The Year of 52 Adventures

Updates from AG Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  AG 5:44 am on July 2, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

  Adventure #18: Made travel plans 

  I have struggled with the idea of traveling Asia alone after I leave Korea and go back to the States. Although I came to Korea alone, I had contacts in place immediately upon arrival and quickly made friends with people in my training group. Traveling to different countries alone is different than moving to one alone where you have a job lined up and where the natives welcome foreigners. There are so many unknowns when traveling alone. I considered just going to China to walk on the Great Wall and then heading home to Chicago. I figured if I could make it to China for a few days that I wouldn’t really be alone for a long time.

  I guess this actually was more about me just wanting to hurry home and settle down. I mean all of my friends are doing it, so it seemed like the next step. But then I had an epiphany. I am single. I am young despite what society tells me. I have no children or husband holding me back. Not that having a husband or children would be a bad thing. But it’s just not my life right now. So after much self-reflection, almost a year’s worth, I finally came to the conclusion that my life is happening right now, and I need to really live it. I should embrace my single life and stop being concerned with societal norms. I was actually feeling lonely and depressed for a bit thinking about how I’m alone and how everyone I know has a significant other. And then I realized that there is absolutely no reason to feel bad about being alone. And that I was only feeling bad because I’m 28 and society tells me I should be married and maybe having children. I’ve never been able to actually admit that I want to be married someday or have children. I think maybe I only thought about it because that’s just what people do. And it’s normal. Maybe someday I will want these things. Maybe someday they will just happen. But for now, I’m content with being alone. And it’s not so much that I needed society to accept that. I needed to accept that for myself.

  So after contemplating possible travel destinations here in Asia and deciding to take the plunge and travel alone, a friend of mine in Korea mentioned that she was going to travel at the end of the summer to most of the countries that I wanted to visit and wanted to know if anyone was interested. So I guess this was one of those scenarios where the universe again gave me exactly what I needed when I needed it. Her and I are now going to travel to China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia for a month. My last destination before I go home will be to stop by California and visit my best friend from high school and her husband. Then I will head to Chicago…but not to settle down. I’m going to spend some time with my family and friends and then possibly hit the road again and come back to Korea for another year.

  blueskiesinva is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    blueskiesinva 4:13 pm on July 3, 2010 Permalink

    Good for you – follow your gut, not social mores. Introspection is a good thing; how else will we know who we are and what “fits”us as individuals? Be safe and have a wonderful time!!

  Reply

  Name

  Email

  Website

  Notify me of new comments via email.

  Notify me of new posts via email.

  Δ

• 

  AG 7:14 am on June 28, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 16/52, 17/52   

  Adventures #16 and #17: Busan Temple and Fish Market 

  I ventured down to the southern end of Korea this weekend to Busan. The goal was to at least make it to the fish market of which Busan is known for. It was wet and smelly and really awesome! I had never seen so many fish in a market. The same day I also made it to Hae Dong Yung Gong Temple which is sort of on a cliff overlooking the water. Many of the temples here look very similar, but there is always something new to discover at each one. This one had everything from Chinese Zodiac statues to mini buddha figurines.

  

  

  

  

  
   
• 

  AG 10:23 am on June 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 15/52, Greece, world cup   

  Adventure #15: Korea vs. Greece World Cup Style 

  I’ve never been much of a soccer fan. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever watched a soccer game. This past Saturday, Korea played Greece in a World Cup game. I was informed that Korea goes all out for soccer especially for World Cup games, so I had to join in the festivities. I ventured to a street fest, where thousands of fans gathered in front of 3 big screens to watch the game. There was a sea of red everywhere I looked on that day. Getting off the subway and out of the station was an accomplishment. It was packed. Despite some rain, I gathered with the other fans to watch the game. Everywhere you looked you saw red shirts, red ponchos, red devil ears (Red Devil is the Mascot), and even red afros. It was great. Happily, Korea won! The crowd went crazy. The camaraderie was like nothing I had never seen before.

  

  

  

  eatveggiesdrinkwine is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    eatveggiesdrinkwine 8:20 pm on June 24, 2010 Permalink

    How fun! America has no idea how seriously others take the World Cup (and how crazy their celebrations of the World Cup can be).

• 

  AG 9:55 pm on June 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

  Adventure #14: Booking Club 

  In Korea, there are clubs that cater to men hoping to meet women. Now, I suppose that’s why most people go to clubs in general. But in Korea, the purpose of these booking clubs is specifically for men to not order only drinks to their private rooms but also women. I know it sounds sketchy, and it sort of felt creepy. I went purely for the cultural experience. I was under the impression at first that I could go there, dance, and get free drinks. This, however, was not the case. The waiters came up to my friends and I and led us to a row of private rooms where there were men waiting to meet us. Typically, there is a group of men in a room. And the men have a TV screen where they can view all of the women in the club. If they like what they see, they can ask the waiter to bring the women they choose to the room to meet them. The woman then has the choice to stay or go. I really did not want to go in. And the waiters kept asking my age, and I told them it didn’t matter, and that I wasn’t going into the room. Apparently, this is not a place where you can just hang out at with your friends without being paraded around. So I decided to leave with another friend. But two of my other friends actually took part and went from room to room. From what they told me, I’m glad I didn’t go inside. For one, none of the men spoke English. And second, they were clearly only interested in one thing. The most intriguing part of this experience was witnessing girl after girl being pulled by the arm from their tables to go to different rooms. It all seemed really degrading, although the women knew why they were there when they decided to go. I probably wouldn’t go back, but it was definitely one of the most fascinating cultural experiences I’ve ever had.

  You can read more here:

  http://everything2.com/title/booking%20club

  This was not the kind of place where you want to take pictures. Otherwise I would’ve totally shared them.

  yearof52adventures is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    yearof52adventures 3:56 pm on June 7, 2010 Permalink

    this was a tough one and you’re convictions seem pretty spot on. Good on you for trying this out!

• 

  AG 10:14 pm on June 2, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 13/52 ( 5 ), Korea ( 3 ), photography ( 2 )   

  Adventure #13: People Photos 

  I’m always slightly paranoid when attempting to take candid photos of people, but I think that some of the most interesting photos or could be photos are of the people in Korea versus the sights. So, I’m slowing transitioning to taking more people photos. Here’s one I wanted to share because the man in the photo knows I’m taking his picture and smiled for me as I took it. He was sitting outside a temple during a street fest, and he has a lotus on his head. Perhaps, he’s a monk. I’m not sure.

  eatveggiesdrinkwine and yearof52adventures are discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    yearof52adventures 9:43 am on June 3, 2010 Permalink

    I really like this project. I’m going to go out and do the same thing myself today. Maybe we can encourage (cough cough – cough, cough) the rest of the blog community to try this out for themselves and post their results to the wall.

    I think his lotus hat is tops, though. Lovely idea!

  • 

    eatveggiesdrinkwine 8:40 pm on June 15, 2010 Permalink

    This would definitely be an adventure for me … I have a really hard time taking pictures of people I don’t know. Let me work up to this — maybe adventure #30?

• 

  AG 10:07 pm on June 2, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 12/52 ( 6 ), Buddha, Lotus Latern Fest   

  Adventure #12: Lotus Lantern Fest for Buddha’s Birthday 

  The Lotus Lantern Fest has been one of the best festivals I’ve been to here in Seoul. In commemoration of Buddha’s Birthday, the streets were decorated with lanterns. lantern making stations, and traditional Korean music. My goal in going was to make a lantern. And despite the crowds and long lines, it was accomplished. The night ended with a lit lantern parade.

  (More …)

   
• 

  AG 9:24 am on April 18, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 10/52 ( 8 ), 11/52 ( 7 ), 9/52 ( 7 )   

  Adventures #9, #10, and #11: Island Biking, Mountain Hiking, and Shellfish Eating 

  I just got back from a bike trip on Seonyudo Island. There are 3 small islands connected by bridges and you can ride to and through all 3, so I did. I went with a tour group and some friends. We got to the island via Ferry and biked for about 4 hours hitting up all the islands. I had not been on a bike in at least 10 years and possibly even longer. So I was a little shaky at first but once I got my groove going it was enjoyable.

  On day 2 of the trip, I opted to go on a morning hike. I assumed this would be a leisurely hike that would be short and sweet. I was wrong. We ended up hiking a mountain! I have never ever hiked up a mountain before. Number one, I am afraid of heights. And second, I probably would not have joined the hiking group had I known what I was in for. This so called hike turn into mountain climbing! I made it really far up and ended up far behind the group. I started to get dizzy and almost euphoric because I was standing alone on a mountain! I’ve never experienced a feeling like this before in my life! It was a true test. I passed it though because I was able to make it back down alone and followed the same trail. At times, I got really freaked and thought I heard hissing in the bushes. I’ve heard that there are many snakes in the mountains in Korea. I began talking to myself out loud as a way to block the sounds around me. And I actually said to myself, “If you can do this you can do anything.” I felt quite empowered when I reached the bottom.

  Following this unexpected and very very scary adventure, I walked to the beach where people were digging for shellfish. They were using shovels and poking holes in the sand. Then they poured salt into the holes and the shellfish came through. It was very cool. After gathering a bucket full, we headed back to the hotel and boiled them. See pictures below. I ate one! It was quite delicious! (More …)

   
• 

  AG 9:54 pm on April 5, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 8/52 ( 9 )   

  Adventure #8: Hwa Gye Sa International Zen Center in Seoul 

  

  Hwa Gye Sa

  As an attempt to do more productive activities on the weekends, I attended a meditation at a Buddhist temple with two friends who recently participated in a temple stay. I previously felt that a temple stay for a whole weekend would be boring or not able to hold my attention. Since I moved to Seoul almost a year ago, I have noticed I have become increasingly scatter-brained and even find it difficult to relax and read a book. So this meditation was much needed. Since it’s an international center, many foreigners attend
  and the monks speak English. We started with a 30 minute sitting meditation, followed by a 3 minute stretch, and then a walking meditation which was quite interesting. You walk very slowly and purposefully in a circle and by time the you are finished walking in the circle you end up where you started. Then you repeat everything 3 times which amounts to about 2 hours of meditating. I am someone who probably needs to be meditate, but I never really have practiced it. I’m sure we all need to meditate, but for me, it’s something that I find myself constantly thinking about but putting off. It was difficult to clear my mind as I’m sure it’s difficult for all beginners. Even when you try to focus, your mind is thinking. I tried to focus on my breathing and not think of anything. For a bit, the breathing kept my mind clear. But it constantly wandered and I found myself thinking again. It’s funny how, our mind is constantly going and we’re not even aware that we’re thinking until we stop to think about it. After the meditation we had a 10 minute break and then a monk came out for an hour to talk to us. I guess this is typically a talk from him followed by a question and answer session, but he talked a lot and went on several tangents. So there was no time for questions, but it was fine. He was really funny, which was not what I had expected. I thought he would be more stern and philosophical. He was still philosophical but in a comical way which I found it was easier to connect with what he saying because of this. I was especially drawn to a particular topic that he talked about: home. There were some people there who were leaving Korea that day to go “home” to Germany and to Shanghai. And he used this as a way to get us to think about our own homes. Immediately I thought of Chicago and my family and how much I miss them and how I’m planning to shorten my stay here because I’m homesick. And he said home is not in Korea or in Shanghai or in Germany, but home is here as he pointed to his chest. This struck me deeply. I know “home is where the heart is” or I’ve at least heard the saying. But it was as if I was hearing this for the first time. We get so attached to people and things and places, but these are just attachments. It was a profound talk, and I enjoyed it so much, that I will definitely go back. Since going to the meditation, I have found that my mood has improved and I feel a sense of peace. This could be from meditating or the monk’s talk or a placebo. Whatever it is, I feel great. And if it’s possible I could feel this wonderful from meditation then I think I’ll be doing more of it.

   
• 

  AG 9:15 pm on April 1, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 7/52 ( 9 )   

  Adventure #7: I Ate Raw Shark 

  I’ve really been lax in posting my adventures…A quick update on #7 and then more to follow soon. I have become accustomed to eating raw fish over the past year so much so that I crave it on a regular basis. A few weeks ago a friend took me out for sushi. And I had my usual salmon, rolls, and miso soup. After some slight encouragement on my friend’s part, I tried shark. It was amazing! A little chewy but delicious. Next food adventure: dog meat. Maybe?

  Jennabel is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    Jennabel 7:45 am on May 4, 2011 Permalink

    What a joy to find such clear tihnking. Thanks for posting!

• 

  AG 9:49 am on February 17, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 6/52 ( 10 )   

  Adventure #6: Hot Yoga 

  I have been wanting to take yoga classes for some time now. So on my walk to work today, I was thinking, “I wish there was a yoga studio nearby within walking distance of my apartment.” Within a minute, I found a place. This is proof that when you really want something and ask for it, you get it. Or maybe it’s a testimony to the saying of, “The universe gives you exactly what you need when you need it.”

  I am really self-conscious about walking into places here in Korea where I will be singled out and need to communicate with Korean folk. This is mostly due to my horrible Korean language ability and the fact that I cannot just walk into a place here and expect to blend in. So I was really proud of myself that I didn’t hesitate and just pulled the door open. I noticed immediately upon entry the six people standing at the front desk because when I walked in and took my shoes off they all stared at me and laughed. This is not uncommon, being laughed at. It’s what you get when you’re a foreigner in Korea. It’s not rude, it’s more excitement at the sight of someone “different” in a purely homogenous society.

  So, luckily one of the staff spoke English and within minutes I was offered a great deal for hot yoga classes with an extra free month as service (service is what they call getting things for free here). They offer classes everyday all throughout the day. The instructor does not speak English, so I will be taking yoga for the first time with a Korean speaker. It should be interesting, much like everything else that I’ve experienced while living in this country.

  yearof52adventures is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    yearof52adventures 6:17 pm on February 24, 2010 Permalink

    I’m so anxious to here what other wild antics surface in Korea. Game on!