Clark Miljush Blog 7-1-09

I went to the Gyeongbokgung Palace today. I have heard that the Korean language was derived from the Chinese but it also seemed like Korean architecture borrowed from the Chinese as well. The style of the buildings in this palace reminded me of the Forbidden City in Beijing. What really made the connection between the two civilizations was these statues that were placed along the roof lines. In both China and Korea the figures are larger towards the top of the roof and progressive get smaller as the roof slopes down. The figures are animals which look like bulls and dragons. At the temple I also visited the museum where I was able to view some of their ancient artwork which was fantastic. One of the best things about Korean museums and temples is the cost. I paid only three dollars to visit this piece of history in Korea.

Clark Miljush Blog 6-30-09

We went to the DMZ today. When we arrived it was obvious that the South Koreans are prepared for a potential invasion. One way they are prepared that I found interesting was the huge blocks of concrete supported over the roads. In the event of an invasion the supports would be destroyed by detonating charges and thus blocking North Korean vehicles from traveling into South Korea. The actual land between North and South Korea has become an uninhabited, beautiful area of nature.

The other neat adventure we went on in the DMZ was exploring the tunnels that North Korea had built to invade the south. The tunnels were dug through solid granite several hundred feet below the surface. There is actually four tunnels that were discovered since the mid seventies, some of them are actually large enough to drive vehicles through.

There was a building that was devoted to the history of the DMZ. I had never heard of the many confrontations between North and South Korean troops, and the US soldiers that were killed in the DMZ. Some of the incidents were sever enough that the two sides could have gone to war again, yet South Korea's desire to reunite peacefully instead of through war has shown through. I truly admire their commitment to peace and unity of the Korean peninsula.

Clark Miljush Blog 6-29-09

I didn't do much exploring of new areas today. I did however pick up my custom made Korean dress shirt. We had been fitted and ordered the shirts right before we left for China. The Korean men like to wear their cloths slightly tighter than Americans.

Clark Miljush Blog 6-20-09

We left Seoul Korea yesterday to visit Jeju Island. This experience has been fantastic. The island is very beautiful and well kept. I could describe the waterfalls I saw, the unique formation of rocks along the coast, or the lava caves but I would prefer to discuss my experience with 11 Korean's I randomly met on the beach here in Jeju. After a day of exploring I topped it off by going down to the beach and was just sitting watching the waves. As a group of Koreans walked by one said “hello, enjoy Korea”, and I responded “hello, and I am having wonderful time.” It sparked a conversation and they asked me to go swimming in the ocean with them. I happily agreed. As we swam we discussed where we were from, and where we are headed in life. After our swim I asked them the best way to get back to my hotel and then the Korean's offered to give me a ride back to my hotel which I accepted.

As we were driving along the group would all choose a song and sing. So as we clapped our hands, sang songs and talked, I learned an incredible amount about Korean culture. I learned they are passionate about soccer, they know more about American politics than most Americans. One crucial realization I had was is; in an informal environment the Koreans can simply let loose and have fun like Americans do

Clark Miljush Blog 6-19-09

Today we were guests of the largest Korean Law Firm, Kim and Chang's. We went to their main office and had a briefing on how they conduct their local and international practice. We met an attorney who was actually from America and he now lives in Korea and advises international corporations.

The firm then took us all to a very nice lunch at a place which was hidden up in the hills of Seoul. They had ordered a vegetarian lunch for all of us. I believe it was a seven course meal of all Korean food. I remember these three fried patties, one was actually fried kimchee.

After the meeting with the firm, a group of us made a dash for the airport for we were taking a short trip to beautiful Jeju Island. We actually missed our flight by a mere five minutes. However, the excellent airline, Asiana, put on the next flight for free. After arriving in

Clark Miljush Blog 6-18-09

Today we went out to a lively district of the city. The night life reminded me of Vegas, except the buildings were all much closer together, but the fun continued throughout the night. I learned a couple valuable lessons today. The first lesson was when I fell victim to cultural imperialism today. It was when I was attempting to place an order. In American you simply tell the bartender what you want, pay him and get your order. At this spot, and other places in Korea, you must walk to the front hostess and she takes your order and payment. After I figured out the process I remember thinking, well in America you don't have to waste time walking around..I quickly reminded myself that this is not America and that perhaps there was some underlying cultural reason for the system of ordering, paying and receiving.

The second lesson I learned was that introductions are incredibly important in Korean culture. There was three girls celebrating a birthday. They noticed we were observing them and so they invited us over to talk. We introduced ourselves before I knew it, they were offering us food, we were exchanging contact information and the we went dancing. At the end of the night the girls stated “now we are friends”. There has been several times where I have been talking to some Koreans and at the end of the conversation they stated something along the lines of us now being friends. I wonder if when Koreans establish this title of “friends” do the newcomers to the group get included in all everyday activities, like a brotherhood, or is it like America where usually the newcomers slowly get included into more and more of the activities of the group.

Clark Miljush Blog 6-16-09

As I exited my airplane and ventured into the Korean airport I mentally prepped myself for a bombardment of salesmen. I visualized how I would reject the sales pitches of time share offers and taxi drivers, which I have encountered in places from the Bahamas to Florida and Mexico. To my pleasant surprise I was met by some of the most polite people I have ever encountered. The taxi drivers offered their services but once I refused they didn't push harder, they simply said something along the lines of enjoy Korea, and I surely have.

One part of life here in Korea that I found interesting is the tipping your waiter or waitress. At home I usually groan at the idea of tipping a bad server, and I loath the debate of “should I leave 15 or 20% for good service?” Here in Korea there is no tipping. Ironically I now find myself, since I am not obligated to tip, wanting to leave a tip for the excellent service by these individuals. It may be that I am grateful of their tolerance of my inability to speak in Korean, or that I appreciate the menu having pictures so I can point to what I want to eat, but I think it is actually the entire experience of an excellent meal and a pleasant experience without the expectation of a tip. And so I find myself thinking a tip is the only way I can communicate that I have enjoyed myself more than I expected to. Yet it is considered offensive to leave a tip so I do not, instead I can only slightly bow and say “kamsahamnida” (thank you).

The transportation in Korea is also much different. As I prepared for traveling and sight seeing at home I never thought much to how I would get around. The streets are very narrow and parking a car would be ridiculous. Now that I actually think about it, I haven't seen a parking lot since I have been here. The subway is actually a great way to travel. It is well mapped and easy to navigate. I also learned something about Korea culture in the subway. They are very quiet people. I have been on the subway in Washington D.C. and the noise level is much higher there than in Korea. Conversation volume is kept to a minimum on the subway in Korea, that is if people are talking at all. However, there are times when Korean's are loud. For example, one night at a quiet restaurant we sat on the floor eating our dinner (traditional Korean seating), I nearly jumped off of the floor as a group of six or seven Koreans erupted in unison and shouted what I can only presume to be a traditional toast. And once the toast was over the people resumed a low volume of communication.

Although these things I have discussed (sales pressure, tipping and noise level) may not seem significant, combined with other aspects of Korean culture, they truly creates a unique lifestyle as a whole. I have only been here a few days and already have learned more than a guidebook could ever describe and I look forward to what I will discover tomorrow.