Halmoni's

Instantly I felt a connection with the old grandmothers of Korea that I didn't even know. These women are probably some of the strongest survivors Ive physically met in my entire life. Back when Japan was taking up Korea, these women took some of th harder hits. They were known as "comfort women," in other words military sex slaves. After the war ended, some of these women came out and declared their right of an apology. That's all they ask of the Japanese government. After all that they've been through they women don't hope to get money or goods from Japan, but just a declaration that they were at fault. Having been a woman, I felt very connected with the halmoni's story. After seeig the protest, I could see that to his day people will not let that tragic moment in history go. And I thank them for that. So many people are left forgotten or unheard of. I believe that the Japanese government refuses to say that they were at fault because then they would look bad and create a reputation for their country. However, I do believe lying makes them look worse. Therefore, Japan probably wants to only pay back by material reparations without actually saying they were wrong. That's all that the halmoni's are asking for. In my opinion, they believe that having their voice heard by the Japanese embassy will not only help their case, but also all the victims women around the world. As a victim myself, I will forever stand by their side.

Empathy

In Seoul, I think that meeting new people in general is quite difficult. People here rarely make casual conversation or talk directly to strangers that they don't know. Therefore, as a foreigner from the states, I found many weird expressions when I approached strangers in hopes of meeting new people. However, at the University of Michigan, I think it is definitely more inviting. There are many programs that the university offers to help international students adjust to the culture and student environment on campus. Also, in America, we tend to be more direct and open, so I don't think that meeting new people will pose a probably at all. The problem that I think foreign students may have is that they will become overwhelmed with amount of people coming up to them on a regular basis. I think in general the Ann Arbor area seems to be a fairly friendly place and would provide a great atmosphere for international students to meet new people.

When studying at Seoul National University, I think the atmosphere is different. Students are more prone to staying with their own groups and sticking to what they are more familiar with. As an international student here, I did find the Student Ambassadors group to be quite friendly and helpful in providing information and friendship for our stay here. However, I understand that everything is different case by case, so I am not judging the rest of the Korean students. I understand that the cultural difference does not mean that they hate me, but rather that I should acknowledge the difference and adapt accordingly.

Buddy Topics

During our travel times from destination to destination, we are sometimes assigned "buddy topics" where we share our thoughts on a certain issue. One of the buddy topics asked us to talk about what we think our privileges and challenges are. I think as an American, I am already privileged. I think I definitely have the upper hand when it comes to global connections. In addition, being a student at the University of Michigan, which values diversity and international interactions, I think I am more socially aware of others around me. I think this is extremely important because this is an important skill to have when working with others in the professional setting. Also, just having an accredited university name on my resume may also give me a couple bonus points over others.

When I have to think about my challenges that I have to face, there are plenty. In a male dominant society, being a woman can be difficult. I may have to work harder and show more effort in order to achieve some of the same rankings or status as my male friends/colleagues. In addition to slight male dominance, the majority of the population in America is white. Therefore, I definitely think that sometimes it is difficult to compete as an Asian American. I'm not saying that there is a huge disparity as other races or ethnicities, but I am still reminded from time to time that I don't fall under the same umbrella as others. With these identity challenges, I don't think there's much I can do to change them. However, I've just learn to be patient and to use my privileges for my benefit. Even if I have to work harder and show a little more dedication, I still do my best to prove myself. In my perspective, nothing comes easy in this world. Therefore, sitting around pouting about something you can't change will get you nowhere.

English Language Education in Korea

Korean society has put much emphasis on educating students on the English language. I believe that this is because in Korea, business is one of the more prosperous career fields and English seems to have become a universal language of communication. Therefore with English, Koreans are able to communicate with other professionals on a global scale. The Korean government continues to hire more native English speakers to teach in Korea. I believe the reason behind this is because this gives students a more immersive and collaborative learning experience. We also learned that many parents send their children to private after school programs called hagwons, where they can study a specific subject. In a lot cases, students are able to study more English in addition to their regular course load. In addition, students are able to attend public after school programs. Our class was able to visit a rural elementary school that consisted of 36 students through grades 1-6. Hearing the experience of the  native English speaking teacher's perspective was very enlightening because he definitely made the time spent here more relatable. I definitely think that people in America overlook the importance of knowing a language like English. Since we use it everyday and it may be our first language, other places around the world are trying to catch up to our capability. When doing anything on a global or international scale, the English language is quite useful and understood by most. Once again, having the opportunity to explore the English Language Teaching Institutes, I definitely need to reflect on my personal beliefs of the English Language. :)

National Museum of Art

Yesterday our class took the opportunity to explore the National Art Museum of South Korea. I found the exhibition to be rather large and full of beautiful pieces. I personally love art myself and definitely enjoyed seeing the pieces related to Buddhism, since my family is Buddhist. The museum contained art pieces from different time periods of Korea and seemed to be remarkable historical artifacts. I believe anyone visiting the museum will also appreciate learning about the history of Korea along side with the beautiful art pieces that were created. Art is a form of culture all on its own. Every individual piece holds its own story and defines a specific period in time. In all, I really appreciated having the opportunity to explore the exhibition. I also got to purchase awesome gifts for people back home!

In addition to speaking with Crystal Phillips, today we had a presentation by one of the directors of the United Service Organization. He basically discussed the main goal or mission of USO, which is to "lift the spirits of AMerica's troops and their families." Apparently there are over a hundred USO centers located around the world. The main point that I got from Tony Davis' presentation was that the USO serves as a "home away from home" for American soldiers. They provide a variety of goods and services that will help soldiers adjust to their new surroundings. Something that caught my attention was that the USO also organizes entertainment performances for the troops as well. An example that Tony mentioned was the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders would come and visit the troops. I found that very cool that they also organize fun events like that. I think that all the support that the USO has provided for the troops will continue to move towards successfully making soldiers better adapt to their new settings.

Apart from the benefits that the USO provides for the troops, there is still tension that exists. One of the challenges that was mentioned that prevents positive relations between US military and Korean communities is that they are foreigners. It was mentioned that the older generations may understand and appreciate the US involvement in defending Korea, but the younger university students tend to have a more negative view. I think that if we are able to educate the younger generations of the significant aid that the US has actively provided to the South Korean society, the negative reputations of American soldiers will decline.

Crystal Phillips

Today we had the honor of meeting a UMich alumni, Crystal Phillips. I really enjoyed her perspective and anecdote of her personal experiences with the academic world. Hearing her discuss her life struggles and successes really made me want to reflect on what I really want to do with my life. But enough about me, let's talk more about Crystal. She currently works for Yonsei University as a visiting professor, but primarily at the Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development. The mission of IPAID is "to alleviate global poverty and promote sustainable internal development, particularly in developing and less developed countries." IPAID also collaborates with six colleges at Yonsei University Wonju campus, which offers many opportunities to undergraduates and graduates to study and conduct research on poverty. When it comes to the issue of poverty, I think that it's a great thing that people are trying to assistance one another internationally. It is evident that poverty still exists everywhere, just more in some regions than others. However, I would only find it hypocritical for governments to aid in foreign poverty alleviation if they provided no care for their own. More so, in the future when those countries become developed, they may return the favor. Unfortunately I wasn't able to volunteer with PLUR which consisted of contributing time to feeding the homeless. However, I think it would have just gave me a clearer perspective that poverty still exists; even in a highly progressing country like South Korea.

Questions

I've been in South Korea for 13 days now and have observed the society and culture. Which brings me the some questions. First, I'd like to know why it is impossible to find a trash can on the streets of Seoul. It makes me wonder if America produces more waste than South Korea. Another random thing I'd like to know is why there are soldiers roaming the streets as casual civilians, but still in there military uniform. I thought that soldiers had to serve for 2 years of military duty. Finally, I would like to know how most Koreans can remain skinny with all the food that they eat in a day. I think it is quite a lot of food since there is always side dishes with everything. Those are the only questions that I have as of right now. Since I love the Korean culture, I've just currently been absorbing all the similarities and difference without much questions. However, if I do develop any others, I'll definitely address them.

Namdaemun


While shopping and observing the area of Namdaemun markets, it was obvious to identify the "copy culture." Famous brand names like Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Puma, and even more were being mocked everywhere. It was evident that these where knock offs of the original brands because there were no certifications from the manufacture and no seal for proof of production. I think that these products are mainly focused towards foreign customers since they are sold at a ridiculously cheaper price. These brands would value double or triple what venders are selling them for here in Namdaemun. However, these products are made available for South Korean citizens as well. The idea of having possession of these copies definitely gives a person the status of having wealth since these products prices' are usually on the higher end. For me personally, I'd like to have one just to say that I have one; not necessary for the higher status aspect. This is not my first time encountering the "copy culture" since it is definitely something of great prevalence in Asian countries. Exploring Namdaemun definitely brought back the wonderful memories from my bargaining experiences in Vietnam!

Like I mentioned in my GCC group blog, I had the opportunity of visiting the DMZ of South Korea. At first before arriving, I didn't really think much of the trip since it just sounded like another border to me; like the US and Mexico. However, when I got there it was a whole different story. I think what made it different was that there was so much history and tension since they were once on country.I found the information that the tour guide was providing very interesting especially since he was putting in personal accounts of certain parts of the timeline. I think that the DMZ was definitely one of those areas that you will definitely have to go to at least once in your life. I think that people who live in Seoul are not as concerned as they once were for living close to the DMZ and I wouldn't be either. Like it always has in the past, North Korea threatens to launch missions with only the results of failing. To be honest, as a US resident, I haven't ever really thought about the US involvement with South Korea. This may be because it was the Forgotten War. In addition, the US definitely has problems of its own. Therefore, the US media usually only covers the most recent and active involvements. However, with my lack of knowledge of this involvement, I think that it remains difficult to successfully build a more open relationship with North Korea. In my opinion, I think that the US involvement is pending the reunification of Korea. Since the US is such a large and powerful country, North Korea could possibly be intimidated. Regardless of the matter, the trip to the DMZ gave me a sense of what really has been going at the 38th parallel that I wouldn't have received elsewhere. 

Volunteering with the kids :)

Today I had the opportunity of volunteering with some under privileged students from Seoul, Korea. I personally love children and was thoroughly excited for this day! My classmates and I didn't really have a game plan entering because we thought we could just free-ball it since they were kids. Oh how the tables turned! lol We walked into children screaming and jumping around with each other. I can't lie, I was a bit intimidated! We decided to split up into groups, so Ayesha and Chris were in mine. It was incredibly rough to get the kids' attention let along get them to cooperate. However, I didn't like the fact that I didn't have control of the setting, so I had to put my thinking cap on. I thought of some simple games that the kids might like and it worked! We played games like red light/green light, Simon says, memorization, and a spelling bee. One of the strategies I learn from being an elementary tutor was that everyone loves a little competition. We had to sacrifice some of our cookies in order to have incentives for the kids who demonstrated god behavior. This didn't stop some of them from wrestling, fighting, and trying to beat me up though.

Overall, I thought that it was a great learning experience. I was able to think on my feet and gain control of a rowdy setting. Knowing that these children lack the opportunities that other students have made me more hard on them. I had to raise my voice to get their attention sometimes, but that was all part of my plan. These kids are not going to get things in life easier. Therefore the sooner they realize that, the better. I'm never a person to judge. I just think that those kids were lacking more than just a better chance, I think they needed some extra care and love to know that someone still believes in them. After working with them, they left me without any sad or hurt feelings, but for me I wanted to cry. I get very emotional when it comes to situations like this, but I wanted to take the time to thank Jennifer for this amazing chance! Without her I would not have been able to impact the lives of these kids. Kamsahamnida!

One of the amazing recommendations to have aside from the traditional foods of Korea are waffles! I'm not sure of the reasoning behind the mouth watering crispy pastry, but the ice cream definitely adds an extra sweet twist to everything. I mean waffles are waffles, but they're not like in Korea! 

Lee Min Ho Oppa (My dream boyfriend ^^)

Annyeonghaseyo everyone! My name is Lena Truong and I'd love to have the pleasure to introduce myself! I am going to be a junior at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am intending on majoring in Neuroscience to one day fulfill my dream of becoming a brain surgeon. Along with my passion for sciences and the medical field, I have always had an interest in intercultural studies. That is why I couldn't turn down the opportunity to come to Seoul, South Korea with my Global Understandings' class! I will be here for one month partly studying and partly exploring the city. With amazing food, friendly people, and just the chance to be in another setting other than the United States, I've definitely developed a better understanding of my passion for intercultural relations. Along with the endless nights and compacted school schedule here in Korea, I intend on making memories that will last a life time! So please stay tuned for more photos and posts about my wild life, fascinating findings, and crazy experiences! =D