Travelogues

Student Works
Travelogue samples


EXAMPLE 1: Landing at Incheon Airport, maybe the most surprising impression for a Westerner on his first trip to Asia is the lack of surprise. Modern airports are similar all over the industrialized world and it was perhaps a first indicator of South Koreaís remarkable economic success and rapid modernization that I could immediately feel at home in Koreaís gateway to the world. That is, at least at first glance; amidst all the recognizable normality, the bookstores and over-priced souvenir shops one finds at every airport was a special counter for American soldiers arriving in Korea. Indeed, the somewhat anachronistic ghost of the Cold War was a rather unpleasant reminder of things I had perhaps too easily forgotten. Having grown up in Northern Norway not far from the border with what was then still the Soviet Union, I can remember the military security and the sense of alertness omnipresent in my early childhood. Traveling from the bustling modernity of Seoul and the tension by the Demilitarized Zone was very much like traveling 15 years back in time and space to the only border between the Soviet Union and a NATO country. The contrast between modern Korea and what I thought of as a relic of the past was the most startling experience I had in Korea. Fortunately I can also remember the fall of the Soviet Union when Northern Norway was flooded with Russians selling everything from babushka dolls to red star medals and we again could have some contact with our neighboring people. It all happened suddenly and seemingly without any warning; perhaps change will happen as suddenly on the Korean peninsula.
For similar reasons I preferred the other traditional aspects of the trip to the more modern ones. The tea ceremony probably seems slow, boring and impractical to many Westerners and indeed to many modern Koreans. But thereís something refreshing in its slowness. In todayís fast-paced world, we seldom have the time to do something leisurely. Everything must be fast, efficient and convenient; for some reason ìmore convenientî has become synonymous with ìbetter.î   As a result of this pursuit of expediency, the graceful, elaborate movements of a really traditional tea ceremony is soothing just because it stubbornly refuses the demand for more in less time. There is an almost guilty pleasure and a certain luxury in taking more time than needed. This is not to say that all aspects of genuine Korean were equally appealing. Thereís bound to be a few cultural clashes. For me, that cultural clash came at an unexpected moment. Visiting the memorial cemetery of those who died heroically fighting for democracy in Kwangju, I suddenly felt ill at ease. Not because of those who died, whom I admire, or the fact that Korea has chosen to commemorate them as any respectable nation would. Rather, it was the manner in which they were commemorated that left me as a Westerner and perhaps especially as a Scandinavian uncomfortable. The bleak architecture, the vast concrete memorial, the sheer grandeur of the cemetery left me for some reason I cannot quite identify extremely uncomfortable. It may have been because I come from an intensely egalitarian culture where the dead may be treated with respect but never reverence, where cemeteries are always green and lush, as to remind us that from death springs new life, and where even heroes are never commemorated with any more than a simple statue and an approving nod in history books. Koreans may be right in celebrating those who died for a worthy cause but I could not help being profoundly disturbed by the cemetery in Kwangju. That is perhaps an interesting reminder that despite globalization, cultural differences persist for better and for worse. However, the trip to Korea was perhaps the most interesting trip I have ever been on. It takes time to digest as many impressions as we got in just two weeks. Korea seems like a country of contrasts both between peaceful prosperity and the tense border and between tradition and modernity, especially Western values. Naturally, what impressed me the most was everything that was different, all the traditions intertwined with modern Korea. That might be because of a natural curiosity for what is different, another explanation is the one offered by the film professor in Busan who claimed that Westerners prefer an idealized version of Asiaís past. Regardless, it was fascinating to experience what remains of a radically different worldview.


EXAMPLE 2: Before we left for our trip, I had many naÔve preconceptions of South Korea. I imagined mainly a rural country, with sporadic industrialized towns, mainly along the coastline. I figured Seoul, and possibly Busan, would be the only true urban centers of the country and they would still pale in comparison to New York City. Needless to say, I was proved horribly wrong. Korea turned out to be a beautiful country, with picturesque mountains and rivers standing in the background of many cities and towns, most all of them well past the process of modernization. Despite the technological and industrial leaps the country has made however, it is still able to successfully retain its history and culture in its architecture, professions, and everyday life. ... The monks at Golgulsa temple also walk a fine line between tradition and advancement, as they ate their meals in a traditionalistic routine and adhered to the same codes of living as their ancestors had. They did not close themselves off to the outside world, however, evidenced by their computer, fax, vending machines, electrically heated floors, etc. We came across many different religions traveling through Korea. We toured through many Buddhist temples, still in use centuries after it was built, and its effects on Korean society. Everywhere we went, we saw the Buddhist cross symbols on buildings, jewelry, etc. At King Munmuís tomb, we happened to see two old women bowing to the waves, practicing Shamanism. Later on in Busan, I looked outside the window during dinner and saw a woman sitting by candlelight on the rocks, practicing Shamanism too. In addition to these two popular religions, the urban landscapes were also littered with neon-light crosses and you could observe that Christianity is a growing religion in the country as well. As a side comment, it was weird for me to see crosses displayed like, in bright red and white neon lights. Itís just a matter of cultural preference but I almost felt like they were sacrilegious in their nature. They also reminded me of the background scenery of Baz Luhrmannís movie adaptation of Romeo + Juliet (1997).


EXAMPLE 3: For me, the most interesting people we saw while in Korea were the old women, at the same time ubiquitous and invisible. With their oversized visors, they tended the market shops, or sold fruit and pancakes on the street, crouching in moccasins, sweatpants, and a thick crew-neck shirt. Old women in visors also crouched in the fields as the weather warmed, planning green shoots in preparation for a later harvest. Old women ran tea shops, and sat around in shops drinking tea and playing with a deck of small cards. Shops had stacks of oversized visors for sale, as if expecting a sudden fun. All of the old women I interacted with were very kind to me. Eating dumplings at a street stall, she gave me extra hot sauce and a cylindrical thing to try, smiling broadly when I smiled at her, apparently pleased that I was obviously enjoying the Korean food. ... I wish that I was able to talk to these women, to hear about their lives and stories underneath the visor and beneath the weather-leathered faces. Iím guessing most of the old women that I saw were between 60 and 70, although some were younger. All of them were old enough that their children could have moved out. I wondered if their husbands were alive, if they lived with their extended families. I only saw them by themselves or with a few other women their own age. Iím curious about how these women fit into modern Korean society and culture. All of them were just about old enough to have been children during the Korean war, and t have gone through all of the further convulsions of modern Korean history at important times in their lives. When they were young adults, in their 20ís and 30ís, the beginning of Pak Chung-Heeís regime and the labor movement, the Yanshin system in their mid-late 30ís, the democracy movement in their 40ís, and the modern upswing in their late middle age and the early elderly-hood. The ability to have ridden out all of these events and periods was very impressive to me. Which period did they most identify with? Which was the most crucial in shaping their general and individual identities?


EXAMPLE 4: The study trip was fun from start to finish. Each destination was as rewarding and stimulating as the last. That said, the most fun I had was definitely with the students from Yonsei University. As our bus drove onto the campus, we passed a student activity fair that seemed just like Vassar. I saw a student wearing a wetsuit and snorkel mask; I immediately felt comfortable. It was interesting to experience the inside of a Korean classroom firsthand. I was intrigued to see that the class was conducted in a similar manner to my own classes. I was unsurprised to see that the faces of enthusiasm and boredom fall into the universal category I mentioned earlier. It was refreshing to see that several Yonsei students had passion for many of the same issues as Vassar students. The real fun began after the class ended when several of the Yonsei students took us out to dinner. I walked to the restaurant with Thomas. He lived in Orange County, California for seven years while attending middle school, high school, and two years of college. California was also where he picked up his name. He returned to Korea to serve in the military and then transferred to Yonsei University. He still follows Lakers basketball, so we immediately had something to talk about. At dinner I sat with Kate, Thomas, Yeh-il, and Byoung. Despite any number of cultural differences, age is a tremendous connecting point for young people. We were never at a loss for topics of discussion. Byoung and I like a lot of the same music. From dinner we went on to a bar where we had a private room to continue the conversation. The group got about twice as big. We talked about anything that came to mind. Believe it or not, social change came up in the context of politics and generational differences.


EXAMPLE 5: Our subsequent visits to Daegu and Busan were interesting to me because for some odd reason, I had the strange impression that nothing much really happened outside of Seoul. These two cities proved me dead wrong. At times, Daegu and Busan seemed to be every bit as industrialized and urbanized as Seoul, a bustling city that I am much more familiar with. The people, buildings, markets and overall atmosphere were similar to those in Seoul. During the whole trip I probably had the most fun in Busan. The fish market and Haeyondae were surprisingly entertaining and the scenery from our hotel was beautiful. I had always wanted to see the beaches in Busan that my friends and relatives had talked about in the past, and am happy to have accomplished that as well. Our visit to the 5.18 cemetery in Kwangju was a rather moving experience for me. I now understand that the uprising played a major role in the democratization process of South Korea and that it was about individuals demanding recognition of their basic democratic rights. Also, I learned that this very important event shaped the political and social landscape of Korea, allowed Kim Dae-Jung to eventually get elected and democracy to triumph. Keeping this in mind, it was very moving to see the elaborate graveyard created to honor those who lost their lives to help promote social change in South Korea. I was shocked by the degree of violence that took place during the Kwangju uprising. More shocking (and disturbing) was the number of very young men and women (many younger than myself) who gave up their lives fighting for what they believed in. While it was very sad to see how many people had to give up their lives to promote their beliefs and the future of the nation, I am glad that I had the opportunity to pay my respects to these very important individuals. It is hard for me to even fathom individuals having so much courage at such a young age.