Arrival in Seoul!

My flight arrived at the Incheon Airport on Thursday evening. I have been staying with the host family from my previous trip and trying to adjust to the various everyday differences from my life back in the states. The wife does not speak much English, so we have been attempting to make use of broken Korean and English words and phrases to communicate, which is probably good for the both of us. We both need practice. At the Co-Ex mall, we were writing words on a napkin in an attempt to make sense of the day's plans and learn a little more about one another. It's definitely a switch to go from primarily hearing English (or other various langauges while traveling) to mostly Korean. Korean dramas. Korean radio stations. Korean food. Korean conversation. 한국어, 한국어, 한국어 (Korean, Korean, Korean)... And attempting to converse with the sales clerk about a purchasing a cell phone is... difficult (even with someone to help translate).

Oh, and I'm trying to get used to announcing that I am 23 years old (Korean age) instead of 21 (in the states).

Last night we went over to a relative's (brother's) home to watch a professional soccer game (Korea vs. Japan). My eyes were glued to the screen and I'm usually not a huge sports fan. Soccer is very popular in Korea. I would love to watch a live game while I am here. The World Cup takes place in 2008, but tickets are VERY hard to come by.

Tomorrow I will move to my dormitory or apartment. Orientation begins on Tuesday! Until then, take care!


My CIEE group!

Taipei

Let me start off by saying that my chosen route of travel has been all across the board. Each country I have visited definitely has its own feel (generically speaking). Transportation has gone from double-decker buses to pink taxi meters to tuk tuks to MRT. Everything is very colorful in Taipei including clothing, commercials and signs. This seems to be a similar trend in some Asian cultures (remember this from last time I visited Korea). I stayed with my friend, Grant in his apartment located near his university and Tamkang (Tamsui) University is flooded with students! Classes began on the 20th (day before I left), so the fairly quiet campus resumed its active, lively feel as students began to reemerge from their one-month break.

I sat in for a couple of Grant's classes, which was quite the experience. Actually the first course sylabi was similar to one of journalism courses at St. Thomas, except the the class size was doubled or tripled with a different classroom environment. The professor had car trouble so he made his appearance late to Grant's second class. So, the students made use of the time by either mingling with one another or attempting to make a joint decision concerning a party held for "the chosen" professors. Although I did not completely understand the discussion (given that I am not too familiar with Mandarian), this is what I could comprehend with the help of Grant's roommate, Scott. There was not order to this "voting"/decision-making process, but that's what held my attention I suppose. Oh chaos can be good sometimes. :) But we ducked out early so I could explore the campus. He accomplished his task (designated by Grant) to show me the university, although I was not allowed to enter the 5-star library haha.

Following suit with the large class sizes, in general Taipei is quite a crowded city, especially compared to St. Paul, MN where everything is spread out and the population density is nothing compared to this. I suppose this is preparing me for Seoul, Korea, which will be my next and final destination. There were some Korean tourists in Taipei, but a majority were from Japan. It has been interesting to see who are the main visitors in each country. For instance, my motorbike drivers told me that Cambodia is a popular vacation spot for Koreans.

While the Cambodian "pancake" and amok were among my favorite dishes in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, it is difficult to choose just a few favorite items in Taipei. I cannot even count how many things I tried in my 4 day visit. However, the pearl milk tea (bubble tea) definitely beat Tea Garden back in Minnesota. Grant and his friends told me that bubble tea was invented in Taiwan, so I guess it seems logical that the taste exceeds anywhere else. Burgers (not typical ones you find in the US) and milk tea became part of our morning ritual (not complaints here). Basically, I never went hungry in Taipei. I don't think this was allowed. :) The only things that weren't on my top list were... shark, squid and pig stomach (in the soup)... But the other choices were plentiful so no worries. Walk through a night market and you'll be surrounded by smells (food) and venders selling an array of random items.

Some highlights:
Grant introduced me to numerous parts of Taipei life, filling each day with many sights and activities. Let's just say that I was never bored. The first day, we explored Taipei City Hall with his friend Alan, which allowed me to catch a glimpse of the modern, trendy lifestyle. And what lies in Taipei City Hall you may ask? Taipei 101, which is the tallest building in the world. We took the elevator, which holds another record (fastest elevator), reaching the 89th floor in 27 seconds. (Hong Kong is home to the longest escalator in Soho). Madde, Megan, Al and Joan, I thought of you as I gazed out from the top. ;)

Jioufen was a quite different experience, a more traditional look at Taiwan. Grant, Marcus (his friend) and I took the train (TRA) and then a bus attempting keep our step as the bus tossed its passengers back and forth. It rained the entire time we were in Jiofen, but rain does not bother me. My "fabulous" shoes (aka my falling apart gray Vans) were put to the test and passed! A warm bowl of green bean soup cures anything. :)

Somehow we even managed to visit the National Palace Museum and Longshan Temple, which received high recommendations in my Taipei books (and I understand why).

Well, now I am in Seoul, which is another story in itself, but you shall hear about this in the mere future!

Farewell Cambodia

Hammocks in a restaurant outside of the city->
It has just hit me that my time in Cambodia has come to an end. I am off to Taipei tomorrow (mid-afternoon). I feel as if I am being tossed back and forth between entirely different cultures, underdeveloped versus consumer-driven, and yes... weather conditions (but no complaints considering the weather I left behind in Minnesota). I spend a couple days visiting the typical tourist attractions, which are worth seeing, but it has been nice to also just see Phnom Penh by various modes of transportation including motorbike (most "freeing" ride ever), tuk tuk and yes on foot. I won't bore you with all the details about each place I ventured into, because yes I understand that firsthand accounts and photographs are more visually pleasing and attention-grabbing. Wat Phnom (place from which Phnom Penh derives its name) and the Royal Palace are two places one should visit while in the city.

Tho, my tuk tuk driver also drove me to Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek Genocide Museums. Tuol Sleng once was a high school, but under the Khmer regime was turned into Security Prison 21 (S-21). Choeung Ek is one of the killing fields, in which mass graves were discovered. I did not really take photos while visiting these places because doing so just didn't seem right. They are places one should visit, but in my opinion, not record on film. If you do not know about what took place in 1975-1979 under the Khmer Rouge, please do a little research, because this is something that I did not have much prior knowledge about before reading up on Cambodia.

I spent a good amount of time staring at the modes of decor in and surrounding the structures of the palace. Oh yes, and I was chased by a guard for wandering a little outside of the restricted parameters... If you need to know more, find the Australian guy I met on the stairs. While in Wat Phnom, I snapped a photo of the last elephant to survive the rule of Khmer Rouge (not the last elephant in Cambodia though).

By the time I visited the National Museum, I was rather "museum-ed out" (if this makes any sense), so I don't know if my attention span allowed me to give the museum a proper amount of mindful though. I did my best though.

Actually, my favorite part about Cambodia has been visiting with the various people (being overseas travelers and locals). Actually, on Valentine's Day (was reminded by the numerous couples riding around on motorbikes carrying flowers-- it's celebrated in Phnom Penh... western influence perhaps?), I had a long conversation with the lady taking admission tickets for Wat Phnom. She spoke with me about relationships, in particle relationships between Cambodian women and Caucasian men. It was interesting to hear her thoughts about this phenomenon. She herself had been proposed to twice; one time being only 2 weeks after they had met. The man had promised her a nice home and wealth, but being a strong women, she only wished to marry for love and had not known this fellow for a long enough period of time. This being said, she said that many women here do accept such proposals. And today, I spent time with a boy from Phnom Penh who provided me with another insight. He told me how he has not had many girlfriends because Cambodian (and other women) are not attracted to guys of his dark skin color and money situation. It appears that women have an easier time than me at breaking away from a certain lifestyle, but the details I do not know. Some people are just attracted to a certain look (race, eye color, etc), while others may be attracted to the stereotypical connotations that go along with a certain group of people. It was interesting to hear the various opinions of people I met along my way. I have been contemplating the whole notion of what men and women are truly looking for in a partner and what conditions affect their decisions.

I cannot tell you how many people asked me if I am married (not whether I have a boyfriend, but whether I am married). Another popular game has been guessing where I am from. It seems that everyday my country of origin changes. One day, people were speaking random Korean phrases to me (assuming I am Korean) and the next asking whereabouts in Japan I live. And the woman and housekeeper of the family I am currently staying with said believe I look Chinese. All this guessing makes me chuckle, but at the same time question my paperwork. Am I really a full-blood Korean? Personal identity. Maybe this is something best left to explore along the way tweaking the information here and there (no set in stone information/descriptions). But one thing is for certain, I am westernized whether I like it or not. The minute I open my mouth it is obvious that I am from the US. I did try pulling off as being from Canada once, but the person I was trying to fool turned out to be from Canada herself. So she obviously didn't buy into my act, but we did discuss Thunder Bay for a while...

People seem to enjoy practicing English. I walked with three young Buddhist monks today, who were eager to take a photo with me and attempt to use their English. I have been trying to pick up some Cambodian language (Khmer) as well, but I'm just hoping I'll be able to retain it once I start learning more Korean. Languages are fascinating. It truly is crucial to become proficient in as many as possible in order to hear people's stories and to show sincere interest in someone's culture in general. Goodness. I better get started! (but perhaps focus on Korean first...) Next stop Taipei, Taiwan! Pretty sure, I will never forget the busy streets full of motorbikes, tuk tuks and other vehicles which disregarded the street lines (driving into traffic---literally) and the stopsigns (which I did not see in Siem Reap) in which people did not always interpret as "stop"signs. Like I said, the adrenaline rush is exhilarating. And the family I stayed with will definitely be missed. I feel lucky to have gotten to know such amazing people.


to the right--> Cambodian "pancake"

Phnom Penh

This afternoon I arrived by bus to Phnom Penh, a much busier city with paved roads and more drivers. Along the way, we made a short rest stop. I stepped off for a bit of fresh air and was surrounded by young girls calling out"sister sister buy by pineapple. Buy my mango." The naming of "sister" reminded me of the children at the immersion school in Kauai, who called us "auntie." It was difficult to only make one purchase, so when I left the bus for a second time I tried a new tactic. A young girl approached me holding out sticky rice wrapped in pineapple leaves. I bent down and started asking her about her hometown and family. She seemed stunned that I was trying to conduct a conversation because she stepped back and paused before proceeding to answer my questions (spoke English). I want to get to know these children, because after all they are humans with stories just like the rest of us. She asked me to snap a picture of he as well (children by Angkor Wat requested the same as well as a showing of the photo).

I rode a tuk tuk to the extraordinary home of a friend of a friend (oh connections). The interior was unbelievable. I... I... I am trying to make sense of how much a beautiful home can exist in such close proximity to the poverty I witnessed along the road to Phnom Penh. Although I was thrilled to take an actual hot shower and sleep in a my own room, I felt strange. I simply cannot comprehend how I could be surrounded by an impoverished village one moment and a fee short hours later be welcomed into (in my opinion) paradise. I began to reflect on my lifestyle in the Twin Cities. Whether I'd like to admit it or not, I do desire a certain living standard (hot water, clean bed, accessible transportation, etc), which I am ashamed to say I do not know if I wouldn't completely be willing to give up. But my conscience was eating away at my sense of everyday expectations. My mind is at war with itself. I was torn between whether to stay in the comforts of a beautiful home or flee for a hostel on the river. I did not feel worthy to stay reside in such living accommodations. However, everyone has a story and theirs too was quite extraordinary. Never make assumptions or entirely permit your self-righteous side to entirely take over.

Bangkok to Siem Reap

BANGKOK, Thailand:
My flight landed in Bangkok around 10:45 at night. After finding my purple duffle bag I waited for a taxi meter. I was picked up in a bright pink taxi, which I would later see hundreds of them identical to this one throughout the city. When I first entered my hostel on Sukhumvit, I was a little shocked by the bathroom situation, because the shower and toilet were in the same stall (I heard this is common); but this may have been because it was after midnight and I was ready to crash on any bed, mat, floor, whatever was clean. But I warmed up the hostel, which was actually quite clean (compared to the parts of the city that I saw), the employees were helpful and I had some nice people from the UK and Malaysia in my room.

The Chatuchak Weekend Market, JJ Mall (ducked inside the airconditioned indoor market), and streets of venders was quite an experience. I walked through the Chatuchak Park (dodging sprinkles) and weaved my way around these areas for the day. All of the shops looked the same, so it was difficult to know which opening I was entering and departing. I walked through a street full of fish (for pets or eating... I have no idea), bought a gotu kola drink (the herb had an interesting taste...in liquid form), and bargained with the venders (who tried to rip me off since they knew I was a "tourist." They'd look me up and down and say, "350 baht" when I heard them offer someone else less). Throughout Bangkok, it was also interesting to see all the Caucasian men with Thai women roaming the markets, but no Thai men with American, etc women. Traffic in Bangkok is quite hectic in comparison to Hong Kong. There is not order to the chaos, but it worked so no matter. I had an interesting time finding the correct bus to the airport, dashing over the bridge to cross the street. People kept giving me conflicting information, but fortunately I chased after a white bus that said "airport" and the driver actually pulled over. Usually, drivers give passengers literally a couple seconds to leap onto the bus and drive off.

I arrived at the airport on quite early so I wouldn't have to lug my bags around the city. When I was checking my bags the Bangkok Airlines lady asked me if I wished to catch an earlier flight. Well, I gladly agreed and frantically tried to rearrange out my tuk tuk pick up time in Siem Reap. I made the call twice because I kept running out of bahts (Thai currency) in coin form, but I made it to my plane with 3 minutes to spare! If you travel to Bangkok, remember to provide yourself with enough time to get through customs.

SIEM REAP, Cambodia:
The Siem Reap airport's exterior had quite a different look because the roofing resembled a temple. Upon entering the airport, I joined the mob of people applying for a Cambodian visa. Listening to them call out our names was quite entertaining because they would pause in the middle of reciting each name. You might not find this as amusing as I did, but if you visit Cambodia you'll know what I mean. I scanned the crowd of drivers holding up piece of paper with the name(s) of their passenger(s). When I found my tuk tuk driver (kind of a open-aired "taxi" given its name from the sound of its engine), the other drivers began repeating my name over and over again. I found this comical.

Friends from Siem Reap Hostel--->
I basically fell in love with Siem Reap upon climbing onto my first tuk tuk and viewing the unique place. Driving is crazy here as well, but I wouldn't say "hectic" like Bangkok. I rather enjoy weaving around the tuk tuks and motorbikes (which are everywhere...so if you need a mode of transportation there will be several eager drivers). There doesn't appear to be any age or license requirement (or at least not one that is inforced) because I saw young boys and girls zooming down the streets. I caught a motobike ride from a guy who was definitely younger than me. Oh, and pretty sure I am spoiled by my great hostel find (especially given the cheap amount I have to pay). Thank you hostelworld.com! It's located right by the Old Market and other locations are easily accessible. If (or rather "when") I return to Cambodia I wouldn't mind staying here again. The employees and other overseas people have been great. I came across my first person from the states (haven't met anyone from there until now).

The first night I met up with a guy from Japan (Taka) who I had sat next to on the flight from Bangkok. Khumer food is pretty tasty. He asked if I wanted to explore Angkor the next day (had already found a driver) so I agreed. I have been dying to see Angkor Wat and still trying to discern whether I truly did see the magnificent world destination. The architecture, wall carvings, tree growth and so on were quite unique to each temple. Beginning in the morning, Taka and I visited Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom and Phrom Bakheng for sunset. Although all the structures were fascinating, my favorite was Angkor Phrom (had 5 gates) including the victory gate which leads to the Royal Palace and the Banyon. Nonetheless, I will not bore you with endless descriptions, because I was truly mesmerized by the wondrous destination. Not even my pictures will do this world wonder justice.

Early the next morning I caught a boat to see Chong Kneas, which is one of the famous floating villages. The building were constructed on stilts, literally floating above the water (even with the low water level). What a way of life. A couple from Oregon (one of the few people I met from the US) and a guy from France (who is working in China) were also blown away by this world that is so foreign to the states and Europe. People conduct their everyday life on these floating structures. We saw children in their school uniforms and paddling to our boats in buckets. They too were asking visitors to purchase various items including fruit and bracelets. After docking on shore, we asked a driver to stop at a place called the Angkor Artisans. This is an excellent organization that helps train and build to the skill sets of individuals, enabling them to have a more promising future. We watched many of the men and women paint and carve the various Buddha and ganesh. Their work and talent was captivating.

Departing Hong Kong

Today is the second day of the Chinese New Year. 2008 is the year of the rat. My week in Hong Kong certainly has sped by. In all retrospect, I have only seen a tiny fraction of the exciting city (even though I feel I have covered the whole city by foot haha) and started to develop a dily routine such as having the windows wiped due to the smog and turning on the switches for warm water and lighting, which are located outside of the bathroom and kitchen (avoid electrical accidents due to the moistness in air).

The days have been full of random happenings and exploration since my last blog entry. I'll try my best to sum up the week in a few highlights. First, Chinese New Year is a public holiday and huge celebration starting on February 7th. On New Years Eve I joined my friend Joan for a family dinner at her brother's apartment. It was her brother's family and her parents. Although all the food was delicious, I am a fan of the sticky rice dumplings in any form. My most recent favorite food items are dim sum (dumplings), dragon fruit, Thai pomalo, Chinese pears, black egg (from duck) congee, and any kind of dessert such as black glutous rice in coconut juice with mango (my sweet tooth remains with me during my travels...although desserts aren't as rich here). After dinner (which is usually served around 7:30 or 8), I met up with Eric (a friend of one of my buds in the states) at the MTR station in Causeway Bay. Anywhere near Victoria Park was full of anxious people meeting up with friends, shopping or heading toward the Flower Market, which was out destination. I felt closer to the Hong Kong peple than I have to anyone in the states, but this may have to do with the mass amount of people... Basically, I could stop walking and continue to move with the crowd. We were a part of one giant cluster of people; and we were attempting to stay together with his group of 15 or so friends (from Hong Kong, Canada, UK, Europe, and me...). To any of you Fair-goers, the Minnesota State Fair crowds on Labor Day weekend are nothing compared to this. We would pause only if we were pushed toward a stand (random items sold... for example an exacto knife shaped balloon). Eric's friends insisted that I try the warm soy milk in a bottle, which was much different from the states. It took a couple hours to evacuate the congested area, but I do admit that I rather enjoyed being in the center (literally) of the excitement. Good times all the way until early in the morning. Noodles and spicy spinach at 3 in the morning? Gotta love it.

<----The light show in Victoria Park is (TST) is recommended for tourists, but as a warning... it consists of a corny song and buildings flashing lights across the harbour. Personally I am a bigger fan of fireworks, but no matter. It's something to see and I had a conversation with a girl from Korea, who had me guess her age (26, but I guess 22...always guess younger it's safer). Stanley Market is in the southern part of HK island, which is full of cheap shops and boats by the harbour. A much different feel than the northern part of Hong Kong Island.


On Sunday, I climbed the Peak. On the way up, I set eyes on my first residential area (that wasn't 10+ stories high) , which the government is trying to knock down and replace with taller structures. Luckily the people continue to fight to maintain their homes. I believe that these type of neighborhoods are important, but... It took a little less than an hour to reach the top of the Peak, where a great view of the city awaited me. Of course, this being Hong Kong my sightseeing was done near yet another shopping mall. However, from the top, there are many paths to follow. Joan and I hiked around the Peak for over 6 hours, picking up green tea flavored Melty chocolates (Japanese brand) and Chinese cookies on the way. I saw many different perspectives of the city as we roamed around on foot. It surprised me how we could be standing next to a mall and an hour hike later be surrounded by vegetation and clean air. My quads have definitely experienced a good workout. I guess I don't even need to visit the YMCA (it has a hotel and restaruant inside...a little larger than the one on Robert Street haha). I spent the next day walking around Hong Kong Island starting near Sheung Wan/Mid-levels area (Soho) and ending in Causeway Bay. Weaving my way between random side-streets, business buildings, Hong Kong Park, markets and other various areas was amusing. Every district (actual every street) had a different feeling. I enjoyed seeing the businessmen/women riding the escalators to work, local people eating lunch at small local restaurants, well-to-do people at the Pacific Place (stylish, expensive shopping area), travelers shopping in Soho (basically a hang out place for overseas people) and so on. I wanted to see a little bit of daily life for all kinds of people living in Hong Kong, not only the touristy areas. I did have a handy map with me, which made it quite easy to navigate to the east. The Hong Kong mindset is interesting concerning meeting environmental needs. For instance, there are escalators EvErYwHeRe, but people are very concerning with preserving energy... Cheung Kong Park kind of sums up this philosophy (as best as possible) for me. It is a park full of plants/vegetation smack in the middle of a series of business buildings and skyscrapers. Its purpose is to remind people how important the environment is in their daily lives. It seems to be a tricky task to find a "balance" between helping the environment and pleasing the people (both who live in HK and are merely visiting).

For you technologically savy people, you should come to Hong Kong (Korea or Japan) solely for the enormous selection of computer software, software, video cameras, mp3 players and so on. I purchased an external harddrive in a 3-story computer mall building, which is actually relatively small compared to other districts. Who would have known that shopping for cameras, laptops, external harddrives and other such items could be so entertaining? We were in there for a good 3 hours (at least). I liked listening to the sales people integrating Chinese with English technical terms (related to computers, etc). There was a much wider selection of brand names and models. Most laptops had a built-in camera ("clear eye") and a model from a few weeks ago was considered "old." Joan bought a Fujistu laptop (Japanese brand). GB, ram, GHz, battery life, SATA, what? And I consider myself to be pretty competent when it comes to computers...

Well, I am standing at a complimentary internet access stand in the Hong Kong airport. You'll hear from me again only from Southeast Asia. Bangkok here I come!

Hong Kong

My first post!

I awoke this morning to the sound of my friend's mother speaking Chinese and a fogged window (the air is very moist). My friend's parents live on the 45th floor of an apartment building in west part of Hong Kong. Actually, I'm not exactly staying on the 45th floor because the building omits the 13th and any floors with the number 4 (means "death") such as 14 and 34. Today it's 11 degrees C which is about 52 degrees F).

Having survived multiple airplane flights from Minneapolis to Chicago to Tokyo to Incheon and to Hong Kong, I am finally able to settle down in one place a week. Although my plane flights actually went quite smoothly. It helped that the plane offered a variety of films, music (got a little taste of K Pop, J Pop, and Chinese Pop) and the fact that I sat by passengers who were willing to put up with my chattiness. Of course, this changed when I entered inter-Asia flights and the number of individuals who spoke English began to diminish. I attempted to converse in broken Korean (all present tense) with a few people on the planes and at the airports, but for the most part signs were also written in English. I find it amusing because the Minneapolis airport claims to be an international airport, but most of the signs, etc are written in English with a few Japanese or Chinese words here and there.
When I first arrived in Incheon, my host family friend commented on how chilly it was outside, but I just laughed because the weather was nothing compared to the below zero F weather I left behind in Minneapolis.

Now in Hong Kong, I am determined to shrug off this jetlag and was in complete denial all the way until last night when I had to admit that my eyelids were shutting against my will. However, today is much better.
Hong Kong is quite a change of pace. My friend and I have been riding multiple city buses and the MTR, which is the subway system. Basically, you have to think quick and be aggressive or you will never make your way onto any means of public transportation. And the drivers are insane! When sitting in the back of a double-decker bus, I could practically touch the bus in front of me! Actually, one bus bumped another when pulling up to the stop.

However, I think he must have known the driver because it didn't stop and complain. Just kept going going going! I think I would be a hazzard on the road because I have the Minnesota driving mentality, which would land me with hundreds of hooking horns telling me to get out of the way and well...the sharp turns are awesome to experience as a passenger (better than a rollercoaster almost!) but not as a driver.

I'm still trying to find the right words to sum up Hong Kong, but this is difficult because every corner holds something different. Walking down the street I'll be surrounded by stalls in a wet market, turn the corner and find higher class department stores, cross the street to find restaurants of nearly any cuisine, and end up on an escalator that seems to stretch on forever. Essentially for me Hong Kong appears to be a shoppers dream (consumerism!), endless food options, skycraper galore, and a multitude of cultures collected in one area. For lunch I ate at a small local restaurant and ate some kind of chicken dish, soup and a mixture of 5 different teas.
I bypassed the chicken feet found in my soup and bones in the rice dish. In America I am use to boneless meat, but at this place the bones are left on each piece of chicken. I saw very fresh produce and meat. When I say fresh, I mean FRESH. There were people slicing raw meat and live fish flopping around on plates. I saw the hearts of skinned fish beating due to reflex which was...interesting to say the least and crustaceans finding there way off of a table. Hong Kong is definitely a happening place!