First Impressions

Bah, awful title I came up with, it is definitely not sufficient to describe my first experiences in South Korea!

These are the times when words forsake me, and my English major does me no good. These are the times when life offers such potent experiences full of flavor and color, that there are no languages (French, German or English) to describe the impressions. These are the times when Art is the only way to express what goes on around me.

HOWEVER, I haven't had time to paint yet! In fact, I've had so little time to paint that I'm choosing to stay in my room tonight, and miss all the fun, so I can paint. I suppose that might seem like a waste to some, but I need to process my first impressions. So I paint.

To give you guys a little taste of my experiences, here are some photos.

View of the campus from the main gate.

Today was graduation, this means that dozens of elderly ladies stood close to the campus selling flowers, ribbons, and teddy bears wearing gowns. Every now and then one of these ladies calls out, "Flowers, beautiful flowers for your graduating friend/daughter/sister! Buy beautiful flowers here, for only "man won" (10 000won)" At least, that's what I imagine they are saying, for all I understand is "man won".      

 Yesterday all International students were invited to come to a local pub/club to party and taste Korean beer. I too, joined the throngs, and was met with some dazzling lights in downtown Seoul.

Talking and bonding over Korean beer. 

I'm coming back here to shop!^^

And last but not least, a sketch of the skyline view out of my room window. 

Here is a round view of the campus.

Finally, drumroll please....

After an hour flight, a 10 hour flight, and a 3 hour layover in between, I have arrived in Seoul!!

The flight was uneventful, except for the flight attendants being extremely cordial, which in this day and age is quite an event in it's own right! :P
Incheon airport vaguely reminded me of DC, because of it's carpeted hallways. If you, dear reader, can't tell yet, then let me inform you that I haven't slept for 31 hours, and so my thoughts (and writing) are rather non coherent! :)
So instead of boring the world with my writing, I will let these first pictures of Seoul speak for themselves.

My first glimpse of a Korean skyline, coming from Incheon Airport

Night life in front of the University's main gate. The stores, the stores!! I can't wait to spend money!! hihihi

Ewha or 이화여자대학고, my home for the next 4 months.

Packing for Korea

The battle has begun anew! Despite having much practice at packing luggage, I am no nearer to figuring out how to pack my life into one bag, with a weight limit of 50lb. (Those crazy airlines!)

Already, I have cut down my luggage to only clothes, shoes, and toiletries. For a bookworm like me, who travels with dozens of books DESPITE owning a Kindle, that's saying a lot! Last night I stayed awake watching Youtube videos "What to pack for Korea". Besides being very entertaining, they were informative and I feel confident I have packed sufficiently!

Now it's one suitcase down, one carry-on bag to go!

Sneak peak of my packed, ready to go suitcase! I am quite proud of myself! (If I may say so myself)^^

Sketching Marburg

Me sketching the castle. Behind a view of Marburg.

I sketched the entry gate to the castle in Marburg, during our time there two weeks ago. Today the castle belongs to the University of Marburg, but until approx. 150 years ago, it was home of the Count.

My favorite part about sketching is that it really makes me look at what I'm drawing, and I think about it.

The thoughts coursing through my mind, while drawing this sketch, were about the people who must have lived here; the Lord's who called this Schloß home.

Did they know how beautiful the surrounding hills are? Did they live in fear of attacks from neighboring Lords? Were they happy?

Too the left you can spy part of the doorway to the entrance of the inner court.

Drawing doesn't give me answers to my questions. Nor does asking the questions make my drawing better, but it does help me appreciate the beauty and richness of history.

Brugge, Venice of the North

Stairs leading to pulpit, Cathedral in Brugge, Belgium; 8-1-13

The European Coffee Culture

Wafflestübchen

It's wonderful to be in my German home town, Unna. It brings back memories of 8 hour long car trips coming from Innsbruck to visit my grandparents. As a celebration of my mom's 50th birthday (last year), my Oma took us to the Wafflestübchen (Waffle house). It was a wonderful experience to once again sit in a restaurant for three hours, drinking coffee and tea, and enjoying each other's company. The coffee culture in Europe is something I never appreciated growing up, but it is something I really missed during my year in the States.I think I will try and continue the tradition of drinking coffee (or tea in my case) at 4 pm, come rain or shine!

Practicing the Coffee Culture :)

Starbucks knows how to make coffee, but it doesn't know how to drink it! There's something magical about sitting in a café under an open umbrella, gazing at cobble stoned streets and taking time to simply enjoy life! Putting culture into words is very hard to do, but I think it is safe to say that American life is busy, busy, busy. There's always the next thing to do, or the next place to go to. Maybe it's just college life, but I felt like I had no time to simply breathe and BE! That is what I value about the European coffee culture. It's not just the art behind drinking a cup of coffee, but it is the mentality of taking a break and sitting down, not having a: "Coffee to go".

I think the best part about being here again, has been seeing how much the German culture is, and ISN'T my own. I choose to adopt certain customs, like the coffee culture, but I also choose to ignore other customs. That is the blessing in the way I was raised, that I have no culture, and through that am my own culture. I can sort of pick and choose what I want. I am neither completely American, German, Austrian or French, and thus, I am completely my own. I like that!

Thanks to Noah for the awesome pics!