Hello All!
Sorry I slacked on writing the last few days of my trip, but I was trying to pack in as much as possible! On Saturday I went for a fantastic run outside!--First time in four months I've been able to go beyond the constraints of the treadmill! After my run I went to an organic cafe for breakfast and then headed straight for Bukchon Village, which is an arts and crafts quarter. Everything there was handmade and beautifully crafted, and in a lot of cases you could actually watch them make their crafts. It was really cool to see a more low key side to Seoul, as it is usually known for its very Western bustle. This was a place that I imagine old Korea was like.
After Bukchon Village I made my way to Gangnam (Which many of you might know for the song) It was pact with people and really expensive name brand stores. I only stayed for a little, because there wasn't much to do there besides shop, but it was nice just to say that I visited there...
I left Gangnam around five to go to the Seoul Tower for dinner. Seoul Tower is on top of a mountain and you have to take a cable car to get there. I waited about an hour to get on the cable car and then I ate Korean food while I was at the top. After I ate, I then took an elevator up to the observatory where you could see all of Seoul! It was a clear night, so I get to see how beautiful the city was lit up at night. The only unfortunate part of the night was that all the lines were excruciatingly long and I didn't end up getting back home until 10:30 at night. It was a long day, but I was so glad I got to do so many things.
Sunday I finally got to go to the Korean War Memorial. It was absolutely amazing, and a highlight of the trip. There were so beautiful statues that surrounded the entrance of the museum which had a circle of flags around it. To the side there were all the retired planes, tanks, boats, and other military crafts that were used in the war. It was absolutely amazing to witness, and a great way to end the trip. After the Memorial it was time to go back to the apartment and do some homework as well as pack.
This was definitely a successful trip, but by the end of 5 days I was ready to return back to the dorms for a much needed rest.
Only three more weeks left in the semester!
Love,
Maddie
(Pictures will be up sometime this week)
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Seoul Day 3
Happy Black Friday?
Today was a very adventurous day! I went to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) where the boarder between North and South Korea is. I was able to learn so much about the history behind both North and South Korea as well as explore one of the tunnels that North Korea dug to infiltrate the South. When I got on the bus, they take down your name and passport number and a solider boards the bus to check and make sure none of are spies... Unfortunately it was a very rainy day here and it was hard to observe, but on a clear day you can see into North Korea and see their flag waving (fun fact --its the highest flag in the world). When you go down the tunnel there is evidence of dynamite and you have to wear a hard helmet. It's definitely not a place for the claustrophobic.... Unfortunately there will be no pictures of this part of the trip because there was a strict no photo policy, and if there was any time I was going to follow that rule, it would be here.
After DMZ I went to a Ginseng museum where I learned all about the herb and the way it grows and what it can be used for. There is law, because it takes six years to produce the flower, that you can't buy too much to bring out of the country, but it has many health benefits, and they put it into cosmetics and candies as well as powders and teas. It tastes really bitter (they let me try a cup) but if you add honey it's not so bad.
Tomorrow I am going to Bukchon Village and a War Memorial of Korea. It should be a really fun day.
Love
Maddie
Today was a very adventurous day! I went to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) where the boarder between North and South Korea is. I was able to learn so much about the history behind both North and South Korea as well as explore one of the tunnels that North Korea dug to infiltrate the South. When I got on the bus, they take down your name and passport number and a solider boards the bus to check and make sure none of are spies... Unfortunately it was a very rainy day here and it was hard to observe, but on a clear day you can see into North Korea and see their flag waving (fun fact --its the highest flag in the world). When you go down the tunnel there is evidence of dynamite and you have to wear a hard helmet. It's definitely not a place for the claustrophobic.... Unfortunately there will be no pictures of this part of the trip because there was a strict no photo policy, and if there was any time I was going to follow that rule, it would be here.
After DMZ I went to a Ginseng museum where I learned all about the herb and the way it grows and what it can be used for. There is law, because it takes six years to produce the flower, that you can't buy too much to bring out of the country, but it has many health benefits, and they put it into cosmetics and candies as well as powders and teas. It tastes really bitter (they let me try a cup) but if you add honey it's not so bad.
Tomorrow I am going to Bukchon Village and a War Memorial of Korea. It should be a really fun day.
Love
Maddie
Seoul Day 2
Hello All and Happy Thanksgiving
I am so thankful for my friends and family back home as well as my new friends here. It has been such an amazing journey this last year and I am so thankful and privileged to be able to life this life. Today was a very busy day!
First, I navigated my way by metro to Gyeong bok palace. It reminded me a lot of the palaces I visited in Beijing, but this one was interestingly positioned between very tall sky scrapers and the prettiest mountains I've ever seen. Inside the palace, you were able to walk the palace grounds and it had beautiful trails and a nice pond. While I was walking I was stopped by a Korean woman who was taking english lessons and had to interview a foreigner, so I obliged. She was so sweet and even told me how to get to some good Korean restaurants, all in perfect english. I think she was completely confused by the fact that I went to school in China, even to Koreans China seems like this very far off and distant land.
After the Palace I went to a folk museum. I typically hate museums but as John Sexton says, "If it's moral and legal, do it once"... I walked into the museum and it was literally an entire floor dedicated to the history of Blue Jeans. I've never laughed so hard in my entire life... only in Korea, I guess. I then went to a contemporary art museum that was holding a new exhibit that depicted humans as machines. It went interestingly with my Media class, so I thought I would take a look. It turned out to be very cool, and the spaces that they created using T.Vs and other technologies was awesome.
After that, I walked along the main strip that followed out of the palace and museum area, there were two main statues in the middle of the boulevard and you could go inside them and they were also museums. I thought that was pretty fun, and it was free!
From my little cultural tour I decided to hit the market. I went to one of the largest markets in Seoul called Namdaemun. I've never seen so many different shops, clothing, souvenirs, and trinkets concentrated to one area in my entire life. The place was a little town by itself. I bought myself a knitted hat, because 1)it was cold and 2) it felt right (Paige-- I hope you're laughing) While I was there I heard some Chinese women talking and so I just went up to them and started talking to them and I asked where they were from and why they were visiting.
They said that they were from Beijing and that they came here to sight see. It was nice to talk to them because I just recently learned all the vocab for traveling so I could actually carry on a conversation. Afterwards, of course, they had to take a photo with me.
Sidenote--I don't know if selfie sticks are becoming a thing in America, but Asians here use them all the time...
Have an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving... I'm really missing the pie right about now
Love
Maddie
Also I am waiting to post pictures until I get back to Shanghai just so you know--they are coming
I am so thankful for my friends and family back home as well as my new friends here. It has been such an amazing journey this last year and I am so thankful and privileged to be able to life this life. Today was a very busy day!
First, I navigated my way by metro to Gyeong bok palace. It reminded me a lot of the palaces I visited in Beijing, but this one was interestingly positioned between very tall sky scrapers and the prettiest mountains I've ever seen. Inside the palace, you were able to walk the palace grounds and it had beautiful trails and a nice pond. While I was walking I was stopped by a Korean woman who was taking english lessons and had to interview a foreigner, so I obliged. She was so sweet and even told me how to get to some good Korean restaurants, all in perfect english. I think she was completely confused by the fact that I went to school in China, even to Koreans China seems like this very far off and distant land.
After the Palace I went to a folk museum. I typically hate museums but as John Sexton says, "If it's moral and legal, do it once"... I walked into the museum and it was literally an entire floor dedicated to the history of Blue Jeans. I've never laughed so hard in my entire life... only in Korea, I guess. I then went to a contemporary art museum that was holding a new exhibit that depicted humans as machines. It went interestingly with my Media class, so I thought I would take a look. It turned out to be very cool, and the spaces that they created using T.Vs and other technologies was awesome.
After that, I walked along the main strip that followed out of the palace and museum area, there were two main statues in the middle of the boulevard and you could go inside them and they were also museums. I thought that was pretty fun, and it was free!
From my little cultural tour I decided to hit the market. I went to one of the largest markets in Seoul called Namdaemun. I've never seen so many different shops, clothing, souvenirs, and trinkets concentrated to one area in my entire life. The place was a little town by itself. I bought myself a knitted hat, because 1)it was cold and 2) it felt right (Paige-- I hope you're laughing) While I was there I heard some Chinese women talking and so I just went up to them and started talking to them and I asked where they were from and why they were visiting.
They said that they were from Beijing and that they came here to sight see. It was nice to talk to them because I just recently learned all the vocab for traveling so I could actually carry on a conversation. Afterwards, of course, they had to take a photo with me.
Sidenote--I don't know if selfie sticks are becoming a thing in America, but Asians here use them all the time...
Have an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving... I'm really missing the pie right about now
Love
Maddie
Also I am waiting to post pictures until I get back to Shanghai just so you know--they are coming
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Seoul Day 1
Help! I am falling in love with the world, and I don't know what to do!
Seoul is absolutely amazing! It has been a long day of traveling, but we arrived around 8:00 Korea time. And let me tell you--the city is buzzing! The first thing I noticed when I got off the plane was, first, how clean it was, and second, how easily I could breathe!
After we put our stuff down and contacted our friends and family to alert them that we had, indeed, made it to Korea, we went walking around the city. We decided it would be perfect to Eat Korean BBQ. Let me tell you--it was an experience.
We sat down and ordered for the table. It was literally prepared right in front of us, and we were expected to be the chefs for the meal. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing and none of us even knows the word for "hello" in Korean. Thankfully, a really nice Korean man sitting next to us prepared the meal for us, as he and his friends just laughed at our ineptitude. (I have to admit it was pretty funny).
First impressions of Korean culture: Everyone seems happy, everyone is extremely fashionable and super friendly.
Ironically, I find myself so helpless not knowing the language that I am literally trying to speak Chinese to EVERYONE. It's a little awkward because everyone knows English here, and not a word of Chinese. Anyway--I cannot wait for tomorrow's adventures!
Love from Seoul!
Maddie
Seoul is absolutely amazing! It has been a long day of traveling, but we arrived around 8:00 Korea time. And let me tell you--the city is buzzing! The first thing I noticed when I got off the plane was, first, how clean it was, and second, how easily I could breathe!
After we put our stuff down and contacted our friends and family to alert them that we had, indeed, made it to Korea, we went walking around the city. We decided it would be perfect to Eat Korean BBQ. Let me tell you--it was an experience.
We sat down and ordered for the table. It was literally prepared right in front of us, and we were expected to be the chefs for the meal. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing and none of us even knows the word for "hello" in Korean. Thankfully, a really nice Korean man sitting next to us prepared the meal for us, as he and his friends just laughed at our ineptitude. (I have to admit it was pretty funny).
First impressions of Korean culture: Everyone seems happy, everyone is extremely fashionable and super friendly.
Ironically, I find myself so helpless not knowing the language that I am literally trying to speak Chinese to EVERYONE. It's a little awkward because everyone knows English here, and not a word of Chinese. Anyway--I cannot wait for tomorrow's adventures!
Love from Seoul!
Maddie
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
1 Week Until KOREA
Hello Everyone!
I am getting so excited for my trip to Korea! I have planned my days down to the last second to get all the cultural experience I can before I head back to school on Monday. I will be leaving for Seoul on Wednesday (its about a two hour flight). I have rented a small apartment near the center of the city which makes subways and buses easily accessible. It's pretty cold in Korea right now (so I will be sure to pack my layers and coat, mom) but the pollution is very low there, so I am hoping I might get to run outside for once! While I am there, I will be doing a range of touring, from hiking a mountain to Sukjeongmun gate, to visiting Gyeongbok palace, to shopping at the famous Namdaemun Market. Let me know if you want any Korean Souvenirs. I plan on documenting my entire trip with photos and videos as well as a written journal. Since I have been slacking on my blogging duties this month, I will be posting everything from the trip here!
I hope everyone is getting excited for Thanksgiving! To my friends at Country day- 加油！The trimester is almost over!
See you all in exactly ONE month! Crazy how the time is flying!
Love from Shanghai,
Maddie
I am getting so excited for my trip to Korea! I have planned my days down to the last second to get all the cultural experience I can before I head back to school on Monday. I will be leaving for Seoul on Wednesday (its about a two hour flight). I have rented a small apartment near the center of the city which makes subways and buses easily accessible. It's pretty cold in Korea right now (so I will be sure to pack my layers and coat, mom) but the pollution is very low there, so I am hoping I might get to run outside for once! While I am there, I will be doing a range of touring, from hiking a mountain to Sukjeongmun gate, to visiting Gyeongbok palace, to shopping at the famous Namdaemun Market. Let me know if you want any Korean Souvenirs. I plan on documenting my entire trip with photos and videos as well as a written journal. Since I have been slacking on my blogging duties this month, I will be posting everything from the trip here!
I hope everyone is getting excited for Thanksgiving! To my friends at Country day- 加油！The trimester is almost over!
See you all in exactly ONE month! Crazy how the time is flying!
Love from Shanghai,
Maddie
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
How is it already November?
Although it doesn't feel like winter here, mostly because I can still wear shorts most days, I can't believe it is already November!
Recently, I have been trying to find more ways to improve my Chinese, besides the usual conversations I have to have to survive here on a daily basis. The other day I mentioned to MeiChen that I wanted to start reading Chinese children books. The next day, I found a stack on my desk that she had picked up. Now she is forced into listening to me practice out loud every night as she patiently corrects every missed pronunciation and informs me of every unknown character. In case you couldn't tell, I have been blessed with the most amazing roommate in the world. She even knows Sound of Music, which we all know is a must in the Stover house. I couldn't believe it when she joined in as I was randomly singing it while doing my homework. She said that her mom bought her the CD so she could practice her English and then they saw the movie together. She then said that she couldn't believe that I knew it. Haha I had to laugh at that one.
In other news, Korea is quickly approaching and I have my hotel booked and I am ready for an adventure! I can't wait to share all the photos and to try a new culture out for a while. In addition to this, in December, NYU Shanghai is being given a private concert from LangLang, who is an extremely famous pianist in China. MeiChen and I are so excited to attend, it should be an amazing time.
I can't believe I will be back home in a little more than a month. I am already thinking of all the American food I have been deprived of these past few months...
Love from Shanghai,
Maddie
Recently, I have been trying to find more ways to improve my Chinese, besides the usual conversations I have to have to survive here on a daily basis. The other day I mentioned to MeiChen that I wanted to start reading Chinese children books. The next day, I found a stack on my desk that she had picked up. Now she is forced into listening to me practice out loud every night as she patiently corrects every missed pronunciation and informs me of every unknown character. In case you couldn't tell, I have been blessed with the most amazing roommate in the world. She even knows Sound of Music, which we all know is a must in the Stover house. I couldn't believe it when she joined in as I was randomly singing it while doing my homework. She said that her mom bought her the CD so she could practice her English and then they saw the movie together. She then said that she couldn't believe that I knew it. Haha I had to laugh at that one.
In other news, Korea is quickly approaching and I have my hotel booked and I am ready for an adventure! I can't wait to share all the photos and to try a new culture out for a while. In addition to this, in December, NYU Shanghai is being given a private concert from LangLang, who is an extremely famous pianist in China. MeiChen and I are so excited to attend, it should be an amazing time.
I can't believe I will be back home in a little more than a month. I am already thinking of all the American food I have been deprived of these past few months...
Love from Shanghai,
Maddie
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