Camille became the person I spent most of the time with in Seoul. She became one of my closest friends and I can’t imagine what my semester in Seoul would have been without her. It would have been lonely and boring, that’s for sure! But let’s take a closer look step by step (:
How I met Camille
It was one of the first days when I went to Sinchon Station to buy some groceries. I was crossing the streets to get back to the dorm when I saw a girl with Daiso bags. I still needed some stuff for the room so I wanted to ask her where the shop was, when in that exact same moment she started talking to me: „Hi, where did you buy the fruits?“
We decided to take the way back trough the Campus to see the buildings at night and found out that we lived in the same building, on the exact same floor. Of course, exchanged numbers (Kakao Talk) and started texting the same night.
On Orientation Day we decided to go to the events together and happened to stick together all day long. From the very first introduction of the dorm to the Welcoming Party in the evening. Freezing in the big auditorium, eating lunch for the first time in one of many Yonsei Cafeterias and singing Korean Songs in a Noraebang at night (well, she did – I didn’t know any of them).
We met a lot of different people that day: our 7th floor friend Joann <3 from China, Lee from Norway, who showed us the best Vegetarian Restaurant nearby (Sukkara), Kat from England, who took us dancing to a hip hop club and last but not least Seine and Ujin from Canada, who became great companions during our whole time in Seoul.
Why Camille is just one-of-a-kind
At first glance, Camille and I don’t seem like we have a lot in common. But we sure share the same interests in people, music, (pop) culture and languages, as well as the same humor.
Camille is 22 years young and just started her Bachelor in Physics and Chemistry (Yonsei: Chemical Engineering) in Bordeaux, France. Camille loves to do sports like Taekwondo and hiking. While she always wanted me to join her and Alice on her early hiking trips to see the sunrise at five in the morning I decided to stay in bed 🙂
Camille’s big brother has been living in Seoul for seven years and that’s why she’s been to Seoul before and knows all about the little beautiful hidden places or where to eat and go out. Also, she’s much more into Korean Music and Dramas than I am. So every time we talked it felt like she knew everything. She even knew a lot of Korean, already! Explaining cultural differences, movie scenes, food and drinks she could easily become a Tour Guide some day.
Camille’s K-Drama Must-Watch-List
- Signal
- Stranger
- Goblin
- Kingdom
- Voice (Netflix)
- Mr. Sunshine (Netflix)
- Reply 1988 (Netflix)
Not only was I impressed about her knowledge about Korea, but her energy to do and learn new things is infinite. She was always sleeping little, but trying new things, new restaurants, new streets and areas all the time. Never tired of me or my ideas where to go or what to do we just out and see everything together!
In the first days we even thought why don’t we move in together? Her roommate was not the greatest and I regret my decision to stay in a single room – because let’s be honest, I didn’t get out of bed very good. Watching K-Dramas into the night, I usually woke up pretty late. Camille knew it and came by once in a while to knock on my door: „Wake up or I come and kick your ass!“ (: But really, it was just great to have Camille to share my daily activities with. Going to the grocery or convenient store, having Lunch or Coffee in the afternoon and going out for dinner. We even did the laundry together and shared the detergent to split the costs!
Camille is no drama queen, but she’s one of the most emphatic persons I know. She’s funny and never complicated, feels like I could never describe her fully. She was my Seoul (mate) fellow during this semester!
My last days of Seoul were Camille-Days. We went to art galleries, to the movies, found a great hidden tea place in Itaewon, finally used my Seoul Pass to get into a Hanok Village and the Seoul Tower for free, and spend the last hours before my flight inside of Leuum, one of the greatest Museums of Art! She even took me to the Airport train before I left Seoul crying and sad. But fortunately, I was going to see Camille again – in Hanoi!
Our Trip to Vietnam
There are not a lot of people I can imagine to travel together but Camille is definitely one of them. So when she told me she wanted to join me on my trip to Vietnam, I was super excited. What would Camille would think about Hanoi? It’s just so different to Seoul!
Since one of her best friends in France was Vietnamese, too, she stayed at her friend’s place close to the old quarter. Still, we met everyday at the old quarter and I showed her all about the places I know. We also made a few trips with my family: We went to Ninh Bình to see Churches and eat see food at the beach. Also, we took spend hours in the small traditional town of Đường Lâm walking around, talking to an old granny and eating traditional candy.
On the last day before Camille had to leave Hanoi to get back to Vietnam, we tried to spend as much time as possible. Still it was too sad to say goodbye. And then I saw Camille crying for the first time. „You were like big sister to me“, she said and hugged me. <3
Camille, I miss you very much and I wish I could have spend more time with you in Korea. Sometimes I really regret not staying for a year. It would have been so GOOD! I miss you explaining Korean Culture and showing Korean Dramas to me. But I’m happy that we still text from time to time – talking about Tom Misch or our latest K-Dramas. Let’s meet soon and kick some asses 🙂
