Last day in Korea

This was our last day in Korea and it was a feeling of both relief, that we are finally going home after a long week of being away from close friends and family, and sadness that it was simultaneously not a long enough week, with just so much more that that the group wanted to visit and do.

We started off the day with breakfast at the hotel before we hit the streets to meet up with JCI members and then do a little bit of last minute shopping before going to the airport.

After breakfast, we packed our bags and all met at the bus around 9:30am.

It was not until about 12:30pm when we stopped by an Italian restaurant where we were greeted by officials of the Junior Chamber International.

Apparently, the JCI group arranged a small farewell lunch ceremony for the CNMI delegates. All were surprised but charmed at the kind gesture.

This was the first time the group had pasta while in Korea. Which I thought was a little bit sad, if one would really think about it—no more bulgogi surprise, no more straight from the live fish market Korean sashimi, no more fresh kimchi.

After lunch, JCI and the CNMI delegates all met outside the restaurant to take group photos and exchange gifts.

After the little gathering, JCI CNMI president Yong Chul Jang and members Nicky Kim and Jae Kim took the group to a place called Doota, a famous eight-story shopping mall in the DongDaemoon shopping area in Seoul.

The place divided its sections into floors such as a mini-flea market on the basement, women’s clothing on the first floor, men’s clothing on the second floor, children’s section on the third floor and so on and so forth. I thought this made it easy to find what it is you’re looking for.

We spent a good four hours in the shopping mall—shopping for clothes, shoes, souvenirs, and other cutesy things that didn’t really made sense only because we didn’t have it back home. Tourist, much?

It was about an hour and a half, possibly two-hour drive to the Incheon International Airport so we had to make sure that everybody were to meet at one place in order to prevent leaving somebody behind in Korea.

Thankfully, we all made it and in good time as well.

As I said earlier, it was pretty sad having to finally leave the city with the people who gave the group only the warmest hospitality; but it was also nice to finally go back home.