I make a dash towards the crosswalk, pushing my way through a swarm of hustling elementary school children, running side-by-side with several businessmen, women and a few college students, striving to reach the end of the six-lane street before the crosswalk signal turns red. This is a regular part of my routine in Korea, in my case a general workout. After the run, I step along the sidewalk towards the subway where small vending stands or blankets are laid out.  Ajumma's and ajussi's (a term for older men and women) arrange their commodities for sale, which range from fruits and vegetables to kimbap (a typical Asian roll with vegetables and at times, meat, rolled on a layer of rice and a sheet of seaweed) and dduk (Korean rice cakes). Minutes from school, I smell the sweet aroma of hodduk (a type of Korean snack) being made on the street vendor's grill.

This is my daily morning commute to Yonsei University for hangeukmahl (Korean) lessons at University’s renowned Korean Language Institute; experiences such as these have made me greatly appreciative of this country.

I receive numerous responses to the inquiry of what one considers to be a unique aspect of life in Korea. One mentions the delicious yet inexpensive food. Another makes an observation of the cafes, which are richly designed with soft, luxurious couches arranged for two. (On top of that, for any of these restaurants or cafes, one doesn't even need to pay for tip!) Drinking sool, alcohol, is a favorite pastime here, as it seems to be the case everywhere else. For fun, Koreans frequent the norebangs, where people are free to let go of all their stress for the day through singing karaoke. Some places even have dance floors set up for those who really want to let go. I've been told many Koreans are great singers as well as dancers, which makes clubbing a common interest. Hiking in Korea’s many mountains is popular, especially during autumn when the leaves' colors turn into rich shades of red, orange, and yellow.