Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.
– C. S. Lewis
Saturday, November 9, 2013 (DAYS 614 & 615)
I can honestly say that this has been the most interesting and memorable part of my travels thus far and a large reason for traveling to Asia was a visit to Korea, and since I tend to find humor in almost everything, there have been a handful of things that I find particularly amusing about Korea during my month long stay in the return to the Mother Land. This is just a short list with photos of my highly entertaining experiences.
I can honestly say that this has been the most interesting and memorable part of my travels thus far and a large reason for traveling to Asia was a visit to Korea, and since I tend to find humor in almost everything, there have been a handful of things that I find particularly amusing about Korea during my month long stay in the return to the Mother Land. This is just a short list with photos of my highly entertaining experiences.
THE MANY FACES OF MISS SWAN
The house-mother and proprietor of Mugunghwa guesthouse, Crystal is our hilarious crazy Korean. (photo collage thanks to Steph) 
KOREAN HIKERS
Geared up from head to toe in high-end expensive clothing all for day hiking in the city. 
K-POP
Infamous. Legendary. Everything you can or could image. If you’re under the age of 20 it’s your beating heart, if you’re over 20 you wish you could stop your heart each time teeming teenage girls screamed at even a photo of a K-pop group or singer. 
SIGNS
Probably the best so far, because there are times I can’t even possibly make out what is being conveyed in the images, but not this one, self-explanatory. 
BUS DRIVERS Leads foots in both direction. There are two speeds, slam on the gas pedal or slam on the brakes. Word of advice: hold on!
RANDOM PHOTO STATIONS
A reason there’s a stereotype Asians like taking photos. These random photo op areas seem to be all over the city, just encouraging a ‘crick circk, smire purr-ease.’ 
CRAZY ABOUT SOCKS
Sold everywhere from the shops on the way to the subway to outside fine restaurants, respect the little piggy that went wee all the way home and decorate your feet with socks only little kids wear in the States. 
FUTURISTIC TOOTHPASTE
Everyone knows that Korea is becoming a predominant force in the tech industry, but who knew they had invented time machines and bring back toothpaste from the year 2080! |
MY RTW PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
My apologies for condensing the past few days into one blog, but it was a lot to take in and I wanted to try and write these memories down while they were still fresh in my memory before beginning the preparations to travel back to Thailand–laundry, a few gifts for my sisters and nieces, saying goodbye to friends, etc etc–as well as knowing I am in for a very long travel day beginning on Wednesday with an overnight stay at Incheon International Airport (ICN) and a 10-hour plus itinerary from Seoul to Shanghai to Bangkok before arriving in the afternoon and a few hours later will be boarding an overnight bus to Chang Mai that is expected to take anywhere from 9 to 13 hours. While this is the exhausting or ugly side of travel, this Saturday morning I have set my alarm to wake me up early just in case I was tempted to oversleep. I feel quite fortunate to have a second, however last weekend, with my birth mom before I continue my travels. It is just after 8:45am when I wake up and look forward to another hot shower, take ‘em when you can get ‘em–the small victories and luxuries in life as a backpacker, and I am out the door at 10:15am sharp. Since there was some miscommunication last Friday when my mother arrived in Seoul from Iksan and was waiting for me at Eastern (ESWS) for about 40-minutes, I have confirmed several times with Crystal both the time and location that was decided without me for my lack of Korean language skills and want to be prompt on whatever plans my mother may have for us today. The weather is a bit chilly, but nothing a light fleece jacket will fend off, and just after 12pm I see the large grin as she approaches. Carrying her own backpack, I can’t help but think it must run in the family, as I take it and carry it for her. We climb aboard the bus and three-stops later we are at the guesthouse. After getting her settled in, unfortunately there is no one else around to help translate, but thank God for the Google translator app, however terrible it may be. Soon after we have arrived at Mugunghwa house, the weather begins to cloud up and a light frigid rain begins. It is around this time that Crystal arrives back and is able to be our bridge of communications. My mom tells her that she would like to make everyone a nice authentic home-cooked meal tomorrow night but still needs a few items from the grocery store, and this causes Crystal to jump in to a frenzy and before I know what’s happening the three of us are walking to the supermarket.
After a quick lunch in the food court, where I’m guilty of punching a man in the face with glasses, we purchase the few items needed and head back before the rain really begins to come down. The five-finger fist to the face, you ask? Well as it turns out Koreans are impatient, may say a lot for my demeanor, and as we were getting up from our table two other guys were standing hovering over us like vultures that I never saw, and as I stood up and was placing my arm through my jacket in an upward angle it met squarely with the guy behind me where I literally punched him in the face. I apologized, but talk about some serious silent ninja skills, this guy had them, and what got me was the fact that there were at least four of five other tables surrounding us that were completely vacant. Who knows maybe the King of England sat at this particular table centuries ago and it was a highly valued piece of real estate at this local neighborhood Korean supermarket, who knows. Since she has had a long travel day herself, my mom has requested an earlier dinner nearby since we also have plans to go to church in the morning at 8:30am and she would like to be well rested. Just after 5:45pm, I’m able to convince Sam and Brenna, also Korean adoptees that are staying at the guesthouse, to join us. Dinner is gimbap or kimbap, ramen, and an assortment of a few other delicious items that I can’t remember, but I will say is that it was tasty as usual.
My apologies for condensing the past few days into one blog, but it was a lot to take in and I wanted to try and write these memories down while they were still fresh in my memory before beginning the preparations to travel back to Thailand–laundry, a few gifts for my sisters and nieces, saying goodbye to friends, etc etc–as well as knowing I am in for a very long travel day beginning on Wednesday with an overnight stay at Incheon International Airport (ICN) and a 10-hour plus itinerary from Seoul to Shanghai to Bangkok before arriving in the afternoon and a few hours later will be boarding an overnight bus to Chang Mai that is expected to take anywhere from 9 to 13 hours. While this is the exhausting or ugly side of travel, this Saturday morning I have set my alarm to wake me up early just in case I was tempted to oversleep. I feel quite fortunate to have a second, however last weekend, with my birth mom before I continue my travels. It is just after 8:45am when I wake up and look forward to another hot shower, take ‘em when you can get ‘em–the small victories and luxuries in life as a backpacker, and I am out the door at 10:15am sharp. Since there was some miscommunication last Friday when my mother arrived in Seoul from Iksan and was waiting for me at Eastern (ESWS) for about 40-minutes, I have confirmed several times with Crystal both the time and location that was decided without me for my lack of Korean language skills and want to be prompt on whatever plans my mother may have for us today. The weather is a bit chilly, but nothing a light fleece jacket will fend off, and just after 12pm I see the large grin as she approaches. Carrying her own backpack, I can’t help but think it must run in the family, as I take it and carry it for her. We climb aboard the bus and three-stops later we are at the guesthouse. After getting her settled in, unfortunately there is no one else around to help translate, but thank God for the Google translator app, however terrible it may be. Soon after we have arrived at Mugunghwa house, the weather begins to cloud up and a light frigid rain begins. It is around this time that Crystal arrives back and is able to be our bridge of communications. My mom tells her that she would like to make everyone a nice authentic home-cooked meal tomorrow night but still needs a few items from the grocery store, and this causes Crystal to jump in to a frenzy and before I know what’s happening the three of us are walking to the supermarket.
After a quick lunch in the food court, where I’m guilty of punching a man in the face with glasses, we purchase the few items needed and head back before the rain really begins to come down. The five-finger fist to the face, you ask? Well as it turns out Koreans are impatient, may say a lot for my demeanor, and as we were getting up from our table two other guys were standing hovering over us like vultures that I never saw, and as I stood up and was placing my arm through my jacket in an upward angle it met squarely with the guy behind me where I literally punched him in the face. I apologized, but talk about some serious silent ninja skills, this guy had them, and what got me was the fact that there were at least four of five other tables surrounding us that were completely vacant. Who knows maybe the King of England sat at this particular table centuries ago and it was a highly valued piece of real estate at this local neighborhood Korean supermarket, who knows. Since she has had a long travel day herself, my mom has requested an earlier dinner nearby since we also have plans to go to church in the morning at 8:30am and she would like to be well rested. Just after 5:45pm, I’m able to convince Sam and Brenna, also Korean adoptees that are staying at the guesthouse, to join us. Dinner is gimbap or kimbap, ramen, and an assortment of a few other delicious items that I can’t remember, but I will say is that it was tasty as usual.
Sunday morning, not bright but early, we are escorted to a church near EWHA Women’s University and yet again my lack of language skills has me unsure of what is being said around me. The afternoon is spent walking around the city a bit until we can bear the bitter cold wind no more and grab a taxi back to the Hongdae area. Since many restaurants don’t open until much later in the day, another slight annoyance of Seoul, we have decided upon the traditional Italian cuisine of Pizza Hut at 10:45am. The afternoon is spent lounging around Mugunghwa house, and it’s during this time that my mother also informs me that it is my half sister’s birthday today. I am still unsure if I will have a chance to meet her since she lives near Incheon and has recently had some cosmetic surgery and from what I can gather is a bit embarrassed to meet me still bandaged up. I also had an idea that what we–as Westerners call the Far East–there would be issues both in conveying words and trying to understand the extremities of cultural differences, but this is only the tip of the iceberg as there are a number of things I learn daily that are foreign or completely opposite in how Americans act and perceive situations. One thing that I can’t stand is when people traveling, including backpackers, are in other countries and expect to have either luxuries of home (air-con, consistent electrical grids, food, providing information, etc) or the culture bend to meet their needs instead of realizing that they are the ones visiting their country. This is ignorance at it’s finest and often the reason certain countries have the negative reputations they do. Patience and respectfulness is what I try to practice, and I know this isn’t always possible, especially when a lack of sleep and exhaustion or even illness are involved, but the failure to even attempt this–to me–can certainly be the difference in having a horrific travel experience or one that is full of memories that even in what may be an awful situation at the time can be something you can laugh about later and lead you beyond something you were even expecting. So, while I wanted to meet my sister, regardless of her appearance, I just expressed this a few times, but didn’t press the issue.
Around 4:30pm my mom is in the kitchen like a conductor, orchestrating together a meal as she flies around the room, and before I know it she has me in an apron as well helping her through a series of hand gestures. Tonight’s menu is bulgogi, (grilled marinated beef), japchae (glass noodles with vegetables for our vegetarian, Brenna), and the traditional kimchi (this should hopefully be self explanatory, if not click on the links). Since this appears to be a special occasion for the guesthouse, Crystal has set us up in the office and Sam, a long-time guest, has also helped out by setting the table and even adding candles for our family style dinner.
Around 4:30pm my mom is in the kitchen like a conductor, orchestrating together a meal as she flies around the room, and before I know it she has me in an apron as well helping her through a series of hand gestures. Tonight’s menu is bulgogi, (grilled marinated beef), japchae (glass noodles with vegetables for our vegetarian, Brenna), and the traditional kimchi (this should hopefully be self explanatory, if not click on the links). Since this appears to be a special occasion for the guesthouse, Crystal has set us up in the office and Sam, a long-time guest, has also helped out by setting the table and even adding candles for our family style dinner.
Tonight I have also invited my friend Jin who I met in Guatemala about 3 weeks after leaving the States in March of 2012, since she lives in Seoul. Over dinner we retell the story of how we met, which is as most backpacker stories tend to be–met one evening for about an hour, exchanged Facebook, safe travels nice to meet you–but with a slight difference as Jin saw me seeting at a table with my little netbook and was walking by and said, “you’re Korean aren’t you?” I’ve never been called out that precisely before and was a bit surprised, but obviously since I’m a twinkie (yellow on the outside white on the inside) I couldn’t tell the difference between most Asians either. I suppose that some travelers collect Facebook friends like they do foreign coins and never end up actually keeping in contact, but for those that know me, I try my best, which is still quite poor. Jin has actually been the second person that I have been reunited with from the beginning of my travels in not only a different country but also a different continent, and Char was the first, whom I met in Belize a few weeks before and was reunited with her in Colombia exactly a year after we had met. Since the idea of backpacking is even more uncanny to Koreans as it is to Americans, this was an interesting topic of conversation, but I think Jin did a great job fielding all of the questions and translating for the rest of the English speakers.
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