Travels to South Korea, 2010

After reading a recent article in the Guardian on the popularity of Soju, a traditional South Korean alcoholic drink, I was reminded of the amazing experience I had back in August 2010. I attended the Global Student Leadership programme along with student ambassadors from across the world.

 

 

My first time abroad and I was the only student ambassador from the United Kingdom. On my own, I was thrown into a completely new culture with a variety of languages I did not know, and at first it was a huge shock. Little things like taking your shoes off at every meal was new to me, but eventually I found myself falling in love with the traditions, culture and beauty of South Korea.

 

The first day I arrived in Seoul where I ate fish and chips in a wicker basket. Unusual, but it tasted so much better than traditional English fish and chips! I stayed at the Hyatt hotel and I had a fantastic view of the city. The shops were busy and thriving, open until late which was brilliant for me as I craved an ice cream to try and cool myself down in the new heat.

 

(The ice cream melted in the heat but still!)

 

The day after we arrived we travelled to Daegu Health College via the Subway. The college itself is situated in the heart of the busy city. Daegu (or Taegu) is situated in the South East of South Korea, and is surrounded by various mountains and high landscapes. I travelled in the middle of monsoon season, and so the heat was something I had never encountered before.

 

Overtime I forgot all about the heat and I was becoming more involved with learning and exploring the traditions of South Korea. My favourite moments were travelling to a Buddhist temple, a well-known film production strip which has the same reputation as Hollywood in South Korea. I also loved the rain in South Korea - it was never cold but the refreshing feel on my skin as well as the smell of the wet mountains. I wish it was something I could take home in a bottle because it really is a refreshing smell which I most likely will never have the opportunity to experience again.  

The beauty of the rain can be seen in the picture where the raindrops created tears on the face of the Buddha statue. Absolutely beautiful.

The seminars and lectures were also fantastic. I learnt a lot about the 'ugly' traits of Western society s well as the 'ugly' behaviour in South Korea. For example, it is incredibly rude to lick your fingers over in South Korea, and South Koreans will never apologise if they bump into you by accident. Other things included the fascination that South Koreans have with Western society, particularly the British. I was quite confused when everyone used to stare at me, or little children would run up to me just to say hello. It was quite a surreal experience at first, but it was also quite sweet, especially as I have recently started to understand the impact of British Imperialism and the ignorance I had to other cultures whilst living in my own little bubble. I also found that whenever I went into a shop, because I was British I would be offered gifts all the time. I declined simply because I was embarrassed from the attention, but the hospitality and friendliness in Daegu was phenomenal. I felt safe and welcomed throughout the whole experience, and even when I became homesick the rest of the group were always there to help me out.

 

The language barrier and the difference in food were my biggest obstacles. South Korean food tends to be quite spicy in a peppery way, and I found out the hard way why that is.

The pepper and spices helps to deter mosquitos and insect bites, and as I was unable to eat the food because I am far too used to the bland diet in Britain, I became a walking piece of steak for nippy insects. Thankfully my roommate, Dayoung, had various remedies and things to put on the bites to stop them from being so itchy.

The best thing about my experience in South Korea was the people I shared it with. I made so many lifelong friends, and I have so many memories which will last me until my last days. The friendship I experience, the way we came together as a neat little community and the lessons we learnt from each other are things I cherish even today, 3 years later.

I learnt a lot about myself and what it is to be British in a growing global network, and the opportunities which were presented to me after I returned are still happening. I would definitely recommend travelling abroad, especially in modern society where there is emphasis on having experience of international relations and taking the risk to be taken way out of your comfort zone and learn new things.

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My school friend Alyshia is currently working and travelling around Australia. She keep a vlogging account of all the things she's been up to on YouTube, which you can find here: PsychoTraveller.

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