note 10.48pm on the 15 October 2008 is the start of my blog again. technically the revival. haha!
anyway i just came back from korea exchange trip and well the following is my report so don mind if there's any grammatical mistakes i hope i can directly copy from microsoft word. very lazy to attach pictures agn. overall, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! MADE A LOT OF GREAT FRIENDS!! TOTALLY LOVE THE COMPANY I HAD!!! :D HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO GO TO KOREA/ANY EXCHANGE PROGRAMME PEOPLE!!
so here goes!
If needed to sum up 7 days in Korea with only one word, it is Memorable!
My Mum, Grandma, Sister and I at Changi Airport T1
This is my first time participating in an overseas cultural exchange programme in my whole life and it has been an enriching and unforgettable experience for me! Getting exposed to Korean culture through interaction with our Korean friends and experiencing Korean Sauna were one of the many things I took away from these 6 short days in Korea. However the most important thing I’ve gained from this trip was the homestay with a Korean friend.
On Friday night, we took an Asiana plane to Incheon international airport, Seoul. All of us were eager yet hesitant to leave our country. Not being able to see our family members and friends for the entire week, was somehow a difficult task for some of us, maybe just me. I almost cried when we had to depart from Changi Airport T1 that night. This Korean Cultural Exchange was the first opportunity i had, that allowed me to go overseas without my family. I was a little nervous about the whole trip at first, but after it all, it was worth it!
Before going into the transit hall, the team and Ms Angelvin, who is our delegation leader for this trip, spent a few minutes taking some official photos. We also took the opportunity to spend the remaining time we had, with our families and friends before saying goodbyes. Soon, we were off for Korea!
Team SP at Changi Airport T1
We took a 6 hours flight from Singapore at 9pm (local time) and only arriving at Seoul at around 7am in the morning. During the flight we had a lot of in-flight entertainment, such as latest blockbuster movies from Hollywood and Korean variety shows. To prepare ourselves for the Korean culture we will be facing in another 6 hours, several of us watched some Korean variety shows while the others caught up with some beauty sleep. After a tough night on the plane, we were informed that the temperature at Korea was 17 degree Celsius! Everyone prepared their lip balms and face creams and applied to protect themselves. We were ready to conquer the weather of korea!
We were welcomed to Korea by our Korean delegation leader, Mr Kim Myung Su who is a lecturer in Suncheon First College in the department of Social Welfare. He is a very warm and friendly lecturer. I have to say that the whole trip wouldn’t have been as fun as it was without Mr Kim as our support and friend. It was early Saturday morning and due to some delays in the airport, we missed our airport limousine to Suncheon City.
An airport limousine is actually a 26-seater bus that allows all 26 passengers to sit comfortably like they were in a first class cabin of SIA. We had ample leg space in front of us and the ride was really comfortable. Halfway through the 5 hours bus ride, we had a short stopover. This was the first time I’ve seen an actual Korean food centre!
Imagine yourself at the stopover while having a road trip to Malaysia, the food centre is very crowded and swamped with files. In Korea, it isn’t! Although the crowd is manageable, the area is really clean and the food was really good! For the first time, I was exposed to KOREAN FOOD! Rice cakes, grilled cuttlefish, and grilled potatoes were just a few good food choices there! Thankfully Mr Kim was beside us. He gave us great food recommendations such as the grilled cuttlefish and the grilled potatoes.
Bus Rest Stop’s Food Outlets
After our short yet filling brunch, we transferred buses. From there on, we took a Suncheon First College School Bus to the college. On the bus, Mr Kim introduced us to the school system of Korea and more about himself. Basically the education system is similar to what we adhere to in Singapore, however, in Korea, they follow the America education system instead of the British education system which we follow. College is similar to what we call Junior College here in Singapore. However the age group is a little different from Singapore.
Suncheon First College Student’s Centre
After we arrived at our apartment, (which was a stone away from Suncheon First College), we changed into something comfortable and off we went to Suncheon First College. We met with our Korean friends who were taking us around in Korea during our three days at the college.
The first time I saw my friend, Tung, I was surprised by her warm hospitality. Although I didn’t understand Korean, Tung didn’t give up communicating with me. She used English the best she could so that I could understand her. She made sure I really enjoyed Korea in its most beautiful way – through the people. I have to admit, she has really succeeded in that. Just two short days spent with my friends, I’ve learnt a lot about Korean culture. Tung is certainly one important factor that made me enjoy this trip so much!
On Sunday, we went on a Suncheon city tour where we got the opportunity to see the actual drama serial set up/back lot for the upcoming blockbuster drama serial, EAST OF EDEN! From all the set up preparation and the logistics used in the set, you have to admit, Korea people are really creative! They made use of foam to substitute fermented soya bean cake and also glass fiber to make walls. Indeed it was a good exposure to the various ideas and methods to cut down on materials by using recyclable materials. Standing on the hilltop of the entire set, we could see an entire artificial city just below us and it was a great sight. It felt as though as everything was under your feet and the wind was blowing against your face. I felt as though as I was flying.
After visiting the drama serial set up, we went to Songgwangsa 송광사 - 松廣寺 that was situated within the mountain and a river runs through it. It was fall when we visit Korea. The whole track to the temple entrance was lined with trees with red and golden leaves at both sides. It was my first time seeing trees in fall and naturally, i whipped out my camera and the photo taking session started again.
Songgwangsa 송광사 - 松廣寺
During the walk to the temple, we saw a lot of stones piled up on bigger stones. Mr Kim explained to us that it was a method of making a wish. According to Korea tradition, when you make a wish, take a small pebble, and pile up above another pebble. The other pebble might belong to someone else. It is the wish of another person. If the whole pile falls while you are piling your own stone, everyone’s wishes will be cancelled. Several of us tried wishing and most of them succeeded piling the stones up. Korea religious heritage is very similar to China due to the early influence from China as a neighboring country. Scriptures were craved on towers of stones with Chinese characters and each stone tower were at least 1 storey high! When we went into the temple, we were amazed by the details in architecture and the rich sense of Buddhism present in the premises of the temple. It was really the right vibe of a temple experienced in Songgwangsa 송광사 - 松廣寺.
After temple visit, we had lunch at the foot of the hill. We had Bibimbap which is a mixture of rice, a lot of vegetables, meat, fish and a dollop of red bibimbap paste. With the right ingredients, use your spoon and give it a big stir and there you have, BIBIMBAP, a traditional staple food in Korea. After the lunch feast, a Korea grandmother gave us a packet of ginger biscuits as a treat. This is one of the many experiences I had in korea which shows how friendly and warm Koreans are. Although Koreans may shove and push their way through crowds, they are actually very hospitable and courteous to their guests.
After the temple visit, we continued our Suncheon City Tour. We visited the set of the famous Dae Guem Gom serial where the lead actress was sent to Jeju Island. We were lucky as we managed to view how the royal guards in the past, change their shifts with a certain procedure. The drums roared through the city gates and into the city when the guards exchanged their shifts. It was an eye opener for Singaporeans like us who has never experienced lives of ancient people. Some of our team members went on a swing within the facility and managed to conquer their fears of height. Most of us also enjoyed the see-saw like game which was another common game played in the past. Simple games played in the past were as fun as playing game consoles that we have now. It made me realize simplicity is also a good choice when we want to have fun.
Not only did we have fun at the area, we also tried out more Korean Delicacies and deserts. We had pumpkin Moochi, bean powdered rice moochi and some daring souls tried ice cream in the cold weather. The food was delicious although the flavours of the moochi aren’t as strong as peanut and moochi that we always have in Singapore. Nevertheless, the food was good!
After visiting the set of Dae Guem Gom and having the chance to see a live recording of I believe a food show, we headed off to suncheon Bay where the reeds just cover the entrie bay side. It was a really comforting sight standing at the bridge, with birds flying in the sky, waves crushing on the shores, and reeds just along the bay. It was a well kept and well maintained nature reserve in Suncheon. The habitats of animals such as crabs and mudskippers weren’t destroyed even though walkways were built across the reed fields. It is a great example of nature kept in its best form even with modern improvements.
We were lucky as we met a fliming crew along the walk in Suncheon Bay and they wanted us to say a few lines about their broadcasting network for fliming purposes. We certainly left a mark behind in Suncheon and Korea!
With the walk in Suncheon Bay, we ended our Suncheon City Tour and we started our shopping in Suncheon! We headed to E mart in Suncheon which is a hypermart that sells practically everything! Although we were given 45minutes to shop, 6 of us including myself, were surprised when we left the hypermart with 4 boxes filled with food products to carry back to the apartment. However the night was still young and we continued our activities at a Hot Public Bath.
The things we’ve experienced there was a cultural shock to us. It was not what we will ever or always see in Singapore. As I wasn’t feeling well, I gave the hot bath a miss and I really regret it. My friends who experienced the sauna, they certainly had a great time as everyone looked even more refreshed after the long day. If I ever get the chance again, I would try the sauna out. After the sauna, we took a cab back to the apartment and prepared for day three.
Tung, Janice, Janice’s Partner and I outside Suncheon First College Admin Block
Day three- Monday started out with meeting our Korean friends in the school and interacting with them. We were brought around the school by Mr Kim who showed us the automobile workshop in the school and several other facilities. I was most fascinated by the automobile workshop they had within the school. There wasn’t only one car in the workshop, there were around ten! It is an advantage for students taking the course when they have practical hands-on maintaining, repairing cars for their coursework instead of just plainly making do with separate parts. The automobile students were also very successful in their competition in a inter school competition of automobile racing. The school team designed a motor kart that ran on a motorcycle’s engine and it has won several awards. We were given the privilege to try out the award winning vehicle however after a few turns on the kart, the engine had to rest and we continued our school walkabout.
Kenneth performing with a traditional Performance headset tied to a ribbon.
Soon after, we were sent to the school auditorium to watch some performances organized by the students. The show started with an interesting performance of Korean traditional musical instruments. The musical instruments are called Samul Nori. Although the whole musical performance was filled with percussion, the music played was as though as various instruments were played. After their performance, they taught us how to play and under their guidance, the whole team managed to play a piece with proper starting and ending. It was a great experience playing the songs. After taking part in their activities, it was our turn to show our gratitude to Suncheon First College. After three days of rehearsal in Singapore under the help of our seniors from Foreign Exchange Club, we choreographed a dance and sang Kit Chan’s song Home for the Korean friends. It was an emotional scene for us as we really treated Korea as our home and yet we miss our families and friends back in Singapore. After singing and dancing out our heartfelt appreciation, we set of with our tour around school.
Team SP with Principal and Mr
Kim after performance.
Suncheon First College has a place called student centre and it is just like Moberly in Singapore Polytechnic. They have billiard tables, rooms where students can relax and commit their time in their CCAs such as robotics and religious clubs. However, the plus point about Suncheon First College is their lecturers. Talking to my two hosts and being with Mr Kim over the 4 days, the school has really showed me that students in the college are really lucky to be studying in Suncheon First College. Allow me to talk about my home stay activity which started after the entire school tour.
Things weren’t so smooth for me regarding my homestay friend. My actual homestay family is Professor Lee from the course of Marketing and Investments in the college. However due to some family matters, Professor Lee asked his fellow colleague, Ms Lee kuang hee to take care of me.
A few of us at Seoul
Ms Lee is also a lecturer in Suncheon, teaching Early Childhood education. She studied in Japan for a period of time and hence was fluent in Japanese too. With that advantage, we communicated in Japanese, Korean and English but, it was just a bit of this and a bit of that. Although I’ve met Ms Lee for just 20mins before I reached her apartment, she has already treated me like she knew me for 20 years!
She treated me with no fear of language as a barrier that was present between us. I wasn’t feeling too good during the entire trip in korea. During the homestay, Ms Lee made sure I was warm at night and also whether I ate the right food. She even called her friend who was able to speak English to translate for her. Ms Lee stays in a one room apartment with just a small toilet near the main door. Across the small hall, lies the balcony. In the hall, there was nothing present but just a mattress that was just nice for the two of us. Although small, the whole room was cosy and warm. I really enjoyed my stay with Ms Lee.
Ms Lee’s Apartment
Through her and a small interaction session with Mr Lee, I’ve learnt about the traditional Korean Dagger, Zhuang Dao. It is a common gift for Korean couples for marriage. In one box, there will be two daggers, one for the lady and one for the gentleman. It is said, this gift is to remind the couple of the belief that one gentleman loves only one lady and vice versa. If one of them loves another person, he/she must realize that he/she is at fault in the relationship and hence, take his/her dagger and stab himself for being unfaithful. On the box it states ‘Yi Pian Xin Dao Jin Gang Bu Hui’. It means, with one heart, the blade of the dagger will never be ruined. It was a personal gift from Professor Lee’s father-in-law to Professor Lee and his wife.
Traditional Zhuang Dao
On the last day of our tour in Suncheon, we went to Posco the leading steel making factory in Asia. They have business relations with famous companies such as Samsung, Toyota, and various well-known electrical appliances. After a very amazing introduction by the PR officer of Posco, we were given stainless steel mirrors as a form of souvenirs. It was unique as most mirrors are made from glass while this is purely steel. This only proves that the steel is very shiny and flat and smooth to be able to reflect and behave like a mirror.
After the introduction, we were led to the steel milling factories and it was very interesting. The steel blocks entered the furnace and went under rolling mills to thin the blocks into strips that could be coiled up. The coils are then left to cool and after 3 days, the coils are sent to the various companies for further application. When evening came, we left Posco and had dinner with President of Suncheon First College.
Dinner with President
Dinner was the first time I had alcohol drink in my whole life. The president treated us to dinner of Korean Traditional food. We had porridge- Black sesame porridge, kimchi, sashimi, and we had strawberry wine. It was strong and after one cup, most of us were ‘drunk’. During the short interaction, the President talked about his stay in Indonesia and also has been to Singapore. We can’t wait for the Korean students to come over for the their exchange programme with us next year so we can show the same hospitality and warmth to Korea like how they showed us for the 6 days.
Shimin, Mr Kim and I at the restaurant yard before dinner with President.
On the last day when we were at Suncheon, we said goodbye to Mr Kim who has been a great friend and companion throughout the entire 4 days in Suncheon. From the fun and laughter we had together, to the small hugs he gave us during the trip, we really loved his company. Some of us hallucinated seeing him eating at the fast food restaurant at Seoul when he was at Suncheon.
Throughout the whole trip, I’ve learnt how to take care of myself independently and be open to new cultures from different parts of the world. Also I really want to thank Suncheon First College, my team members, and Ms Angelvin for the fun and assistance over the six days. Given the chance in the future, I would love to go for an exchange programme again.
ok no pictures will upload asap :D haha! too draggy i think my report :P
