Hi! We are here. Have not left South Korea or gotten ourselves involved in any national conflict. :) It has just been very hectic in Cheonan. They have been keeping us busy from dawn til dusk plus we have had 3 homestays in the 5 1/2 days we have been in Cheonan. As you know, moves are never easy and good-byes keep getting more difficult as we get closer to coming back home. Can everyone believe it has been almost 24 days since we left Massachusetts? Time flies when you are having fun!
I have to confess that I have been homesick. Not so much because of the physical place but I have been missing the pancakes my friend Myriam (and argue over with her 2 1/2 year old twins-hey when it comes to pancakes I don't care about your age, OK?!!!) makes and my monthly pancake breakfast at Ashley's. But wait until you hear this one!!!!!!! Yesterday, our homestay family (Rebecca and I have been sharing homestays while at Cheonan) surprised us with french toast, coffee WITH milk, apple juice, BACON and hot dogs for breakfast. Today, I took a bit longer than usual in getting dressed and Rebecca beats me to the dining room. All of a sudden hear head pokes in the doorway and she says, "Carolyn, you HAVE TO come out here. But close your eyes." So I'm thinking, oh no, please not another birthday cake for breakfast. :) I close my eyes, she directs me to the dining room table, tells me to open my eyes and I couldn't help out screaming, "PANCAKES. OMG, PANCAKES." I gave my homestay mom such a biiiiiiiiiiig hug that I almost choked her! Now, I can stay in Korea. As long as there is pancake mix and maple syrup Life is Good.
Time to change families and cities. As we approach the parking lot a familiar figure comes into view. It's Hwalan! Our GSE Coordinator and friend. I jump out of the car and give her a big hug (It's national Carolyn will hug everyone day). As the rest of the group arrives and sees her they all do the same. It is nice to see a familiar face and to have our trip start to come to full circle. We started in Seosan and will end in Seosan.
The trip to Seosan was very chill and full of reflections. Hwalan surprised us by stopping in Yesan at Mr. Busy's (he's the Rotary President in Yesan) where he gave each of us 4 DVD's full of our pictures and memories while in Yesan. The thoughtful details do not stop. We continued to Seosan and from the highway we saw a familiar house; it was Hwalan's house. Yep, right in the middle of the highway we stopped the car and took pictures. When in Korea, you know the rest.
It was a very chill day. We visited the Fort at Haemi, took pictures and videos with school kids on a field trip, went to the Temple that Hwalan and family visit. This Temple distinguished itself from the others we visited in that it is very small and the atmosphere is cozier, not as commercialized and we were able to roam the grounds and meditate under complete silence and beautiful skies. There were decorations everywhere as they are preparing for Buddha's brithday celebration on May 21st (national holiday in Korea). Had a delicious lunch of roasted duck while watching the somber ceremony on TV of the shipmen killed in South Korea.
Eating well, and plenty, and being in good health is key to the South Koreans. So our hosts are always preparing things for us that promote our health spiritually and physically. Aside from visiting temples and hot springs we also get-TAH DAH- FACIAL MASSAGES. They are spoiling us! So guys, when I get back home I don't expect anything less than massages, hot springs and good food. :). One of the Rotarians has her own place and treated the four of us to a 1 hour treatment. She is sooo sweet. Val will luck out b/c that is her homestay. I'm jealous!
Dinner! Buffet style, oh yeah. Guess who was there waiting for us, the District Governor himself and about 15 Rotarians plus some of their family members. Everyone takes such good care of us and our needs that it is overwhelming. Our friend, sister and interpreter Yu-Rim was there to save our lives once more. She has been looking out from day 1 and even took time this evening from studying for her mid-terms to be with us. We love you Yu-Rim.
Now at homestay with Umma and Apha (Apa). Watching Korean drama. Don't understand a thing but who cares all the dramas are the same. Rebecca and I got hooked on a morning drama that ALL of our homestay moms watched in the morning. We kind of concluded that is was the Korean version of Ugly Betty.
On our way to Seoul tomorrow. We promise to catch everyone up on our previous days over the weekend. Take care and see you soon....
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday April 25, 2010 Independence Hall
We bid a sad farewell to our first homestay families in Cheonan. We are scheduled to have three host families in Cheonan, two days at each family. Next we drove to the Independence Hall of Korea. The museum contains powerful dioramma, documents and high tech movies to depict Korea's history from 1910 to 1945. It demonstrates "a history of struggle and survival for freedom and national independence against sordid and brutal imperialism." We made the decision to break for lunch and to spend the entire day at the museum. The weather was beautiful and we walked the grounds, looking at the displays and sculpture. Patriotism was evident everywhere. In the evening, we ate dinner with our new host families and went home with them. Each of us spent family time with the parents and children of our new "homestay." We are deeply grateful for the hospitality and generosity of our host families.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Our last day in Asan and finally Seoul (April 22)
Today was our last morning with our homestay famillies in Asan and time for another trade off to a new place and new faces. We meet at the Asan/Cheonan train station to meet our new friends from Cheonan and to head to Seoul for the day. We weren't sure if we would be able to make it to Seoul but it was on our list of must do's. Tony, our translator and friend from Asan, made this happen for us. So we bid farewell, greeted our new friends, and headed to take the express train to Seoul.
By train it only took about approx. 40 minutes versus the approx. 1.5 hours by car. As the train approached Seoul, we immediately begin to notice the contarasts to the rural areas and smaller cities which we have been in. Our friends planned a full day for us so as soon as we got off the train we jumped on a tour bus for our first destination. Our first stop was the National Museum of Korea. We cruised through the first 2 floors in our allotted hour taking in history. After many pali pali's (hurry hurry) from our friends we caught the bus and headed to the Namsangol Traditional Korean Village, where an empress lived. On our way here we passed the U.S. Army Yongsan Base and the War Memorial of Korea. Passing the War Memorial, I was able to view many statues, aircraft and tanks, which made me reflect on the hardships that Koreans have endured. The buildings in the village are original although they have been moved form their original location in Seoul. We had enough time here to view the time capsule, which includes approx. 600 items. It was dedicated in December of 1994, at the 400th anniversary of Seoul, and will be opened at the 1000th anniversary of Seoul. Many people from different countries, including the Mayor of San Francisco, attended the event.
The next stop was the N Seoul Tower which was my favorite. At the tower site, a Green Allure (fashion magazine) event was being set up. Many different green products, including Burt's Bees, attended the event. We headed up the tower, thankfully by elevator, for the most astonishing 360 degree views of Seoul. It was a perfect time to be on top of the tower because it had started to rain in some portions of Seoul and the sun was coming through. The panorama didn't appear real but more like a painting.
Next, was a stop in the largest and most popular shopping district in Seoul. I have to give our hosts alot of credit for keeping the group of 8 on schedule and together in this bustling city of 12 million. After some shopping and people watching, we headed back to the train station by subway. The subway station was extremely clean and efficient. It had walls with doors to protect people from the tracks and flat screen TVs. Soon we were back on the express train to head to dinner to meet our new host families. All of this in 7 hours!!! It was another great day!
By train it only took about approx. 40 minutes versus the approx. 1.5 hours by car. As the train approached Seoul, we immediately begin to notice the contarasts to the rural areas and smaller cities which we have been in. Our friends planned a full day for us so as soon as we got off the train we jumped on a tour bus for our first destination. Our first stop was the National Museum of Korea. We cruised through the first 2 floors in our allotted hour taking in history. After many pali pali's (hurry hurry) from our friends we caught the bus and headed to the Namsangol Traditional Korean Village, where an empress lived. On our way here we passed the U.S. Army Yongsan Base and the War Memorial of Korea. Passing the War Memorial, I was able to view many statues, aircraft and tanks, which made me reflect on the hardships that Koreans have endured. The buildings in the village are original although they have been moved form their original location in Seoul. We had enough time here to view the time capsule, which includes approx. 600 items. It was dedicated in December of 1994, at the 400th anniversary of Seoul, and will be opened at the 1000th anniversary of Seoul. Many people from different countries, including the Mayor of San Francisco, attended the event.
The next stop was the N Seoul Tower which was my favorite. At the tower site, a Green Allure (fashion magazine) event was being set up. Many different green products, including Burt's Bees, attended the event. We headed up the tower, thankfully by elevator, for the most astonishing 360 degree views of Seoul. It was a perfect time to be on top of the tower because it had started to rain in some portions of Seoul and the sun was coming through. The panorama didn't appear real but more like a painting.
Next, was a stop in the largest and most popular shopping district in Seoul. I have to give our hosts alot of credit for keeping the group of 8 on schedule and together in this bustling city of 12 million. After some shopping and people watching, we headed back to the train station by subway. The subway station was extremely clean and efficient. It had walls with doors to protect people from the tracks and flat screen TVs. Soon we were back on the express train to head to dinner to meet our new host families. All of this in 7 hours!!! It was another great day!
Asan- day 3 (April 22)
Today we visited the shrine of General Yi. If you mention his name amongst South Koreans, you will see the signs of respect, admiration and patriotism that they have for this man. They regard him with utmost respect for his bravery and mastery in defeating the Japanese when everyone else had failed using his famous turtle ships. It was amazing to see all the weaponry, documentation and maps he utilized for such memorable accomplishment.
Homesickness, specially at meal time, has started to hit us so we were pleasantly surprised when they took us to a Korean BBQ. So what was so special about this bbq? STEAK! All kinds of cuts, shapes and sizes. Yuuuuummmmmmy. Believe me when I say, we were all in heaven. Our interpreter Tony, who has lived in the States and has become our big brother during our stay in Asan, hooked us up and put a smile back in our faces and our tummies. Thanks Tony!
Don't even think that after that big lunch we were going to stay put. Oh no. Koreans are very active and looove to walk. Next to our lunch place they had a folk museum, so we headed there next to enjoy and learn about Korean culture and history. It is amazing to experience first hand how well they have preserved documents and artifacts dating back to hundreds of years. Also, every place we go we see students roaming the halls with a pamphlet doing there assignments. It is not only new generations that fill these spaces but bus loads of older generations pack the museums and cultural areas. I was able to experience a beautiful song at one of the exhibits. I was standing in front of the exhibit that shows the agricultural tools of the time and this group of elders, as they walked by each exhibit, started singing what I assume was a song sung in the fields while they did there work. What a treat!
Visiting Asia would not be complete without experiencing the art of martial arts. I was wondering when we would get an opportunity to see this beautiful skill. We had the opportunity to visit a Taekyeon class for kids. Taekyeon is one of the martial arts practiced here. It differs from others as it is more rhythmical and circular in its movements. Hundreds of kids participate in this class as part of their after school activities. Although we didn't actively participate, we could have been seriously hurt by those kids; you should see their moves, we did have time to briefly interact and make faces at them.
Rotary meeting time. It is interesting to see our hosts during these meetings. They go from happy-go-lucky to very serious mode. At all of the meetings during our trip, we have received a special welcome and done exchange of banners. For us, it is also a time to say our final good-byes to everyone as we usually leave for the next day to a new city.
Next on GSE South Korea 2010: Cheonan.
Homesickness, specially at meal time, has started to hit us so we were pleasantly surprised when they took us to a Korean BBQ. So what was so special about this bbq? STEAK! All kinds of cuts, shapes and sizes. Yuuuuummmmmmy. Believe me when I say, we were all in heaven. Our interpreter Tony, who has lived in the States and has become our big brother during our stay in Asan, hooked us up and put a smile back in our faces and our tummies. Thanks Tony!
Don't even think that after that big lunch we were going to stay put. Oh no. Koreans are very active and looove to walk. Next to our lunch place they had a folk museum, so we headed there next to enjoy and learn about Korean culture and history. It is amazing to experience first hand how well they have preserved documents and artifacts dating back to hundreds of years. Also, every place we go we see students roaming the halls with a pamphlet doing there assignments. It is not only new generations that fill these spaces but bus loads of older generations pack the museums and cultural areas. I was able to experience a beautiful song at one of the exhibits. I was standing in front of the exhibit that shows the agricultural tools of the time and this group of elders, as they walked by each exhibit, started singing what I assume was a song sung in the fields while they did there work. What a treat!
Visiting Asia would not be complete without experiencing the art of martial arts. I was wondering when we would get an opportunity to see this beautiful skill. We had the opportunity to visit a Taekyeon class for kids. Taekyeon is one of the martial arts practiced here. It differs from others as it is more rhythmical and circular in its movements. Hundreds of kids participate in this class as part of their after school activities. Although we didn't actively participate, we could have been seriously hurt by those kids; you should see their moves, we did have time to briefly interact and make faces at them.
Rotary meeting time. It is interesting to see our hosts during these meetings. They go from happy-go-lucky to very serious mode. At all of the meetings during our trip, we have received a special welcome and done exchange of banners. For us, it is also a time to say our final good-byes to everyone as we usually leave for the next day to a new city.
Next on GSE South Korea 2010: Cheonan.
Saturday April 24, 2010 ~ A Joyful Day
Much to our surprise and delight, our new Rotarian friends from Cheonan decided to take us to the largest theme park in Korea. Located in Yungin City, it is called Everland and is similar to Graceland, Neverland and Disneyland all rolled into one! Matt and Becky bravely took the roller coaster with our interpreter while Carolyn and Val drank coffee with our Rotarian hosts. We toured the African safari zoo and the Festival of Tulips display, which was simply spectacular. We also saw an adorable dog show.
In the afternoon, our Rotarian friends drove us to the Gakwon Temple at Cheonan. Actually, there were several buildings. One temple had a large Buddah painted gold. Outside was a very large Buddah in bronze. We concluded our day with yet another traditional Korean feast at a restaurant with many Rotarians. We are deeply grateful for their hospitality, humor and excellent planning. 감사합니다. Gam sa ham ni da! That's Korean for "thank you."
In the afternoon, our Rotarian friends drove us to the Gakwon Temple at Cheonan. Actually, there were several buildings. One temple had a large Buddah painted gold. Outside was a very large Buddah in bronze. We concluded our day with yet another traditional Korean feast at a restaurant with many Rotarians. We are deeply grateful for their hospitality, humor and excellent planning. 감사합니다. Gam sa ham ni da! That's Korean for "thank you."
Thursday, April 22, 2010
April 21st-day 2
Our first trip of the day was an Elementary school where we were able to get an in depth tour. We participated in an English class. The kids were friendly and eager to learn. The facility even had a dentist checking student's teeth. With the kids being so curious I played my video about what Americans have to say about the U.S. We met with the Principal, who was very open to suggestions. While eating BiBimBap, the Mayor from Asan City came in to say hello. Much like Plymouth Plantation the Koreans have a museum showing what life was like in a village 500 years ago. The descendants of the the original settlers occupy a portion of the village. Each of us dressed up for a mock wedding with the ornate wedding attire. It was such a treat to go through a very special tour of the Danglim Art Museum. Mr. Lee, director of the museum, showed us many precious things such as his father's studio where everything was left exactly as his ather left it before his death. We learned he was a very famous painter that was comissioned by the government to produce 7 paintings. Later we went to what I would say is the coolest spot in Korea. We sang kareoke in a helicopter cafe where bands rock out. The owner built it all by hand which took 5 years. Soon after we sped off to meet up with our host families for dinner. The sound of hungry people filled the room as we ate a variety of side dishes. I met up with Val and her family for a movie in Cheonan where we saw The Book of Eli. The theater in the big city had assigned seating and yummy Caramel popcorn. As the vibrations hit our seat, Becky and Carolyn were served chicken sandwiches and french fries from Popeye's. All in all we had another great day.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
14th day, 5th city-Asan
I do not why, but departure time always seems to catch us by surprise. It doesn't matter how many times we have gone through the drill in 14 days, we always feel nervous and anxious as we await the right of passage drill of "being handed from one Rotary group to the next". Yesterday was no different. As we patiently awaited for the group from Asan to arrive, our hosts from Boryeong had yet another gift for us. Footnote: family members, when you come and to get us at the airport please bring a van or pick-up; we are coming home with extra luggage. Sorry for the sidebar, let's continue. As I was saying, our group from Boryeong/Daecheon made it even more memorable as our Johnny Cash, Mr. Moon, presented us with an autographed AND personalized copy of his poetry book. I think I'm falling in LOVE! Well, maybe a small crush. :)
Our group from Asan arrives and our interpreter Tony walks us through the events before we arrive to Asan. We have all talked about how weird and special we feel as we get driven around from one city to another. That is something we heard was only reserved for "important people." So, I guess we are extra special. Travel days are always my favorite as I get time to reflect on our trip and to admire the scenery, which otherwise we would not be able to see if we had been flying from one location to the next.
Once in Asan, we stopped at the main Rotary Club office in the downtown area. Awards, medals and banners from Malaysia, New Zealand and other clubs are displayed throughout the office. Once introductions are made, we walk around and explore a little and while flipping through the pages of their monthly Rotarian magazine our faces light up as we recognize some of the people that appear throughout the magazine. Neat, huh?! Off to lunch we go.... All mushrooms. A soup with all different kinds of mushrooms. Nice light lunch, just what our bodies were in need of.
The Rotary motto is: Service Above Self. We have been able to experience a lot of the things that they have done as part of their service projects but for the first time during our trip we have been able to experience them in action. We were taken to a house being constructed for a multinational family (this is a family that is made up of a Korean native and a Phillipine). This is the 6th house in 6 years that the Rotary Club from Asan has built. It is going to be a beautiful home for this family in the next couple of weeks.
Our schedule for today was a light one. We stopped in downtown Asan and later were taken to a park where the monument of General Yi Sun-Shin (leader of one of the most important naval battles) is erected. The park is beautiful: trees, nice lake, a walkway that surrounds the park, flowers in full bloom. Taking it all in.....
Duck for dinner and time for our homestays. Rebecca and I are staying with the same family and they had their daughter come from Seoul so she could meet us and serve as interpreter. Most Koreans speak some English but they feel it is not that good, so they have their children interpret for us and at the same time practice their English. If they only knew that there English is better than our Korean!!! But thank goodness for the international language: a SMILE bridges all differences.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Boryeong/Deacheon Under the Stars
As we bid farewell once again to a wonderful group of Rotarians and their families, we look up to the sky, that is full of stars tonight, and wish that we can return very soon to see our new acquired friends in Boryeong City. Our last day was spent sleeping (YEAH!!!) into late morning for the first time during our trip. We got some much needed R&R as we enter the second half of this wonderful journey. Some of us slept in and some of us ventured out to explore the tiny beach town of Deachon and were able to appreciate the hussle and sounds of fisherman at the fish market. The amount of fish that is brought in and consumed is amazing! Species that we didn't even know existed are sold at the market. We were able to buy some snacks without an interpreter. Well we kind of cheated our way into knowing how much to pay at the market by giving them a 10,000 won which is equivalent to $10 dollars-that is called survival.
We were met by a group of Rotarians at the lobby of the hotel around noon and taken to one of their houses for lunch. I tell you they keep kicking it up a notch. Just imagine the delicious plates we have shown you until now PLUS an assortment of desserts (rice cakes, something kind of marshmallowy, fruits, etc.). After that we visited several Rotary offices. I have to say, the Rotarian spirit in Deachon can be felt every two miles or so as they have offices within distance of each other. And how PROUD they are of being Rotarians. To all of them when asked, their biggest project is the Scholarship portion. The faces light up when they talk about how many students they have been able to help with scholarships. That makes us proud to be part of such a generous group as well.
From there we were rushed to City Hall as the Mayor of Boryeong City was waiting for us. I felt like a superstar as we entered the building. The special assistant to the Mayor, the city's auditor and our OWN interpreter from City Hall were waiting for us at the lobby. Aha, yep our own interpreter! Mr. Mayor was very gracious and gave us one of the most coveted and famous gift that anyone can get from the city; a MUD KIT. If you read the history of Boryeong it is known for its worldwide Mud Festival. The best mud in the world for those of us trying to stay young and beautiful. Will try to bring some home with me. After we finished touring the city office and agricultural department we headed to the Traditional Market. Apparently, we are in luck as the markets happen every five days and we arrive at each city in time for the market. Did we mention that in our last city we bumped into a lady that had seen us at the market in Yesan and she was the one that recognized us? It was hilarious!
For some reason, our home stays always end in the best of ways. Before heading out to meet folks for our last dinner we took a beautiful drive through a stretch of road filled on both lanes with fully bloomed cherry blossoms. The scene is undescribable and as we continued down the road we were lucky and blessed to see the best view of the mountains, rivers, wild flowers and nature at its best. Mr. Moon, the District Governor and better known to us as Johnny Cash (he looks somewhat like him. Wait until you see his picture), had a surprise for us. During the trip we found out that he is a writer/poet but little did we know that he was going to take us to a park called Shining Water where he has one of his poems carved in a beautiful stone with artwork done by his wife. Now that really blew our minds....our own Mr. Moon. That was so sweet of him and we felt super special that he would share that part of him with us.
Like we have mentioned before, farewells are our favorite but at the same time the saddest part of the trip. It's time to say good-bye to the people with whom we have become so close during the course of three days and get ready to meet a whole new group of people. Dinner is the time we say our good-byes but make plans to see each other at the District Conference in a couple of weeks and promise each other to keep in touch.
Tonight, we close the night by walking on Deachon Beach and wishing upon a star.... may all your wishes come true. Night, night....see you in Asan.
We were met by a group of Rotarians at the lobby of the hotel around noon and taken to one of their houses for lunch. I tell you they keep kicking it up a notch. Just imagine the delicious plates we have shown you until now PLUS an assortment of desserts (rice cakes, something kind of marshmallowy, fruits, etc.). After that we visited several Rotary offices. I have to say, the Rotarian spirit in Deachon can be felt every two miles or so as they have offices within distance of each other. And how PROUD they are of being Rotarians. To all of them when asked, their biggest project is the Scholarship portion. The faces light up when they talk about how many students they have been able to help with scholarships. That makes us proud to be part of such a generous group as well.
From there we were rushed to City Hall as the Mayor of Boryeong City was waiting for us. I felt like a superstar as we entered the building. The special assistant to the Mayor, the city's auditor and our OWN interpreter from City Hall were waiting for us at the lobby. Aha, yep our own interpreter! Mr. Mayor was very gracious and gave us one of the most coveted and famous gift that anyone can get from the city; a MUD KIT. If you read the history of Boryeong it is known for its worldwide Mud Festival. The best mud in the world for those of us trying to stay young and beautiful. Will try to bring some home with me. After we finished touring the city office and agricultural department we headed to the Traditional Market. Apparently, we are in luck as the markets happen every five days and we arrive at each city in time for the market. Did we mention that in our last city we bumped into a lady that had seen us at the market in Yesan and she was the one that recognized us? It was hilarious!
For some reason, our home stays always end in the best of ways. Before heading out to meet folks for our last dinner we took a beautiful drive through a stretch of road filled on both lanes with fully bloomed cherry blossoms. The scene is undescribable and as we continued down the road we were lucky and blessed to see the best view of the mountains, rivers, wild flowers and nature at its best. Mr. Moon, the District Governor and better known to us as Johnny Cash (he looks somewhat like him. Wait until you see his picture), had a surprise for us. During the trip we found out that he is a writer/poet but little did we know that he was going to take us to a park called Shining Water where he has one of his poems carved in a beautiful stone with artwork done by his wife. Now that really blew our minds....our own Mr. Moon. That was so sweet of him and we felt super special that he would share that part of him with us.
Like we have mentioned before, farewells are our favorite but at the same time the saddest part of the trip. It's time to say good-bye to the people with whom we have become so close during the course of three days and get ready to meet a whole new group of people. Dinner is the time we say our good-byes but make plans to see each other at the District Conference in a couple of weeks and promise each other to keep in touch.
Tonight, we close the night by walking on Deachon Beach and wishing upon a star.... may all your wishes come true. Night, night....see you in Asan.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Mountain Adventures
Today we donned casual gear and hiked to the top of Sunglu Mountain for a spectacular view of the city and ocean. We even witnessed hand gliders take off from the top in what appeared to be quite a dangerous sport. We hiked with seven Rotary clubs and posed for many photographs with a large Rotary banner made especially for our visit. Everywhere we go, we are warmly greeted and photographed frequently. The Rotarians provided water and a snack for the hike, plus a delicious luncheon at the top of the mountain. In the evening, we joined eight Rotarians for one more feast of at least a dozen kinds of fish decorated in real gold and ribbons. This beach restaurant was also owned by a local Rotarian. Once again we shared thanks, toasts and lots of laughter. What is lost in translation is gained in joy, laughter and smiles.
April 17, 2010 Our Marvelous Journey
Once again we bid a sad farewell to our friends and traveled to Borbryeong where there are 7 Rotary Clubs~ 2 female clubs and 5 male clubs. We are now at Ocean of Fantasy Hotel, designed by architect Nam, ouy Rotarian translator. The Rotarians here built their own meeting place and saved for it for 10 years before building it. It was built by Mr. Nam. First we went to the Coal Museum. We traveled down a simulated 400 meter elevator shaft to a dioramma of many coal mines, complete with sound effects. Next we saw the huge Borbryeong Dam and ate ice cream overlooking the magnificent view. Believe it or not, we next went to the beautiful wedding and reception of the District Governor's son and his stunning bride. Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Lee. At 7pm, we went to the opening of a Rotarian's new restaurant for a delicious feast. It was another action packed, adventurous day!
Friday, April 16, 2010
April 16, 2010~ 61st Birthday in Korea
We began the day with the GSE Team joining Assistant Governor Tay Yoon Ha and his wife Yong Sun Lee for a spectacular breakfast to celebrate Val's 61st birthday. We learned that South Koreans feel that the 61st birthday is important because it means that one has lived beyond 60. In earlier days, the maximum life expectancy was only 60. Now, with better medical care, folks are living longer lives.
Next, we went to Hongseong Boys High School. It is an exam school where bright and gifted boys are specially selected to study and prepare for college and university acceptance. Following coffee with the faculty and administration, we were fortunate to attend an English class taaught by Annette Briel. We observed the class and then joined in and discussed the assignment with the students. We told the students, faculty and administration that they would appear in this blog! We were delighted to be invited to lunch at the school cafeteria where we enjoyed a healthy, delicious meal.
Later, we ventured to a traditional outdoor market where we observed fish, fruits and vegetables all for sale in a lively outdoor atmosphere. Afterwards we visited three business establishments owned by local Rotarians, a flower shop, book shop and cell phone store. After we exchanged money at the bank, Matt went to a shoe store to discover that he is a size 300mm in shoes. He is also 190cm high, a fact that is not missed by anyone in Korea!
Julie, our translator, took us to Chungwoon University where she is a student. This university has the most modern television and radio broadcasting school in the country. Using a television camera on loan from Boston University, Matt interviewed the chairman of the department. The department chair gave us an extensive tour of the facility with state of the arts equipment. The students and faculty greeted us warmly.
Then we went to a huge wedding catering facility for a Rotary meeting with seven club presidents, plus officials from all seven clubs. We gave our presentation about Massachusetts and Val introduced it in Korean. There were speeches, toasts, banners, live music with a saxaphone player, dancing, gifts and a four tiered birthday cake. What an outstanding day!
Next, we went to Hongseong Boys High School. It is an exam school where bright and gifted boys are specially selected to study and prepare for college and university acceptance. Following coffee with the faculty and administration, we were fortunate to attend an English class taaught by Annette Briel. We observed the class and then joined in and discussed the assignment with the students. We told the students, faculty and administration that they would appear in this blog! We were delighted to be invited to lunch at the school cafeteria where we enjoyed a healthy, delicious meal.
Later, we ventured to a traditional outdoor market where we observed fish, fruits and vegetables all for sale in a lively outdoor atmosphere. Afterwards we visited three business establishments owned by local Rotarians, a flower shop, book shop and cell phone store. After we exchanged money at the bank, Matt went to a shoe store to discover that he is a size 300mm in shoes. He is also 190cm high, a fact that is not missed by anyone in Korea!
Julie, our translator, took us to Chungwoon University where she is a student. This university has the most modern television and radio broadcasting school in the country. Using a television camera on loan from Boston University, Matt interviewed the chairman of the department. The department chair gave us an extensive tour of the facility with state of the arts equipment. The students and faculty greeted us warmly.
Then we went to a huge wedding catering facility for a Rotary meeting with seven club presidents, plus officials from all seven clubs. We gave our presentation about Massachusetts and Val introduced it in Korean. There were speeches, toasts, banners, live music with a saxaphone player, dancing, gifts and a four tiered birthday cake. What an outstanding day!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
April 15, 2010 More Adventures!
We began the day with coffee at the assisitant governor's office. Ten local Rotarians joined us as we went to a local garden park for a photo opportunity, We drank makali, a rice wine that tastes like a wine/beer combination. Needless to say, there were toasts for everyone! Next, we went on a tour of a noodle facility where noodles are made, processed and packaged. Some are made for distribution in the USA. Later we walked through a famous Garden & Gallery in Chungcheong. The artist who has his work on display in the gallery did the paintings using a brush in his mouth. After an accident, he no longer has use of his arms. The paintings depicted the beauty in the garden. For lunch, we had a delicious traditional Korean feast at a local wedding catering venue. Afterwards, we toured the caves of a business that processes and cures kimchi in caves dug out of a hill. The renown business has been featured on local television stations. Next, we toured a pottery factory and watched as clay was gradually transformed into plates, cups and bowls. The plant manager gave all of us cups as gifts to commemorate a fascinating tour. At 2:30pm we went to a restaurant named Siwelae with a breath-taking panoramic 150 degree view overlooking the ocean. Siwelae means "Autumn Love." A huge photo of Richard Gere and Winona Rider walking though fall leaves was featured prominently in the main dining hall of the restaurant. Next, off we drove to the Hongseong Bird Science Center. The center is dedicated to educating visitors about the importance of protecting birds and the environment. We toured the exhibition halls and watched an informative movie on that topic. Following a trip to the post office for postage stamps, we toured the Museum and home of General Kim Jwajin who was a brave freedom fighter for Korea. We completed our busy day with yet another feast at La De Fense Restaurant where 75% of the GSE team sang songs while 25% took photos.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
April 14, 2010 From Yesan to Cheongyang
Today we bid a fond farewell to our fine hosts in Yesan, amid lots of camera action. All these cameras are making us feel like celebrities! First we stopped at an absolutely beautiful botanic garden, filled with magnificent flowers and trees. We walked around the area, but did not complete the hour and a half walk, due to the fact that it was in the 40 degree range with the wind factor. Next, we drove to the Ginseng Institute and received a tour, as well as ginseng tea, of course. The hot tea was most welcome, since we were all surprised by the cold weather. Then we headed out to a fascinating restaurant with unique architecture. It overlooked a river that was decorated on both sides with thousands of flowers. Once again, what a delicious meal we enjoyed! Following lunch, we toured the Aekyoung Company which has buildings in at least six countiries. We toured the factory that makes toothpaste after watching a high tech cd of all of the activities of Aekyoung. Later, we toured the Mt. Chilgap Observatory and saw a 3D multimedia planetarium presentation that featured mist, high speed air, moving seats, real smoke and 3D glasses. What an experience! We all got such a kick out of it. We also watched another high tech CD in an auditorium. We continue to be utterly fascinated by the sophisticated technology in S. Korea! Then we drove to a traditional Japanese, yes Japanese, restaurant where we dined and met our wonderful new host families, as well as officials from neighboring Rotary clubs. It was another action packed, delighful day!
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