Banpo Daegyo : Rainbow Bridge

Bye Bye Seoul

One of those couples ...

Well I'm leaving in 16 days now, and so I need to write what I'm feeling now... Kind of weird, I truly know that I'll miss lots of things here, the life, the city, every single accommodation such as that super clean and efficient and never on strike subway, all the convenience stores opened 24/7, rice (yes, it's possible, and i'll repeat it if you want I'll MISS RICE and btw i'll intend to buy a rice cooker as soon as possible) and chopsticks (of course)  anyway i'll even miss the university, all its buildings, stairs, its hilly roads, its hair dressers, coffees, conveniences stores ....

BUT on the other hand there are SOOOOOO many things that I'll definitely NOT miss AT ALL like Kimchi (well I never liked it), its stupid couples wearing the same clothes, its sputum, its cold weather, the dorms, the bathroom of the dorms, the kitchen of the dorms (ha, no i forget I did NOT get ANY kitchen), the boring classes every tuesday and wednesday, the way that korean do NOT speak english (even student), the fact that they're SUPER shy and do NOT want to speak in english with you and prefer let you in a deep shit than tryin' to help you (sometimes)

Anyway, like I said in the beginning (and this article didn't help me at all to find out for which way I have to swing) it's a weird feeling, because I deeply know that when I'll come back to france, after the first weeks of rediscover of what's really food and bla and bla and bla, I'll miss living that life at 300km/h, I'll miss discover a new country every month, I'll miss being in holidays for 5 months, reality will be boring but I'll take the risk to be bored :)

Did you Know About Chopsticks?

Every asian country get its own style of chopsticks, and therefore, if i'm going to a japanese restaurant in korea, i won't find korean chopsticks but japanese ones. So, I think it's quite interesting to look at the differences between all of them. 

So first, I will talk about ... korean chopsticks. There are medium-length stainless-steel chopsticks, with a flat rectangular cross section. They usually go along with a spoon. I really think that korean chopsticks are the easier to use, because you can grab little things precisely, thing that is not so easy with other types of chopsticks.

Then, chinese chopsticks there are longer than the korean ones, they are also round shaped (so basically they're not flat) and usually in wood. 

Then, let's talk about japanese chopsticks , they're short to medium lengths sticks that taper to a pointed end. They're also traditionally made of wood, and then lacquered.

Korean Chopsticks

Chinese Chopsticks

Japanese Chopsticks

4 days of Rachios Fiesta

Every year spring comes, and the lions roar. After the harsh winter weather and the brutal mid-term exams comes the excitement of Hanyang University’s annual festival, the Rachios Fiesta. From the 17th to the 20th of May, the entire campus came to life, and was vivid with youth, passion, talent, creative ideas, performances and events.

It all started late afternoon Wednesday. By 5pm, the open air theater was crowded and it was impossible to find an empty seat, let alone set foot on the grounds. The eve celebration started with the rooting ceremony of Hanyang University. The HYU rooters conquered the stage, making it known to the entire school that the Rachios Fiesta started. The performances of Girl’s Generation successfully put Hanyangians in the mood to enjoy and celebrate. 

While these special events and performances were prepared for the festival, there were other interactive activities prepared by student bodies on the Culture Road, and Bar Road. The Bar Road which extended all the way from the parking lot next to the Graduate School Building and all the way to the Humanities Building was opened in late afternoons, welcoming guests to home-made snacks and meals, with varieties of liquor. Each department and major prepared their bars to come together with classmates, graduates, and even professors. Some of the bars such as that of Sokna, which is one of the bands of HYU, performed in their bars.

During these four days, students came to school, attended class, and afterwards spread throughout the campus interacting in games and events prepared by clubs and departments. With the evening breeze, they moved on to enjoy performances or went to the Bar Road, to participate and enjoy some drinks with their friends.

ART + SEOUL #2 (Samsung Leeum Museum of Art)

 

The Samsung Cultural Foundation was founded in 1965 and is now known as one of the most active companies in the artistic patronage in South Korea : After the opening of his first museum in 1982, then of the Rodin Gallery in 1999, the Leeum Museum is his new born.

This museum was inaugurated in 2004 is a  real little architectural jewel. Outside two Louise Bourgeois huge spiders welcome the visitors. Then, Lee Samsung appealed to 3 world-renowned architects to build the 3 different buildings of the whole site. 

The swiss Mario Botta had designed the museum n°1, dedicated to the traditional art, then the contemporary art museum has been designed by Jean Nouvel. The third museum has been designed by the dutch Rem Khoolaas, and is dedicated to the education.

The museum n°2 is the most interesting as far as I am concerned, because it hosts works from Frank Stella, Andy Warhol or Jeff Koons.

ART + SEOUL #1 (Juergen Teller exhibition)

Juergen Teller has worked 10 year with Marc Jacobs, and shot every single ad from the brand. One exhibition in Seoul is dedicated to his works, and I definitely need to go there, not tomorrow, because it's closed, not during my next free days, because I'm on Jeju, maybe on next monday ... Why not ? Argh, time goes so fast !

#11 (Metro pay phones)

A Day in Samcheong Dong

Samcheong Dong is for me the less exotic place in Seoul. I really like spending afternoon hanging here, just looking the numerous trendy (and so expensive) clothes, shoes, and accessories shops. Why less exotic ? Simply because the street is lined with small shops, cafés, art galleries, trees, and the atmosphere is different from the relentless movement of the major streets of Seoul. Also, I like to say it, but all the korean people hanging are wearing so beautiful clothes, not just girls, but guys are always wearing colorful pants, or accessories which add that "something" such as a bow-tie, colorful socks ... Here are some pictures that I took today, I think you could easily figure out how different it is from the classic Seoul crowded streets.

 

 

Weather issue ...

Today, May 21st, June is almost coming ... Today in Seoul, it was 15°, it was raining, and it's sooooo bad... I mean, and what about the famous "May it please you do", it's usually always true in France. But there I figure it out that korean weather defies the law of the nature : 17° in Busan in February whereas it was -5° in Seoul, then now we can barely reach 20° at noon on some special days whereas we're in May ....

When I'm going to Jeju island, (the warmest and sunniest part of ALL korea) the weather should be almost 20° whouhouu ! (it's an island, so basically it should be warm, and still it's not warm)

Finally, the weather is ... bad, that's the only thing that I can say ... I also think we should reach a summer normal temperature in the end of June, so basically when I'm living, great !

As time goes by

Trying to continue to tell you asian stories or at least what's happening in my seoulite life.

So first, I need to write something about my crazy trip to Malaysia (probably the next article will be entirely devoted to that subject) and also to the life here in Seoul, which is always moving and changing.

I went back to Seoul last Sunday, and for 5 days, I've been doing soooo many things

I've been to a baseball match Seoul Bears vs. Eagles (from ??? couldn't understand, everything was in korean, sorry folks ...). The Seoul team is also sponsored by Doosan which is one of the biggest korean compagny. Also the bears are the most supported team in all Korea (especially Seoul). Baseball is kind of a national sport here, I mean it's almost like soccer in France. So this game was really nice because I saw all the supporters always singing and shouting "doosan whoohouhouuuuuuuu. That was quite funny.

Then, from May 17th to 20th, there is the Hanyang Festival. Crazy korean could be the best word to define that festival. During the day almost everything is all right and still normal. People are going to school, they still look like "normal" students, but after 4pm, they become totally unleashed and wasted HAHAH so funny.

Students having dinner (& soju) in Hanyang

So the festival is all about foods, drinks, and concerts. That so great, because there are lots of kind of tent circus, where students sell grilled sausages, cocktails, kimbap and other korean food, fruits .... there are also plenty of tables, in order to let the students eat there all together. The atmosphere is so different from the one which exists before and after the festival.

Also, concerning concerts, there is a kind of competition between the best universities of Seoul to have the most famous stars on stage. This year, I'm proud of it (yeaaaah) I have to say (and it's not that subjective because I also talk about that with korean students) that Hanyang univ. was beyond my expectations. There are lots of famous singers in Korea, but Hanyang gets the best : Girls' Generation.

In fact, it's easy, K pop is ok, I mean it's not that bad, and it's sometimes really funny, briefly I like it. I don't know a lot of korean groups, but the fact I know girls' generation. So attend a free concert in Hanyang of Girls' generation was really crazy.

Girls' Generation in Hanyang

Asian Faces (from another blog)

Seoul Diary #3 : Random people

  

Seoul Diary #2 : Cherry Blossom Festival

Seoul Diary #1 : Children in the sun

 

     

Korean Music : Kpop

Koreans wary of radioactive rain

Yesterday we experienced a king of a "big" environmental/human/ecological problem : Radioactive rainfalls all over Korea.

I was first ok with that, we just had to took an umbrella and stay under this umbrella everytime we went outside (the umbrella protected us against the radioactive raindrops). So basically that was ok, we were told not to go outside if we do not have something to do outside. But every worker worked, every shop was open, everything was still working.

The fact is now, this morning I'm thinking about something else : ok, individuals are safe, thanks to their umbrellas, but what about the the ground ? It was raining all day long ! the rain probably seeped into the soil. So now, what about the water pollution, what about the plantations ?

I mean, radish is one of the most common and popular side dish in Korea, and as you probably know, radish directly comes from the ground, so basically, from now, are we gonna have some radioactive radish as a side dish ?

This is kind of a big deal .... because as a french, I could not read well and guarantee the provenance of the products that I consume. Everything is written in Korean (when it's written, because sometimes, nothing indicates where do the product come from) so how to cope with it ? Good question ....

Yellow dust in Korea

Yellow dust (YD) or Asian dust originates from the desertification of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and North China. Intense sandstorms blow the dust over South Korea, conveniently picking up pollutants in the air from an industrializing China. The dust can cause respiratory problems and eye problems so it is advised to stay indoors during these storms. So if you have a respiratory problem, YD might not be the best thing for your lungs.

YD should come soon, like in the next days or weeks, so we have to be aware because apparently this winter was so dry that the storm is gonna be harder than expected.

On the following pictures, you can easily see the difference when the YD is coming whereas the pictures were taken exactly from the same point of view !

Seoul Musical

Few weeks ago, I went to see a korean musical. Even if I really didn't get the entire purpose of the play, I found it quite funny anyway. I let you enjoy the final scene. In my opinion I thought it looked like a circus representation, with circus music and also circus dance. However it was quite enjoyable.

Pray for Japan




Picture from garancedore.fr

 

Yesterday, I saw on the korean TV news a report about little villages in Japan which were completly destroyed by the tsunami. I don't want to speak about these villages but about their inhabitants. I mean, the report was showing long list of names ... that was actually names of survivors, people who were registrered on lists and who are still alive now. Then, the TV report ends with pictures of families and people gathered again. These pictures where so meaningfull for me, because first people lived with such a big fear of having lost some of their relatives and now they know everything is ok for them, they're safe and I think showing such pictures instead of showing pictures of death and destroyed things are not much that a huge message of hope.

Seeing their happiness trough this report make me think about me ... I mean I really relativize about my own life, more over because I'm just 1 200 km from Fukushima.

Concerning the nuclear clouds and all that stuff I know lots of french medias were exagerating the phenomenon. The fact is that everything is completly normal, I mean everybody was at school, we continue to take parties, and despite of some french speeches asian world is still ok ...People still continue to travel, nobody is sheltering in his house, life must go on ... even in Japan, unversities are still openned, and students can continue to study !

For me the major problem is the economic problem : Since WW2, this is the biggest crisis for Japan and that crisis will have some impacts on the entire asian world. Japan exchange every year more than 40% of its total exchange with Korea, so basically I think Korea will be the first country to suffer from that crisis ... We cannot predict the future but I think the crisis impact will be huge in all the asian area.

Howver, asian countries get that crazy ability to reborn from nothing in few years, so I think asian countries will react quickly and find new ways to keep their grozth competitive on the international scene again

Getting a Chinese Visa : One of the toughest task in Korea

I planned to go to China at the end of April with my family, to visit Shanghai & Beijing, so exciteeeeeeeeeeeed,

But first I will tell you a little story about how to get a chinese visa when you're a french fresh incoming exchange student ... Let's begin !

Getting a chinese visa for a french student reveals of a real fight against the chinese machine (I accentuate it a little :) ...) But the fact is it's really hard to obtain. You need fisrt your plane tickets and your hotel reservation (but you have to think also about what would happen if your visa is refused by the embassy) so you have to take refundable plane tickets, but they're more expenssive than non-refundable ones.

So what I did is quite simple, I took so expensive non refundable plane tickets in a travel agency, then I booked a fake hotel (when I'll be in China I won't take that hotel but I already paid 10% of the entire price). Then I finally went to the chinese Embassy, with my alien registration card, my plane tickets, my hotel reservation, my passport, a certificate of incomes, the enrollment letter from Hanyang University, my application form and so on ...

After having been waiting something like 30 minutes, I finally reached the desk of the person who cares about the international applications forms. Then she just told me 'No, you cannot have it' wow .... problem : that was not in my plans to get my visa refused .... So that was over (for the moment) she told me that other people were waiting and I have to let them apply for their own visa. She added that anyway I had to fill another application form chinese/english whereas the one I gave to her was chinese/french (no difference actually but she wanted that)

So, I was so disappointed, because I really thought I couldn't go to China ... Then, I just tried again to see her, with the new application form. Then she finally explained me what the visa should be refused for me : Because my alien registration card (ARC) is only valid for 5 months and 28 days instead of being available for exactly 6 months ... So she told me I needed an extension of my ARC to get my visa. But the fact is I can't extend my ARC because I'm just a student ... so after lots of explanation concerning the fact that I was a student and lots of tears she told me she could make an exception for me (???) an exception concerning visa application ??? I said YES anyway ... So she told me that giving the visa was an exception and I just could get a 1 entry visa but that was fine for me !!!

So to conclude, all the students who already applied for a chinese visa were ALL exceptions, there are something like hundreds and hundreds of excpetions each year, but chinese embassy and chinese government still consider us as 'exceptions' and if you're just a normal studend, supposed to be here just for one semester you can just get a simple entry visa ...

Anyway, I received my visa, and I can now go to China... I also cancelled my refundable plane tickets and found other ones so much cheaper !!!

I think Chinese embassy just want to discourage lots of people going to china by process this way ...