I finally made the decision I've been putting off forever and been re-thinking and re-thinking over the past couple of weeks. Should I go for this exchange year in Korea at my University or should I put it off for another while or go to another country altogether? Finally, I decided to just go for it - I just turned 19 and I've always sworn myself from when I was young to go and conquer the world. Korea seems as good a place as any to start.

Though I have finally made this tough decision and have already filled out all the paperwork, there are still a few things I am unsure about. I've been reading up information on Korea, primarily from eslcafe.com - and to my great dismay, most of the posters on this board portrayed Korean men as unfaithful, violent, traditionalist whoremongerers and Korean girls as either sex workers, Jesus freaks or artificially-enhanced pretty dolls who'll do anything to get themselves a wealthy man. I don't know what to think about this, so I decided to come here to ask people with (hopefully) less biased opinions.

Fact of the matter is, what I'm concerned about the most in moving to Korea is not having a sufficient social life or losing myself in the foreigner scene. I've already been to Korea - I was there for 5 weeks this summer and I quite enjoyed myself. The Korean men I met were either pretty conservative (I even met many virgins! Those were the guys that I approached) or rather macho, but still modern (the ones I attracted and who approached me - many of them told me without me having asked them how they despised commercial sex, the Korean diet and beauty craze fad and had a pretty Western opinion on things). None of these young, college-age guys I met striked me as violent or unfaithful, though I did meet my fair share of middle-aged Korean men who mistook me for a prostitute or openly ogled my bust!

So even though I had quite a positive experience especially with people my age there in those 5 weeks and even found a short-term Korean boyfriend which of course broke off when I moved back home, I still tend to get quite irritated by the many people who write negative things about Korea and Koreans on the internet. Seeing as how I haven't lived in Korea long-term and some of them have (or claim to be) it just makes me wary. I realise that Korea is a country where some of my Western perspectives won't apply and that it is a monoethnic country where I will stick out like a sore thumb at all times, but I would still appreciate being able to meet many Koreans who behave like normal beings and even a nice, down-to-earth man to date and have fun with for that one year. I noticed that getting sex with handsome Korean men was no problem at all. Many were obviously attracted to me and I got hit on A LOT at clubs, bars or even on the street. But seeing as how I got a boyfriend very early on (one I'd known before I came there) I have no experience at all how most of them would behave if they didn't know I was leaving in a few weeks.

Having said this, do any of you have 'white girl' survival tips for me? Where to go to meet people and where to go to meet the RIGHT ones, meaning those who aren't involved in any kind of sex trade (I'm not here to discuss the ethics of this kind of work - but I do not wish to be in any way involved), those who believe in overly traditional Korean values that I won't be able to relate to or those who jus plain aren't interested in foreigners? I'm going to study at Yonsei University so I'm guessing meeting people on campus would be a good idea. Any suggestions for improving my behaviour in order not to scare off any good Koreans, male or female? I realise that learning Korean is a must to have a healthy social life, so I will be taking 4 hours of Korean classes a day once I arrive there. I certainly do not wish to make too many foreign friends but will try to improve my Korean with actual Koreans to get the most out of the experience.

Some info about me to conclude this post: I just turned 19 and I'm Central European. I'm 5'4'', I was small enough to fit into the clothes they sold at Dongdaemun and have had a rather traditional and conservative as well as Catholic Central European upbringing. I had a link to my pictures here before, but I removed the link now as I am too much of a private person and felt almost immediately uncomfortable... instead, I will say that I have dark-blonde hair, large hazel eyes, D-cups and am considered rather attractive by people in my country.

Suggestions are very welcome! Please no flames, though.