Life This Week in Seoul, South Korea: October 11-18, 2026

Sunday, October 11

Phew. I made it to Korea! And the whole trip went pretty well, Our flight was on time, there was hardly anyone at immigration and passport control so that went fast, my luggage came out quickly, the ATM actually gave me money (I had so much trouble with that when I lived here!), I got tickets for the next airport limousine bus which was only $12 vs like $65 (+ tip) that I usually pay for Uber…everything was good UNTIL I got off the bus about a mile from my place…and couldn’t get an Uber to come get me and take me and my luggage the rest of the way!

I had come 1,850 miles with no problem…and I couldn’t get the last mile! Finally a Korean woman at the bus stop came to help me and she couldn’t make it work either (it wouldn’t select the correct pick-up spot), so she ended up ordering a taxi on her own for me and paying for it with her credit card! I tried to pay her back and she was like no no no it’s fine.

I never have to even look for the helpers! They always just seem to find me 🙂

My friend was waiting for me at my place…she helped me get my big suitcase up the steps (I’m on the 3rd floor again, no elevator)…then we went to get salt bread and coffee at a cafe in Seongsu. It was a nice day, NO HUMIDITY, which was such a joy after three months in the humidity capitol of the world, Vietnam! We found a random little concert in a park and had goat’s milk yogurt. I picked up some things from the convenience store just to get me through the night before I could do a bigger shop the next day.

We parted ways probably around 1:30. I took a shower, lay down on my bed “for just a minute” (you know how this always goes) and woke up at 4:30, pulled the towel turban off my head and went back to sleep til 8:30pm…and back to sleep again til 6am Monday.

Monday, October 12

Went to breakfast at a place I always used to go to with a friend from my building…then to the storage place to get the winter stuff I’d left here in July.

I was quite proud of myself that I had no bus anxiety…and didn’t get on any wrong busses, ha ha. I did walk in the wrong direction a couple times looking for bus stops…but that’s not as bad as riding a bus for miles before realizing ing you’re going the wrong way! I only fell back on Uber to bring me home from the storage place cuz I was carrying so much stuff.

I got myself unpacked and pretty organized (I’d been too tired to do it the day before). My room is pretty pretty pretty pretty tiny. But it’s clean and bright with a big window, washing machine, half-size fridge, and microwave. I’ll get a couple organizing things to hide food and cleaning supplies, and then it’ll be fine.

Tuesday, October 13

After a not great night’s sleep (still on my faux pillow), and thinking I was getting a delivery of stuff (actual pillow, paper towels, cleaning spray, stain remover, etc) at 7am, and then not, so waiting for it all day thinking I’d jinxed myself from ordering from Coupang, I ended up just staying inside all day. It was still rainy in the morning anyway…and mostly I think I’m just exhausted from the past couple days and ch ch ch ch changes. So I let myself just take it easy.

Even though now, at 6pm, with it just turning darker out, I’m realizing that by not going out I still don’t have a bowl for the cereal I got, or a mug to make tea or instant coffee (there’s actually a coffee machine in the kitchen, woohoo). Still no bathmat or shower shoes or plastic pitcher so I can make iced tea, etc. But I guess all that can wait til tomorrow. I’ll get up bright and early and go to Daiso, which is when Asian Target had a baby with Asian Dollar Store. I think there are even some stores in the US now but the prices are higher. And then I’ll take a spin in the afternoon at the coworking space literally two doors down – I’m very excited about that.

So not much to report on today…except that I had an acai bowl delivered this morning with a giant chocolate chip cookie. I ate the acai but saved the cookie for this evening to have with a cup of coffee cuz I thought I’d have gone to the store for a mug.

Wednesday, October 14

Got myself out today…

To breakfast…

To Daiso, which is like if Target and Dollar General had an Asian Baby…for some things for my room…

To a small market.

I still need to place a Coupang delivery order cuz I haven’t been able to find everything I need/want in actual local stores.

Thursday, October 15

Went to a vision center in Gangnam that I knew had English speaking staff…still trying to get glasses that will help correct my wacky vision…or at least save me from the dance of switching the “close vision” glasses out for the “mid-distance” glasses (and vice versa) which goes on all day. It’s just so hard when they’re like, “which blurry 3 is better? this blurry 3? or THIS blurry 3? 1? Or 2? 1? or 2?” AND THEY’RE BOTH BLURRY!!! Anyway, he put something together for me and they should be ready next week. Fingers crossed they’re useful.

Then did a lot of walking back and forth and back and forth trying to get to correct bus stops to go to a) Starbucks for a grapefruit honey iced tea and to read while I waited to meet my friend at b) Songpa Book Museum. None of the map apps are helping me. Google Maps is fine for transportation but not walking (when you get off the transportation). Naver Maps is good for transportation and walking, but most of the time can’t find the things I want, regardless of whether I type it in English or Korean. SORRY. NEVER HEARD OF THAT. Until I manage to find it on my own and then it shows up on the map and then it’s like OH, THAT. Yes, THAT is right there.

Not helpful at all once I’m already standing outside.

But at least the “lost eras” don’t result in me having anxiety attacks like they used to. I definitely am feeling much calmer here now than I did when I was living here. Which is lovely.

The Book Museum was slightly interesting. The history of books in Korea. Mostly in Korean. Ha ha. There were qr codes to listen to English recordings but I was with my friend and it was more fun to talk than to cut ourselves off from one another with headphones. So we just mostly looked at pictures and read the few things we could understand. And did all the kids’ craft projects.

Friday, October 16

I just sort of crashed at home today…

Saturday, October 17

Well, I tried to go to the coworking space two doors down, which, come on, could that BE more convenient?? But it’s an unmanned space and you have to log in with the app to get a code to get in the door…and my US phone number is not compatible with the app. I tried reaching out to a human via text but they were basically like, “yeah, it’s going to be hard to book without a Korean phone number,” AARRGGHH.

So I ended up down the street at Starbucks where I was able to sit for an hour and get some work done, but that’s all my back could take. I didn’t do much else after that – just sort of piddled around in my room – not that there’s much room for piddling.

Sunday, October 18

Got right up and headed out on a drizzly morning to a museum I tried to go to when I was still here in 2025 but ended up making the long trip on a Monday, only to discover it’s closed on Monday! But this time I got it right and got to see a very nice exhibition of photographer Martin Parr’s work. And I made it just in the nick of time as today was the last day of the exhibit.

Got a grapefruit honey iced tea afterwards at Starbucks…and by the time I was headed home it was really raining raining. So when I got home I was happy to swap out my damp clothes for cozy dry ones and just stay inside the rest of the rainy Sunday afternoon.

Got a message that my glasses are ready, so I’ll go pick them up tomorrow.

And so ends my first week back in Korea! It feels good to be back.