So I haven't had time to blog since I've been here because I've been so busy (and maybe a little lazy!!) so I thought it was time to try and summarise a month living in one of the craziest cities in the world.

I'm not sure at what point it dawned on me that my first proper job and first time living away from my family (except university of course) was in a country where I couldn't speak a word of the language and knew a grand total of 1 person! It has taken me a fair amount of time to adjust and I still have a long way to go.

I think my first clue that this may be a tough experience was when I got to the airport. The air hostess told me I wouldn't need an arrival slip because I had my visa, so I happily joined the huge queue at passport control only to get to the front and be told I needed to go back and fill out a slip. Safely through passport control I collected my bag and was ushered by staff through to customs, despite everyone seeming to have some sort of form I was told to come on through without one. You would think I had learnt from my previous mistake. The lady seemed to take pity on me and scan my bag without the form probably realising that I was far too stupid to be any threat. I eventually made it to arrivals (an hour after my plane landed) to be greeted by one of the receptionists from my new job. I think we had met for maybe 2 minutes before she pointed out she had been waiting for me for over an hour (I have come to expect this frankness now!).

However, I have been set up in a lovely flat 5 minutes from my work, living with two really nice Korean girls. I don't see my flatmates a great deal because they are really busy and seen as Seoul seems to be a 24 hour city it isn't surprising!

I have started meeting other expats out here and have even been cast in a theatre production which is an exciting prospect! This week I joined a gym, got a phone and a bank account and now feel like I'm a lot more set up here.

Seen as my photos show you where I've been I thought I would just share a few observations about life in Seoul:

• If you're old, you can do whatever you want
• If you're in an old persons way you will know about it, a short elbow to the ribs of push in the bottom of your back will let you know.
• People walk slowly, really slowly. But this does mean that esculators run slowly which for someone with a fear of esculators is only a good thing!
• Everything is recycled but everything comes in a mountain of packaging...
• Korean kids work really really really hard. (I had a ten year old tell me he wanted to be the director general of the UN- not an astronaught or a footballer then?)
• If you can't eat with chopsticks, you can't eat (unless your Korean co-workers take pity on you and ask the waiter to bring you a fork which has happened many times in my case).
• People will stare. A lot.
• This is a 24 hour city which doesn't have a 24 hour subway and if you can't speak Korean taxi drivers will take you for a ride because you can't protest!
• Thin is very much in. My medical told me my weight was 'no good'. Gangnam especially is full of beautiful people.
• Everything is made for couples. Including matching outfits.
• Korean women can do anything in heels.

So all in all I am enjoying life in Seoul! Summer is arriving, the temperature is rising and so is the humidity!! Should be a busy summer full of lots of drama for me, so fingers crossed I don't melt in the heat...