As a Master’s student who moved to Seoul, South Korea half a year ago, I have had a great many experiences which might be of benefit for those aspiring towards achieving South Korean higher education. Being a South Asian, my work will focus mostly on the South Asian community based in East Asia, with respect to differences and similarities in lifestyle along with many other subtleties that may carry cultural importance for all of us.

Seoul is a busy and happening city with a large chunk of young population hustling to and from schools, universities and their offices. The metropolitan nature of the city is clearly evident as soon as you arrive.

The highly efficient machines that help in loading transportation cards are a technology that have not yet arrived in Pakistan. It’s likely to confuse those who have never had exposure to similar devices in their home countries. The subway networks are incredibly well thought out and once people get the hang of cell phone applications like KakaoMetro, it becomes rather easy for them to navigate their way across the city. Similarly, buses are also different since there is no concept of a conductor and instead credit cards or transportation cards must be struck against a machine next to the bus driver’s seat which removes money from the card; the bus and subway fares are quite similar to each other. Still, it can take a person up to a month to get accustomed to these differences but quick learners may adjust much faster. On the other hand, taxis are usually used after buses and subways stop running at night, and are usually very expensive. It’s always a better idea to use taxis if you are with friends and then pool in the money, rather than travelling in one all alone. Nevertheless, it can take people up to a month to adjust to this mechanized travel system while those who are a little more adventurous may learn faster.

Other than the immensely punctual and intensely organized transport system, South Korea as a whole is home to a large amount of natural beauty. The entire country is cushioned by the coastline and hills all around.

Seoul is hilly and it’s very likely that people will choose to walk for shorter distances than take any other vehicle to get from one place to another. However, it requires quite some skill to learn to traverse this terrain if you are coming from a flatter region, and even more so if you are not used to using public transport at home. Trudging up the hills is quite a task since it requires immense effort to push your entire body forward without losing your balance. However, just stepping out of your house gives you immense energy since all you are surrounded by is life moving at a fast pace making you want to go out and do things as well.

The hills are the only thing that provides the environment with hints of natural beauty since they are lush and covered in trees. The rest is all high rises and busy roads. Nevertheless, the breeze that comes in with the sea is cool and gets colder as the winters approach gradually becoming unbearable since it always makes the weather much chillier than it actually is on a thermometer.

With such an intricate transportation system, and mechanization among all the scenic beauty, Seoul has a lot to offer to both the traveller and the student. The place is therapeutic since it is cut off from much of the violence and political chaos that has become a part of our daily routines at home. A lot of the social ills in our own environments become insignificant over here because real work replaces all of the problems we face particularly because we have too much free time on our hands. It’s a good place to start on a road to self-discovery as one comes to understand who they are and what they stand for at the level of an international citizen. Seoul can definitely help you discover your own soul.