Esteban Mendieta Jara - Blog

At last the weather has begun to change in Seoul from this week and the temperature reaches 18 degrees, until last week when the temperature was -6 degrees. Although in previous weeks and the weather was improving enough last week was a tremendous change as we again began to feel the cold of winter.

So last week a friend told me that this is the week of "revenge" and said there tell me that, I said what happens is that in Korea there is the belief that when the weather is definitely about to change from winter to spring, winter sends us a week quite cold but the envy of the arrival of spring, and so sent us this week for revenge.

Well let me tell you it is true, last week was bitterly cold when we are warm now, and already beginning to open all windows to air, to the point that I turn the air conditioning, hehe.

So good, we begin the spring and that also means that only a few months and coming home, really fast time passes.

From the first time I came to Korea I heard a lot about the exquisite food and if you enjoyed it enough at the time.

Now much more for every month I'm living here, but something I heard from the first time and had not been able to prove was the famous " Dog Soup . "

Bosintang (보신탕) or dog soup , is very famous, but very secret so to speak. All Koreans know about it, but nobody says you know they sell it here or you can go in this direction, it's kind of a myth but very real.

The breed of dog that is used for this soup is special, is raised specifically for consumption. There is a soup that is consumed weekly and has a price of 15,000 won (13 USD) per person, a bit expensive for all budgets. The interesting thing is that during the hottest days of the year, usually in summer, this dish is traditional, so they lack the space for restaurants cater to diners.

When I asked many colleagues and friends about the famous soup, all have told me they have heard of it, one or two have tried, others have not tested because they say it smells bad (which I am not aware at all) .

The soup itself is now consumed by older people, young people the truth is not consumed much by the subject who see dogs as pets, but I have other friends that they love.

My experience

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Now if I have the pride to say I am a "Marathon Runner".

Today for the first time I participated in a Marathon and I'm done, I took 4h14m22s to finish the 42,195 KM which is part of this competition.

I feel very happy, and as I always say, nothing is impossible.

Well are 4:45 am on Sunday November 2nd, and my alarm up to me to tell me that the time has come.

During the last two hours has been difficult to sleep, has been hot, and I also started to get concerned and think of everything.

I've eaten some fruit and I have started to hear some music to relax a little, in this way time flies, I have to be at 6:00 am on a cafería to meet Andy Klein, a friend I met in the University and was also preparing for a competition in your country. He is dedicated to the powers of adventure was about to not participate this week because she took a bad flu.

Well it's time to get into the shower.

It is now 6:04 a.m., time to go out into the taxi, we have to meet with other people at 6:50 am, so I expected a little road trip.

Time to get out, and it's time to have fun!

Good long-awaited day finally comes, just 2 days left for the realization of the JoongAng Seoul Marathon for which I have been preparing well for all these months.

Actually I am excited and nervous at the same time, be the first time will participate in a competition like this, so many nerves there and I just know that I am physically and mentally prepared to do, period.

It's been a long road to get to the Marathon, I did not think it would be so hard that at times made me want to stop and it is all there, but I feel that everything was worth it so far.

Many do not know the long hours between studies and to go out and train in the morning, afternoon or evening, the early mornings on weekends to go running on the outskirts of Seoul, and thus has been a sacrifice but I'm happy.

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Well as many already know, apart from studying, I also am preparing to participate for the first time in Marathon (42.195 km), the marathon is that I will participate in the JoongAng Seoul Marathon , the second largest in Seoul.

Each week the workouts become harder and longer, especially on Sundays are the days of long runs.

This last Sunday, I had to run 36K, the truth was a difficult test, had been run up to 28K in previous weeks but the 36K were long and endless.

So I got ready in the morning to go jogging, I grabbed my backpack with drinks and gels necessary, ipod, sunglasses, etc. I took a taxi and get to park next to the World Cup Stadium for the great workout.

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Good preparation for the marathon on November 2, Sunday morning competition will be participating in The Human Race , organized by NIKE worldwide.

This one million athletes participating in 25 world capitals, my number is 0820251, and here in Seoul are enrolled twenty thousand athletes.

In days gone by mail I got the shirt corresponding to the chip and the banda of " Live Strong "and will run in the race for the founding of Lance Armstrong fighting cancer.

It seemed like a good initiative in this race and the support they gave to other institutions as well, because not supporting Lance Armstrong .

We will see that this morning I will release my skills on the streets of Seoul, unfortunately the supply team is not here, ha ha ha.

The day I went to Yongsan Electronic Market spinning saw BOOBIES passing the word on a screen.

I was wondering if I saw it right or wrong, until I realized it was true, the new LG plasma TV is called Xcanvas BoBos , and that's how I promocioban in all screens.

With that name does not enter the American market, we see that change.

If you've been in the United Estates, the jony, just in New York, you know that there are several places where people from other countries come together, as in the case of Little Italy for Italians, China Town for Chinese, Flushing for Ecuadorians and the Roosevelt for all Latinos

In the Roosevelt can find everything you need in your country, in the case of the Ecuadorian male soap, Quaker Oats, Zhumir, Chicken Gus, manicho, including one million more.

Well here in Seoul, there is also a similar place called Itaewon . Here people of all countries to attend, you can find food from different countries, food, cell phones and feel a little closer to home. The stores are more focused on foreigners and everyone speaks English, which does not happen in the other businesses in Seoul.

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Well after a month, I have thought proper to write a few small suggestions or tips for future students coming to Korea.

This is written based on my experience of being a first month here, if in the coming months I think it deserves an update I will.

1. Passport Photos: In many places you ask for them, and in my case in Ecuador are cheaper photos, so I recommend you bring passport photos.
2. Application for multiple entry: When I did get a visa for one entry to Korea, but here in the immigration office make the change without problems, so you use? because you used when you want to go visit other countries you do not re-enter Korea problem.
3. Change money at the airport: From what I've seen so far, at the airport change is higher than banks in Seoul, so it may recommend that you change your money at the airport, change when the eye was high there, and banks is lower, now do not know.
4. Deodorants: If, as you listen, here there is no deodorant at all stores, what Koreans have told me because of the food and your body does not use them, so well told in the shops are, but that if a price 10 to 15 USD, so I recommend that you bring from home, so bring the ones you like because there is no choice here.

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