Aloha!
I am back home in Honolulu, where the weather is warm and the sun is shining. Toward the end of my stay in Seoul, the weather was so cold that I didn't want to stay outside for very long (18-30 degrees!). I am very glad to be back, although, I really miss Seoul now that I have had a chance to experience it.
During my first few days back, I have experienced a culture shock. I didn't remember what it was like to ride in a car, grocery shop, or go to restaurants. Interacting with American people was also a "new" thing - I didn't have to try to speak in Korean.
Visiting the temples, palaces, mountains, and going to the DMZ are experiences that I will
never forget. I saw the struggles that Koreans have had to endure
throughout history and learned about their traditions. They have come a
long way since the Korean War, and are able to balance their
modernization while still maintaining their cultural values.
One thing that I miss the most about Seoul is the efficient transportation. Anyone could get to wherever they need to go via the subway, and didn't have to worry about driving, traffic, or parking. Now that I am back to the land of traffic, I have come to appreciate the subway system. I will also miss the convenience of shopping in Seoul. Everything one may need is simply sold by a street vendor along the nearest main street. The vendors sell everything from food to clothes, and even accessories for very affordable prices.
Most importantly, I will miss all the friends that I have made throughout this incredible journey. We have made great memories together and created friendships that will last a lifetime. They have helped me to broaden my horizons on views of cultures and the way I see the world. I am so grateful to have met all them. Again, none of this would have been possible without the help of the Freeman Scholarship, and I am also extremely thankful to Mr. Freeman and Mrs. Freeman, for without them, none of this would have been possible.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Happy Winter!
I haven't updated this blog recently, mainly because of FINALS! The past few weeks have been so busy and stressful. Here is a quick update of what's been going on:
On November 15th, my mom and aunty came to visit me again! This time, we went to see the lantern festival, and did lots of shopping!
I went to a tea house with Jarenn (a FISH scholar), where I had cinnamon tea with soy paste soup. It was delicious! I went to a 4-D movie theater at Times Square, the largest mall in Seoul. We watched "Rise of the Guardians." 4D is where the seats move, objects punch you from the back and bottom of the seats, air blows at you from the headrest, and ropes lash out at your feet! What an experience! It has also been snowing for at least one day of the week. I had my first snowfall since i was young and made my first snowman in my life! Watching the snow color the ground white felt like I was in a movie.
Our school also held a "graduation" ceremony for the International students, putting together a presentation and slideshow of all our times together. They handed out graduation certificates and fed us pizza.
For the past 2 weeks, I have been studying for my finals (I had 5), but now they are finally over! I have a week left in Korea and finally have a chance to relax and enjoy the city!
Yesterday, I went to watch the Cooking NANTA performance, which is ranked as the number one performance in Korea, and even made it to New York's Broadway! Cooking NANTA is about a team of chefs that have to cook something by the end of the day. It is a non-verbal show, so it welcomes people from all over the world to enjoy it.
Today, I went to the DMZ. It was such an eye-opening experience. We got a chance to enter the conference room that was located right on the boarder (half of the room was on South Korea's land, while the other half was in North Korea's land). I also saw over to North Korea's villages, and mountains. Regardless of constantly being watched my North Koreans, tt was a very peaceful place, seeing lots of untouched and open land on the North Korean side. The tour also took us to see the 3rd infiltration tunnel, which was built by the North Koreans to make a surprise attack on the South. The tunnel was 2 meters in diameter, but very amazing! We also learned a lot about the history between the North and South.
Here is something interesting that I have learned about the grading scale at Ewha: Ewha has a rule where only 50-60% of the class can get an "A" or "B," while the rest of the classes will receive a "C" or lower. English-taught classes are more relaxed, where up to 70% of students may receive an "A" or "B," while the rest of the students receive a "C" or lower. When I asked about why Ewha the number of "A" and "B" grades were limited, no one could give me a straight answer. However, I found out that the percentage is higher for English-taught classes in order to encourage the Korean Students to take the English classes. Being International students, we are graded on our own scale, where we don't have to compete for the "A" or "B,' but are instead graded upon our personal performance. Phew!
Another interesting thing that I found out is that the bookstore here won't buy back any used textbooks. The International students have been trying to sell their textbooks to each other or online. Most have been throwing them into the recycle bins. What a waste! No one wants to carry those heavy books home. There are student-run organizations that will purchase textbooks back from you, however, they will only buy them back at the beginning of the new semester, rather than at the end. Therefore, if you want to get a cheap book, find out which organizations these are and when they will be selling them (usually the second week of school). =]
I haven't updated this blog recently, mainly because of FINALS! The past few weeks have been so busy and stressful. Here is a quick update of what's been going on:
On November 15th, my mom and aunty came to visit me again! This time, we went to see the lantern festival, and did lots of shopping!
I went to a tea house with Jarenn (a FISH scholar), where I had cinnamon tea with soy paste soup. It was delicious! I went to a 4-D movie theater at Times Square, the largest mall in Seoul. We watched "Rise of the Guardians." 4D is where the seats move, objects punch you from the back and bottom of the seats, air blows at you from the headrest, and ropes lash out at your feet! What an experience! It has also been snowing for at least one day of the week. I had my first snowfall since i was young and made my first snowman in my life! Watching the snow color the ground white felt like I was in a movie.
Our school also held a "graduation" ceremony for the International students, putting together a presentation and slideshow of all our times together. They handed out graduation certificates and fed us pizza.
For the past 2 weeks, I have been studying for my finals (I had 5), but now they are finally over! I have a week left in Korea and finally have a chance to relax and enjoy the city!
Yesterday, I went to watch the Cooking NANTA performance, which is ranked as the number one performance in Korea, and even made it to New York's Broadway! Cooking NANTA is about a team of chefs that have to cook something by the end of the day. It is a non-verbal show, so it welcomes people from all over the world to enjoy it.
Today, I went to the DMZ. It was such an eye-opening experience. We got a chance to enter the conference room that was located right on the boarder (half of the room was on South Korea's land, while the other half was in North Korea's land). I also saw over to North Korea's villages, and mountains. Regardless of constantly being watched my North Koreans, tt was a very peaceful place, seeing lots of untouched and open land on the North Korean side. The tour also took us to see the 3rd infiltration tunnel, which was built by the North Koreans to make a surprise attack on the South. The tunnel was 2 meters in diameter, but very amazing! We also learned a lot about the history between the North and South.
Here is something interesting that I have learned about the grading scale at Ewha: Ewha has a rule where only 50-60% of the class can get an "A" or "B," while the rest of the classes will receive a "C" or lower. English-taught classes are more relaxed, where up to 70% of students may receive an "A" or "B," while the rest of the students receive a "C" or lower. When I asked about why Ewha the number of "A" and "B" grades were limited, no one could give me a straight answer. However, I found out that the percentage is higher for English-taught classes in order to encourage the Korean Students to take the English classes. Being International students, we are graded on our own scale, where we don't have to compete for the "A" or "B,' but are instead graded upon our personal performance. Phew!
Another interesting thing that I found out is that the bookstore here won't buy back any used textbooks. The International students have been trying to sell their textbooks to each other or online. Most have been throwing them into the recycle bins. What a waste! No one wants to carry those heavy books home. There are student-run organizations that will purchase textbooks back from you, however, they will only buy them back at the beginning of the new semester, rather than at the end. Therefore, if you want to get a cheap book, find out which organizations these are and when they will be selling them (usually the second week of school). =]
Friday, November 9, 2012
Good Evening!
I had an amazing trip to Thailand the other weekend with Jarenn (a FISH scholar)! Together, we saw palaces, temples, rode an elephant, pet tigers, and took a boat down a floating market. Not to mention, we ate A LOT of food! We were fed on all of our plane rides, we ate pho during our Vietnam layover, and we had a river cruise dinner buffet and a lunch buffet! We had an unforgettable time and still can't stop talking about it!
Back in Korea, I have just been studying. A few papers and tests coming up again! I also celebrated my 21st birthday this past weekend with a few friends! We ate dinner and had a cake! They are so sweet for taking me out =]
On Tuesday, I met up with one my contacts from Ewha, Hye-Soo Kim. She was such a sweet girl! She came to meet me at Ewha after her interview with KoreaAir and we had dinner together. She spoke English very well, and said it was because she studied abroad in the States. After dinner, we went shopping! We will be meeting again more more time next Friday.
Here is some basic information about living in Korea and about my school =]
Ewha Womens University: Did you know that this school has their own subway stop?! It is pretty easy to get to from the airport to the university (there is also a bus that will take you to one of the gates). Ewha is a beautiful campus, full of trees and pathways through nature. Some of the buildings are new, while some are traditional. Be careful, though! The school is built on a hill, so be watch your step (especially for those girls who wear heels)! The Yonsei University International Dorms are also right across a main street of the International dorms of Ewha! How convenient!
Dorms: The International dorms here are wonderful! You can request for a single or a double room, and if you want a bathroom in it. I have a double with a bathroom. The rooms also comes with a mini refrigerator, a cooling.heating unit, bed, desk, and lamp. There is even a balcony!
Books: When it comes to books, there weren't too many (if any) hard-cover textbooks, which means that the books were significantly cheaper! Lots of professors have powerpoint slides that they teach from, however, they also expect you to read the book. The business school organized a used-textbook sale on the second week of school. You can also get your books from there (business textbooks). Since they were used, they were even cheaper! I didn't see used books sold at the bookstore.
Classes: I am taking 3 business classes and 1 economics class. Foreign students are graded on a different scale than the regular students. Here, only 75% of the students can get "A"'s and "B"'s. Foreign students don't have to compete with regular students for the 75% (they get the grade that they deserve). Also, professors state that English-taught classes are harder than regular Korean-taught classes, therefore, they will add a slight curve to the grades. Most of the professors seem really nice and helpful. A majority of them have good English, although some don't. It will make you pay more attention in class. =]
Living in Korea: Food in Ewha's main cafeteria is relatively cheap. The most expensive dish is 3,000 won ($3). Food outside of Ewha is also cheap (around 5,000 won, or $5). Street food is also delicious and cheap! Don't worry, the food is safe to eat! Groceries are very expensive!! Fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, cereal, and more cost a lot! It may be cheaper (and easier) to eat out.
Clothes and shoes are also very cheap! 5,000 won to 10,000 won for blouses and 20,000 for jeans! Don't be afraid to buy goods from street vendors! They are also cheaper. Pack light so that you have room to take back all your clothes and shoes!
Getting Around: The subway is very efficient! The subway is close to the school, and you can almost get anywhere you need to go. Be sure to load your "T-Money" card, and use it to get on and off the subway. The T-Money card can also be used on the bus and the taxi! How easy! Watch out for the taxis though! They are fast drivers (and sometimes crazy), however, it was very cheap option. If you are planning to travel a short distance, some taxis won't pick you up, because they won't make enough money off of you.
I hope this guide will help anyone who is coming to Ewha! You will definitely enjoy yourself here.
I had an amazing trip to Thailand the other weekend with Jarenn (a FISH scholar)! Together, we saw palaces, temples, rode an elephant, pet tigers, and took a boat down a floating market. Not to mention, we ate A LOT of food! We were fed on all of our plane rides, we ate pho during our Vietnam layover, and we had a river cruise dinner buffet and a lunch buffet! We had an unforgettable time and still can't stop talking about it!
Back in Korea, I have just been studying. A few papers and tests coming up again! I also celebrated my 21st birthday this past weekend with a few friends! We ate dinner and had a cake! They are so sweet for taking me out =]
On Tuesday, I met up with one my contacts from Ewha, Hye-Soo Kim. She was such a sweet girl! She came to meet me at Ewha after her interview with KoreaAir and we had dinner together. She spoke English very well, and said it was because she studied abroad in the States. After dinner, we went shopping! We will be meeting again more more time next Friday.
Here is some basic information about living in Korea and about my school =]
Ewha Womens University: Did you know that this school has their own subway stop?! It is pretty easy to get to from the airport to the university (there is also a bus that will take you to one of the gates). Ewha is a beautiful campus, full of trees and pathways through nature. Some of the buildings are new, while some are traditional. Be careful, though! The school is built on a hill, so be watch your step (especially for those girls who wear heels)! The Yonsei University International Dorms are also right across a main street of the International dorms of Ewha! How convenient!
Dorms: The International dorms here are wonderful! You can request for a single or a double room, and if you want a bathroom in it. I have a double with a bathroom. The rooms also comes with a mini refrigerator, a cooling.heating unit, bed, desk, and lamp. There is even a balcony!
Books: When it comes to books, there weren't too many (if any) hard-cover textbooks, which means that the books were significantly cheaper! Lots of professors have powerpoint slides that they teach from, however, they also expect you to read the book. The business school organized a used-textbook sale on the second week of school. You can also get your books from there (business textbooks). Since they were used, they were even cheaper! I didn't see used books sold at the bookstore.
Classes: I am taking 3 business classes and 1 economics class. Foreign students are graded on a different scale than the regular students. Here, only 75% of the students can get "A"'s and "B"'s. Foreign students don't have to compete with regular students for the 75% (they get the grade that they deserve). Also, professors state that English-taught classes are harder than regular Korean-taught classes, therefore, they will add a slight curve to the grades. Most of the professors seem really nice and helpful. A majority of them have good English, although some don't. It will make you pay more attention in class. =]
Living in Korea: Food in Ewha's main cafeteria is relatively cheap. The most expensive dish is 3,000 won ($3). Food outside of Ewha is also cheap (around 5,000 won, or $5). Street food is also delicious and cheap! Don't worry, the food is safe to eat! Groceries are very expensive!! Fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, cereal, and more cost a lot! It may be cheaper (and easier) to eat out.
Clothes and shoes are also very cheap! 5,000 won to 10,000 won for blouses and 20,000 for jeans! Don't be afraid to buy goods from street vendors! They are also cheaper. Pack light so that you have room to take back all your clothes and shoes!
Getting Around: The subway is very efficient! The subway is close to the school, and you can almost get anywhere you need to go. Be sure to load your "T-Money" card, and use it to get on and off the subway. The T-Money card can also be used on the bus and the taxi! How easy! Watch out for the taxis though! They are fast drivers (and sometimes crazy), however, it was very cheap option. If you are planning to travel a short distance, some taxis won't pick you up, because they won't make enough money off of you.
I hope this guide will help anyone who is coming to Ewha! You will definitely enjoy yourself here.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Good Evening!
My midterms are finally done! Wednesday (today) to Friday are the general class midterms and no classes are scheduled for those days, so I have an extra long weekend!
This past weekend, I have been studying inside. Nothing too exciting. However, for this long weekend, Jarenn (a FISH scholar) and I will be going to Thailand! We are very excited! We went to the Noryangjin fish market today, along with some other friends, to discuss the trip. At the fish market, we bought 10 baby octopuses and a large king crab.
It was everyone's first time eating live octopus! They sure liked it! It was chewy, but tasty! The king crab was cooked and served to us whole, so we cut it up and dug in. It was so delicious! What a mess we made! Well, I like to think that if it isn't messy, it wouldn't be as fun or tasty. After the fish market, we went to eat a frozen yogurt waffle. It was amazing! Frozen yogurt was put in between a folded fresh waffle. I'll definitely have to go back.
Tomorrow morning, Jarenn and I will be waking up early to catch out flight over to Thailand. We can't wait!
My midterms are finally done! Wednesday (today) to Friday are the general class midterms and no classes are scheduled for those days, so I have an extra long weekend!
This past weekend, I have been studying inside. Nothing too exciting. However, for this long weekend, Jarenn (a FISH scholar) and I will be going to Thailand! We are very excited! We went to the Noryangjin fish market today, along with some other friends, to discuss the trip. At the fish market, we bought 10 baby octopuses and a large king crab.
It was everyone's first time eating live octopus! They sure liked it! It was chewy, but tasty! The king crab was cooked and served to us whole, so we cut it up and dug in. It was so delicious! What a mess we made! Well, I like to think that if it isn't messy, it wouldn't be as fun or tasty. After the fish market, we went to eat a frozen yogurt waffle. It was amazing! Frozen yogurt was put in between a folded fresh waffle. I'll definitely have to go back.
Tomorrow morning, Jarenn and I will be waking up early to catch out flight over to Thailand. We can't wait!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Good Morning Seoul!
Midterms are coming up! I have been staying indoors lately because of all the studying. The temperature has also been dramatically dropping! It's about 60 degrees here throughout the day, and even colder at night! Yikes, I am not prepared for the winter!
Last Saturday was the International Fireworks Festival. My friends and I wanted to watch it, but was told that the park was going to be very crowded. Therefore, we went to the Banpo Bridge instead, hoping to catch a glimpse of the fireworks and also see the water fountain show. We were lucky enough to see the fountain come on and shoot out water from the bridge with lights coloring the water! The lights and the water jets changed and danced to the music that were accompanying the water show. The music played from under the bridge so that all could hear. It was an amazing site! We also could see the most of the fireworks, but they were small because we were far away.
Sunday, and this upcoming weekend will consist of a lot of studying! Jarenn (a FISH Scholar) and I have been planning a trip to Thailand! So far on our itinerary, we are planning on riding elephants, feeding tigers, seeing palaces and temples, and going through a floating market. I am very excited for the trip! We will be going after midterms, of course. =]
Have a good weekend everyone!
Midterms are coming up! I have been staying indoors lately because of all the studying. The temperature has also been dramatically dropping! It's about 60 degrees here throughout the day, and even colder at night! Yikes, I am not prepared for the winter!
Last Saturday was the International Fireworks Festival. My friends and I wanted to watch it, but was told that the park was going to be very crowded. Therefore, we went to the Banpo Bridge instead, hoping to catch a glimpse of the fireworks and also see the water fountain show. We were lucky enough to see the fountain come on and shoot out water from the bridge with lights coloring the water! The lights and the water jets changed and danced to the music that were accompanying the water show. The music played from under the bridge so that all could hear. It was an amazing site! We also could see the most of the fireworks, but they were small because we were far away.
Sunday, and this upcoming weekend will consist of a lot of studying! Jarenn (a FISH Scholar) and I have been planning a trip to Thailand! So far on our itinerary, we are planning on riding elephants, feeding tigers, seeing palaces and temples, and going through a floating market. I am very excited for the trip! We will be going after midterms, of course. =]
Have a good weekend everyone!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Gangnam Style!
Last night, I went to a free PSY concert! There were at least 50,00 people there to get a glimpse of him performing. The performance was at 10pm, and my friends and I went around 8pm. It was already PACKED! He seemed very humble and did a lot of bowing to the crowd. He performed his hit song "Gangnam Style" twice! The second time (which he sang as the last song), he took off his shirt! The crowd went crazy.
My mom and aunty came to visit me last week! They came in last Thursday night and left yesterday morning. Since it was the Chuseok Holiday (Korean Thanksgiving), I had a lot of time off to spend with them. I took them to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jogyesa Temple, Seoul's largest Buddhist temple, and we did A LOT of shopping! We shopped at Insadong and Namdaemun, which are placed to buy souvenirs (and anything you can possibly think of), and we also went to Myeongdong and Dongdaemun (more shopping districts). I had a chance to show them around my school and they got to see my dorm.
They also brought me many goodies from back home in Hawaii, such as li hing sour apples and dried mangoes! I've been having cravings for tastes of home! I hope they had a great time with me and will return again!
Last night, I went to a free PSY concert! There were at least 50,00 people there to get a glimpse of him performing. The performance was at 10pm, and my friends and I went around 8pm. It was already PACKED! He seemed very humble and did a lot of bowing to the crowd. He performed his hit song "Gangnam Style" twice! The second time (which he sang as the last song), he took off his shirt! The crowd went crazy.
My mom and aunty came to visit me last week! They came in last Thursday night and left yesterday morning. Since it was the Chuseok Holiday (Korean Thanksgiving), I had a lot of time off to spend with them. I took them to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jogyesa Temple, Seoul's largest Buddhist temple, and we did A LOT of shopping! We shopped at Insadong and Namdaemun, which are placed to buy souvenirs (and anything you can possibly think of), and we also went to Myeongdong and Dongdaemun (more shopping districts). I had a chance to show them around my school and they got to see my dorm.
They also brought me many goodies from back home in Hawaii, such as li hing sour apples and dried mangoes! I've been having cravings for tastes of home! I hope they had a great time with me and will return again!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Good evening!
School has been catching up to me and making me more and more busy! Regardless, I still try to get out on the weekends and explore new things.
Last Sunday, where I left you, I was on my way to a hike. We went up Mt Inwagsan, known as the mystical mountain. At the bottom was a temple, and on the way up, there were little shrines. It was amazing to see the rocks balancing on the edge of the mountain! At the very top was a beautiful view of Seoul. It looked as if the city went on for miles. We could also see the Blue House, which is equivalent to the U.S. White House. There were two guards up there to make sure no one took a picture in the direction of the Blue House. Imagine hiking up a mountain to go to work! We made it back before the storm hit. It came on Friday night but didn't affect us too badly!
This past Friday, we hiked up Mt Hwagaesa, the tallest mountain, which leads to Bukhansan National Park (on the top of the mountain). We did not go ALL the way to the top (that required mountain climbing gear!) We did get very high up to the point where the air was thinning! There wasn't much of a view because of all the trees. On the way down, we managed to stumble across a flowing lake and mini waterfall! It was a such a pretty sight.
On Saturday, our Ewha PEACE buddies took the international students on a farm experience! The bus ride took 2 hours! When we finally arrived, we were broken up into 4 groups. Our group started off making rubber band guns out of chopsticks, zipties, and of course, rubber bands. The next station was pounding dok, or mochi (a ricecake). We all got a chance to pound the rice to make it sticky. When it was ready, it was rolled in soy powder, cut, and served to us. It was delicious! The third station was digging for sweet potato. Our group dug up buckets full of sweet potato. It was just like digging for gold, and was a lot of fun. The final station was cooking potato pancakes. We were well fed that day!
On Sunday was another hike! This one was to Mt Yongmasan. At the bottom was supposed to be the largest man-made waterfall in Asia! However, it was off that day =[ Anyway, the mountain wasn't as high as the others, but it was sure hot! We had a nice view of the river and downtown Seoul. At the top, there was an old man selling icecream! He must be in really good shape to hike everyday and carry icecream! We continued on to Mt Achasan, which was the next mountain over. There wasn't too much a view at this peak, however, there were LOTS of people picnicing and drinking soju! They even set up tables to place their food on. Amazing!
What gets me is that half way up the mountain (or sometimes at the top), there are workout stations! The workout stations are fully equipped with weights and even hula hoops. The equipment is all well maintained and there are lots of people using them! Even the old ladies here are in great shape! As my friends and I are huffing and puffing up the mountain, the old ladies are passing by us as if we are slow! Ha!
This upcoming weekend is Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). We wet next Monday and Wednesday off. My mom and aunty are coming in tomorrow (Thursday night) to visit! I am very excited to see them! I have let them decide what they want to do, and it is my job to plan it and take them there! We will see what this weekend has in store =]
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