Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Another Palace!
Back with another palace. This time Deouksu palace. The palaces all sort of look the same, I know, but still. These pictures have fall leaves in them. And me. These were taken Sunday, 21/11/11.
By a_seouling
An enactment of some kind. We got there a bit late and the announcer's accent was too thick to completely understand what was said.
By a_seouling
My language partners girlfriend and me wearing hangbok, the traditional Korean (upper-class) dress. It's a much simplified version. And it's kind of fun being a touristy tourist.
By a_seouling
Some trees do still have beautiful autumn leaves.
By a_seouling
This is the courtyard in from of the king's meeting hall. The stones are markers for where persons of different rank are supposed to stand.
By a_seouling
Inside view of the meeting hall.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
A stage. It's quite different from most of the architecture of Korean palaces and temples.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
Road outside the palace. It's said that if you walk there with your significant other, you will break up.
By a_seouling
An enactment of some kind. We got there a bit late and the announcer's accent was too thick to completely understand what was said.
By a_seouling
My language partners girlfriend and me wearing hangbok, the traditional Korean (upper-class) dress. It's a much simplified version. And it's kind of fun being a touristy tourist.
By a_seouling
Some trees do still have beautiful autumn leaves.
By a_seouling
This is the courtyard in from of the king's meeting hall. The stones are markers for where persons of different rank are supposed to stand.
By a_seouling
Inside view of the meeting hall.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
A stage. It's quite different from most of the architecture of Korean palaces and temples.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
Road outside the palace. It's said that if you walk there with your significant other, you will break up.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Autumn in Korea
Well, we had the first snowfall of the year yesterday! Not much to brag about, but still... I also took some pictures of my campus yesterday. One of my teachers said that the campus' foliage is unusually pretty this year. It's nothing unique, but it is still very beautiful.
Taken about a week ago. The building to the right is the international studies building.
Same place yesterday.
On the right is the Korean language school and on the left the international dorms.
A little park on campus aka a short cut.
Very English? Me likes anyway. The foliage has mostly fallen off by now, though. It was very red about a week ago. ^^
Flowers blooming and leaves falling off the trees. Interesting.
The road to the main gate. It's looooong. Ok, maybe just long, but when you walk it enough times...
Same
Still the same.
I just found this tree fascinating.
Central library.
The library from a different angle.
A statue that is used as a meeting point/land mark. I don't know how I feel about it.
Taken about a week ago. The building to the right is the international studies building.
Same place yesterday.
On the right is the Korean language school and on the left the international dorms.
A little park on campus aka a short cut.
Very English? Me likes anyway. The foliage has mostly fallen off by now, though. It was very red about a week ago. ^^
Flowers blooming and leaves falling off the trees. Interesting.
The road to the main gate. It's looooong. Ok, maybe just long, but when you walk it enough times...
Same
Still the same.
I just found this tree fascinating.
Central library.
The library from a different angle.
A statue that is used as a meeting point/land mark. I don't know how I feel about it.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Everyday Life
My days are usually quite similar. I wake up, go to school, come home, do homework and go to bed. I think it'll get better in a week or so, since I'll be done with exams. For now. I'll have them in another 7 weeks... =(
Our classroom! It's quite sparse, and the desks really suck, but it's got what we need. =)
Any day includes going to the bathroom. Many places have a mix of Western and squatting toilets. If I'm wearing heels, squatting toilets rock - I still need to work on my squatting. Koreans are unfairly good at it. You should see all the ahjumas squatting like it's the simplest thing in the world. It probably is for them, though.
The language school cafeteria sells a bit of everything. Hot meals, drinks, sandwiches, smoked eggs, kimbap, fruit and more. At 1, when classes ends, it's always so full that people find seats outside the cafeteria to eat. Koreans say that the food there is delicious, I think it's just ok.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! These apples are so yummy! Not like the American one's my step-father always insist on buying because they're cheaper. hehe You get this type of Apples in Norway as well. =D
On the metro on the way home. It's rally cheap, but often very crowded. This is in the middle of the day, so it is relatively empty, but finding empty seats is unusual. But then, you burn more calories if you stand! Or so our Korean textbook told us, but I am inclined to think it's true.
A market! Things there are often quite cheap there, especially vegetables and fruit. They're still kind of expensive, though, but I just can't live without fruit and vegetables. I always go here to buy vegetables. People with any economic sense would do so, too. ^ ^
At home, book back dumped on the floor, ready to be studied from! Studying here I come!
Our classroom! It's quite sparse, and the desks really suck, but it's got what we need. =)
Any day includes going to the bathroom. Many places have a mix of Western and squatting toilets. If I'm wearing heels, squatting toilets rock - I still need to work on my squatting. Koreans are unfairly good at it. You should see all the ahjumas squatting like it's the simplest thing in the world. It probably is for them, though.
The language school cafeteria sells a bit of everything. Hot meals, drinks, sandwiches, smoked eggs, kimbap, fruit and more. At 1, when classes ends, it's always so full that people find seats outside the cafeteria to eat. Koreans say that the food there is delicious, I think it's just ok.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! These apples are so yummy! Not like the American one's my step-father always insist on buying because they're cheaper. hehe You get this type of Apples in Norway as well. =D
On the metro on the way home. It's rally cheap, but often very crowded. This is in the middle of the day, so it is relatively empty, but finding empty seats is unusual. But then, you burn more calories if you stand! Or so our Korean textbook told us, but I am inclined to think it's true.
A market! Things there are often quite cheap there, especially vegetables and fruit. They're still kind of expensive, though, but I just can't live without fruit and vegetables. I always go here to buy vegetables. People with any economic sense would do so, too. ^ ^
At home, book back dumped on the floor, ready to be studied from! Studying here I come!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Bbang vs. Bread
I like Korean food, but bread is probably my favourite food. It's quick to prepare, you can have almost anything on it, and in reasonable amounts it's healthy and a good source of fibre and other nutrients.
The bread of which I am speaking is Norwegian bread. Korean bread (bbang), however, isn't what Norwegians would call bread. Usually, bbang is made with sugar and refined flour. They also like to put nuts and fruit in their bbang. Even if you order garlic bbang with cheese, or a sandwich with egg, you are likely to get bbang that contains sugar, with added syrup on top. Yum. To me, that cannot really be called bread - that is called baked goods. Ergo, I would argue that Koreans don't really have a term for bread.
Why am I writing about this? Well, we are learning about what foods are healthy and not healthy. The teacher, of course, termed bread as unhealthy - I disagreed. But then, I was referring to what Norwegians call bread, not Korean bbang. XD We were asked to talk about healthy Norwegian food, how it is made and how it is eaten. And because of that, I REALLY want to go to Norway and have Norwegian bread.
I'd like bread with brown cheese and cucumber; Norvegia cheese with lettuce, or grapes, or cucumber lettuce and tomato; liver pate with mayo; mackerel in tomato sauce; fish pudding with (Norwegian) caviare; eggs with (Norwegian) caviare; low fat cream cheese (though Korean Philadelpia's strawberry is very good); prim; hapå; and the likes. =( I haven't even eaten most of these things in over three years, but now I really, really want to eat them. With a nice cup of tea. I have tea here, but eating breakfast the family and having tea is something I really miss. =(
I'm going to go now and think of Norwegian bread...
The bread of which I am speaking is Norwegian bread. Korean bread (bbang), however, isn't what Norwegians would call bread. Usually, bbang is made with sugar and refined flour. They also like to put nuts and fruit in their bbang. Even if you order garlic bbang with cheese, or a sandwich with egg, you are likely to get bbang that contains sugar, with added syrup on top. Yum. To me, that cannot really be called bread - that is called baked goods. Ergo, I would argue that Koreans don't really have a term for bread.
Why am I writing about this? Well, we are learning about what foods are healthy and not healthy. The teacher, of course, termed bread as unhealthy - I disagreed. But then, I was referring to what Norwegians call bread, not Korean bbang. XD We were asked to talk about healthy Norwegian food, how it is made and how it is eaten. And because of that, I REALLY want to go to Norway and have Norwegian bread.
I'd like bread with brown cheese and cucumber; Norvegia cheese with lettuce, or grapes, or cucumber lettuce and tomato; liver pate with mayo; mackerel in tomato sauce; fish pudding with (Norwegian) caviare; eggs with (Norwegian) caviare; low fat cream cheese (though Korean Philadelpia's strawberry is very good); prim; hapå; and the likes. =( I haven't even eaten most of these things in over three years, but now I really, really want to eat them. With a nice cup of tea. I have tea here, but eating breakfast the family and having tea is something I really miss. =(
I'm going to go now and think of Norwegian bread...
Thursday, October 7, 2010
There are five royal palaces in Seoul. They all have the same kinds of buildings painted in the same style, because in Choseon times (the last dynasty of Korea from 1392-1897) there was a uniform styles for palaces and temples.
I went to the biggest one, Kyeongbok palace, last year and this year I went to Changdeok palace. I liked this one better, because the layout was more diverse at this one. The consturction of Cheongdeok palace was started in 1405. It's been completely rebuilt once, and has undergone several partial reconstructions. It has a very beautiful palace gardens, but we came too late for the guided tours, the only means through which you could enter them.
By a_seouling
I find the contrast between the modern and traditional interesting.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
Tourists!
By a_seouling
I went to the biggest one, Kyeongbok palace, last year and this year I went to Changdeok palace. I liked this one better, because the layout was more diverse at this one. The consturction of Cheongdeok palace was started in 1405. It's been completely rebuilt once, and has undergone several partial reconstructions. It has a very beautiful palace gardens, but we came too late for the guided tours, the only means through which you could enter them.
By a_seouling
I find the contrast between the modern and traditional interesting.
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
By a_seouling
Tourists!
By a_seouling
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Korean Clubs/Koreanske klubber
[Norwegian further down]
Some things are very different in Korea and Norway, one thing is competitiveness. I noticed this when I wanted to join a club at Yonsei, my uni. In Norway clubs are basically open to everyone, except in instances where you need a skill, for example singing, but not always even then.
Not so in Korea. I wanted to join a fitness club and was not prepared for what was to come. First you had to announce your interest, then you were invited to an interview. A group interview. Basically all we had to do was introduce ourselves and say why we wanted to join. And that was it. They said they would contact us the next day, but they didn't contact me. When I asked, I was told I was not on the list. =(
Not only having to be selected is different, but the method of interviewing seems different (it being difficult to assess from only one experience, I can't verify that this is how interviews are usually coducted). Interviews in Norway are often active communication, while here we were supposed to present ourselves in a small speech. Not knowing this, I only introduced myself very shortly, and thus didn't manage to make a good impression.
I might try again if it is possible next semester. Seeing as I am familiar with the procedure, I might be more successful. =D
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Noen ting er veldig forskjellig i Korea og Norge. For eksempel konkurranse instinkt.
Jeg merket det veldig da jeg ville bli medlem i en klubb på Yonsei, universitet mitt. I Norge er klubber for det meste åpne for alle som vil, bortsett fra ting det krever et visst talent, for eksempel synging, men ikke alltid da engang.
Slik er det ikke i Korea. Jeg hadde lyst til å bli medlem i en fitnessklub, men var ikke forberedt på hvordan det ville foregå. Først måtte du vise interesse, så var det et intervju. Et gruppeintervju. Vi måtte egentlig bare introdusere oss og si hvorfor vi ville bli medlem. Og dett var dett. De sa de ville gi oss svar neste dag, men jeg hørte ingenting. Da jeg spurte, fikk jeg vite at jeg ikke var blant de utvalgte.
Det er ikke bare det å måtte bli valgt som er anderledes, men også hvordan intervjuet blir utført virker anderledes (siden jeg bare har én erfaring, kan jeg ikke med sikkerhet si at dette er den vanlige måten). Norske intervjuer er vanligvis basert på aktiv kommunikasjon, mens her skulle vi bare introdusere oss selv i en liten tale. Siden jeg ikke visste om dette, sa jeg veldig lite om meg selv og fikk ikke gitt et godt førsteinntrykk.
Det kan hende jeg prøver meg igjen hvis mulig neste semester. Siden jeg kjenner prosedyren, vil jeg sannsynligvis ha en bedre sjanse i så måte.
Some things are very different in Korea and Norway, one thing is competitiveness. I noticed this when I wanted to join a club at Yonsei, my uni. In Norway clubs are basically open to everyone, except in instances where you need a skill, for example singing, but not always even then.
Not so in Korea. I wanted to join a fitness club and was not prepared for what was to come. First you had to announce your interest, then you were invited to an interview. A group interview. Basically all we had to do was introduce ourselves and say why we wanted to join. And that was it. They said they would contact us the next day, but they didn't contact me. When I asked, I was told I was not on the list. =(
Not only having to be selected is different, but the method of interviewing seems different (it being difficult to assess from only one experience, I can't verify that this is how interviews are usually coducted). Interviews in Norway are often active communication, while here we were supposed to present ourselves in a small speech. Not knowing this, I only introduced myself very shortly, and thus didn't manage to make a good impression.
I might try again if it is possible next semester. Seeing as I am familiar with the procedure, I might be more successful. =D
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Noen ting er veldig forskjellig i Korea og Norge. For eksempel konkurranse instinkt.
Jeg merket det veldig da jeg ville bli medlem i en klubb på Yonsei, universitet mitt. I Norge er klubber for det meste åpne for alle som vil, bortsett fra ting det krever et visst talent, for eksempel synging, men ikke alltid da engang.
Slik er det ikke i Korea. Jeg hadde lyst til å bli medlem i en fitnessklub, men var ikke forberedt på hvordan det ville foregå. Først måtte du vise interesse, så var det et intervju. Et gruppeintervju. Vi måtte egentlig bare introdusere oss og si hvorfor vi ville bli medlem. Og dett var dett. De sa de ville gi oss svar neste dag, men jeg hørte ingenting. Da jeg spurte, fikk jeg vite at jeg ikke var blant de utvalgte.
Det er ikke bare det å måtte bli valgt som er anderledes, men også hvordan intervjuet blir utført virker anderledes (siden jeg bare har én erfaring, kan jeg ikke med sikkerhet si at dette er den vanlige måten). Norske intervjuer er vanligvis basert på aktiv kommunikasjon, mens her skulle vi bare introdusere oss selv i en liten tale. Siden jeg ikke visste om dette, sa jeg veldig lite om meg selv og fikk ikke gitt et godt førsteinntrykk.
Det kan hende jeg prøver meg igjen hvis mulig neste semester. Siden jeg kjenner prosedyren, vil jeg sannsynligvis ha en bedre sjanse i så måte.
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