Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Entering a schedule

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well back in Canada.
Its been a little over a month now. So far I have visited stadiums, markets, mountains, bars, clubs, people, restaurants, buddhist temples, courses Itawon (foreigners area of Seoul), Hongdae (massive student area of Seoul), Daejeon (different city), hot springs, amusement parks, a shooting range, Cupcake cafe, Cat cafe, I have decorated a cake, and have begun to try my skills at cooking Korean dishes, and other things that I just cannot think of at this moment. I have made many new friends both foreigners and locals and have, and am still having, an amazing time here in Seoul.
However, I cant seem to forget that my life here in Seoul, at Yonsei University is slowly turning into a constant weekly rhythem of the same things. I go to class, I eat, I study, I work out, I have a meal with a friend, I study, I go to jazzfeel, I have lunch with a friend, I go to class, I sleep, ... And so it goes. My days of exploring has narrowed down to a merely 2-3 days every week, where I still wonder about courses and the things I will need to do throughout the upcoming week.
Now, dont let me fool you. I am having an amazing time here in South Korea and I would never regret my decision for coming here. Although, I am slightly wondering if I could do any more for my enjoyment here.
I feel I have seen alot and done alot around Seoul. I need to get out!
I need to see more of South Korea rather than just the largest city within this amazing country.
So, here is a task I am proposing to all of you who read this, think of one thing in Seoul or South Korea more generally that you would like to do. Give me the idea, and I will construct a bucket list of all your ideas. Along with my ideas, I feel we could make a pretty long list that will keep my spirits adventurous for the next three months!
I promise I will do every task whether it be sky diving or finding the largest tree in all of South Korea. Give me your ideas and we can both take part in this wicked adventure!

So, enough with my plea.

Besides all of that, I have done some pretty cool things that I'm sure all of you want to see. I left you guys just before I headed on over to Daejeon.
Daejeon was okay. It was a cheap two hour bus ride over and the seats were grand. The bus literally seemed that only famous people would ride it. There was so much space and leg room. The buses here in Seoul is deffiently going to be one thing I miss when I come back to Canada.
Anyways, when we got there, we had no idea where to go. Around us there were lots of Love motels but that was it. No real lively, fun place. I could only guess what this area was for... can you?
So we went to go get some dinner and it was dead all over. Maybe it had to do with the fact that we got there around 11pm.
After dinner, we asked like 14 taxis if they could take us to a busier part but they did not understand us... Of course!
Then, finally the 15th taxi came around and we just went in and gestured a student's area to him.
He took us to a student area which was busy but nothing compared to Seoul. Since we all had our bags with us, we could not really go out drinking so we tried to find a hotel, and we did!
It was another love motel, and it was just by fluke that he allowed us all to stay in the same room. No other hotel was allowing us.
So after we get in, we get unpacked, wow about the room and the sketchiness of it and then decide to go get some Soju and Korean Rice Wine. So we do that and for the rest of the night just drink, listen to music and play some games within our room. We all ended up heading to bed around 6am just before the sun came up.
We were all on the same bed and there were four of us = crowded.

The next day we headed to a spa (jimjilbang) which contained the water from hotsprings. It was amazing; just so relaxing and warm. After getting over the fact that I had to take a bath with like 30-50 other naked men, I quite liked the experience. You would just go bath hopping pretty much. They were all different temperatures. The only odd thing I have to say about it was that everyone starred at me and the other male friend I went with because we were not Korean. It was odd but after like 15min. of that, you get used to it and they get used to you.

After the bathing section, we went down to the communal area (they gave of clothes) where they had different rooms with ifferent temperatures and T.Vs and a cafe and fish that nibbled on your toes. Me and Cristian got down there before the girls came down so he headed on over to the fish. It was really ticklish.
When the girls came down, we headed into a sleeping room and had a nap for about 2 hours then decided to find a place to stay for the night, eat and then go drinking.

The next day, we headed on to an amusement park that had alot of science themes. It was a neat little place, there were rides, museums, people singing and what not. Although, there had to be only like 30 people in the whole entire park. It seemed rather ghostly.
At the end of the day, we headed back to the bus station and made our way back home!
Daejeon was a fun experience, although it was nothing like Seoul. I would have liked it if I had known a little more about the place. But thats the great things about life. You learn from your mistakes!
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera :( so I have no pictures. One friend did bring a camera so I will upload those photos next time I post!.


A group of us from residence decided to go on an outing to find a cupcake cafe = YUM!, but expensive

Me and my language exchange partner with here friend when out to decorate a cake. We were given this and told to go crazy!

So I did

This is what the cake looked like after we had decorated it

One night two Koreans an a friend Joe went out bowling. I lost every game but had the most strikes... How does this work?

Every year Yonsei has this large event in May called AKARAKA
What it is, is just a large festival that lasts all day full of cheering and spiried fun. National celebrities come to sing and everyone just has a great time.
Last week, Younsei and Korea Unviversity (their rival) got together to do an orientation to AKARAKA
The outside ampitheatre was packed full with people from Yonsei and Korea University all screaming. The people in the centre are the cheering temas for both schools
(Yonsei = Blue, Korea University = Red)

Take a closer look.
This was just an orientation. The actual event is in May
I could not stay too long for this because I had to go to a club orientation for Jazzfell
Thats right, I passed the auditions!

After the orientation, Some friends and I decided it would be good to head out for dinner. It was a friday and and we wanted to let loose.
Best way to do that is with Korean BBQ and Soju
The waitress joined in on our picture

Some unfortunatley cannot handle the Korean lifestyle
Cristian and Priscilla

These are some Koreans we had met. Look at everyone else in behind hiding. haha
Cristian, Priscilla and Christine

On saturday, Jazzfeel held an MT
An MT (membership training) is a time for groups to spend one night together away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Usually what happens is that the group heads far out to a rural area and stays in this one room. Games, and drinking usually goes on. Its a time to get acquained with one another and create fun memories.
MT are very popular is South Korea

This was the taxi ride to our headquarters. It was packed
Im in the far back seat

This is what the room had looked like

Before heading to the rural area. We were split into groups and asked to get ingredients to make a traditional Korean meal. This is what the five of us had bought. We made these fried Korean pancake things = Great!

My team

Some sweet members from Jazzfeel

This was one of the games we had played. We had to hold on to our legs and ry to knowck oneanother over

An actual Korean BBQ for dinner!
   

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Yogiyo, Yogi chongmal choayo!

English translation: Hey, I love it here!

Hey everyone!

Sorry I have not posted in two weeks, I have just been super busy with school and readings OMG!
I have never really taken any courses that needed alot, alot, alot of reading so this is all pretty new too me. But I'm getting through and still being able to check out Seoul along the way.
So I have done quite a bit lately from going out to dinner, mountain climbing, heading out to a club in the foreigners district, going to a Norabang, visiting a cat cafe (sorry no pictures, forgot my camera that day) and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Check it out~!


Dinner with friends
I forget what the meal was called.

Bears dressed up as bears

A group of us went to a club in Itaewon (foreigner's district) and then headed to a Norabang after wards which is simply a room where you sing kareoke

After the Norabang (about 3:30am-4am) we headed to the subway station. The station does not open untill 5am however so we had to wait.

The next day I headed back to the Buddhist's Temple. It was not as great as I thought it would have been. I went in a sat down with him. He did rememeber me. As he practised Korean Calligraphy, I folded a lot of his papers. We didn't really talk that much because of the language difference. However, he did bring out some mighty good strawberries

After the buddhist's temple, Seoul searching was done for the time being. Classes started and readings started to pile up. The following Saturday though, I went out with a group (mentors Club) and went hiking for the day. It was an awsome day with some great laughs, good memeories and lots of people.

The mountain we climbed was titled Baegundae. It is said to be the easiest mountain to climb in all of Seoul. It took us around 5 hours to get up and down and that with a few rest periods. 

Some nice scenary as we all headed towards the entrance to the mountain

This is half way up the hill

If I didn't mention it before, there were alot of people climbing. You can see the peak from here.

Me at the peak of the mountain. There was a South Korean flag at the top and the area was packed full of Koreans (just like everything else).

Again, alot of people climbing and some nice background

View of one side of Seoul from the peak

Well once you go up you must come down. Thats me after coming down from the hill. I am pointing at the mountain that I had just endured. The mountain closest to the middle

After such a long day of hiking, and getting split up from the group, some of us headed to an all you can eat Korean BBQ. This place is amazing! Its mainly all meat and you can eat as much as your heart allows you to eat. There is everything from steak to chicken to pig skin to baby octopy. I didn't try the octopy or the pig skin, however, I did try a piece of intestine. Yukk!
If you look closely, you can see the baby octopy (sp?) 

After a full night of partying the rest of that night after dinner, I headed back to the residence and slept untill 2pm. Then I had to write a five page paper. After which, me and some friends went to watch a movie at the movie theatre here. Yes, it was all in english with Korean subtitles. It surprised me too.
Anyways, along the way heading to the theatre we came across this toy machine.
We each had tried to get a stuffy like 5 times each with no luck. It always kept on falling off.
We got ripped off I think.
There is one pink stuffy that I tried to get and never did. I realized the other ones would be too heavy.

Two days later (tuesday) me and a friend decided to go exploring. Since none of the palaces were open that we had checked for some reason (they were all closed on tuesdays) we decided to head towards Namsung Tower. The largest tower in South Korea.
Its no CN Tower, thats for sure!

View of Seoul from the Namsung Tower

When we got to the entrance of Namsung Tower, we came across these trees. These, I am assuming, are called love trees because all it is is love noted locked on a metal tree frame.

Take a closer look!

So on top of all of this, I am doing other things as well.
I have joined up for this group which is called Language exchange where I get a chance to hang out with an actual Yonsei student. My first time chilling with here, we went to this awsome Japanese place for lunch (go out NOW and get some Japanese, seriously this post can wait). It was sooo good. After lunch, she took me to this cat cafe. Now we dont have them back in Canada, but they are really popular here.
Essentially, what a cat cafe is is exactly what you would think; A cafe witth cats. We walked in and got a drink and went to get a table. There had to be like 20-30 cats in the place. At first they were all mostly sleeping but when the workers brought out a treat, they all woke up and scurried over towards the treats. Then we got to play with them a little. It was exciting.
There was one grey cat that had a smushed-in face. It was amazing. The cat literally looked like a pug but in cate form.
Next year for x-mas, I want that (just in case any of you are looking).

Besides that, I have also been making Korean friends in my class. They are excited to hang out with me as much as I am to hang out with them. They all seem pretty cool and just want to know more.

Also, I have joined up for a group called Jazzfeel. Its a Jazz dance club. I went to the first orientation last night and it was cool. I have never really danced before and thought it would be neat to give it a try. I enjoyed it. The audition is on thurday, I just hope Im good enough by then!

Last thing and then all you guys and rest your eyes.
This weekend I am heading to Daejeon. It is about two hours from Seoul going South. I guess its an alright city, nowhere near the size of Seoul with some interesting things to see. The one thing I am stoked for is to visit the Hot Spring there. The hot spring is called Yuseong Hot Springs and it is said to have alot of healing powers.
The story behind this is that one time, a long time ago, During the Joseon Period I think, a man was wounded during battle. He came across the hot springs and saw a loon dip its injured feather into the spring and instantley the feather healed. He thought this must work for him, so he decided to go in and, of course, we was healed shortley after as well.
Ever since it has become very famously known as a hot spring with healing powers.
Also, we are going to be staying in a Jijilbang as well because we can not seem to find a hostel to stay in.

Thats all for now.
I will post again next week for sure!
Talk to you all then!!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Study break is over!

Hi,
So school began today (Wednesday), and it was great! I had one class today which is called Korea through Ethnography. It seems to be a really neat class and I can't wait till my next class. Essentially, its everything I wanted to learn while I am abroad in South Korea; Korean social identity, nationalism, culture, movements, marginalized social groups in Korea, North Korean refugees, Korean sport culture, etc = amazing!!
I get the chance to also create a 30 min. movie as well with a group and then write a 12-15 page paper about... wait for it... MY OWN TOPIC! This has never happend to me, usually I have always been given a topic which is not really that cool. Okay, so now that you guys all probably think Im a pretty big nerd, I'll let you know what I did up untill today.

So where did I leave you... Oh thats right, the Chicken and Beer restaurant. Well we didn't really end up doin much after that, just headed back to the res and chilled for a while. The following night however was quite interesting. We went to an amazing Korean BBQ and ate more meat than anyone has ever eaten before (not really, but it seemed like alot). We had four bottles of Soju and then headed to a bar for some more drinks. When we got their we ordered three different flavours of Soju (one for each of us drinking, there was four of us all together). We got Yogurt, Kiwi, and Orange flavoured, Yogurt was deffiently the best. That night we also decided to play some Truth or Dare, which allowed us to actually meet some locals. We met a group of Koreans. They took us to this bar, which was packed like sardines and then ditched us. Classic.
We didn't stay that long before we headed back to residence. We were not really liking the bar, The people were literally, cramping our style...lol... haha.
The following day, I headed to a fish market with Christian. It was quite gross, fish everywhere and the smeel was sickening. The day wasn't that nice either, it was pretty rainy.
That night, nothing happened, we went out for dinner with some friends and then back to res. We were tired from the day.
Tuesday was the big day for me, wow!
It was the day Yvette (auzzie friend) came bake from Busan and we met up and toured around. We got to see Changgyeonggung Palace, visit a poor neighborhood, see the Fortress, visit another market, have some good beers and say our parting good byes untill the next time we have a chance to meet up. She was heading back to Australia the next day, she should still be on the plane now.
But listen to this, among all the other cool things me and Yvette did on Tuesday, we got to visit a Buddists Temple. While we were walking along in the heavily crowded streets of the tiny neighborhood, we walked across a step that led to a tiny colorfull palace looking building. What do we do, walk in of course. As we go up to the steps and head on over to the door to see if anyone is praying, a lady stops and begins to pray from the tiny street towards the building. We quickeley scurry away out of her sight and hide. After a few minutes we look around the door frame and she is no longer there so we continue with our curiosity. We go towards the steps and as we atart to slightly open the door, an older man comes out of a building behing the temple. We signals us in. So we take off our shoes, head on in, take a few pictures. As we are about to leave, the old man comes out of a door and signals us in further. We continue through the door into his secret quarters where he studies and sleeps and he sits down. We then sat down and he began to read our palms. Though we could not really understand him, it was really neat and such an unforgettable experience. After he read our palms, we travelled over to his computer and showed us pictures or different people and then of different places, all over the world. We stayed there about 1 hour and a half. Though we were hungry, the interest for me in that moment just did not care about my hunger.
He asked me to come back, and I think he sayed that either, I could watch him write Korean words or he can teach me how to write Korean words. Not too sure but am excited to find out.
I mean really, who gets to hang out with a monk?

Anyways, that was my favorite experience so far and I am glad that I got to experience it with Yvette, the true wanderer. Here are some of the pictures. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!!!

Went out drinking with the roomey (Christian) and two othere. He is from New York, originally from Ecuador.
Flavoured Soju (Yogurt (left), Kiwi, Orange)

We played Truth or Dare that night and met some interesting Koreans

Top (Myself, Josh, Brolley, Eric, Joe)
Bottom (Christine, Jacob)
The next day some of us went to go get some cell phones and on our way back, we all got folded waffles with ice cream and syrup in the middle = YUMM!!


The phone lady had this on the back of her computer. Thought it was funny

Changgyeonggung Palace, one of the five grand palaces of the Joseon Dynasty
Before the Dynasty however it was the Summer Palace of the Goryeo Emperor (5 emperors during this time). The Goryeo Dynasty lasted from 918-1392 and was created from the three previous Kingdoms Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo. In 1392, the Joseon Dynasty essentially overruled the Goryeo Dynasty, and made the land their own untill... previous post... when the Japanese invaded and the Joseon Dynasty became severley weakened.



Inside
In the poor neighborhood the doors are super small

The neighborhood was all up hill

Random Buddhist Temple in the small neighborhood

The ceiling of the Buddhist Temple

The Fortress. Its a long brick wall that runs the length of the city

Just some turtles sitting in a tub, in a maket. Can you guess what they may be used for?
1 hint = Hopefully they remove the shell

Farewell Yvette!!! When I come to Australia, drinks on me!