An-nyong haseyo!

I am staying at  EWHA Womans University

I left February 25th at 8:20am from Burlington, VT going to Chicago then arrived the next day at 4:30 pm in Seoul, South Korea (if you do the math it sounds like a 32 hr trip, but it was ONLY 18)

One of the main reasons I am going: Korean ceramics history and description

Also, in case you want some local news like updates on the politics, relations with North Korea, the oil spill, etc.  Korea Times online paper

MY SCHEDULE!

Monday-Friday  8:30am-11:10am  Beginning Korean (speaking/listening/reading/writing)

Tuesday 2-4:45pm Korean Painting Studio

Thursday 2-4:45pm Korean Ceramics II

Feb 1st: I just received word of what my room assignment will be in Korea.  It makes me a little nervous to have what appears to be a Korean as a roommate.  But I do know how to say "hello", "do you speak english?", "the weather is nice", "do you want something to eat/to drink?", etc. and the like.  At least I will get to practice. 

Feb 23rd:  It feels like I have been waiting forever.  I want to save this for when I am there so I can write about my actual little adventure, but I am getting so antsy.  At this point it almost doesn't feel real just hanging out around the house, not working, not doing classes, it's like my first winter break just delayed.   I am excited about meeting my "Buddy" at the airport (that was assigned to me) and seeing the city, or at least the campus and my bed on the highest floor of the International dorm.  I can't figure out how much is too much to pack, or what there is I can do without.  Following the weather, reading on last minute information, trying to learn the language a little...  I've also been having trouble with writing on this website, I think it might be because of my computer being a Mac, and my web browser being Safari.  I like my computer it just doesn't cooperate with all other programs.  

Feb 27^th: I'm here!  Yesterday was a long day to say the least, up for 30 hours with a little nap on the plane.  It wasn't very comfortable sleeping on the plane, and the constant humming didn't help.  Ok, my first plane ride: The most nerve-wracking part was the beginning when we were taxing onto the runway.  Taking off was such a strange experience to have the firmness and security of the ground drop away.   The first plane ride to Chicago was the worst with the constant fluctuation of what I can only guess at are the gravitational forces.  This created slight nausea and light-headedness.  But the view taking off has to be one of the most breathtaking scenes I have seen in my short life.  Other than taking off the rest of the ride was uneventful, just long.  I was able to sneak a peek of some northern ice cap since there was no cloud cover and that was beautiful

Once arriving at the Incheon Airport there were so many steps: Immigration, Baggage claim, customs, which together took an hour.  I finally met DaSol, who said would meet me, as well as Suzi, Eve, Evelina, and a couple others.  My roommate, Sung-hee, and I have a pretty large language barrier, but once we both start taking Korean I will be able to communicate better.  We went out to a Japanese restaurant and the soupy dish was made at the table with a burner and ingredients added in when the broth was boiling.  This dorm room is huge, at first I thought that was a blessing with the high ceiling and spacious floor but I found that wasn't the case.  It was 10*C when I arrived and because it was so cold and the room empty for a long time it took hours to heat up.  I went to bed with feet so cold they hurt, but finally when I woke up this morning it is up to 18.5*C.  It is floor heating, like some system underneath and heats from bottom up. 

It feels weird to finally be a foreigner and always messing up on etiquette.  My room needs to be treated like the dojo leaving my shoes by the door (which I didn't do on first entering).  But also just not being able to understand anyone and feel like I am sticking out.  We'll see how today goes now that I have slept and feel more rested. 

Only 1/4 of my room;                View from my double sliding doors;   My little working corner (look at the shoes!)

Feb 28th:  Well today was certainly uneventful.  It isn't like there was much to do, but I could've bought some books or anything.  Instead, after I went to the I-Market with a few people (which I didn't get a lot, I wish I had a grocery list) I came back and thought I would take a nap, you know to help me adjust.  Well that ended up being a bad idea, I slept for four hours and could've gone more if I didn't force myself to get up.  I was able to walk around a little by myself, and I came to realize why the international students have so quickly clumped into countries.  The feeling of isolation and difference can get a bit overbearing, even after a couple days, and it is easier to handle with others that you can communicate with.  

I was able to explore the city yesterday with a group and went to i-Park, which is a huge electronics market with 8 floors.  Each floor has a theme (cellphones, cameras, TV's, Computers, Games, etc.) and there are booths where people cell the products, but the funny thing is they all sell the same thing.  It isn't just there, multiples of the same store are next to each other everywhere.  Once I even saw 3 SK (cellphone) stores side by side each selling exactly the same product.  Does anyone want DVDs really bad?  :)  There are booths along streets where (again all the same) they sell copied movies for 2,500 won each ($2.50).  I do not know the quality of the movies, but the idea is exciting how they are allowed to sell them when it is actively prohibited by the USA.

                    This is the walkway where my dorm is located;                                   Bamboo shoots

March 1st:  Yesterday was uneventful, I had the campus tour, the Orientation, and then there was an entire International student party after (about 150 students).  Today was less work (if not none) and all play.  Today is the Independence Movement Day celebrated in Korea and a group of us went to the festival held in Insadong-gil.  It was wonderful being in a part of town that didn't have American stores (like Burger King, Outback Steakhouse, Dunkin Donuts, 7Eleven, North Face, just to name a few).  There was a guy that came up to us at the festival and asked if we knew the significance of the day, but all we knew is that it had something to do with "independence".  Well this is what I got out of his explanation: From 1905-1945 Korea was under the hold of Japan.  In 1919 there was a woman who led the revolution to free Korea from Japan starting here in Seoul and spreading to all parts of Korea (before it was separated).  Today, I guess is to celebrate the beginning of the revolution that led to their independence.  

    Ceramics in a shop window              Wish notes in a wishing tree             Not me with man in traditional farm-wear
                              

            Start of flower sculpture--------------->Top of flower                                           Korean graffiti
   

    

    

  Little girls doing the korean fan dance       Statue surrounded by festivities                Boy dancing with spear
  

   Male and female dancing with double swords ------------------------------------------------------------------------>

A performing artist painting to a drum (can you see it and guess at the content and theme? hint: think of two different countries and their flags)

The group then split up after the festival and my half went to the National Museum of Contemporary Art in the southern part of Seoul.  I don't  have any pictures because of the policy in museums, but I didn't even get to half the museum.  I couldn't believe that everyone else got all the way through, I wish people could stop and take the time to contemplate even one painting or sculpture.  Slow down, what's the rush?  We were able to see a blend of traditional Korean music/singing and modern classical music.  Two people would perform in front of a painting in the newest exhibit then they, or the artist themselves, would talk about it and answer questions.  Even though I could not understand the language, the music was captivating.  Guess what I am doing?  Taking the intensive Korean language class worth 9 credits. They meet every weekday morning for 2.5hrs.  I really want to learn a language, this language. Tomorrow I get a cell phone, hopefully get my korean language books, and go out to get korean fried chicken (my diet has had to change and I miss fresh, raw, veggies).  I'll figure it out now that I have food coupons and a stipend.  

March 2nd:  Ok, I want to see if we can play a game called "Name that American Brand!".  It's where you have to guess the name of the American brand by looking at the product's label in korean. :)

Now just email me at dpecor@uvm.edu with your guesses and I will post them and tell you who was right, sorry I can't figure out how you can post yourself on this website.

March 5th: Now that I have classes these entries may get a little more spread out, but I will make sure to cover everything.  Well,  most people guessed the brand right, it was Minute Maid.  Thanks Amanda, Claire, and my mom for participating. :)  

Well, I'm just starting classes this week and so far I am in the Language and Korean Painting.  Today  I will find out if I get into the ceramics class.  I am really excited about the painting because it is traditional Korean painting tools that we are using (like kangi? paper), but the content can be anything which is more modern.  It will be hard because the teacher didn't expect the class to be opened up to foreign international students and she can barely speak any english.  But I think it will be good to just observe and learn.  It will also be good since there are normal korean students whose major is fine art.  I might go back to Insadong this weekend with a group to get some supplies for the class.  A group of us are going to the club fair today to try and talk to some groups about joining, I'm still looking at Kumdo but maybe Tae kwon do is an option too.

MY SCHEDULE! (march 6th)

Monday-Friday  8:30am-11:10am  Beginning Korean (speaking/listening/reading/writing)

Tuesday 2-4:45pm Korean Painting Studio

Thursday 2-4:45pm Korean Ceramics II

I didn't get everything I wanted and my plans changed, but I am really happy with my classes.  The language course is so intense, I'll be able to read all the words around town by the end of Friday.  I won't be able to know what it means, but I know how to say "stew" "cow" "pig" "meat" "duck" and combinations to help me pick food. :) cow-meat, pig-meat, and if I add "anneyo" I can ask in the negative.  I like broken language, you can still get the idea across without being detailed or "grammatically correct".  I can say more but it is really hard to show because I can't write it down in english. :/

March 7th:

Well even though my computer can't write in korean, I can copy and paste what I find to make the words I want. 

다니엘 Danielle 밤 Night (Pam, but short a) 눈 eye (noon)         소 Cow (so)

It's hard to find the characters I want but this seems to work. :)  Well, I went to the Han River today after class and going to the campus museum as well as sketching ideas.  We walked along  the river in a park, took a ferry, and went out to eat after.  It was all beautiful, then I realized what was on the horizon (not North korea), smog.  It is a gray dusting on the horizon, so with that and yellow dust from China there is a lot of pollution.  

Anyways, on a better note, we went to the largest Catholic church in Korea.  I wasn't able to go inside, but I finally have pictures with me in them!

There is also a picture of Nicolette, DaSol, and me on the bus to get to Han River.  And in the middle its Eve, Stalla (both from China), Nicolette, and me.  Later that night we took a ferry on the Han River, which wasn't that exciting in itself, but some funny things happened.  The boat decor in itself was amusing and VERY tacky.  There were some animals on the top deck that I was little confused about, like random birds and fish and lobsters.  I will add a photo of the lobsters for my mom to enjoy.  I don't think they eat them here, I wouldn't know why because they eat everything else (eel, octopus, squid) that comes from the ocean.  

Ok, so I've talked about everything, but I haven't shown you any pictures of the food.  It can get pretty generic, but there are certain things I like about Korean dishes.  I love the communal dishes that 4-5 people share, especially when it is cooked at the table on a small burner.  I also really like the Korean BBQ, its nothing like ours but it is delicious.  First, we are given raw pork (with lots of fat) and kimchi.  We then turn on the burner and cook the meat and kimchi until brown/cooked.  Then we wrap the meat and whatever other side dishes we want in a piece of lettuce and eat it like a korean taco.  So good!  Grilled kimchi is also VERY yummy.

Don't mind David and his "blood" sign, I just wanted to show how crowded the table always is with all the side dishes.  It is crazy how many we have all the time, but I do love sharing all the food.  Unfortunately I don't want to get sick, so thankfully I have vitamin C supplements.  This dish is so good with their red fermented bean paste, you can actually see it in the picture with David between the two water glasses.  I almost really like having it so hard to NOT have meat during a meal.  It's so prevalent that vegetarians have a really hard time eating out, or its very consistent dishes they have to choose.  Hehe, I have the weekend now to do things...

March 11th:  Saturday I need some necessary shopping at I-Mart and I went to Deoksugung Palace that is right nearby.  I wish I had more pictures to show, but my camera died and the batteries I brought were dead as well (though I didn't know).  On Sunday I walked around central Seoul, first along the historic river that runs down the middle (not the Han, its a lot smaller) called the Cheonggyecheon stream.  It was used when the the city was a settlement and the wives of the families would wash the clothes in the river while the children played together.  The city just finished a large project to improve the look and condition of the River, after being neglected.  The river is a symbol of where the city came from and what they use to rely on, but it became obsolete and raised roads built over it.  This project was to restore some of the original importance this river use to have to the city.

Yes, its big and its me standing over a little stream that leads to the waterfall and the start of the actual stream/river.  In the backgrounds there's a Claus Oldenburg sculpture, look him up, he's famous.  And yes, it is a goofy picture.

Ok, enough of the history lesson I need to talk superficially... I feel fat here.  Not an "I hate myself and how I look" fat, but how I look compared to the locals.  I just mean they are small, and that isn't being racist, they just ARE.  If you are a normal size (size 9 or 10) by American, or even European, standards good luck finding shirts or pants that fit or shoes if you are over an 8.  The clothes aren't only smaller, they fit funny for me.  I bought a sweater because I was cold and didn't pack another one like I needed, and it took me hours to find one that fit, felt decent, and wasn't appalling on me.  Korea isn't the place to lose weight either, with the rice, noodles, fatty meats, and sweets, the calories, fat and other good things add up quickly.  The food here is wonderful, but don't get sumgyasa (think that is how it's pronounced) which is the fatty pork dish I talked about in my last entry, every meal.  I wish I could start a discussion on body size and image, especially since I find eyelid lifts and skin whiteners that hurts my heart everytime I see them.  

*Sigh* I miss Aikido, I hate the treadmill.  I do it though, 4 times a week for 20 min I go nowhere but the floor moves.  I could run on the track but I feel I would get less of a workout since I am even less motivated, because at least with the treadmill I am forced to keep up instead of creating my own momentum.  I hope when Kumdo starts Thursday I won't have to run as often.  Ok, exercise isn't my only motivation for these activities, but I enjoy Aikido so much more, AND it happens to take physical exertion. My exercise has consisted only of cardio and abdominal strengthening, I'm sure everyone would be proud.  Well tonight I am going to a Korean Karaoke room/bar place tonight.  I can't remember what they call it but it begins with an N...  

March 16th:  Sorry again, I said these would be farther between, at least to make them decent.  Ok, well the karaoke places are called "Noraebang" but it actually sounds like "Nodaebang" to me (with a short "a" in -bang).  We are set up in our own private room for about 4-5 people and we have an hour and a half to pick songs from a book.  the english choices are limited but its ok, I just need to learn Korean ones. :)  It's so cheap and a lot of fun.

Anyways, relationships are so different here.  We just had "White Day" which is another valentines day where the guys get the girls a gift, and on February 14th its the girls who get the guys a gift.  Then in April 14th, even though this day is mostly for the females I guess, you go out to eat the noodle dish with black sauce if you have no boyfriend/(girlfriend) to show your loneliness.  That isn't just it either, I don't know how to explain it (the days or korean relationships). :)

I've been hiking, to a traditional korean village and an attempt at the Van Gogh exhibit, but I waited too long.  Today was the last day and when I went, everyone else was there.  It took me 10 minutes to walk to the end of the line just to find out I needed a ticket and that was just the line to get in. Haha... ha... Yeah, I'm not too disappointed since there is nothing much I can do about it.  At least I was able to see traditional song, music, and dance yesterday after hiking.  I'll post a bunch of pictures tomorrow, I spent all my time with this one panoramic view that I made with the 7 pictures I took from the top of the mountain of the city below.  If you want a larger one just email me at dpecor@uvm.edu and I can get you a slightly bigger one.  Besides the pollution and ugliness of manmade objects it was still a very stunning and (dare i say) beautiful sight to see.

March 17th: I said I would deliver photos, and here they are!  The first ones are from the Traditional village dwellings (of the wealthy/upperclass though, not the commoners dwellings).  Then we have the hike.  And when you see the red diamond sign, it says "Past Mine Zone" if you have a hard time reading it. :)  That was on part of the path for the hike and we had an interesting discussion as to why they would put mines on a mountain where no army equipment could get.  My debating partner argued that there was no threat because no heavy war machines of destruction could pass over that, but my argument was if because of that, having a mountain would be as vulnerable, if not more-so than anything else and that the mines could've been there (we think they were removed, hence the "Past") to protect again foot soldiers or anyone else trying to tread over the mountain.  Anyways, that being all very trivial I'll just post the pictures...

I had to add that picture of me with the kimchi jars, wouldn't you love to make kimchi like that?  Just putting the cabbage (or radish) in a pot with... vinegar maybe? and other things with LOTS of chili powder, bury it so its cool for 2-3 weeks and *tada*, kimchi.  Anyways, I like the clay pots, and they are everywhere (look at the designs).

On the right is Stalla from China.  She's an art major as well and has done Chinese painting, which is like Korean painting.  That is actually her major. She loves to take pictures so maybe I'll be able to find some from her to get.

Ok, I started Kumdo today and doing everything wrong (which is a typical reaction for the first time at anything) but its the not understanding the correction or verbal instruction when it is given that freaks me out a little.  I am trying to learn just by watching and listening to get the general sounds I need to hear but I still don't know what the rest of it is.  I do like the kiai we have to do everytime we move.  A lot of what we did today was practicing our kiai and properly moving forward.  Look up kendo or kumdo on youtube and you might see what I mean, it looks a lot different than what I am use to.  I get mixed signs a lot too,  I get both the feeling that they want me there, yet I also feel like they really don't me there.  This is expanded to off campus as well.  People can be friendly and make me feel like its ok to exist in this city/country, and then others make me wonder why I ever decided to come to Korea.  Especially when I was asked why I wanted to learn such an unpopular language, it's hard to answer these questions truthfully because the truth is I chose Korea not solely because it's Korea, but because its Asian, it has great ceramics, and it had an exchange with art classes.  I feel pretty lame admitting that to people, that it was out of convenience that I am visiting and learning about their country so I don't feel like I have any good answers.  To me those aren't the only reasons but i can't seem to explain in simple english why I am here.  It's hard enough to explain without the language barriers.  I'll figure it out of course and I'm not going to be scared away from the club when they already said it was perfectly alright to join for one semester.  I go again tomorrow night, wish me luck!

March 22nd: I feel like a child again... I can only imagine what it is like being between the ages of 1 and 2 trying to learn your native tongue (since I can't remember).  But I have a pretty good feeling what they, or should I say what Caleb, is experiencing.  At first only understanding certain words or phrases, learning the meanings by the context, and especially understanding more of what you hear than what you can actually speak.  As well as the frustration associated with not being able to communicate with others around you.  The confusion when being instructed to do something but not knowing what it is they want.  But many Koreans can speak english and I am torn between gratitude and another form of frustration when they speak to me in english.  Grateful that I can take a break from the confusion, but frustrated because when speaking english I'm not able to learn or practice korean.  

I was corrected in Kumdo today, and despite all the differences I still get corrected on one of the exact same things I did wrong in Iaido: using my right arm/hand too much.  I found it amusing that my shortcomings are universal.  It's so warm here, the last few days its been around 17 degrees celsius (which is a little about 60F).  I know it's still cold in Vermont, and maybe even snowing but mud season is right around the corner.   I'm hoping to go to another museum today but it looks like this weekend may be uneventful since I'm not going to this Breakdancing/Ballerina musical/dance tonight that our buddies organized.  We'll see what happens.

March 23rd: Still no pictures, but I will add those later... I have to do things like not going to a museum to have pictures, but Happy Easter! Chu-il Chuk-ha-hamnida!  

If this works, it is a video of the  water show outside of the Seoul Arts Center.  The water dances to music, not that exciting, but I figured a little video might be nice.  You get to see it in real time.  And if this works there will be more videos in the future.  If not you can see it here.

I also wanted to post my mailing address in case you want to send a letter, I'm going to start sending them, I just have to wait until the post office opens up.  But in case you lose your letter its:

Danielle Pecor                                                                                                                                                                                                       Ewha Womans University                                                                                                                                                                             International House Dorm    Rm#701                                                                                                                                                       11-1  Daehyun-dong, Sudaemun-ku                                                                                                                                                               Seoul, 120-750                                                                                                                                                                                                       South Korea

March 24th: Yay for Mondays! Not really, especially when we had such a rainy weekend.  The rain just catches the pollution and pours it on you, it's disgusting.  I was still out though, i went to the Rodin Gallery yesterday, which consistent of two pieces, but there was also a great photography exhibit by Atta Kim.

You can check out what they do on that site, it can get pretty trippy, I really enjoyed it.  But then I was cold and wet and just wanted to get back to the dorm, so I did and I did homework.  Not very exciting, but I did do something today (besides class). I finished my second coil pot.  I was intimidated by these, and the first was a little frustrating because I'm not use to it taking so long to complete.  

Yes, the finished product looks a little funny and lopsided, but I am happier with the shape than the first one I did.  I'm also happier with the lip, or the little bottle neck at the top.  This shape (which is called Maebyong) was popular with the older Buncheong ware, and some even with the earlier celadon because the pot did not look stable with the heavy part at the top.  The Buncheong (or Punchong) ware of Korea  was a development past the celadon, which I find interesting because the pots appear more primitive (or rustic) compared to the elegant celadon examples.  They use inlay, stamping, painting, and other techniques I cannot think of right now to decorate.  But these Buncheong pots try to imitate the celadon with the clear green glaze and shapes and using the same decoration techniques.  But the outcome is different and less refined.  I haven't read about why that is because a lot of the Korean political history has influenced the development of their ceramics.  When the Japanese was in control from the early 1900s to 1945, ceramic production almost completely stopped in Korea because all the potters were shipped over to Japan to teach them the techniques or produce for them.  This was the period where much of the Western ceramic techniques were picked up and eventually helped advance the contemporary Korean ceramics once they gained their Independence.  I find this all interesting and plan on reading more.  Especially after going to the Leeum Museum this past Saturday, I got a pretty good 3 hour art history lesson on different pieces.  I spent the most time listening to the ones about the ceramics (I got a free PDA in the museum for buying a day pass to give me the information on each piece).  Now I have to figure out a design to place on the pot, and I have a separate book for the symbolism of images in korean art.  

This is about the time that I am going to switch pages, as in i started another web page to continue my journal since this is starting to get lengthy since I am just listing my entries.  This is a pretty low tech way of doing this, but it seems to work for me.  This is the link to the new site that I will write on from now on. 

http://pecor03.googlepages.com/studyingabroadii

By the end I might have 3 or 4 websites if I keep this up.

Feed my fishies! (or in Korean, it's pronounced "pishi")