Deoksugung (Palace)

Thursday, two friends and I went to Deoksugung (gung means palace). It is the smallest one of several palaces in Seoul, and simply stunning!

We ate dinner at a delicious Korean 식당 (restaurant), where an kindly Korean grandfather served us and talked to us in Korean, whilst we nodded our heads and smiled politely, pretending we understood more than we actually did. We then entered the palace. Entry fee is only 1000 Won, equivalent to less than a dollar.

Entrance to the courtyard leading to throne room

Although it was dark by now, the palace was well lit, we walked around the grounds, and entered the throne room. I say throne room, but Korean palaces are very different from any of the numerous castles and palaces in Europe. Instead of one building, with many different rooms and hall, Korean palaces are a construction of several buildings, each serving its own purpose. The buildings are intricately decorated in colors symbolizing various things.

Courtyard infront of the throne room

It was a wonderful feeling to walk where centuries ago people lived and served their king. Because it was dark, and rather cold, we were almost alone on the grounds. It was a little island of calm amidst the rising skyscrapers and traffic choir of Seoul. It was peaceful.

The throne room 

Later in the evening we joined a small audience to watch a Korean traditional performance. It was unlike anything I've ever seen. The dancing and music was more rhythmic than melodic, and several of the older spectators joined the dancing, enjoying the performance very much.

Dancing and drumming

My favorite part of the performance was seeing the expressions of the musicians. They breathed the music. When artists believe in what they are doing, it makes the audience believe. Through the vivid expressions of the musicians, I began to understand a little bit of the great history and love these people have for their country. 

 A short clip of part of the performance. Sorry for the bad quality, my camera does not do well at night! But hopefully you get the idea of what it was like!

S.A.C. Water Fountain and more!

NOTE: I wrote this last week, and completely forgot to publish it...so here it is! A week late....yeah....

Although today is only Tuesday, it was the last day of classes, as the rest of the week is vacation. Korea  celebrates thanksgiving on Thursday. Because of Chusok (as it is called) we get to have the rest of the week off! I'm feeling thankful indeed!
Here's a picture of my lecture notes on todays classes (19th century Brit. Novel and Studies in Post Colonial Lit), just to show that I'm not JUST having fun here in Seoul! ^_^





 Yesterday a friend and I went to the S.A.C. (Seoul Arts Center). The same place I had been hiking at a week before. Because we are students, we get to buy tickets at a pretty decent price. That night a Korean pianist was playing Chopin, and I was so excited to see her! Chopin is one of my favorite composers.

Sorry for the bad quality, I only had my iPod to take pictures!
Here's the outside of S.A.C.

The musical water fountain!

The two of us left early to take the subway, because it takes 45 min to get to the center. The subway was packed, as we accidentally hit rush hour. I can now say from experience, rush hour in Seoul is no fun. However we made it in one piece, with an hour to spare before the concert began. After getting our tickets, we sat in front of S.A.C. to listen to the water fountain. Every night the fountain plays music and the water dances in tune (or so it seems). It is simply beautiful. A lot of spectators were sitting around the fountain, simply enjoying the free spectacle. I am definitely planning on going back soon!
Here's a video of the fountain:

The concert itself was wonderful as well. Chopin has a way of mesmerizing your ears, and watching the talented pianist's hands fly over the keys had a way of mesmerizing the eyes. I definitely am a fan of piano (and not just 'cause I play it myself). All in all, it was a wonderfully successful night. God is definitely good, for letting me experience such a variety of things during my time here in Seoul.

Saturday afternoon ramblings

I'm sitting in front of 학생문화관 (Student Union Building). As I sit on the wooden benches situated in front of the building, a soft breeze plays with escaped wisps of my hair. The air is void of humidity, and thus quite comfortable to the touch of my skin. Sunlight breaks through the branches of exotic trees enclosing me in their shadow. Because it is Saturday, there are only a few other students walking across campus. I wanted to get outside, so I came here. I miss nature. I think that is what I miss most about my life in Austria. I have found no other country in which civilization and nature are so co-existant. However, there is nature here too. You just have to look a little harder. I think I will go to the Han River again soon. The vast expanse of the river is calming.

I have only been in Korea for little more than two weeks. It seems much longer! I have already learned so much about this country, myself, and most importantly God. I am thankful for this, and can't quite imagine how much more I will learn in the next three months. But I will, for there is always more to learn! I'm realizing this even in my courses. It worked out so I could only take three courses. This is okay, since it's the minimum of credits I need to take. My courses are 19th Century British Novel, Post-Colonnial Literature, and Korean Ceramics.

My two pinch bowels on the shelf for drying.

The professor teaching the literature courses has a unique perspective on English literature, I'm enjoying his lectures a lot, because they offer a non-native English speaker's perspective on English literature, history and culture. I am finding that English literature taught in English countries can be very biased. Korean Ceramics as well, has proved to be a fascinating course. Art is something I've always done. I'm not bad at it, but neither am I great. I just DO it. I'm especially aware of this with ceramics. Clay does NOT respond to my hands the way paint does, and this IS a bit frustrating. Perhaps I will learn to mold it into the forms I imagine in my mind...I don't know, but I do know that it is fun and poses a challenge! And that is what art should be!

Close up of the dragon fly pinch bowel. There are so many dragonflies around campus. It's quite fascinating, considering they are rather rare where I come from!

My adventure on Sleeping Cow

Apparently growing up in Austria has rubbed up on me somewhat, for the thing I've been dying to do since coming to Seoul, is to hike! Today I went to Umyeonsan to do just that. Google says this mountain, whose name means "Sleeping Cow" is one of the easiest accessible mountains in Seoul. Let me share my journal entry I wrote shortly after my experience to better illustrate my adventure!

My cool drink (much needed) and journal to
tell my story!

"I'm here at the SAC (Seoul Arts Center) cooling down with a cold drink. I came here to go hiking on the mountain behind SAC. I had planned to go find a quiet spot, pull out my Bible and sketchbook and 'be still' (Ps. 46). Well, it seems like that was not to be!

After getting directions from google, I set out from Ewha, taking the subway for 45 min. Despite these reliable google directions I so counted on, I walked aimlessly between towering skyscrapers for over an hour, before finally finding the SAC and the entrance to the mountain. Determined to enjoy the day, despite the setback, I started out on my journey, eager to take good pictures, to draw and to find a space to read. I also wanted to find the temple that was supposedly located somewhere on the rather imposing hill before me.

The beginning of the mountain trail. This part was easy! Believe me, it got a LOT harder after this!

Half way up the mountain; 5 forks in the road later, I was resigned to enjoy the nature around me, even without finding the buddhist temple. I paused on one of the dirt steps hewn into the pathway. Rummaging in my heavy backpack (I always come prepared!) I grab my camera for a picture. Glancing up my eyes met those of a kindly looking grandfather coming towards me, with chipper steps. He is dressed in cargo pants, a blue shirt, and wore one of those old fisher man's hats. He looked lively and hardly out of breath, making me acutely aware of my sweat-drenched t-shirt.

Some of the steps. These were NOT steep. They get worse farther up!

I smiled at the man, expecting him to pass by. To my surprise, he pauses in his stride and asks where I am going in wonderful, broken English. I am so surprised, and so pleased to speak to this Korean elderly gentlemen.
"The temple", I replied.
"With me" he gestured and smiled, motioning me to follow him.

Relieved to have found someone who would be able to point me in the right direction, I put my tired self into motion once more. To my surprise, the man made no attempt to leave in the other direction. Instead he led the way, all 1000 meters, up steep steps at a pace even Austrians would have found daunting!

While I followed behind this kind gentleman, huffing and puffing, he began a conversation. I told him I am American, and currently studying at Ewha, and that I've only been in Korea for 2 weeks. He was amazed at this, and complimented me on my broken attempts at Korean. I felt quite pleased at his kind words.

I also learned that the man was retired, in his 70s (another reason I was feeling quite ashamed at my lagging pace, profound sweating, and loud huffing and puffing). He has two daughters and two sons. One daughter graduated from Ewha several years ago. He seemed extremely proud of his children and smiled, his eyes crinkling pleasantly, at their mention.

Together we hike up to the outlook on the very top of the 산 (mountain). It is breathtaking.

Next my self-appointed tour guide led me down the mountain side to the temple. After showing me around, and explaining the functions of the different houses, I pulled out my camera and looked at him questioningly. He nodded and I eagerly took pictures. Sadly the lighting was very bad. Perhaps it'll suffice for a painting! [if so, I'll post soon]

The colors on the temple were stunning!

As were the intricate details! Sadly, as you can see, the lighting is pretty bad...

Together we set off for SAC, where he left with a smile and a handshake. I thanked him profusely for his kindness with the only Korean I really know, "정말 감사합니다!!" (Thank you so much!!)

The SAC Opera house. After cooling off a little, I decided to
sketch the building. I'd love to come back here and actually
go to an opera!

Completely spent after racing up and down an entire mountain in only 1 hour, I slowly moved to the vending machines in front of the SAC Opera house. I bought a 700 Won juice and sat at these silver chairs in the open square.

I came here expecting to spend alone time. Instead, my path crossed with a man who showed kindness to a complete stranger. I am so thankful I was able to meet this man, whose name I do not know, and through him learn a little more about the people and culture of this beautiful country."

A collage of me being exhausted, the trail and my cool drink as a reward! 

So there we have it: My adventure on Sleeping Cow! Was it an adventure? Although I encountered no snakes, or spiders, did not fall down a ravine, or anything dangerous; I think so. I met a random stranger who showed kindness to me, and despite language barriers, was able to have a conversation with me. Through this man's random act of kindness, reaching out to a stranger, I felt welcomed to his country and very, very thankful for the opportunity to be here.
I think I had a wonderful adventure, and I can't wait for more to come!

Museum day!

Today I spent the day with a bunch of other students at the Trick Eye museum in Seoul! The museum features 3D interactive paintings that are surprisingly realistic. I highly recommend this museum for anyone who ever comes to Seoul, and is interested in art! Here are some pictures below:

Just chillin' in impressionism!

Ahhh!!! I was laughing the whole time. This is the only picture I have a semi-serious "I'm about to die" face.

The paintings were often painted directly on the wall. The attention to shadow, contrast, lighting, etc. was just amazing! I would love to be able to paint like this one day. I will keep practicing! 

The paparazzi and me

Oh yeah, me and Obama are reee-al tight!

The museum also features an Ice Room with numerous sculptures. They kindly provided blankets for us, but even so it was only 2 degrees Celsius, and I was freezing! I lasted about 5 minutes, and had to leave, otherwise I would have become one of the sculpted ice attractions myself!

Freeeeeeeeeeeezing!

Just another one of those ice sculptures!^^

Thanks to my new friend Janie for all the photos! :D

At 한강 (Han River): Is fried chicken American?

Two days ago, a bunch of us Internationals and several Buddies (Korean students who help us adjust to Korean culture, etc.) went to the Han River. Somehow, I hadn't even registered that Seoul has a river, but of course it does! It makes complete sense that a city, centuries old, would have been built near a water source. Still, I wasn't quite prepared for the full effect of the river, it was HUGE! And it was beautiful (I think you say 아름다운 in Korean).

Rivers are a big part of city culture. You walk near the river, you bike near the river, you meet your friends near the river, you pick-nique near the river; Having lived in Innsbruck, near the Inn river, this culture is familiar to me, and seems to be a way of life in Seoul as well. However, the river in Tirol is a lot smaller than the Han river, and the city skyline is not quite so impressive. Here's a picture of the park we sat in.

The setting sun bathed everything in a beautiful warm light. Wish I'd had my watercolors.
However I did attempt to sketch this scene. Photo of my sketch below:

Yeah....still need to work on my sketching! It's definitely harder than watercolors! :)

Apparently the thing to do while you're enjoying the warm evening sun, is to order fried chicken and have it delivered to where you are sitting. We ordered 8 people's worth of chicken, and ate every piece of it. It was delicious! (맛있었어요! I think that's 'it was delicious' in Korean) Our order also came with plastic pick-nique blankets to sit and eat on. Very convenient! However eating over the face of some Korean celebrity was a little unsettling!^^ To illustrate:

The chicken had somewhat of a familiar taste, after all, chicken will be chicken. Yet it definitely had a non-American flair to it. So it leaves me with the question, that I would love to know the answer to: Is fried chicken American? Considering Pizza (a very American meal) is NOT American, there is a distinct possibility that friend chicken will also turn out to be from somewhere else. Maybe from S. Korea?

Most would probably say, "Who cares about food, when you're in South Korea! There's bunches of more interesting things to do!" However, I would have to reply, that I love food, and Korean food is so different, and so delicious, I think I will spend most of my time here eating! (And starting to go to the gym to make up for it!)

Here comes..beautiful (scary?)...me!!

I've been struck at how important beauty is in Korea. I took the metro yesterday, and saw at least more than three advertisements for cosmetic surgery. Why Korean women (and men) who are already so gorgeous, would want to change the way they look is beyond me!

However, I think the fundamental need for beauty is something that runs deep in this country. Why? I'm not sure...still working on that one! However it is evident in the amount of beauty and make-up stores on one block, as well as the numerous girls, one walks by, quickly glancing at a handheld mirror to fix the imaginary blemish. Unlike in the States, where one feels no qualms to walk across campus in sweatpants and sneakers, Koreans here are always fashionably dressed.

Me looking scary on a normal Sunday night!^^
(Wearing a facial mask. It really works, my skin is wonderfully soft now!^^)

Yet there is also a desire for beauty that goes beyond the physical. I wend to the University's church this morning, and was pleasantly surprised they offered translation for English speakers! The service reminded me somewhat of a traditional Presbyterian service, but still very different. Perhaps it was the unusual  (to me) looking altar, or the huge glass window. Perhaps it was the haunting music of the choir, or the stirring soloist who sang during the Offering. I don't know what it was exactly, but the one word to describe the service, that came to my mind was simply 'beautiful'.

What I liked about the service was the reverence it called forth, and the seriousness with which the congregation approached worship. And yet....I'm still working through some things! Thanks to the excellent translation I was able to understand the service, and it was stimulating. I have a lot to think about!