Korea - Day 5

Ok, today got off to a rought start. I was supposed to be down in the lobby ready to go to the university at 8:30 sharp. Koreans are very prompt people and tardiness is not excused. I've been perfect the entire trip...except today. Ok, FYI...contrary to popular belief, just because I'm Arab does not mean that I'm always late. If I were then I would not be able to maintain a job and a college career. Today was the exception. Supposed to be in the lobby at 8:30...didn't wake up til 8:16. It was sheer panic. Somehow, in all this terror, I managed to pray, throw some acceptable clothes on and get downstairs to be be 3 minutes early and still have time to eat breakfast.

We attended one lecture at the university and then proceed to lunch for a Buddhist style vegetarian lunch.  If I haven't been honest before, Korean food is not for me...that's rare because I LOVE FOOD...apparently just not Korean.  I just don't know how many different ways there are to eat fermented cabbage but these people love it...frustration.

After our dinner we then visited the Royal Palace - Changdeokgung.  Try saying that five times fast.  To quote the palace brochure, "the Palace was built as a secondary palace of the Joseon Dynasty in 1405.  It served as the residency for many kinds and later it became the main palace.  After all the palaces in Seoul were destoyed during the Japanese invasion (1592-1598).  It was later reconstructed in 1610 and served as the main palace until 1868.  Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Following the amazing palace we then proceded to a different type of barbque, which has been my second favorite dinner other than the one from last night.  Finally...some food!

Dinner was then made complete with a show, Miso, a Korean musical that tells the story of a very famous love drama.  It was beautifully done and one aspect of Korean culture that I was proud to experience.  I even got a chance to take picutre with the crew.  Really cool.

Ok...I'm fried and need sleep.  Deuces.

http://s685.photobucket.com/albums/vv211/Mmerocky/Korea%20Day%205/

Day 4 - Korean BBQ

The majority of the day was spent in the Korean University where we had a chance to meet some of the most renown Korean experts and listen to their lectures on Korean culture, Korean economics and South Korea's relations with North Korea and the possible reunification. The talks were amazing and I really have a ton of ideas on how to improve my lessons.


We then went to the Korean National Museum.  The museum is the largest in Asia and tops as one of the largest in the world.  The three story building was massive and extremely interesting. I was very impressed by the level of historical preservaation, particularly in Korea.  This cannot be under-estimated.  After major invasions by Japan, China, Japan again and then the civil war, much of its religious, cultural, and historic buildings have been destroyed or stolen.  What remains is still a unique and exquisent collection of all things Korean, including Buddha statues, pegodas, calligraphy and pottery.

The highlight of the day, however, was dinner.  Dinner today was on our own.  a few ladies last night went out around the district that surround our hotel and hour a great Korena barbecue retaurant that they claimed was amazing.  Apparently the place is always packed.  So we decided to try it tonight.  Wow!  This was the best meal I have had since arriving.  This is difficult, because I am very much an international person.  I've never meet food I don't like, except in Korea.  I am convinced that this is what happens when you have a country that is as isolated as Korea.  When you cannot exchange or trade with other countries you then get stuck with the limit resources you might possess.  Korea has very limited agriculture, which means...the food has been interesting.  A lot of seafood (I hate seafood, especially Korean seafood that includes octopus, squid and eel, or other mystery meets (dog meat is still served in many parts of Korea).  So needless to say, I've not ate well since arriving. Not tonight.  Here's how Korean barbeque works:

When you walk into the restaurant you are accompanied to small round tables with the charcoal grill built into the middle of the table.  The menu choice is limited.  Either you want a kilo ( a little more that 2 pounds) of beef, or a half kilo.  We were a group of ten so we got a few orders of the kilo.  The waitress then brings our a bowl of the uncooked meet, garlic cloves, mushrooms and peppers to be grilled.  You do it all yourself.  She also brings out a dipping sauce, soup and lettuce, essentially to make your own lettuce warp, a lot of lettuce wraps filled with the grilled meet, and onions/parsley/garlic on the side.  The food was great and we couldn't stop eating.

At the end the waitress then brought out dessert, which threw all of us off.  Our waitress brought out mul neng myun, a cold soup, served with glass noodles, sliced cucumbers a hard boiled egg and ice.  I had this dish with Angela and she hated it.  The smell was so repulsive that I had to hide the dish between the menu. I couldn't even try to east it, having already tried it earlier, but some people in the group did.


Yikes!

http://s685.photobucket.com/albums/vv211/Mmerocky/Korea%20Day%204/

Korea - Day 3

Today had an interesting start. My body still has not adjusted to the time zone change and so, like many other members of the group, we find ourselves falling asleep at around 2 or 3 pm Korean time, which is around 1 or 2 am in Detroit. We've tried to force ourselves to stay wake as long as possible, even through the most exhausting of days, so that we will passout at night, but it has not worked. We rarely are about to sleep through the entire night and often find ourselves wide awak at 5 am! That worked out in my favor today as I was able to watch the Euro Cup match between Spain and Portugal, which, ehem, Spain one! Viva Espana!!! So long Ronaldo you arrogant punk!! That made my morning.


After watching the match it was time to get ready for a long day at the Korea University.  The university is one of, if not, the most prestigious in Korea.  Koreans are very proud of theis university because, unlike others in the region, it was founded by Koreans and not foreign missionaries.

Our lectures today included:
Korean Language
Korean Art
Korean Culture

All of the lectures were extremely informative.  I even learned how to write my name in Korean.  Super cool.

I am completely dumbfounded at how many of the teachers on the trip with me are completely irritating.  I'm shocked by how many of them have traveled so prevalently, more so than I could dream of, and have been to some of the most exotic places in the world and are still idiots.  I don't mean idiots in knowledge, but idiots in their mannerisms.  Its embarrassing.  I think it really goes to show how sloppy our American culture has become -  to the point that we don't even realize it.  I think that's a huge point.  For example, we heavily studied Korean culture before we left the US and all of us....ALL OF US, are familiar with the rules.  Accept items with both hands, even money, and only give things with both hands, bow when you meet people, never pour your own glass, but instead pour the person's glass next to you and they will return the favor.  Even the most basic things that everyone was taught when we were little...don't blow your noise at the dinner table, cover your mouth when you yawn, don't interrupt people, particularly your professors.  I thought this was all basics that everyone in the world taught, but the teachers on this trip just don't get it.  They live up to the expectation of the loud, rude American, completely ignorant of the world around them.  Just today on the subway, any fool could notice that Koreans did not speak on the subway.  It was, in fact, dead silent when we walked on.  What did our group do?  We not only talked, but people shouted across the subway cars, laughed out loud and were just plain rude.  An older Korean lady got so mad that she yelled at our Korean tour guide, calling us completely rude and that she could not hear the station announcements.  In the middle of our lectures at the Korean University people talked, played on their laptops, opned wrappers and interrupted our professor with no remorse.  At some point, Americans need to realize that "American mannerisms," cannot be used as an excuse.  We are teachers, professionals no less, representing our country.  I feel we can do a much better job.

Anyhow, will get going to dinner soon and then back to work on my homework for my classes in the States.  Am I ever going to stop being a student?!?!?! I mean, what other sick person goes to university and attends lectures other than me?  Why me?  Ugh...back to work .

http://s685.photobucket.com/albums/vv211/Mmerocky/Korea%20University/

Old Seoul - Day 2

Today was not meant to be a very adventurous day as many of us were extremely jet lagged still from the flight in. Although many of us got to bed around 9/10pm Korean time, we quickly found ourselves up at 5am, which was about 4pm Detroit time. Needless to say, we are super tired at the moment, but still have a welcome orientation to attend. I figure I'll catch some sleep after.


After a late breakfast we were given our first experiences of the city and taught how to use the subway system.  It was actually very simple and extremely clean.  Unlike other subways I've used, this one had a glass wall that separated the train from the standing dock.  I guess it was a way to prevent people from being pushed onto the tracks and ironed by an on coming subway train.  Why don't other cities have this?

After our tutorial of the subway we arrived at the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace.  A little history: the palace's name means, "Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven."  Originally built in the 1400s it was burned down by the Japanese in 1592, finally rebuilt in 1865 during the U.S. Civil War, and then the Empress Myeongseong was murdered in her bedroom by Japanese assassins.  The restoration on this palace almost made the Korean government broke!  Inside the palace grounds is the National Folk Museum.

After the palace we took a break for lunch.  I'm getting mixed feelings here.  We were told early on that the Koreans do not like strangers.  Hence why they are often referred to as the Hermit Kingdom.  We typically received dirty looks and one old Korean lady yelled at out tour guide because she said our group was loud in the subway train and she couldn't hear the stations being announced.  On the other hand, some people have been very friendly to us, but I think we're going to need to prove that we're not out to be disrespectful.

Outside of the palace gates is a very historic and famous village known as Bukchon Hanok village.  The village is home to Seoul's largest concentration of traditional Korean homes.  A group of use decided to be adventurous and head to the village alone while the rest of our group lazily returned to the hotel.  The village was beautiful.  We managed to find our way back to the subway...all on our own! and then back to the hotel.

One really cool thing....this country seems to have wifi everywhere!  Unlike other parts of the world...including the USA, I was able to recieve free wifi in the large square.  How cool!

Ok, I'm going to take a quick nap before we have to get all dressed up for our orientation.  Deuces!

http://s685.photobucket.com/albums/vv211/Mmerocky/Korea/

Korea Day 1

Hi Everyone!  Day one in Korea!...well really its only part of a day as we arrived about 5:30 in the afternoon, which is about 4:30 am Detroit time.  In other words, I'm 11 hours ahead of the States, or as my dear friend put...."so, you're like in the future?"

This has already proven to be a crazy trip.  Let's start with the basics.  I could not get a direct flight from D-town to NYC's JFK airport, for reasons that still bewilder me.  Its stupid in all honesty.  Why are there not direct flights?  Regardless, I was told by our tour group to meet in JFK for our 2pm flight and there were no planes.  SO...Erock's plan was to fly to LaGuardia (about 20 min from JFK) and then take a shuttle to JFK.  Little did I know that the shuttles were unreliable and often took an HOUR to get to JFK. What did I do?  I paid Delta an extra $50 to get me on the earliest flight to LaGuardia.  Did it work? - No.  Mother Nature decides it would be really COOL to just rain, hail and carry out a barrage of severe thunderstorms in NYC, delaying, if not canceling most flights.  Instead of taking off at 7:30am as scheduled, Eraqi boarded the plane, then sat on it for an hour, then everyone had to get off the plane and wait another two hours.  I didn't leave Detroit until 10:30am!  I landed in LaGuardia at 12 noon, then pushed...no seriously...pushed people out of my way, ran down to the baggage claim for my suitcase, which for the first time in my life was not the last one off the dang plane, then grabbed a cab.

I took one look at the taxi driver and said, "Yo, buddy, umm, sir, I'm in a bit of a hurry to JFK."
Driver: (in a heavy Indian accent) "When's you flight miss?"
Me: 2.
Driver: Umm....oh...ok...ugh...yeah...I can get you there.
Me: (In my head "No crap you can!  A freaking magic carpet can get me there too...")..."but how quick?"
Driver: We'll see....

The guy drove like a maniac and in 15 minutes....no joke....15 minutes I was at JFK.  We landed at 12pm and I was in another airport checking in a half hour later...that's gotta be a world record. I should consider joining the Olympics.

I had enough time to even grab a Turkish lunch, which was conveniently outside my gate.  Gozleme.  Yummy! Ten minutes later and my flight in boarding.  Holy Shish Kabob! That was just getting the NYC!

Once on the plane I had to brace myself for the 14.5 hour flight!!  I gotta say though, Korean Air is great.  The food was good, service was great.  The seat next to me was empty so I could actually get a little comfortable...unlike my new friend Regina (who is from NYC and simply hilarious).  Regina got kicked around like a soccer ball because the 6 year old next to her couldn't sit still....through a 14.5 hour flight!  Poor Regina...that'll drive anyone to commit murder.

I have to admit that I was very productive on the flight.  Just cause I'm in Korea doesn't mean I'm not working.  I read two chapters, finished a reading assignment for my online class and even edited a research paper for my other online class.  Not a whole lot of consistent sleep.  They kept waking me up to give us a glass of water, a warm towel to wash our face, then lunch, then a quick snack, then dinner.  GEEZ PEOPLE!...but overall, very good.

Ok, so once we landed in Korea, our fellowship group was to pick us up.  Two people were stuck in the storm back in NYC and were never able to get on the flight.  They should be arriving in the next few hours.

Korea, is nice.  Seoul is a large busting city.  Really hip, really clean, and really modern.  Oh and apparently really strict.  Like, you get fined for jaywalking.  That's tough for my NYC friends to get used to.

Tomorrow, we take a little tour of old Seoul before our big orientation where I have to tell 40 other people how cool I am and that, "its E-raqi, not I-raki (wierdos), and no I'm not from Iraq (I'm from some place much cooler...but hey feel free to name countries after me.  I'm not gonna stop you.)

Always, its midnight....time to get some rest!  Will blog tomorrow and add some pics....it'll really still be yesterday for you kids