Monday was a day of temples and history. I spent the morning at Chi Lin, which is a Buddhist Nunnery and garden. I then toured Wen Tai Sin, which is a Taoist temple and garden. After Wen Tai Sin, I went to the Hong Kong History Museum.
The Nunnery was empty on a Monday morning, so I wandered the compound with only the gardeners around. It was very peaceful, the sounds of morning chants coming from the rooms of the nuns. The garden was gorgeous, didn't realize that such a green space was in the heart of one of Asia's largest cities. There was a traditional rock garden as well as a lake, and some walkways amongst flowers. I still don't understand rock gardens, but it was still fascinating to see all the shapes.
Wen Tai Sin was a complete contrast from Chi Lin. It was packed! I think there was a festival for a god or something because there was a lot of incense being sold and families coming with gifts for the temple. It is still a foreign place for me to be caught in the middle of an event like that. I don't understand the meaning behind it so it confuses me as I try to see what is going on. The garden was lovely. It overlooked the temple so it was a good way to see the festival going on in the temple.
I received quite an education at the History Museum after visiting Wen Tai Sin. I learned a lot about the politics of the Opium Wars and how much it changed Hong Kong socially, economically, and politically. I also learned a lot about Hong Kong's involvement in WWII. The story of the people of Hong Kong trying to defend their city from the Japanese and the resulting atrocities committed by the Japanese was something I had never learned. It was one of the most well arranged history museums I have seen. There is no place in the world that has had such a contrast of two cultures trying to find harmony together.
I spent Tuesday with my friend Bernice and her friend Melanie. Bernice is my friend from SCH who has family in Hong Kong. We went to visit the Lantau Buddha and see the Kung Fu festival. We took the subway to the gondola terminal where we took a 20 minute gondola ride to Lantau peak. As we rode the gondola, we were able to see the airport from above as well as the island of Lantau. Lantau is like the countryside of Hong Kong. It has a lot of open land and the quiet nature of a small town. Once we reached the top, we made our way to see the big Buddha. He was a big one! We went inside the Buddha to see a display about Buddhism in Hong Kong and a "tooth" from the Buddha. It was an interesting display. The view from the overlook by the Buddha was breathtaking. Lantau is so lush with vibrant greens in the trees and deep blues in the ocean. Combine that with gorgeous coasts and it's quite a sight!
After the Buddha we went to Ngong village (which is adjacent to the Buddha) to see the Shaolin Kung Fu festival. We made it just in time to see a performance from the monks. Oh my gosh, they were unbelievable! I was amazed by the feats they performed and shocked by effect this training had on their bodies. They were dense, all muscle, it looks so unnatural. The intensity of their performance and how every movement is so deliberate and determined was very impressive.
Wednesday was an epic day: museum day. I spent the morning in the Art Museum soaking up beautiful Chinese art as well as innovative contemporary pieces. I then went to the Space Museum, which displayed the history of astronomy from an Eastern viewpoint, very interesting. China hopes to put a man on the moon by 2020, we'll see....
After these morning museums I went to the Avenue of Stars, the Hollywood Stars for Asian film. I stopped to take pictures of some of my favorite Asian moviestars plaques and soak up the view of the city from the waterfront.
I then went to the Coastal Defense Museum, which is located in a coastal fortress built in the 1800's. It was an expansive museum, but a great display of history coming to life.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tai Tam and a Camera
Ok peoples, I'm finally getting around to blogging about Hong Kong. Seriously, my procrastination of transferring travel journal entries to my blog is getting ridiculous! I will try to get you all updated about everything thus far both from the trip and the semester.
I arrived in Hong Kong Saturday morning around 9:30am. The night before was filled with goodbyes from everyone in Chiayi, followed by a 2am bus to the airport. It would be an understatement to say that I was tired when I arrived in Hong Kong! My plane landed at the airport near Lantau, which is about forty minutes from downtown. After landing, I proceeded to customs, which took quite a long time. There were quite a few planes that landed at the same time as mine, so there was a mass of people flooding to the customs line. After making it through customs, I took the airport train downtown Hong Kong. My stop was at the International Finance Center, which is the building that Batman jumped off of in the Dark Knight! Batman was absent this afternoon, so I continued on my way by taxi to Tai Tam.
Tai Tam is the area of Hong Kong Island where Mike Kersten teaches. It is outside of the city and is home to a lot of the foreigners that work in the city. It is a very ritzy area, I guess you could say the Malibu of Hong Kong. One thing that really struck me about Hong Kong is that it is like the San Francisco of Asia, it is very hilly! My taxi ride was a continuous up and down over the hills. The taxi ride from the IFC to Tai Tam was a trip with very stark contrasts: The IFC is right downtown, the hustle and bustle of the city, while Tai Tam is a more quiet area apart from the rich racing their sports-cars around the twisting roads. I had not envisioned Hong Kong as a place with such differing environments. I think my perception of Hong Kong as one very large city is probably the picture most people have in their minds when thinking about this city.
I arrived at Hong Kong International School around lunch time. I will be couch surfing at Mike's teachers apartment at the school while touring for the week. It is always nice to see a familiar face and stay with a friend while touring instead of a large hostel full of strangers. I am very thankful that Mike opened his home to me for the week so that I could have a comfortable place to stay while running around Hong Kong. After unpacking a few things and having some lunch, I was completely exhausted, so I took a nap. I had only about 3 hours of sleep the night before on the bus to the airport and I literally melt away without enough sleep.
Today (Aug 20) marked a year since arriving in Korea, so it was a reason to celebrate, what better way to celebrate Asia than to have German food? Wait a minute...yeah why not! Once I was recuperated from my lack of sleep, we took a bus to the Stanley area, which is located on the southern coast of Hong Kong island. This is still a very foreigner abundant area. We went to Murray House, which is an old Victorian mansion that has been relocated to this area and filled with restaurants. It is very strange for me to see so many Western buildings that have been a part of Hong Kong's history for over a hundred years. Coming from Korea where Westerners were not welcomed until about a hundred years ago, it is a stark contrast to the well established Western influence and legacy in Hong Kong. At Murray House, we ate at the German restaurant, where I had my first brat in over a year. It was pretty legit German food! Very strange to eat food that reminds me of family potlucks in Asia, but it was a nice way to connect my experience in Asia with my roots at home.
Early Sunday morning, I joined Mike and his friend Jose for a bike ride at 6am. It was my first bike ride in over a year, but I was determined to try to keep up biking up and down the hills. Oh my gravy! I am really out of shape! It was a gorgeous bike ride however and I really enjoyed seeing the area in a unique way. Tai Tam has such a beautiful mesh of green spaces and hints of urban modernism. We biked down to the beach and I was able to put my feet in the South China Sea. We had breakfast near the beach before biking back to the school.
We went to one of the local Lutheran churches later in the morning. It has been an interesting experience worshiping with so many different congregations in Asia, yet despite the geographical differences the message remains the same. After church, we went downtown Hong Kong to see the business sector of the city.
We walked by the IFC along with the Bank of China tower and the City Hall. As we were walking we passed by a lot of Filipino women sitting and eating together. Mike explained that these women work in the homes of the rich in Hong Kong as housemaids. They work for six days a week and receive Sundays off, which was why they were enjoying lunch together. Unlike other migrant workers that come to Hong Kong, they are never granted residency, even after they have exceeded the requirement of living in Hong Kong for seven years. Residency would help them be recognized as a contributing community of the city. It was an issue I had never heard of concerning Hong Kong and to learn about it while seeing the women enjoying their only time away from their work was very eye opening.
We passed the Hong Kong Mosque, which was just finishing prayers, on our way to Chunking Mansions. Chunking Mansions is a large building right downtown that is filled with a variety of mom and pop restaurants from all around the world. It was one of the coolest displays of the world coming together to share something that is very universal: FOOD! We ate at a Pakistani restaurant, which had excellent chicken curry with naan. I had some strawberry flavored goats milk, which was very rich and tasty.
After lunch, Mike had to head back to HKIS to make lesson plans. My mission while still downtown was to find a camera. At some point while in transit between Taiwan and Hong Kong, my two month old Samsung camera decided to die. Once again, I was camera deprived. I went to the electronics street downtown, which has camera stores lining the streets. It was quite an experience again to camera shop in Asia. Unlike my last experience in Korea where I had to muster enough Korean to figure out the megapixels of the Samsung, I found that every salesman in these stores spoke English fluently and were able to answer every detailed question. I decided on a Nikon, which was the brand of my first camera that lasted me five years. Now I'm ready to take pictures of my adventures through this city!
I arrived in Hong Kong Saturday morning around 9:30am. The night before was filled with goodbyes from everyone in Chiayi, followed by a 2am bus to the airport. It would be an understatement to say that I was tired when I arrived in Hong Kong! My plane landed at the airport near Lantau, which is about forty minutes from downtown. After landing, I proceeded to customs, which took quite a long time. There were quite a few planes that landed at the same time as mine, so there was a mass of people flooding to the customs line. After making it through customs, I took the airport train downtown Hong Kong. My stop was at the International Finance Center, which is the building that Batman jumped off of in the Dark Knight! Batman was absent this afternoon, so I continued on my way by taxi to Tai Tam.
Tai Tam is the area of Hong Kong Island where Mike Kersten teaches. It is outside of the city and is home to a lot of the foreigners that work in the city. It is a very ritzy area, I guess you could say the Malibu of Hong Kong. One thing that really struck me about Hong Kong is that it is like the San Francisco of Asia, it is very hilly! My taxi ride was a continuous up and down over the hills. The taxi ride from the IFC to Tai Tam was a trip with very stark contrasts: The IFC is right downtown, the hustle and bustle of the city, while Tai Tam is a more quiet area apart from the rich racing their sports-cars around the twisting roads. I had not envisioned Hong Kong as a place with such differing environments. I think my perception of Hong Kong as one very large city is probably the picture most people have in their minds when thinking about this city.
I arrived at Hong Kong International School around lunch time. I will be couch surfing at Mike's teachers apartment at the school while touring for the week. It is always nice to see a familiar face and stay with a friend while touring instead of a large hostel full of strangers. I am very thankful that Mike opened his home to me for the week so that I could have a comfortable place to stay while running around Hong Kong. After unpacking a few things and having some lunch, I was completely exhausted, so I took a nap. I had only about 3 hours of sleep the night before on the bus to the airport and I literally melt away without enough sleep.
Today (Aug 20) marked a year since arriving in Korea, so it was a reason to celebrate, what better way to celebrate Asia than to have German food? Wait a minute...yeah why not! Once I was recuperated from my lack of sleep, we took a bus to the Stanley area, which is located on the southern coast of Hong Kong island. This is still a very foreigner abundant area. We went to Murray House, which is an old Victorian mansion that has been relocated to this area and filled with restaurants. It is very strange for me to see so many Western buildings that have been a part of Hong Kong's history for over a hundred years. Coming from Korea where Westerners were not welcomed until about a hundred years ago, it is a stark contrast to the well established Western influence and legacy in Hong Kong. At Murray House, we ate at the German restaurant, where I had my first brat in over a year. It was pretty legit German food! Very strange to eat food that reminds me of family potlucks in Asia, but it was a nice way to connect my experience in Asia with my roots at home.
Early Sunday morning, I joined Mike and his friend Jose for a bike ride at 6am. It was my first bike ride in over a year, but I was determined to try to keep up biking up and down the hills. Oh my gravy! I am really out of shape! It was a gorgeous bike ride however and I really enjoyed seeing the area in a unique way. Tai Tam has such a beautiful mesh of green spaces and hints of urban modernism. We biked down to the beach and I was able to put my feet in the South China Sea. We had breakfast near the beach before biking back to the school.
We went to one of the local Lutheran churches later in the morning. It has been an interesting experience worshiping with so many different congregations in Asia, yet despite the geographical differences the message remains the same. After church, we went downtown Hong Kong to see the business sector of the city.
We walked by the IFC along with the Bank of China tower and the City Hall. As we were walking we passed by a lot of Filipino women sitting and eating together. Mike explained that these women work in the homes of the rich in Hong Kong as housemaids. They work for six days a week and receive Sundays off, which was why they were enjoying lunch together. Unlike other migrant workers that come to Hong Kong, they are never granted residency, even after they have exceeded the requirement of living in Hong Kong for seven years. Residency would help them be recognized as a contributing community of the city. It was an issue I had never heard of concerning Hong Kong and to learn about it while seeing the women enjoying their only time away from their work was very eye opening.
We passed the Hong Kong Mosque, which was just finishing prayers, on our way to Chunking Mansions. Chunking Mansions is a large building right downtown that is filled with a variety of mom and pop restaurants from all around the world. It was one of the coolest displays of the world coming together to share something that is very universal: FOOD! We ate at a Pakistani restaurant, which had excellent chicken curry with naan. I had some strawberry flavored goats milk, which was very rich and tasty.
After lunch, Mike had to head back to HKIS to make lesson plans. My mission while still downtown was to find a camera. At some point while in transit between Taiwan and Hong Kong, my two month old Samsung camera decided to die. Once again, I was camera deprived. I went to the electronics street downtown, which has camera stores lining the streets. It was quite an experience again to camera shop in Asia. Unlike my last experience in Korea where I had to muster enough Korean to figure out the megapixels of the Samsung, I found that every salesman in these stores spoke English fluently and were able to answer every detailed question. I decided on a Nikon, which was the brand of my first camera that lasted me five years. Now I'm ready to take pictures of my adventures through this city!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Gwangdeoksan
Today I went to hike Gwangdeoksan, one of the larger mountains in Cheoncheonamdo, the province I live in. The hikers included Birch, who is from Arkansas and studied in Spain for the summer before flying direct to Korea, and Polina, a Russian student from the Russia/China border.
We took the subway to Cheonan, ate lunch in town, and then took a bus to the park. Once we reached the park, we walked past several restaurants and shops selling hiking gear before reaching the trail.
I have not hiked in this area of Cheoncheonamdo, so it took a bit of searching to find the right trail. Before we found our trail, we met a group of Korean hikers who were having lunch after climbing to the summit. They invited us to join them for grapes and a chat. It was definitely a test for me in my Korean skills seeing that they could not speak English and Birch and Polina could not understand Korean. For the most part, I caught what they were saying and was able to share a bit about us foreigners. It was an unexpected beginning to our hike, once again I am amazed at the friendliness of Koreans, inviting strangers to join them for lunch and being so kind as we tried to have a conversation.
After our pre-hike snack, we found the trail and began our climb. I was so happy to see that this trail was not "Asianized" in that it was not a concrete sidewalk with the occasional handrails. This modernization of nature is a trend that I have seen all over Korea and other parts of Asia. I don't understand it, considering the one thing I enjoy about hiking is the natural aspect of it, an escape from the concrete jungle. Nevertheless, I was very happy to have a natural hike. While we were trekking, we passed a few Korean hikers, equipped with visors, hiking sticks, bright gear, and heavy duty hiking boots. They giggled as they passed us, seeing that we were not in hiking gear with our Tshirts and sneakers.
The hike was very steep at times, making us wish we had those hiking sticks! It reminded me a lot of my hike through northern Thailand: the trail was very gritty in a way, you had to be careful in placing your feet at times. I really enjoyed the trail because it was more of the hiking that I have experienced at home. It was not artificial with concrete and steps.
The top was very wooded, so our view was not too ideal. One thing that was quite funny when we were sitting near the top was when we heard a ringtone for a cellphone only then to see a couple hiking up to where we were answering their phone. Even at the top of Gwangdeoksan, you can still get good reception! Oh Korea....
After our hike back down, we made our way back to the city. We then visited a Vegan restaurant for dinner. Birch is Vegan, so she wanted to see this restaurant as it is one of the closest ones to school. It was a buffet, filled with tofu, fake meat, and lots of veggies. I was so happy to see so many fresh vegetables, it was pretty much my entire dinner. I have come to appreciate the prices of vegetables in the USA now that I have lived in Korea. Fruit and Vegetables are very expensive, in part because a lot of it is imported and also because Koreans like to eat organic foods. An apple can cost around $1-$3 depending on the size and where you purchase it. Being at a buffet where vegetables were in abundance, I ate as much as I could. It was interesting being a Vegan for a meal, but I couldn't do it as a lifestyle.
After our Vegan dinner, we made our way back to school. We are hoping to hike again in the next few weeks while we still have warm weather. The weather here has become a bit bipolar at times: it will be warm and sunny one day only to be cool and cloudy the next. Even though it was a balmy 80 during our hike, it got down to the 50's while we were waiting for our subway. I think the jackets will make their debut in the next few weeks.....
We took the subway to Cheonan, ate lunch in town, and then took a bus to the park. Once we reached the park, we walked past several restaurants and shops selling hiking gear before reaching the trail.
I have not hiked in this area of Cheoncheonamdo, so it took a bit of searching to find the right trail. Before we found our trail, we met a group of Korean hikers who were having lunch after climbing to the summit. They invited us to join them for grapes and a chat. It was definitely a test for me in my Korean skills seeing that they could not speak English and Birch and Polina could not understand Korean. For the most part, I caught what they were saying and was able to share a bit about us foreigners. It was an unexpected beginning to our hike, once again I am amazed at the friendliness of Koreans, inviting strangers to join them for lunch and being so kind as we tried to have a conversation.
After our pre-hike snack, we found the trail and began our climb. I was so happy to see that this trail was not "Asianized" in that it was not a concrete sidewalk with the occasional handrails. This modernization of nature is a trend that I have seen all over Korea and other parts of Asia. I don't understand it, considering the one thing I enjoy about hiking is the natural aspect of it, an escape from the concrete jungle. Nevertheless, I was very happy to have a natural hike. While we were trekking, we passed a few Korean hikers, equipped with visors, hiking sticks, bright gear, and heavy duty hiking boots. They giggled as they passed us, seeing that we were not in hiking gear with our Tshirts and sneakers.
The hike was very steep at times, making us wish we had those hiking sticks! It reminded me a lot of my hike through northern Thailand: the trail was very gritty in a way, you had to be careful in placing your feet at times. I really enjoyed the trail because it was more of the hiking that I have experienced at home. It was not artificial with concrete and steps.
The top was very wooded, so our view was not too ideal. One thing that was quite funny when we were sitting near the top was when we heard a ringtone for a cellphone only then to see a couple hiking up to where we were answering their phone. Even at the top of Gwangdeoksan, you can still get good reception! Oh Korea....
After our hike back down, we made our way back to the city. We then visited a Vegan restaurant for dinner. Birch is Vegan, so she wanted to see this restaurant as it is one of the closest ones to school. It was a buffet, filled with tofu, fake meat, and lots of veggies. I was so happy to see so many fresh vegetables, it was pretty much my entire dinner. I have come to appreciate the prices of vegetables in the USA now that I have lived in Korea. Fruit and Vegetables are very expensive, in part because a lot of it is imported and also because Koreans like to eat organic foods. An apple can cost around $1-$3 depending on the size and where you purchase it. Being at a buffet where vegetables were in abundance, I ate as much as I could. It was interesting being a Vegan for a meal, but I couldn't do it as a lifestyle.
After our Vegan dinner, we made our way back to school. We are hoping to hike again in the next few weeks while we still have warm weather. The weather here has become a bit bipolar at times: it will be warm and sunny one day only to be cool and cloudy the next. Even though it was a balmy 80 during our hike, it got down to the 50's while we were waiting for our subway. I think the jackets will make their debut in the next few weeks.....
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Semester's in full swing
Alright, all of my classes and exchanges have started, so I can officially say I'm in the full swing of the semester. Fall has graced us with its presence. Sunday, we had temperatures in the mid 80's only to be quite surprised by low 60's on Monday. I'm not sure if I'm ready for fall quite yet, but I guess I better get ready!
This semester, I have 7 hours of exchanges with 13 different exchange partners. It is about half of the number of exchanges I had last semester. I am really happy to have this smaller number because I can get to know my partners better and be able to find what they need to work on in their English conversation skills. My exchange partners range in ability from only being able to speak in very simple sentences to asking for help on SAT prep reading passages. I hope I can help all of my partners improve over the semester.
I started my Korean listening class, which is in a separate program from my other two Korean language classes. It is in what is considered the Chinese program, because most of the students are Chinese. It is a more intensive course, so I was anticipating this course with both excitement and a bit of apprehension. My teacher in the course is very sweet, yet she is quite thorough in her teaching. My classmates are all very sweet and are very hard working. So far I feel a little ahead of the class, but I am going to make sure I stay on top of my work to keep that.
My other language courses are going well so far. We are still trying to find a groove for the class considering we all come from different abilities with the language. My business class has been quite interesting as well. We discussed Korean culture last class in order to understand the background of the business world in Korea.
Some interesting statistics that were presented in class (not all may be completely up to date, but they are correct as of March 2011)
1. Korea has the 2nd highest suicide rate. I have discussed this before, but the pressure Koreans are placed under and the stigma towards mental illnesses can lead people to this tragic decision. From the example that really hit home for me (the SCH student who jumped from the Korean dorm last semester), the student was mentally ill and was never diagnosed because of the stigma. I don't think this will improve until society emphasizes self worth and does not reject people for their imperfections.
2. Korea has the highest cancer death rate in the world. The most common cancer is stomach cancer. I don't really understand why Korea, with free health care and modern medicine, is 1st in cancer deaths. I also found it interesting that stomach cancer is higher than both breast and lung cancer in Korea.
3. Korea has the highest youth smoking rate. I can believe this considering every Korean guy (apart from a couple) I know at school here smokes heavily. Cigarettes are really cheap ($3 a pack) so guys smoke like chimneys.
4. Korea is 1st in broadband internet. This is easy to see pretty much as soon as you land in Incheon: everyone pulls out their smartphones and starts chatting with someone on their webcam. The fact that 10 year olds are carrying Iphones around is a testament to the way in which Korea has embraced innovation. Technology is everywhere!
5. Korea is 1st in students completing higher education. The culture is very competitive with parents trying to give their kids an edge on their peers. It is expected that children will go to college and it is strongly encouraged for them to continue their studies afterwards.
6. 1st in Alcohol and 1st in Wine and Whiskey imports. There is a very prominent drinking culture in Korea. From college majors having meetings where students drink to coworkers going out for drinks and singing karaoke, alcohol has a very influential role in Korean society.
7. 3rd in Automobiles and 11th in GDP. Korea has the 59th largest population, yet from the hard work of the Korean people, they have developed itself into one of the movers and shakers of the global economy. Korea is an export focused country that has built itself from a 3rd world country 60 years ago into one of the main economies in the world.
This semester, I have 7 hours of exchanges with 13 different exchange partners. It is about half of the number of exchanges I had last semester. I am really happy to have this smaller number because I can get to know my partners better and be able to find what they need to work on in their English conversation skills. My exchange partners range in ability from only being able to speak in very simple sentences to asking for help on SAT prep reading passages. I hope I can help all of my partners improve over the semester.
I started my Korean listening class, which is in a separate program from my other two Korean language classes. It is in what is considered the Chinese program, because most of the students are Chinese. It is a more intensive course, so I was anticipating this course with both excitement and a bit of apprehension. My teacher in the course is very sweet, yet she is quite thorough in her teaching. My classmates are all very sweet and are very hard working. So far I feel a little ahead of the class, but I am going to make sure I stay on top of my work to keep that.
My other language courses are going well so far. We are still trying to find a groove for the class considering we all come from different abilities with the language. My business class has been quite interesting as well. We discussed Korean culture last class in order to understand the background of the business world in Korea.
Some interesting statistics that were presented in class (not all may be completely up to date, but they are correct as of March 2011)
1. Korea has the 2nd highest suicide rate. I have discussed this before, but the pressure Koreans are placed under and the stigma towards mental illnesses can lead people to this tragic decision. From the example that really hit home for me (the SCH student who jumped from the Korean dorm last semester), the student was mentally ill and was never diagnosed because of the stigma. I don't think this will improve until society emphasizes self worth and does not reject people for their imperfections.
2. Korea has the highest cancer death rate in the world. The most common cancer is stomach cancer. I don't really understand why Korea, with free health care and modern medicine, is 1st in cancer deaths. I also found it interesting that stomach cancer is higher than both breast and lung cancer in Korea.
3. Korea has the highest youth smoking rate. I can believe this considering every Korean guy (apart from a couple) I know at school here smokes heavily. Cigarettes are really cheap ($3 a pack) so guys smoke like chimneys.
4. Korea is 1st in broadband internet. This is easy to see pretty much as soon as you land in Incheon: everyone pulls out their smartphones and starts chatting with someone on their webcam. The fact that 10 year olds are carrying Iphones around is a testament to the way in which Korea has embraced innovation. Technology is everywhere!
5. Korea is 1st in students completing higher education. The culture is very competitive with parents trying to give their kids an edge on their peers. It is expected that children will go to college and it is strongly encouraged for them to continue their studies afterwards.
6. 1st in Alcohol and 1st in Wine and Whiskey imports. There is a very prominent drinking culture in Korea. From college majors having meetings where students drink to coworkers going out for drinks and singing karaoke, alcohol has a very influential role in Korean society.
7. 3rd in Automobiles and 11th in GDP. Korea has the 59th largest population, yet from the hard work of the Korean people, they have developed itself into one of the movers and shakers of the global economy. Korea is an export focused country that has built itself from a 3rd world country 60 years ago into one of the main economies in the world.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Chuseok and a Roommate
I am back at school from my Chuseok adventure. This year, I had about five days off, so I spent three days in Seoul with the Wasmunds and then visited Busan for two days. It was quite a whirlwind, traveling from the northernmost point of the country to the southern tip. It was definitely a great display for me of the beauty of this country I have called home for over a year.
I hadn't seen the Wasmunds since I left for Taiwan, so it was great to catch up with them and share stories from my trip. I also received updates from Lily and Olivia about VBS from summer, school, and Lily's new Ballet class. I stayed at the Wasmunds home, so I got to be a part of the family for a few days. It was nice to have homecooked meals and the play with the girls. They taught me some of their dances from VBS, played games, and read a lot. I am amazed by how curious the girls are about everything, constantly asking questions that I would have never thought of at their age. I think it will be very interesting as they grow to see how they learn and develop. They are very smart and love to learn, which makes me believe that they will do great things.
One of the coolest things for me was when Lily brought out her completed Explode the Code book, the same book that I learned phonics and writing. Talking with her about combining letters to create words by "sounding it out" brought back so many memories for me of writing my first letters very carefully with my mom sitting beside me. I feel like that journey of learning that I started at my kitchen table with that first book continues to this day as I study here in Korea. It is a pretty cool concept to think of how far you come from those early steps, yet the love for learning continues.
While at the Wasmunds, I also had the chance to visit Jongmyo Shrine and a Hanok Village. Jongmyo is the Confucian shrine where the ancestral tablets of the Kings and Queens of the Joseon dynasty are kept. It is that last East Asian nation where this Confucian tradition of caring for the deceased royalty remains. Every May, the Korean government carries out the traditional ceremony that would have been continued by the king. It consists of scholars bringing the tablets out of their shrines, preparing food for the kings and queens, and placing it for them "eat." After an assigned span of time, the food is consumed by the scholars, indicating that the deceased leaders have blessed the coming year for the nation. It is an interesting perspective on filial piety: the king would carry this out in gratitude to his ancestors and in return they would bless his coming year of rule. It was an interesting place to be sure. There were two buildings that looked like large Asian style warehouses that are used to house the ancestors. It displayed for me again just how much Confucianism is embedded and embraced in this culture.
I went to the Hanok Village with Matt and the girls. It consisted of relocated traditional houses and several traditional games to try in celebration for Chuseok. It was fun to see the festivities for the holiday and watch the girls curiously explore every corner of the village.
After my visit with the Wasmunds, I went to Busan. I took the slow train, which still only took five hours to travel from the top of the country to the bottom. For this Midwesterner, I found that quite amazing. Busan was lovely: warm weather, hostel right on the beach....doesn't get much better than that! I had the chance to visit one of my dad's old colleagues from New Jersey, Les Miller, who now teaches at a university in Busan. He has lived in Korea for twenty years, so we had a lot of stories to swap! It was neat to meet someone in Korea who could relate about cultural differences and knew my family.
While in Busan, I also went to one of the larger fish markets, a temple located on the cliffs overlooking the ocean...GORGEOUS, and one of the nearby islands overlooking the city. The temple was a beautiful display of architecture and nature combined with such grace. It was the first temple I have visited since travels to Taiwan and Hong Kong, so it was a nice reminder of the nature of Korea Buddhist temples: places of calm serenity, reflections of the Korean Buddhist philosophy.
After a great break, I made my way back to school Thursday for class on Friday. I came back to my dorm to find my roommate had moved in. I had been told my roommate may move in late, but I was beginning to wonder two weeks into class if this roommate was a figment of everyone's imagination. I was happy to find that I had a roommate, it is very strange to be in a room alone with half the space empty, awaiting the existence of that second person. Her name is Hajeong. She is a Senior, 22 years old, meaning that for the first time here in Korea I have a roommate who is older than me. She is very nice, but like many seniors preparing for graduation (which is in February), she is quite busy.
Next week I start exchanges and my Korean Listening class. I am looking forward to finally being in the full swing of things.
I hadn't seen the Wasmunds since I left for Taiwan, so it was great to catch up with them and share stories from my trip. I also received updates from Lily and Olivia about VBS from summer, school, and Lily's new Ballet class. I stayed at the Wasmunds home, so I got to be a part of the family for a few days. It was nice to have homecooked meals and the play with the girls. They taught me some of their dances from VBS, played games, and read a lot. I am amazed by how curious the girls are about everything, constantly asking questions that I would have never thought of at their age. I think it will be very interesting as they grow to see how they learn and develop. They are very smart and love to learn, which makes me believe that they will do great things.
One of the coolest things for me was when Lily brought out her completed Explode the Code book, the same book that I learned phonics and writing. Talking with her about combining letters to create words by "sounding it out" brought back so many memories for me of writing my first letters very carefully with my mom sitting beside me. I feel like that journey of learning that I started at my kitchen table with that first book continues to this day as I study here in Korea. It is a pretty cool concept to think of how far you come from those early steps, yet the love for learning continues.
While at the Wasmunds, I also had the chance to visit Jongmyo Shrine and a Hanok Village. Jongmyo is the Confucian shrine where the ancestral tablets of the Kings and Queens of the Joseon dynasty are kept. It is that last East Asian nation where this Confucian tradition of caring for the deceased royalty remains. Every May, the Korean government carries out the traditional ceremony that would have been continued by the king. It consists of scholars bringing the tablets out of their shrines, preparing food for the kings and queens, and placing it for them "eat." After an assigned span of time, the food is consumed by the scholars, indicating that the deceased leaders have blessed the coming year for the nation. It is an interesting perspective on filial piety: the king would carry this out in gratitude to his ancestors and in return they would bless his coming year of rule. It was an interesting place to be sure. There were two buildings that looked like large Asian style warehouses that are used to house the ancestors. It displayed for me again just how much Confucianism is embedded and embraced in this culture.
I went to the Hanok Village with Matt and the girls. It consisted of relocated traditional houses and several traditional games to try in celebration for Chuseok. It was fun to see the festivities for the holiday and watch the girls curiously explore every corner of the village.
After my visit with the Wasmunds, I went to Busan. I took the slow train, which still only took five hours to travel from the top of the country to the bottom. For this Midwesterner, I found that quite amazing. Busan was lovely: warm weather, hostel right on the beach....doesn't get much better than that! I had the chance to visit one of my dad's old colleagues from New Jersey, Les Miller, who now teaches at a university in Busan. He has lived in Korea for twenty years, so we had a lot of stories to swap! It was neat to meet someone in Korea who could relate about cultural differences and knew my family.
While in Busan, I also went to one of the larger fish markets, a temple located on the cliffs overlooking the ocean...GORGEOUS, and one of the nearby islands overlooking the city. The temple was a beautiful display of architecture and nature combined with such grace. It was the first temple I have visited since travels to Taiwan and Hong Kong, so it was a nice reminder of the nature of Korea Buddhist temples: places of calm serenity, reflections of the Korean Buddhist philosophy.
After a great break, I made my way back to school Thursday for class on Friday. I came back to my dorm to find my roommate had moved in. I had been told my roommate may move in late, but I was beginning to wonder two weeks into class if this roommate was a figment of everyone's imagination. I was happy to find that I had a roommate, it is very strange to be in a room alone with half the space empty, awaiting the existence of that second person. Her name is Hajeong. She is a Senior, 22 years old, meaning that for the first time here in Korea I have a roommate who is older than me. She is very nice, but like many seniors preparing for graduation (which is in February), she is quite busy.
Next week I start exchanges and my Korean Listening class. I am looking forward to finally being in the full swing of things.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
CELA Travels to India and concludes
This week, the final week of camp, brings us to India! Petrea wrote most of the curriculum, so we once again had a contrasting form of course materials. She did a great job writing some interesting lesson plans, I think because she had visited India a few years ago and found it very interesting. Some of the most notable lessons included: Indian dress which included trying on a Sari, cooking Naan with Judy, playing Cricket with a Cricket paddle (quite different from baseball), and Indian music.
I had group C, the same group I had the first week. It was nice to come full circle and teach that class of very thoughtful kids again. My group really liked making Naan, especially eating it! They also like playing Cricket, especially the girls. The boys tried to swing like in baseball, but it is a completely different kind of game. The girls caught on how to swing and scored a lot of runs for their teams. They also seemed interested in the music class, where I included a few videos of snake charmers which they found very intriguing.
For Bible School, we taught the Easter story. Petrea suggested we watch a video about Easter and then review the story in the Bible verse station (the part that I taught). The video taught the Easter story with a bit of a strange spin, so I pretty much had to retell the story during our time. I'm not sure how much it stuck with the kids considering they heard the story in two very different contexts, but it is a step. We played musical chairs to help remember the verse, which was a lot of fun and really helped them remember.
On Thursday, we devoted the class time to first landing our "plane" in Taiwan, bringing our trip around the world to a close. We then taught the story of Grace (Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and its relevance in our lives) We had been preparing for this class for about a week, seeing that it would be our last chance to display to our students why faith is so important to us and how we want to share that hope with them. Cana with the help of Erin translated "The Father's Love Letter" into Chinese for the class. We also made a worksheet with the story of Grace and questions concerning it. We also had a craft that had a verse about God's unending love to make in class.
I was concerned that my class may not understand the concepts that I was trying to display to them. Cana can speak Mandarin and Petrea has worked with these kids, so I feel like they would be able to reach their groups well. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give my group understanding and give me the words to say. I took my time teaching this lesson because I felt like it was the most important. We first read the story of Grace and worked on the worksheet. I was quite surprised by their responses. Many of them gave me very genuine and thoughtful answers. Reiterating some of the aspects of the story in questions, I received many answers that were spot on. Even with a language barrier and many foreign concepts for this culture, I feel like seeds were planted. Do I know exactly where they are faith wise? No, but I know that every journey begins with a step and I think that many kids took their first steps in that class. When will they take the next step? Maybe next week, in year, or fifty years. I don't know, but I do know that I was an instrument for that journey to begin or continue, and someday another person will continue where I left.
Friday was our last day of camp and our final field trip. We visited a rice noodle factory, which included a yummy snack of cold noodles. We then visited an oyster farm. We made a craft with oyster shells and then searched for shells in an oyster-less pool. It was fun to get muddy and explore with the kids. The final place we visited was a park adjacent to the beach. We walked to the beach, spotting a wind farm on the way. The beach was rocky, so we just walked along the coast. It was quite bittersweet to spend this last day with the kids. After a month of teaching, playing, and laughing with them, it was hard to say goodbye, especially with so many asking "You're coming back next year right?" After goodbyes with the kids, I had to say goodbyes to my coteachers at CELA. That was equally as hard. In four short weeks, we have all become very good friends. We have traveled around Chiayi county together, had countless dinners together, and had discussions about faith, life, and a variety of other things. I found that I witnessed to my coworkers as much if not more than the students, which I was not expecting but was glad that the opportunity arose.
My last night in Taiwan was spent at Friday night Bible study at the Lutheran church in Chiayi with the fellow Christians of the city. It was a nice way to end this experience, bonding with the body of Christ in this place. After the Bible study, I ran to the night market with Erin for one last walk around this very Taiwanese place. Scootering back to the Practice Hotel, it hit me how much I will miss Taiwan. It is so different from Korea, but I find it beautiful in its own way. Life moves at a much slower pace than Korea and people have a very honest way about themselves. It will be strange to return to the very plugged in, fast paced culture in Seoul after spending a month in small town Taiwan.
After packing and goodbyes at the practice hotel, it was time to head to the airport. My flight for Hong Kong was scheduled for about 8am the next morning, so Cana and I left on a bus for the airport around 2am. It was a very long journey, especially since we didn't sleep before the bus and didn't want to sleep on the bus to make sure we didn't miss anything. We arrived at the airport around 6am. I checked in and said goodbye to Cana, who would board a plane for the USA later that morning. Cana and I were partners in crime teaching at the camp from start to finish. In that time we were able to work together, discuss matters of faith and current events, and learn more about Taiwan together. She encouraged me in my faith by her genuine love for God. I will miss her very much and hope that someday we can work together on another trip.
So this journey has come to an end. There are so many things that I take away from this experience.
First, I was reminded that there are so many things that are universal, namely:
1. Regardless of the culture, kids are kids
2. The desire for a connection with the Creator and a means of salvation after death is the fundamental search for every man.
Second, it is important to open your eyes to every aspect of a culture in order to understand the big picture. The more I learned about the way of life, religion, and history of Taiwan, the more I could see why my coworkers and students thought and acted in the way they did.
Third, unexpected situations will occur, but it is those events that are really meaningful. I did not expect that our ministry to the teachers would be a prominent as it would, but because of that, the two Christians in the office will be having a Bible study with the other teachers at the request of the non-Christian teachers.
Fourth, God's timing is not what I expected, but He can see the big picture and I am merely an instrument to reveal a piece of that picture. This is something that I have been learning through LAMP and now here in Taiwan. While I can't see the seeds grow and blossom, I was a part of planting them to be nurtured by the other teachers at CELA. It is my prayer that each of the children and teachers of this camp will grow in faith in the coming years.
I had group C, the same group I had the first week. It was nice to come full circle and teach that class of very thoughtful kids again. My group really liked making Naan, especially eating it! They also like playing Cricket, especially the girls. The boys tried to swing like in baseball, but it is a completely different kind of game. The girls caught on how to swing and scored a lot of runs for their teams. They also seemed interested in the music class, where I included a few videos of snake charmers which they found very intriguing.
For Bible School, we taught the Easter story. Petrea suggested we watch a video about Easter and then review the story in the Bible verse station (the part that I taught). The video taught the Easter story with a bit of a strange spin, so I pretty much had to retell the story during our time. I'm not sure how much it stuck with the kids considering they heard the story in two very different contexts, but it is a step. We played musical chairs to help remember the verse, which was a lot of fun and really helped them remember.
On Thursday, we devoted the class time to first landing our "plane" in Taiwan, bringing our trip around the world to a close. We then taught the story of Grace (Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and its relevance in our lives) We had been preparing for this class for about a week, seeing that it would be our last chance to display to our students why faith is so important to us and how we want to share that hope with them. Cana with the help of Erin translated "The Father's Love Letter" into Chinese for the class. We also made a worksheet with the story of Grace and questions concerning it. We also had a craft that had a verse about God's unending love to make in class.
I was concerned that my class may not understand the concepts that I was trying to display to them. Cana can speak Mandarin and Petrea has worked with these kids, so I feel like they would be able to reach their groups well. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would give my group understanding and give me the words to say. I took my time teaching this lesson because I felt like it was the most important. We first read the story of Grace and worked on the worksheet. I was quite surprised by their responses. Many of them gave me very genuine and thoughtful answers. Reiterating some of the aspects of the story in questions, I received many answers that were spot on. Even with a language barrier and many foreign concepts for this culture, I feel like seeds were planted. Do I know exactly where they are faith wise? No, but I know that every journey begins with a step and I think that many kids took their first steps in that class. When will they take the next step? Maybe next week, in year, or fifty years. I don't know, but I do know that I was an instrument for that journey to begin or continue, and someday another person will continue where I left.
Friday was our last day of camp and our final field trip. We visited a rice noodle factory, which included a yummy snack of cold noodles. We then visited an oyster farm. We made a craft with oyster shells and then searched for shells in an oyster-less pool. It was fun to get muddy and explore with the kids. The final place we visited was a park adjacent to the beach. We walked to the beach, spotting a wind farm on the way. The beach was rocky, so we just walked along the coast. It was quite bittersweet to spend this last day with the kids. After a month of teaching, playing, and laughing with them, it was hard to say goodbye, especially with so many asking "You're coming back next year right?" After goodbyes with the kids, I had to say goodbyes to my coteachers at CELA. That was equally as hard. In four short weeks, we have all become very good friends. We have traveled around Chiayi county together, had countless dinners together, and had discussions about faith, life, and a variety of other things. I found that I witnessed to my coworkers as much if not more than the students, which I was not expecting but was glad that the opportunity arose.
My last night in Taiwan was spent at Friday night Bible study at the Lutheran church in Chiayi with the fellow Christians of the city. It was a nice way to end this experience, bonding with the body of Christ in this place. After the Bible study, I ran to the night market with Erin for one last walk around this very Taiwanese place. Scootering back to the Practice Hotel, it hit me how much I will miss Taiwan. It is so different from Korea, but I find it beautiful in its own way. Life moves at a much slower pace than Korea and people have a very honest way about themselves. It will be strange to return to the very plugged in, fast paced culture in Seoul after spending a month in small town Taiwan.
After packing and goodbyes at the practice hotel, it was time to head to the airport. My flight for Hong Kong was scheduled for about 8am the next morning, so Cana and I left on a bus for the airport around 2am. It was a very long journey, especially since we didn't sleep before the bus and didn't want to sleep on the bus to make sure we didn't miss anything. We arrived at the airport around 6am. I checked in and said goodbye to Cana, who would board a plane for the USA later that morning. Cana and I were partners in crime teaching at the camp from start to finish. In that time we were able to work together, discuss matters of faith and current events, and learn more about Taiwan together. She encouraged me in my faith by her genuine love for God. I will miss her very much and hope that someday we can work together on another trip.
So this journey has come to an end. There are so many things that I take away from this experience.
First, I was reminded that there are so many things that are universal, namely:
1. Regardless of the culture, kids are kids
2. The desire for a connection with the Creator and a means of salvation after death is the fundamental search for every man.
Second, it is important to open your eyes to every aspect of a culture in order to understand the big picture. The more I learned about the way of life, religion, and history of Taiwan, the more I could see why my coworkers and students thought and acted in the way they did.
Third, unexpected situations will occur, but it is those events that are really meaningful. I did not expect that our ministry to the teachers would be a prominent as it would, but because of that, the two Christians in the office will be having a Bible study with the other teachers at the request of the non-Christian teachers.
Fourth, God's timing is not what I expected, but He can see the big picture and I am merely an instrument to reveal a piece of that picture. This is something that I have been learning through LAMP and now here in Taiwan. While I can't see the seeds grow and blossom, I was a part of planting them to be nurtured by the other teachers at CELA. It is my prayer that each of the children and teachers of this camp will grow in faith in the coming years.
Back to the Books!
Alright...I'm back in school again. It is weird to think I am halfway through my college years. I think these next two years will fly by even faster than the last two.
I have my classes all set for the semester and here they are in no particular order:
Korean Speaking
Korean Writing
Korean Listening
Global Strategies of Korean Business
Cultural Internship Discussion (CID)
So the majority of my classes are Korean language courses. It will be quite a challenge but I am excited for the opportunity to really understand the fundamental aspects of this language so that I can expand on it when I return to SEMO. One of my biggest fears about transitioning back to SEMO is that I will not be equipped with the tools I need to continue my study of this fascinating language. These language course I believe will help me keep my studies up.
The business class sounds like it will be very interesting as well. It consists of discussions, presentations of various Korean companies, and field trips to several manufacturing plants (possibly Samsung, Hyundai....) While I am not usually too interested in business classes, I find the history and modern application of the Korean economy and leading businesses to be absolutely fascinating and it will be fun to learn about it in Korea.
Another exciting installment is that I was elected to be a member of the International Student Body on campus. I along with two other international students will be responsible to bridge the communication with the international students and the international office. I am very excited to have this opportunity to help students have a great semester in Korea. I feel like I have a lot of knowledge and experience with working with the international office that I can ensure that this continues to be a good semester. The other two guys on the student body are very responsible and enthusiastic as well, so I think we will mesh well together.
My suitemates are very sweet. One of them, Yaewon, was my suitemate last semester, so I am very happy to have her in my suite again. Another suitemate, Chahee, was in my Korean history class and is always asking me questions about English (she is an English literature major). My suitemates are either freshmen or sophomores, so I am the oldest in my suite. It is such a contrast to my first semester, where I was the youngest among mostly juniors and seniors.
This weekend is Chuseok, so I will be traveling a bit over the week long holiday. I will update you guys about my adventures when I get back!
I have my classes all set for the semester and here they are in no particular order:
Korean Speaking
Korean Writing
Korean Listening
Global Strategies of Korean Business
Cultural Internship Discussion (CID)
So the majority of my classes are Korean language courses. It will be quite a challenge but I am excited for the opportunity to really understand the fundamental aspects of this language so that I can expand on it when I return to SEMO. One of my biggest fears about transitioning back to SEMO is that I will not be equipped with the tools I need to continue my study of this fascinating language. These language course I believe will help me keep my studies up.
The business class sounds like it will be very interesting as well. It consists of discussions, presentations of various Korean companies, and field trips to several manufacturing plants (possibly Samsung, Hyundai....) While I am not usually too interested in business classes, I find the history and modern application of the Korean economy and leading businesses to be absolutely fascinating and it will be fun to learn about it in Korea.
Another exciting installment is that I was elected to be a member of the International Student Body on campus. I along with two other international students will be responsible to bridge the communication with the international students and the international office. I am very excited to have this opportunity to help students have a great semester in Korea. I feel like I have a lot of knowledge and experience with working with the international office that I can ensure that this continues to be a good semester. The other two guys on the student body are very responsible and enthusiastic as well, so I think we will mesh well together.
My suitemates are very sweet. One of them, Yaewon, was my suitemate last semester, so I am very happy to have her in my suite again. Another suitemate, Chahee, was in my Korean history class and is always asking me questions about English (she is an English literature major). My suitemates are either freshmen or sophomores, so I am the oldest in my suite. It is such a contrast to my first semester, where I was the youngest among mostly juniors and seniors.
This weekend is Chuseok, so I will be traveling a bit over the week long holiday. I will update you guys about my adventures when I get back!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Weekend in Chiayi
We spent the weekend exploring more of Chiayi. It has been our home for three weeks, but there was still a lot that we had not seen. On Saturday, we went to a local craftsman's home to make pottery. It has been a long time since I have been able to using a pottery wheel, so it was quite a challenge. I eventually was able to muster a side dish bowl that will be quite useful at home when I cook Korean food. The area around the shop was absolutely lovely with open spaces filled with rice paddies.
We then ate dinner together with Judy dand her family and then walked around Chiayi park. It was beautiful to see the park come to life at night. As the sun went down, the park came to life with lights and the elderly doing various activities. We joined a group of older ladies practicing drums, trying to learn a series of rhythms as they tried to give us directions in Mandarin. It was quite a sight! They were very sweet and laughed with us as we tried to keep up.
We then went to the top of Chiayi tower, which is located in the park. It was late, so we were the only people in the observatory. It was beautiful to see this expansive town from above, the dark expanse below lighting up as it go darker.
Sunday morning we went to church at two different Lutheran churches in the city. We first went to the service with the missionaries with the service translated in English by one of the members. Once again we had those earpieces as we listened to the service. It was quite bittersweet knowing that this would be the last week I would be worshiping with these friends in Taiwan. Even though we were only there for a month, the pastor and members were so welcoming and were a great encouragement for me. After this service, we went to Pearl's church. Pearl is one of the teachers at CELA and one of two Christians in the office. She has incredible faith and continually tries to answer her coworkers questions about Christianity. We attended her church's first English service, which was a combination of praise songs and a Bible study. It was nice to attend a very informal service and have some discussion time with the members.
On our way back to the Practice Hotel, we came across several families burning ghost money outside their homes and stores. The middle of August is the beginning of Ghost Month for the Taiwanese, a superstitious time where people believe that the dead return to the living world to pay a visit. Taiwanese believe that during this time they should leave food and burn paper that is called Ghost Money for their dead relatives and other wandering spirits. These acts ensure that the coming year will be prosperous.
It is something that I think is very unique to Taiwan. The Communist revolutions on the Mainland have pretty much wiped out any remnants of traditional rituals. Japan and Korea both have some form of ancient superstition (namely Shintoism, which is still annually recognized by the Japanese, and for Korea Shamanism, which is only utilized by the most superstitious for things like future plans) but both of these cultures do not practice their traditional religion with as much zeal as the Taiwanese.
For the majority of Taiwanese, this time of year is filled with fear in failing to complete ritual. Many of the shops were closed today because of the belief that this is the day that the spirits visit in search for food and Ghost Money.
It breaks my heart especially to see the terror on face of children as they witness their parents fearfully burning paper and leaving food on their doorstep. Most of the kids in the camp have talked about how they dislike this time of year because they are afraid of the ghosts. It has been a great opportunity for me to share that they do not have to fear these spirits, because God is so much greater than them. I think it is hard for them to understand this concept when the fear of ghosts permeates in so many aspects of society, especially in Chiayi. I continue to pray that the Light will shine through the darkness that continues to seize so many people in Taiwan.
We then ate dinner together with Judy dand her family and then walked around Chiayi park. It was beautiful to see the park come to life at night. As the sun went down, the park came to life with lights and the elderly doing various activities. We joined a group of older ladies practicing drums, trying to learn a series of rhythms as they tried to give us directions in Mandarin. It was quite a sight! They were very sweet and laughed with us as we tried to keep up.
We then went to the top of Chiayi tower, which is located in the park. It was late, so we were the only people in the observatory. It was beautiful to see this expansive town from above, the dark expanse below lighting up as it go darker.
Sunday morning we went to church at two different Lutheran churches in the city. We first went to the service with the missionaries with the service translated in English by one of the members. Once again we had those earpieces as we listened to the service. It was quite bittersweet knowing that this would be the last week I would be worshiping with these friends in Taiwan. Even though we were only there for a month, the pastor and members were so welcoming and were a great encouragement for me. After this service, we went to Pearl's church. Pearl is one of the teachers at CELA and one of two Christians in the office. She has incredible faith and continually tries to answer her coworkers questions about Christianity. We attended her church's first English service, which was a combination of praise songs and a Bible study. It was nice to attend a very informal service and have some discussion time with the members.
On our way back to the Practice Hotel, we came across several families burning ghost money outside their homes and stores. The middle of August is the beginning of Ghost Month for the Taiwanese, a superstitious time where people believe that the dead return to the living world to pay a visit. Taiwanese believe that during this time they should leave food and burn paper that is called Ghost Money for their dead relatives and other wandering spirits. These acts ensure that the coming year will be prosperous.
It is something that I think is very unique to Taiwan. The Communist revolutions on the Mainland have pretty much wiped out any remnants of traditional rituals. Japan and Korea both have some form of ancient superstition (namely Shintoism, which is still annually recognized by the Japanese, and for Korea Shamanism, which is only utilized by the most superstitious for things like future plans) but both of these cultures do not practice their traditional religion with as much zeal as the Taiwanese.
For the majority of Taiwanese, this time of year is filled with fear in failing to complete ritual. Many of the shops were closed today because of the belief that this is the day that the spirits visit in search for food and Ghost Money.
It breaks my heart especially to see the terror on face of children as they witness their parents fearfully burning paper and leaving food on their doorstep. Most of the kids in the camp have talked about how they dislike this time of year because they are afraid of the ghosts. It has been a great opportunity for me to share that they do not have to fear these spirits, because God is so much greater than them. I think it is hard for them to understand this concept when the fear of ghosts permeates in so many aspects of society, especially in Chiayi. I continue to pray that the Light will shine through the darkness that continues to seize so many people in Taiwan.
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