My Favorite Place~Korea
During the Fall 2017 semester I studied abroad in South Korea. I had a lot of fun and found many places in Korea that I like to talk about all the time.
Jeju: I lived in Seoul for four and a half months but about halfway through the semester I went to Jeju Island. There were a lot of cool and unique things to see on the island and it was a nice relaxing break from the bustling city of Seoul. My friend and I got on the wrong bus and while we were waiting for the right one we walked along the beach and had some coffee. The picture is of two monkeys carved from coconuts.
Seoul: There wasn't a single time that I spent an entire day in my apartment without leaving. Everyday I either went to class or went sightseeing. Even though sometimes I was tired, I am really glad that I went out because I got to see so much. Korea is a mix of old and new, once I visited a Buddhist temple that had sky scrapers built around it. It was always a cool experience to be within the gates of a temple or palace where it was quiet and peaceful but once you step out you're back in the noisy city.
Jeju: I lived in Seoul for four and a half months but about halfway through the semester I went to Jeju Island. There were a lot of cool and unique things to see on the island and it was a nice relaxing break from the bustling city of Seoul. My friend and I got on the wrong bus and while we were waiting for the right one we walked along the beach and had some coffee. The picture is of two monkeys carved from coconuts.
(Image Information: personal photo taken at a cafe along the beach in Jeju)
(Image Information: personal photo taken at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul)
The old parts were cool but what I loved most about Seoul was the new, urban side of it. Living in car-centric suburban America my whole life, it was great being able to walk or take the subway everywhere at anytime of day. There was always something to do and I definitely spent more money than I thought I would.
Myeongdong, a popular shopping area in Seoul
Source: Wikimedia Commons
What a wonderful experience, Mariah! There was a Korean student in this class last semester, and he used this piece of art from the Seoul War Memorial in his story for class about two brothers fighting: Brothers Don't Fight Each Other. Maybe you will find some connections between your experiences in Korea and what you are reading for this class: Buddhism began in India, and we are actually going to start off the semester with some Buddhist folktales from India in Week 2, and apparently these jataka tales are known in Korea also; at least, this is what Google showed me: Korean Zen Legends Illustrated in Temple Murals. (Google: how did we live without it???)
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