The day we won't be mentioning after this, ok?

Today is a national holiday in Korea, so we students have the day off. I myself am spending it recovering.

Yesterday was orientation, where we chose our classes, took placement tests, campus tours, etc. I was able to get in to the accelerated program for learning Korean!! I am so excited, but scared out of my mind. I have a feeling this will be one of the harder things I’ve ever done. They cover the entire content of a normal semester in one month. However, the schedule is fixed, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Monday through Friday, and I will have no other academic obligations. I like that. I will haunt the library to make up for the history and politics I’m not taking. (Once I can understand what I’m reading!)

Part of the walk from my dorm to the library. Our campus is built on a very steep hill, and we are going to be the most in-shape students ever!

I had to take a placement test so that they could firmly understand that I truly speak no Korean. Oh my word. I know that you can’t fail a placement test, but that was so difficult! It was all in Hangul, which is the Korean character system, and it was asking questions about things like grammar and tense. All I know is the alphabet, some numbers, and how to say ‘thank you’, so that was quite challenging. I finally decided, instead of quitting or just sitting there, to translate all the characters into English letters, which is called Romanizing. That was tedious, but it helped me recognize a few words, and I think I may have gotten some of the “what time is it” questions right. Fail. I felt very useless and unlearned. The oral exam was a lost cause. I understood nothing, and I was probably there for less than a minute before the man smiled nicely and asked me to leave. I was pretty mortified.

I hadn’t had a chance to eat that day, so I asked permission to leave my campus tour, and I went off campus to find some food. I hear the cafeteria has passable cuisine, but it isn’t open yet, so I had to take a little walk. I wandered around the streets until I found a restaurant with nice pictures of food on the outside, and went in. I was the only customer. The hostess and I stared at each other for a bit while I tried to remember what I was supposed to say first – you would think I would have thought that through before I went in, but I was pretty flustered and near tears, and very hungry – thinking was not high on the list. So we eventually got it settled that I was alone, that they didn’t have the only thing I knew how to order, and that I don’t speak Korean and she didn’t speak English. Then she made what seemed like a suggestion, so I said, “Ne!” which is yes, and sat down.

She brought me so much food! It was amazing, and I ate every last bite. 

To the left is a kind of sauce, to the right a spicy fish soup. Kimchi, yellow pickle, onions and black bean paste are in the background. The rice had eggs and possibly chicken in it...
This meal was 4,000 won, which is a little less than four dollars.

I took a picture of it, which I thought was beautiful, but when I contemplated posting it, I realized that it’s more fun for you to see at least some pictures with me in them. That meant asking her to take a picture of me. Why is it so scary to try to communicate? I don’t understand why it’s something to overcome, but I had to wage war with myself to get myself to step out. So I pulled out my phrase book and I went at it, because I always win those wars.

I think it went something like this:

“May you please excuse me (for an impolite act) thank you please. Photograph?”

By the end, we both had our phrase books out, and I was able to tell her that the food was delicious, and that I was very grateful. I even understood how much to pay, and that was without the phrasebook!

The dinner experience was such a boost to my smashed and mangled self-esteem (from the placement test) that I decided to attempt to go to the next city and find a bath house. Ah, the hazards of being an impulsive soul… I spent about an hour on Google maps, trying to get a better visual of where to go, but I can’t figure out how to sufficiently translate the page – Romanizing the Korean doesn’t help that much when it’s city names, etc. Finally I just gave up and left. It was a bad plan. I had been down the Metro line with friends, but forgot which set of tracks we took, so I gambled there, and picked the one out of four that I thought looked right. When I got off at the next station, I was suddenly in a big city, which I hadn’t counted on, because my station is very small and rural, and not that far away. There were basically no signs in English, so it was hard to find a landmark, it was dark, and I got lost.

So there I was, ladies and gentlemen, no phone, no friend, and no idea how to find what I was looking for, or to get back where I came from. I did find a kind of market, deep in an alley way, where there were live fish and eels, fresh fruits and vegetables, and many vendors with street food. The place was hopping, bright, loud, and very, very beautiful. I saw precious, tiny old Korean men and women, smoking cigarettes, huddled around their hot plates, with piles and piles of gorgeous fresh produce for sale. I don’t recognize all the vegetables, or the fruit for that matter, so it was like a live National Geographic tour. I wished it wasn’t night time, and that I had brought my camera, but I’ll just have to go back. If I can find it!

The place I was looking for is an indoor spa, sort of. Men and women are separated, you strip, and you can soak in varying temperatures of hot tubs, use the sauna, have massages and scrubs, etc. It’s this whole controversy among the students, because there are stories of the Koreans being so curious about white and black people’s bodies that they do traumatizing things like stare or grope. However, there are other stories about how fabulous it is, and how worth it - so I decided to go see for myself. Except that I couldn’t find it.

After wandering for some hours, I began trying to ask, in which I was never really successful, but I was proud of myself for being brave. Again, I have no idea why it’s so scary to me to try to communicate, but it is – I was petrified. I figure, if I do something scary every day for four months, I’ll be a powerhouse when I come home J And so far, I have done something scary every day, and I’m still alive and kicking.

This is part of my room - the bottom bunk is mine, and the left side of that two door closet you see.

I found my station again, and I thought I was able to read the Korean time table, which told me that I would have to wait two hours for the next train. I discovered this after I broke my T-Money card and bought a non-refundable one-way ticket. Basically, that meant I lost my money to cyber space, and was on a bench outside, alone, for two hours, with no way to undo anything. It was cold, and I didn’t have anything with me, because I was trying to pack light in anticipation for what I would encounter at the bath house. I walked back and forth along the railing instead of crying, and it turned out I only had to wait less than an hour. I got on my train, made it back to my station, and there met some friends who got me a taxi home.

I made silly vows about what I will and won’t do in the future for about half an hour when I got back, until the hot water from my shower helped me feel a little better. Now I don’t remember what they are, and I am getting ready to go with a group of friends to try again J I will let you know what it’s like!

With anticipation,

Grace

Day 1

Today was so much fun! I woke up early and rested, which actually surprised me, because someone on the floor above me stomped back and forth last night, doing God knows what, for so many hours that I had half decided to meet them, take them out for dinner, and secretly spit in their food. Fortunately (for them!) sleep, like love, covers a multitude of sins…

A few students had decided to go shopping at E-Mart, and were planning to meet in the Global Village at 10:00 AM. E-Mart is a supercenter where you can get some of anything, like a Safeway and a Target combined. The Global Village is a collection of dormitories where one or two international students are housed with ten or eleven Koreans, so the Korean students can experience an initiation into Western culture. The dorms here, which is where I am, have couches and beds, as compared to not and mats, for example. The Korean students have yet to arrive for this semester, so I and my international suitemate, who is from San Diego, have the whole place to ourselves, for now.

A and B buildings are for males, and C and D buildings are for females. Each building is six stories tall. There is a security guard in the lobby which connects all these buildings, who ensures that contraband is confiscated, and genders do not mix.  However, I hear that this semester we are lucky, in that he is much more understanding than the previous guard, who was fired. I guess this means that there will be mixed gender parties in the boys dorms, with wine and other such nonsense. LOL. Being married is MUCH more fun, and those nights will most likely find me studying J

Anyway, our well-laid shopping plans were dashed by a loud chime that rang in every room, summoning us to the lobby. By a stroke of genius or luck, I had a coat and gloves, and some water with me. We were gone for several hours to the matriculation and welcoming ceremony. We walked what felt like several miles, with the wind chill and our choices of either “Hell Stairs” or “Death Stairs”. Being who I am, I took the Hell stairs first and the Death stairs on the way back, and I’m undecided about the more evil of the two. I do know that I don’t need to join the gym, because we have to walk them several times a day.  Bring it!

The ceremony was incredibly impressive. There were several thousand students there, and most of the Koreans haven’t even arrived yet. The auditorium was massive, and concert quality. The lights, sound, and video were all very nice, but almost every last word was in Korean. I was able to pick out a few numbers I heard spoken... I’ve seen the look, that I know was on my own face, on other people before – happy to be here, completely in the dark about what is being said, and un-used to being the minority. We are stared at for sure, and sometimes I feel only tolerated, but mainly it is celebrity status, and people bend over backwards to try out their English or make out our horrible butchering of their beautiful words.

There were many videos and awards that I’m sure were fabulous, but I have no idea what they were about. The president spoke for a very long time, and he was a man of authority and power, I could feel it. It felt like we were getting schooled, and I was intimidated, and a little bit low in my chair, but I think he was just passionate. The Korean National Anthem and the pledge to their flag made me cry. There were guards all along the walls of the auditorium, standing in a wide stance at attention, and there was not one instance of disruption or disrespect from any member of the audience. At the end, the president and other dignitaries left on a red carpet, shaking hands with the people fortunate enough to be standing close. Then suddenly, with no warning at all, two canons fired gold confetti in an arc that was parallel with the stage! It was so beautiful in the light, but so loud that I jumped clean off my seat and yelled. Then two, more powerful canons shot long silver streamers all the way to the top of the ceiling, and they fell all the long way down to the crowd, glittering. The air smelled like smoke from fireworks, which always makes me happy. When the ceremony was over, every person stayed in their place, and the fashion in which we left was clever and orderly, not to mention fast. We were given priority, and left first, and we were also seated during the ceremony, as opposed to the vast majority who had to stand.

I am overwhelmed with the resources of this University.  The production today seemed quality enough to be governmental, to me. It is beginning to sink in, what has been given to me, to be scholarshipped here. Korean children do nothing but study when they are in middle school, because getting into a University sets the path of their whole life. I am spoiled, and grateful for the chance to realize it, and appreciate it.

So after the ceremony, the group that wanted to shop grew to about forty strong. Some returning students (you can be an international student at Soonchunhyang University for up to three semesters) took us to the nearby city of Cheonan. We had to walk about a mile to buy our T-money cards, which are for the subway system, and then make our way to the proper station and tracks. We are the last stop on a rural route, so we had seats on the way to Cheonan, but not on the way back. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take my camera today, but I promise to begin, hopefully tomorrow, taking pictures so you can see what it’s like here.

Back home, when I tried to understand the sheer numbers of people I was to encounter, it seemed like it must be chaos here. Not so. This society is very streamlined and efficient, and some of their ideas and technologies are brilliant. For example, there is a button on your table at any restaurant, and if you need service, you press it. No waitress or waiter has to check on anyone, which is good because their work is labor intensive. There are many steps to a meal, many things to bring out and take away.  So, while much of the day was spent shoulder to shoulder with large numbers of people, I don’t feel exhausted or drained, I was never mistreated, and I wish I didn’t have to sleep before I went out for more!

It felt so nice to buy some of the things that I was unable to pack, and I confess the highlight of my day was washing my hair. Tomorrow I plan to be much harder to please J Tomorrow is orientation, beginning at 9:00 AM. We will begin  the process of receiving our phones and alien registration cards, as well as bank accounts, and there will be more campus tours, etc.

The Korean placement test is tomorrow, so I’m planning to study now in order to place well. I heard about a program, designed for the Chinese, that is strictly Korean language study, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM daily, with no other classes. If I can get myself admitted to that track, that is what I will do. I will be the first international to try it on the first semester, because they say no one can keep up with the Chinese. However, I have a friend in my corner who has some sway over who gets admitted, and as far as keeping up, they’ve never met me before J

또 뵙겠어요 (See you again)

Grace

It's fun to travel across the world and hear your name called.

Soju, pagodas, and other delights

   Last night I went out with friends for galbi, Korean barbecue. Another landmark experience in this delightful string of firsts! We entered a crowded, tiny room, and were seated on boxes, essentially. Underneath the cushion is a storage space, like a piano bench but deeper, where you put your coat and purse, because there just isn’t anywhere else for them to go! The table top is square and small, with a hole in the middle. They bring out some side dishes, which I’m learning is a constant here. We had rice and black beans, cloves of raw garlic, (I think I ate about fifteen, all told) pickled onions and leeks, red bean paste, lettuce, and a kind of radish that is thinly sliced, round, bright green, and about the size of the palm of your hand. It’s pickled and sweet, and can be used like lettuce, as a wrap for the meat. There was also a bowl of spicy soup, with vegetables and tofu. Someone brings a pot of coals, and with a long handle places them in the hole in your table. When they’re ready to bring out the meat, they pull a blower down from the ceiling that looks like a dryer vent, and they blow the coals red hot, then place a grate over them. Someone at the table is designated cook, and with chopsticks, places bite size pieces of meat, beef in our case, on the grate to cook. When they’re ready, you dip the meat in sesame oil and spices, place it on the lettuce or radish slice, and add whatever other sides sound good. Then you take a sip of soju, which is a kind of fire water like Everclear, but smooth, like sake, and then you pop the meat in your mouth in one big bite. I know I was ravenously hungry, and I know I’m attracted to exotic foods, but seriously. Those biases aside, I think it was my favorite meal ever. Of course it could have had something to do with the company, and now that I think about it, the soju :D

   We went to a place called Woodstock, which has been there forever, and is renowned for its collection of music from the 70’s and 80’s. It was very loud and very fun. The whole clientele would shout to songs like Don’t Fear the Reaper, and Fame, then toast and congratulate each other for knowing the words, and then make more requests.

   There is no pictorial evidence of this night, intentionally, so you’ll just have to believe me, but I hit the hay exhausted and slept like a baby, in spite of the fact that my room was directly over a hopping bar.

   This morning I made myself breakfast on the house. 

They provide toast and an egg for each guest, which we cook and clean up after. 

There was also a kind of hot drink made from peanuts, which is very soothing to people who have done shots the night before. Koreans have many, many remedies for this, which is especially nice for people like me, who have done shots the night before, but not any of the nights for about two years prior…

   I met my friend again, and we took the subway to the Gyeongbokgung Palace. 

This is a tiny, tiny portion of a very vast complex. It was designed according to geomantic theory, and perfect in that there is a "plain with a stream immediately to the south, and mountains around the other three sides." - (brochure)

Pagoda at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

This is the throne room of the king at Gyeonbokgung Palace.

And the throne room of the queen.

Every detail of this massive compound is lovely, and stands alone in beauty and design. There, I sound like a Korean brochure myself!

Figures like these are meant to ward off evil spirits.

Seoul seems to have hundreds of downtowns, which all have a unique flavor. This area was very different from the one I’m staying in, which is by Hongik University. 

This is the entrance to the Hongik campus. 

My area is more of a nightlife kind of place, and is very attractive in the dark, with the lights and music. In the daytime it looks busy, crowded, and is little overwhelming. 

The area by the palace is something completely different. It is spacious and rich, and the architecture is sophisticated and clean. The Korean version of Feng Shui, (I think it’s called Pong Su), is used to make decisions about aesthetics, etc. I found myself wanting to take pictures of all the edges, because the lines are so very, very beautiful to me. I love it here.

This is a Performing Arts building.

This pagoda houses a very old bell that is only rung on New Year's Eve. The streets are closed to vehicles, and everyone crowds around to here the monks ring it twelve times.

My friend Shelley says that Seoul is difficult to understand, because of the unique blend of modern and ancient, not only in architecture, but in thought and culture. Construction began on this palace in 1394.

This water way was filled in a long time ago, and recently re-discovered. It's beauty has revitalized this area's business.

   Hauling my suitcases around has been challenging, and I’m ready to unpack for keeps. However, Seoul is full of angels. I was struggling with a bag, trying to lug it up three stories of stairs to come out of the subway, and a girl just came up beside me, grabbed on, and worked with me the whole way to the street. Then she smiled and left, like it was nothing. She probably saved me from having a heart attack. My whole experience has been like that. It’s difficult to plan for benevolence, but I keep getting myself into scrapes that I don’t recognize as close calls, and being saved by these kind, generous, sweet people. I love it here!

   Tomorrow I will check out and make my way back to Incheon Airport, where someone from my school will meet me and take me to Asan. I’m so excited to meet my fellow students and move into my dorm. I heard there are three major hot springs near there!

Annyeonghikyeseyo, (goodbye, as said by the person leaving)

Grace