on the prevailing wind.”

The WSJ also emphasis that there is no immediate danger and that predictions by the German forecaster have been altered. [http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2011/04/06/forecast-of-radioactive-rain-fades-in-korea]

So, all-in-all, probably safer to cover your heads, but this batch of rain is probably cleaner than the dirty stuff we get falling from the sky in Hong Kong.

 

Radiation in Seoul- too small for concern

Korea’s Nuclear Watchdog Says Recent Radiation Detection Miniscule

Meanwhile, in addition to the radioactive xenon-133 detected along Korea’s easterncoast of Gangwon Province radioactive iodide and cesium have also been found in Seoul.The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety confirmed the latest finding late Monday night and said the agency will have an official statement ready for release by 10 a.m. on this Tuesday. Experts, however, say the levels of the radioactive substances found in Korea are miniscule and therefore, “would have no ill-effect on people or the environment”.

 

No need to worry about radiation…….

This blog seems to be attracting the majority of it’s views through google searches such as ‘radiation-threat-korea’, and so on.
It seems like a considerable number of people are still worried or concerned. . .

 

As things stand on the 23rd of March, there is no threat or cause for concern.

 

The fact that a handful of exchange students have left (permanently) because of this threat is particularly surprising.