LOOOUUUUD NOISES!

So we're back from Korea and if I had to sum up this amazing trip with one phrase, that's what it would be! Korean culture is definitely different from North American culture in some ways, but I was a little bit surprised at how many similarities there are as well. One big difference is directness...Koreans will tell you exactly what they think of you whether it's positive or negative, which can (to North Americans) end up seeming hilarious, flattering, embarrassing, or rude depending on the circumstances. There also seems to be some differences between acceptable volume levels for "inside voices", as well as the acceptable number of people who can be simultaneously talking at the same time during a conversation. But somehow it works for them!

The similarities are even more striking...the importance of family, the desire for guests to feel welcome and comfortable, patriotism, and the pursuit of education are all very important to Koreans. In fact I'd say that most Koreans take these things much more seriously than most North Americans. During the entire trip Annie's family was incredibly generous and hospitable to us, and was always very concerned that we were warm / comfy / rested / happy / full enough. That last one was especially true...Koreans seem to love food, and I loved eating it! We had some truly great meals, but I won't dwell on that one since I'm sure Annie's blog will cover the food in detail (with pictures)! Instead I guess I'll talk about some of the most interesting things to me that I found out about Korea during this trip...this may have to be a multi-part blog though since there was so much to see!

The Environment

Koreans don't live in harmony with nature...they're locked in a 5000-year-old struggle with it for survival. Since 70% of the country is mountainous, the fruit and rice fields are cut into the slopes in terrain that would boggle the mind of a Saskatchewan farmer. The fact that South Korea grows enough surplus food to send aid to North Korea after feeding its own 48 million residents is pretty amazing, and really illustrates the hard-working nature of the people. The cold climate also explains why the food is so spicy and most meals (including breakfast!) have some sort of soup or stew.

The farming town near where Annie's brother's wedding was held. In the background you can see crops planted half way up the hillside.

Their History
Korean history goes back a long time, since people have continuously inhabited the Han river region for thousands of years. So the people are proud of their past, but are also very driven to succeed in the modern world. A good example of this is Seoul...the Seoul region contains around 23 million people (almost the population of Canada) within a radius of 80 km (smaller than Prince Edward Island), but has all kinds of historical treasures like the five royal palaces built by previous emperors before the Japanese occupation. We showed up for a tour at Changdeokgung just after closing time, but Annie's aunts argued / pleaded with the officials to let us in because we came all the way from Canada. After a few attempts, they succeeded and we got inside! Another case of Korean hospitality! Seoul also has a huge national museum (which we got a whirlwind visit to), a war museum, and a ton of other cultural attractions that will have to wait until our next visit.

Maing gate of Changdeokgung, one of the old palaces in Seoul. The huge park inside the gates would be worth billions to developers, but it's preserved to keep Korean history alive.

Modern Seoul

Alongside the history of Seoul is an energetic, modern city that is amazingly clean considering the population density. Actually Seoul is cleaner than most parts of Boston, and the subway is a joy to ride compared to the grime and crazy homeless people on the Boston T. There are enormous 60- and 70-story apartment complexes, endless restaurants, and of course shopping. Koreans (except for one of Annie's uncles) love shopping! We spent a lot of time finding this out first-hand, at places like the ultra-fancy Lotte World uber-mall as well as the open air Namdaemun market. People in Seoul work very long hours to pay for all the shopping...10-hour days are pretty standard, with 12-hour days not being too unusual. Maybe I should stop complaining about how tough it is being a graduate student...

One of the entrances to Lotte World. Imagine West Edmonton Mall, but without the wavepark, and with more super-high-end stores that only sell "small" and "extra small".

Namdaemun market, which is crammed with clothing, souvenir, and food vendors. Mmmm, spicy rice cakes!

Well that's all for now...more pictures from the trip later, I promise!