Dear Readers,

Whoa~!  Our trip to Seoul, Korea is now officially over (approximately two weeks ago) but it seems like my classmates and I are still enjoying the last day of the program together with our Korean friends.

On May 24, 2012, our group energy was high like our SNU friends' depicted in the video above.  We were excited and emotional as we spent the last day together as a group.  We knew that the next day we could not wake up and do the planned activities or ever again.  Our time together in Korea was valuable and we cherished every single minute of it.

In the morning of that day, half of us have to wake up early to prepare for the second day of presentations while the other half, who already went, get to sleep in and enjoy a healthy breakfast like the picture above.  The presentations were interesting because my classmates introduced many controversial and relevant issues to both the Korean and American's culture, such as dating, social life of college students, teenage life, and housing options for SNU and Michigan students.  We were able to discuss and ask questions pertaining to the topics and were able to give constructive feedback to the presenters.  In all, the presentations academically wrapped up our joint class and they illustrated to us how far we came in our understanding of each other's culture and each other as scholars.

After the presentations, many of us grabbed lunch with our SNU classmates.  It was our way of interacting and connecting with our Korean peers.  We wanted to show them our sincerity while enjoying a delicious meal.  We love their inputs and their recommendations for food options, and we are happy to become friends with them.

When lunch time was over, we regrouped as a class to participate in a panel, describing the social life in the United States.  We were honest and tried to be as specific as we can about what and how people in the United States socialize.  We hope our answers can help our listeners, who were mostly graduate students, adapt socially when they visit the United States.

As soon as it was 5:00 pm or 17:00 (Korean style), our panel time ended, and our group rushed to our next activity--The Culinary Institute.  Because of our group size and for economical purposes, we traveled using the subway.  The subway ride was fun because our group was playing "the appreciation game."  Technically, this is not a game but because it was fun and positive, we called it a game.  For this game, we went around telling what we most appreciate about each other.  For example, I told one of my classmates that I appreciate him for his navigating skills and his positive sense of humor and I thanked another for his concern about me being lost when I was not--I was just not tall enough for him to spot me when he automatically keeps counts.  The appreciation game kept us in a positive mood and ready for the activities planned at the Culinary Institute.

At the Culinary Institute, we were fortunate to be able to test the taste and texture of the "Korean pancake".  This pancake, to me, is a something between a snack and an appetizer.  It was a salty dish compose of some kind of flour and with ingredients such as: meat, seafood, onions, etc.  As food lovers, our group was responsible for delineating our preferences regarding the flour mixture, texture, thickness, taste, and accompanying dipping sauce.  The experience was difficult because it was easier for us to say whether we like it or not; we were not accustomed to think which option was better and why.  Upon completing the task, the institute awarded us with the delicious pancakes.  They were delicious, but they were a teaser.  Concerning how much food we consume as a group (A LOT), the amount they prepared was not enough to satisfy our hungry stomachs.  We, as a group, were ready to enjoy--devour--our last meal together.

Our last dinner was in Nakseongdae, the area where we stayed, and our SNU friends joined us for our farewell meal.  We ate Korean barbecue, with pork, beef, and kimchi tastily cooked on the grill.  It was so flavorful and satisfying that we were able to sit back and enjoy the food, the jokes, and our group as a whole.  We were telling our fist impressions and teasing each other about our "amazing" Korean language skills.  The meal was fun and very fulfilling.

However, before the meal ended, we have a surprise for our teachers: Shannon and especially Jennifer. One or two of us sneaked away, hoping that we weren't noticed or miss, to find a card for our dear teachers.  But it was so hard to find a decent card in Korea when a person does not speak the language nor knows where they sell cards!  It took us a while to complete the small event: writing our messages and trying our best to be sneaky (which we failed because we are honest scholars).  Fortunately, we were able to show our teachers a small token of our appreciation.  We appreciate their work for making this happen and especially Jennifer, for her guidance and her coping with our demands, whining, and flaws.  By showing our gratitude, we hope to wrap up the trip with positive memories and to say our farewells with a smile on our faces.  We love the trip and each other because our teachers ensured our trip was filled with positive memories.

Before we get emotional and sad, as we learn in Korea, there is often a round two in partings and to accustom to the culture, we did exactly just that--round two of farewells.  Together with the SNU students, we gathered in the small comfort of our room in Hoam Faculty House to cherish the last time we can have fun together.  We were exchanging jokes and different group games (they taught us the game depicted in the video above).  We laughed a lot and before we knew it, it was time for our SNU friends to leave.  It was sad to say farewell to them since it was a budding friendship but we promised to stay in contact.  The friendships we have with the SNU students will keep us connected with South Korea and help us cherish the memories we created during our stay.

As we said our good-byes, we also realized that it was time for us to say farewell to each other; we all have different agendas and will be heading to different locations.  It was sad for us to know that we will have to part but we were comforted by the fact that we will see each other in the fall (minus one).  During the trip, we have grown to love each other despite the clashes in personalities.  We were able to appreciate one another, support each other in difficult times, and learned to understand who we are as individuals.  There were many of my classmates who I did not know prior to this trip but now, they all became friends who I sincerely value.  We experience Korea together and every minute we spend together strengthens our bonds and appreciation for each other.  Because of my classmates, I love my time in Korea.  I love our group dynamics, each person's unique personality, contributions, and reactions to the different stimuli.  Because of them, every single moment in Korea is an exciting adventure for me.

I love Korea and I love my teacher and my group!  We have a blast and we, I for sure, can look at the memories we created in Korea with warmth and smiles.

Good-bye Korea and we will meet again my dear friends!


With many love,

Hau and My Group