It has been a while since I had last posted on this blog, and I could not have imagined how many new experiences I have already witnessed. From trying new Korean cuisines to hiking mountain ranges previously unknown, Korea has treated me more than well with the exciting surprises that seem to constantly fall right onto my lap. The culture shock has been a blessing in disguise, for I feel I have learned much more about the culture by being thrown into in rather than easing myself into it by clinging onto familiar social norms and customs. Everything from house etiquette to dining customs is unfamiliar in the best way possible. The language barrier has proven to be a challenge, but the people are patient and forgiving enough to bear with my broken, basic Korean. One common aspect about the Korean culture that speaks volumes past the language barrier is the sense of community within every aspect of daily life. Dinners are always an event, where it is rude to not talk with your mouth full of food, be loud, as well as not pouring your friend a glass of soju once empty. The communal characteristic of Korea is one of my favorite features of Korean culture, for even though I am in a world in which I know a parcel of Korean as well as the area and people, it seems I am still welcomed with open arms wherever I go.
The more, the merrier seems to hold its merit the most in Seoul, and I couldn’t be more happy with where I chose to travel abroad. Although Seoul and the nooks around and within the city are full of energy, excitement and sheer joy, I have witnessed some darker tones to Korea as well. Traveling to the DMZ provided insight into the haunting history of the two Korea’s, as well as the looming fear of the radical communist regime that resides in Pyongyang. Although it was saddening and somewhat frightening, it gave me important insight to the Korean people and what means the most to them, which in turn has better helped me understand the way of living here in South Korea.
With the inability to decide where I should begin, I guess I will start with a topic that every experience I have been through so far has shared: food. I believe one of the best examples I could give of the communal love of food and the act of eating with company would be climbing up the mountains in the Gyeongsangbuk-do province to stumble upon a humble Buddhist temple covered deep within the canopy of the mountain vegetation.
It was a sweltering hot August day, and with August being the hottest month on record since weather recording began in 1907, the climb was anything but easy. The shade provided little help for the humidity was unfathomable, but every step taken was well worth. After climbing through mountain streams, up steep sheets of rock, and stopping every once in a while to see breathtaking views of the mountain range, we finally arrived at the Buddhist Temple that our guide claimed, “is not for the faint of heart, the climb is gruesome”. But we made it, and it was one of the most beautiful views I had seen in my 20 years of living.
Huge mountains covered in Red Pine and other vegetation native to Korea stabbed at the skyline as if it was attempting to pop the light blue Troposphere. After gazing in awe at the geography around me, I was kindly brought back to reality by a Buddhist Monk that took care of the sanctuary. She didn’t speak any English, but once again, the communal sense in eating broke the language barrier easily. She proceeded to wave my friends and I down to another segment of the temple, in which she had 8 peaches waiting to be cut and devoured by the starving, exhausted climbers. Some friends of mine spoke to the monk in Korean, intrigued at how the monk makes the climb every day with supplies loaded on her back. Once they were done with the small conversation, she began to cut the peaches and I was about to have the sweetest, freshest food I have had in years.
I don’t know if it was because I hadn’t ate all day and just endured a 2 hour climb up a steep mountain during the hottest month in Korean history, or just because the peaches were perfect, but that peach was the most delicious peach I had ever had. Something about the time and place in which we were in made it that much better. The communal sense of relief and satisfaction after a hard days climb made the peaches taste that much better, and the kindness of the monk in sharing her food she brought up to the Temple via the same trek was the icing on the cake.
For the sake of not overloading your mind with stories, I am going to continue with my experiences on the next blog posts with picture of the places I have/will write about below the post. My thanks to all who are staying with me as I embark on these adventures, and I promise there will be many more to come!
