oh... what to say. I try to imagine the difficulty for students who want to study abroad. It depends on the experience and identity of the person however I think we are geared certain ways; collective and individual.

I can begin to understand the struggle some students may have trying to immerse themselves into a culture of individulism when I compare my struggle to empathize with the collective. Coming from a culture where the norm is to flow; be harmonious; and seek to blend an transition to a culture where you must develop a personality; promote a character; and depend on your own individuality to distinguish yourself. This can be a daunting task. I think so because I find that I can only bend my indidivuality so much to fit the collective. I find that I can only go so far until I feel I am betraying myself and my sense of reason.

To follow the group.... what does this mean? I struggle with the logic. To follow the group means to disconnect with your own sense of guidance and direction, no? How does a collective group flow? I think its always controlled by  strong or dominant member-- rarely is it a collective decison. There are those who influence the group's decisons, and those who follow them. I struggle with this. Sometimes I feel the collective is car without a driver, and we don't where its going, but we still decide to sit in the vehicle.

Traditionally a collective group follows the most experienced and the oldest, at leasr that is the Korean methodology. However, I have not experienced that within our group of U.S students. Technically I am a the oldest and most experienced, yet I am completely disregarded and ignored. For me I struggle with this also.... I feel out of place.

The feeling of being unable to relate and meet my needs is a real experience, and it can be experinced within a group not so different from your own. I wish those students the best of luck, I am with them.

I realize more and more what it is I would like to do. Its refreshing to be in a country like Korea. I have gotten out my frustration of not knowing. Now I feel the excitement and normal'ness' of living day to day in a unknown environment. It is certiainly my goal to live and work abroad, in a place like this.
The time with the kids was very special. The set-up provided a great oppurtunity to bond through physical and emotional space, for both the children and myself. If I was only teaching English  do not think I would have had the level contact that we did. Many of the kids had a lot of pent up energy and behaved extremely individualistically... very surpising no?
They challenged and experiemented with authority throughout our time, but eventually a balance was struck and the kids felt welcoming and open to my presence. Given the space and format I was succesfully able acheive the stated objecttives: to provide interaction and a positive experience for the kids as a foreigner.

I had asked Ms. Yim, "how am I supposed to identify what is a copy or not, I assume everything is a copy in Namdaemun."

She repsonded by stating that yes, I assume that everything is a copy, but why? What does the setting or place have to do with the concept of autheniticity? From the street market to the fancy department store how does my consuming engine shift gears, and how does my market mind analyze the landscape?

I dont really have a response, except that I realize I would be pressed to purchase buy a real rolex. I would be more likely to buy a copy or cheaper brand, from Namdemun market and have a good loking watch. Status and class come along with the purchase, and the location. This feeds into conumser behaviors and ideas of how they construct their identity?

The DMZ tour wasnt neccesarily what I had expected it to be. I feel that I could bring my whole family to the the zone has historical tour and fun evening out. I originally did not have this perspective, rather I believed the tension and conflict would be much more intense and provacative. I did not get that feeling.

I learned a great deal of information that I did not learn until then. I did not know farming and argiculture is done in the near the DMZ and around. Cultural products such as ginseng made here have become sources of national pride.

The tunnels were quite remarkable. Now that I think about, if N.Koreans were using dynamite how would have they ever expected to mount a secret attack without going undetected? It just seems to me to be a very alarming technique to use if your trying to be stealthy.

I found the looking across the other side to the opposite peep hole, I just wondered is there someone looking at us somewhere in that black space?

Somthing has changed in me recently. I had origannaly entered Korean with very hars criticism and critical observations of what I thought could be different and improved. I have been critical of consumption, gender roles, and individuality in society. These are still important subject to me, however I feel differently now then I did before. Having had dinner with a Korean family and seeing each generation at the table leading from the end of WWII around me was very humbling. The most powerful moment was when I heard the grandmother share some of her expereince with me. She spoke in Japanese at times, which is a result from imperial occupation. Also she has brothers and sister who she doesn't even know whether or not are still living or not in North Korea. I realized that the issues and conflict for Korea are still very fresh, and many things have not been resolved. I can't imagine the devastation the country had been in before modernization. Now perpsective has shifted to that of a more moderate perspective, "I can't judge them or blame them, if was in the position they were in I would be tying very hard to everything I could too, to change my situation." They havejust started to break away from a difficult past and experience with thier neighbors. I withhold my judgment, they still working everything out.

Hello Bloggers and viewers,

   My name is Dante Michael, and I am traveling to Korea through a study abroad program offered through my college, the University of Michigan. Myself and  a dozen other students are here to learn more about Korean culture, specifically issues pertaining to Korean and U.S Military's, Food and Sustainability, International Relationships and Domestic Policy, and Education among other interactive experiences that have been planned. I arrived in Seoul nearly a week and half earlier than the program date. My experience thus far as not been what I expected from both a individual perspective and a conceptual one.

    From an individual perspective I found myself immersed into a party and drinking culture when I arrived. I made my stay in Hongdae, which is known for its party culture and conspicuous consumption trends. I quickly realized without proper restraint I could eventually become bankrupted and could develop severe health issues caused by excessive drinking and lack of sleep. I love to dance and drink (to an extent) so I liberally participated in the club and party life at first and found clubs here to be very different than ones back in the States. The center of attention of all patrons is the DJ(s). Everyone uniformly stand mashed together in rows while usually exhibiting little variety in their expression of the music-- everyone seems to be dancing and doing the same thing. I found this absolutely bizarre and honestly a bit creepy. I felt I had seen yet one more example of a Asia where people conform to a social standard and lack individuality. On my trip here in Korea my goals is to find examples where this stereotype does not hold sway. How do Koreans express their individuality?


More to come....

Day 1 GCC Travel Journal (5/7/12)

     My goal is to accurately describe my experience while here in Korea. I have been in Seoul for nearly two weeks and already I have formed a whirlwind of rationalizations, explanations, but most of all questions concerning the cultural and social phenomena I have experienced. I find some of these experiences and observations very interesting and positive, while others are concerting and negative. I seek to fill in this picture, that is to say “Korea,” with “content.”

      I am the kind of person who desires to look at the big picture, which means I want to understand the macro organizations and scheme of things. I like to think big! However, my perspective places me at a disadvantage. I am susceptible to overstate and generalize where sometimes there is not enough support or evidence to make a truthful claim—at best it’s a relatively honest opinion. I want to avoid this trap of generalization which can quickly transform into stereotypes. Having said this, my goal is to be objective and insightful as possible, yet at the same time I will be completely honest about what I think I see. It’s imperative that I begin the “process of understanding” by challenging my own experiences and interpretations by discussing them, in order to reveal a clearer picture of the truth.