TRIP TO KOREA

From February 28th to March 1st this year, I went to Korea with my friends. It was a graduation trip for us. I went abroad many times with my family. For example, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, USA, Mexico etc. I also went to Canada as a study tour with my classmates and my teachers. But, this time, I went abroad with only my friends for the first time. There are no adults among us. I thought "We are free!" at first. But gradually I felt anxiety. What should I do? How much money should I bring to Korea? I didn't know anything. So I totally depended on my friends though it was the time we had to study for entrance exams of universities then. I really feel sorry and thanks for them even now. My friends I went to Korea together all like to listen to K-POP music, of course I like too. We would dance on K-POP music and talk about it on a balcony in our high school. The balcony is a memorial place among us. We have 8 members, but two of them couldn't go together. It is so pity. I want to go with them next time. The 8 friends of mine like K-POP music, so they tell me about their favorite artists. I know about Korea more than before thanks to them. I know a little Korean words and language too. "Annyeonghaseyo" means "Hello," and "Saranghaeyo" means "I love you." I had decided to use my poor Korean knowledge in Korea.

We stayed at a hotel in Seoul, which is a capital city of Korea. The hotel is in Myeong-dong in Seoul. There were many Japanese tourists, and to my surprise, there were also many Japanese signboards. Myeong-dong is a popular area among Japanese tourists, so store clerks talked to us in Japanese fluently. So I didn't use my poor Korean at all. I didn't understand why they knew we were Japanese. But I got it later. Features of most of Japanese girls are brown dyed hair, pink cheek and false eyelashes, I think. I didn't expect that I knew the features of us Japanese girls in Korea. My looks then are not like that, I was often thought to be a Korean. In Myeon-dong, I bought cosmetic items. Korea is famous for them. We went to Dongdaemun, which is a popular area among Korean young people. A lot of clothes were sold cheaply there. There were also many stalls of not only foods but also fashion items. I recommend Dongdaemun at night to you. Many buildings are illuminated. Myeon-dong and Dongdaemun became my favorite city. I want to go there again!

In Korea, people were very kind to us. When we wrongly went to an area (it is not a place for sightseeing, so there are no Japanese and it was dark), we entered a little eating house. People in it didn't speak Japanese, but they tried to understand our Korean. It was a happening for us, but we experienced good things.

  There is another reason the trip was exciting. It is my friends. They are so funny in Korea too, so I always felt happy there. To be honest, I worried about this trip without adults. But thanks to them, the uneasiness disappeared. We ate much Korean foods together, we strolled in cities together and we talked much in a room of the hotel every night together. All we did together is my big memory. We promised that we go to Korea again with all members. I'm looking forward to that time! I can't wait!