Megan Bailey in Seoul

My sister Megan made a quick pit stop in Seoul on her way to China to visit her childhood best friend Leslie, who was studying in Beijing. She was in Seoul for three short days and then made her way to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to see Tina, Sebastian and meet baby Emma.


I wish all of my sisters and my parents could have come too (can you tell I miss them a little bit)!However, I am so happy and to have been able to see one family member and show her my new home: Seoul, South Korea!

On her first night we got Galbi (Korean BBQ) and tasted Soju, as we toured my suburban city, Bucheon.


The next morning, Megan spent her first of two days at Bugok Middle School. Since Megan is an education major it was very interesting for her to compare the teaching and punishment methods. Megan is also studying special education, so we even went to visit our special education class and she was able to have a conversation with the head of the special education department at my school (with a translator of course!).


We enjoyed a classic school lunch: rice, seaweed soup with clams (allergic), kimchi, mystery meat, full boned fish covered in kimchi-ish sauce and an orange slice. Since Megan is dairy and gluten free, she LOVED the school lunch and Korean food in general. I do have to stay it takes a lot of practice to debone a full fish with metal chop sticks (I am a pro now).

We took some time to walk through the neighborhood around my school. My school is considered low-income and most students live in three story town houses, not large apartment buildings, which are much more expensive. Funny how Americans would think the opposite. My school backs up to a park, so Megan and I had some fun on the public exercise equipment. Why don't they have these in America?


My school LOVED Megan. They thought she was one of the most beautiful people they had ever seen. The two days she spent at school were insane. Every time we walked in the hallways we felt like KPOP celebrities; constant screams of "I LOVE YOU" and "YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL". Kids are still coming up to me, weeks after she has left, saying "Where is the beautiful sister with sand hair?" Let's just say coming to visit Bugok Middle School is a nice little self esteem booster.

My afterschool class, who I love, decided they wanted to throw my sister a "Welcome to Korea" party. They decorated the boards and made a paper chain decoration. I brought some cookies and soda and Megan brought some silly bands from America as gifts. We snacked, talked and watched KPOP videos. It was a blast.

We also toured ALL around Seoul! We walked through the traditional Korean Bukchon Village and Samcheong Dong.

We also walked around the City Hall area and toured Seoul's most famous palace, Gyeongbokgung.

We then hit up Myeongdong, Seoul shopping district and Hongdae, the Korean hipster's paradise.

In Myeongdong, there is a place where you can try on Hanbok's (traditional Korean clothing). It is always fun to try them on and pose infront of a fake Gyeongbokgung Palace.


Also in Myeongdong, there is a spa called THE FOOT SHOP. Here you can pay $10 to let fish eat off your dead skin for 20 minutes. Megan was very into this idea and it turned out to be a lot of fun, but very ticklish!


It was great having Megan in Korea. I think I may have ran her into the ground trying to fit everything in, but it made for a memorable trip to Seoul. Hopefully one day I can show more of my family my Asian home that I have grown to love so much!