Category: Culture

Reach the World – Logbook – Fall Updates and a Trip to Gyeongju

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, Reach the World, VolunteeringLeave a comment

Originally published by Reach the World, October 30, 2015

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How far did I travel this week?:This week, I traveled to a city called Gyeongju. Gyeongju is an hour and a half north of Gimhae, and it is in southeastern Korea.

 

How far have I traveled on this journey so far?:So far, I have traveled to Seoul, Busan, Gimhae, Jinju, Sokcho, Miryang, Goesan, and Gyeongju. The farthest cities were Sokcho, which is a beach town in the northeast, and Seoul, which is the capital city in the northwest.

 

How did I get around this week?:This week, I traveled around Gimhae with taxis, buses, subways and walking. In Gyeongju, I took a bus tour to see the highlights of the city.

 

What was the most interesting place I visited this week?:The most interesting place I visited this week was Bulguksa Temple, which is located in Gyeongju. Bulguksa Temple showcases ancient Korean architecture, including pagodas and Buddhist centers of worship. Bulguksa Temple is considered one of the national treasures of Korea.

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The Plight of the Korean Student

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, SchoolLeave a comment

I walk into my first class every morning to see students with their heads on their desks, relishing those precious few minutes before the first period bell. Most of them will pick their heads up and go through the motions of doing their English assignments. Others, sometimes half of the class, will not stir.

I feel conflicted. Do I wake the student? I should, of course. But my class doesn’t count for a grade and the student looks like he hasn’t slept in days. Should I let him sleep? If I let one sleep, does that mean the rest of them can sleep? What do I do when half of my class has their heads down and refuses to do work?

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Reach the World – Field Note – Nature

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, Reach the World, VolunteeringLeave a comment
Originally published by Reach the World, October 30, 2015
lotus flower
Introduction:
Whenever I visit a Korean historic site or a souvenir shop, I see lotus flowers everywhere! Lotus flower lanterns, lotus flower pens, lotus flower bookmarks, and lotus flower carvings, just to name a few. The lotus flower is an important symbol in Buddhism, showing that beauty and purity can grow and flourish even in an ugly and foul environment. In Korea, the lotus flower plays a central role in art, architecture and culture.

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Fall Conference Updates

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, School, TravelLeave a comment

This weekend was the annual Fulbright ETA Fall Conference. The conference was held in Gyeongju, which is about an hour and a half north of Gimhae. Gyeongju served as the seat of the ancient Silla dynasty, and over the weekend I saw some of Korea’s most important historical sites and relics. All ETAs made the journey to this small, historic city for a full four days of discussions, workshops, and reunions.

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Reach the World – Field Note – Food

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, Reach the World, VolunteeringLeave a comment
Originally published for Reach the World, October 16, 2015
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Introduction:
“What is your name? Where are you from? Do you like kimchi?”These are the three questions I hear most often from Korean students, teachers, and new friends I meet. Kimchi, or 김치 in Korean, is one of Korea’s traditional foods, made from fermented vegetables and a variety of spices. Kimchi can be eaten as a side dish or as an ingredient in foods like pizza or soup. Many Koreans eat kimchi with every meal!

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Vignettes About Being a Foreigner

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, VignettesLeave a comment

Being a foreigner in Korea means I encounter a broad range of reactions.  Living in a racially and culturally homogeneous society, I am quite obviously different. Sometimes I am met with great kindness, while other times I am treated like a child or an outsider. These are a few of the encounters I have had, related to my foreignness.

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Jinju Lantern Festival

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, TravelLeave a comment

I glanced at my two sleeping sisters in the living room, and then I glanced at my watch. 6:15 AM. It was Friday, the national holiday of Hangul Day, and my ETA friends and I were meeting in Jinju for the famous Lantern Festival. It was going to be the first time in weeks that I had seen another native English speaker, let alone another American. It was also going to be my first weekend away from my host family, a thought which horrified Ye Bin.

“Where you stay?” she had asked me all week. “How many friends? You go Jinju alone?”

I scrolled down the list of contacts on my phone and pressed “call.” A woman’s voice answered, “Yoboseyo!” and I gave the apartment address. If the taxi pulls up in front of the gate in the next five minutes, I thought, I will have made my first successful Korean phone call.

I hung up the phone and saw Host Mom poke her head out of her bedroom.

“Odi-e kayo?”  Where are you going?

“Jinju.” I held up my phone. “Taxi.”

She nodded, remembering, and waved goodbye. I headed out the door and saw the black taxi pulling up in front of our building. Success!

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Reach the World – Logbook – Korean Thanksgiving

On By Janine PerriIn Culture, Fulbright Korea, Reach the World, VolunteeringLeave a comment

Originally published for Reach the World, October 2, 2015

How far did I travel this week?:This week, my host family and I traveled to Miryang, a small town in the countryside outside of the city of Gimhae. We visited my host dad’s parents for Chuseok. To get to Miryang, we drove down a highway outside of Gimhae and then through the mountains. It took about an hour to get there.

 

How far have I traveled on this journey so far?:Since arriving in Korea in July, the farthest I have traveled is Sokcho, a beach town in the northeast. Sokcho is known for its beautiful beaches, Buddhist temples, and some of the tallest mountains in Korea. I went hiking and walked along the beach. Now that I am settled into my school routine, I will do a lot more traveling this month.

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