Home away from home

Hey, guys!

It’s been a while since my last blog.

I finally handed in my resignation and have been trying to find another job so life has been a bit crazy. But I have a short an hour before class so I will blog!

I actually prepared the content for this blog a while ago. As you can probably tell form the title, this post will be about where I live. I think I made the title sound more enthusiastic than I actually am about where I live. You guys will see why!

Let’s start with some history.
Since I moved to Korea in 2014, I have lived in 7 houses. Two of them I was just crashing with friends while trying to find a job. Three of those houses were a very decent size and I fell in love with one of them because I had a lovely bathroom and a big balcony. Those are very rare to find in Korea if you are living somewhere that isn’t an apartment or house. I then moved to Seoul and I lived in the apartment which is below where I am living now. I had the chance to move one floor up when another teacher finished working here. Finally, the place where I am living now.

When I moved into this apartment, I had a horrible time. The internet wasn’t working, it has 1/3 the size of my last place, it was a basement apartment, it was dirty, the wallpaper was a disgusting poo colour and there were dead bugs in my bed. On top of all of that, I couldn’t fit all of my things in to the place so I had to throw out a bunch of stuff. It was not a pleasant experience.

My place is called a ‘1.5 room’ meaning the kitchen is separate from the bedroom, but I must tell you, there is just a door, which I can’t open fully, that separates my bedroom from my kitchen. The size of the place is tiny. I would consider it to be a ‘goshiwon’ which is like a dorm room. It is smaller than a ‘one room’, which is what I was told this place was. It is so tiny, my fridge is next to my bed. Literally, I don’t have to stand up to get something out of my fridge.

Anyway! I should calm down on telling you guys the negatives of my place and give you some images. I tried really hard to make my room cozy, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

My kitchen and bathroom are both tiny right? It’s okay. As much as I hate this place, I only have one month left and I have actually gotten used to it now. When it is tidy and clean, like in this video, I suppose it isn’t too bad. Maybe I have just gotten used to it.

The kitchen is so tiny that I feel restricted and I hardly cook. There is no counter space for me to prepare food on. That is the hardest thing to accept. Apart from that, I really hate the orange colour of the cupboards especially against the green tiles. I am also used to cooking with a gas stove. This is the first time I have used an electric stove and  I have to say, they are so hard to cook with.

The bathroom, I had issues with when I moved in. Actually the apartment downstairs was the tiniest bit smaller than the one I am in now. The ceiling in this one is higher. It is annoying when I have a shower that everything gets wet. I have to take out Aurora’s litter and hide the toilet tissue in the cupboard so it does not get wet. But hey, a bathroom that has a toilet that flushes and water for a shower is something that other people don’t have. I have to be grateful for the things I have.

Okay, now time for the bedroom! And the most unusual thing, the fridge.

Yep. There is the fridge. Right next to my bed!

Although it is small, I hope you guys like the decoration because I did try really hard. Actually, watching over the video, it looks much better than it does in real life. Or maybe I just have the bad first impression still stuck in my head.

I wish I had videos of my house back home in London. The difference is 100% noticeable.

The biggest differences are the fact that my kitchen is not big enough for me to actually cook in, the fridge is not in the kitchen, there is no living room and there is no bathtub or shower cubicle.

The thing I do like about my place is that it is a good location. I think that regardless of where you live in Seoul it is good location because the transport system is great! Just like London.
I am trying really hard to think of other good things about this place, but nothing is coming to mind!

At the end of the day I am just thankful for having a roof over my head.

So, what do you guys think? Am I overreacting? Did I decorate it well? Aurora is cute, right?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Also let me know if there are similarities or differences in your homes. I’m curious! If any has a similar blog post to this or wants to make one in response, leave the link in the comment box!

Thanks for reading!