The Korea Room - Studying Abroad at Governor's School

This year during the Pennsylvania Governor's School, hosted at Penn State University, we had the opportunity do offer a week-long course on Global Agriculture.  The week focused on sharing opportunities in Agriculture across the globe with 27 stellar high school students.  Throughout the week students learned a traditional Malaysian agricultural dance, experienced Indian cuisine, and learned about just how far their food travels from field to place.

Students experiencing traditional Korean Hanbok

In addition to these activities, the Governor's School students had the chance to engage in their first study abroad! With their own Governor's School passports in hand, our students traveled to the Korea House to learn  about six different aspects of Korean culture, all of which we experienced first-hand while on our #AgEd2Korea adventure just a few weeks ago.

It was incredible to see our students so involved in each different station; some students were really competitive at the "Chopstick Challenge" and others were so focused on decoding our Hangul message.  Though some of our students had been to other parts of the world, for many this was their introduction to cultures other than our own.

I believe we provided a positive and memorable first experience in International Agriculture, not only with the Korea House, but with each lesson over the course of the entire week.  Each of our students had a taste of what it was like to study abroad and I am confident that they will each enter the global age of agriculture hungry for knowledge of other cultures and prepared to be those positive agents of change.

However, the students weren't the only ones who benefited from this lesson.  For the six 2015 student teachers that contributed to the lesson, this was great practice for sharing our experiences in our future classroom.  All of the brainpower and hard work that went into creating the Korea Room really challenged us to develop a way of sharing the importance of our journey that impacted each student and allowed them to take part in the experience as well.  Though they may not remember just how kimchi is fermented or how to write their name in Hangul, they will always recall that one time when those crazy Penn State people got all pumped about agriculture in other countries.  And maybe, just maybe, our enthusiasm and our stories will inspire those students to take their own global journey.

Want to check out the Korea House? Click on the video below to get a glimpse of our study abroad!

What surprised you the most about Korea?

As our departure from Korea quickly approaches, we will be posting thoughts and stories from #AgEd2Korea participants to reflect on the breadth, depth and diversity of our experiences here in Korea.  This blog showcases some of the answers to the question, "What surprised you the most about Korea?"

One of the many gourmet meals provided by our gracious hosts

"I was most surprised by the hospitality that I encountered while in country. I can honestly say that I did not have one bad experience while interacting with people. Whether it was while I was shopping, touring, or in the classroom. People were truly excited to meet with us and help us as needed."
 - Deanna

"As we toured the countryside and looked at farms at the different high schools, I was surprised by the amount of technology that these farms used.  I came in expecting a few pastures with some old cows and goats.  But I was blown away by the amount of technology; between the universal use of greenhouses, to seeing a compost aerator, and a robotic milker.   It never stopped amazing me how smoothly technology was integrated into agriculture."

Greenhouse at Yeoju Self-Management High School

 – Howard

"What surprised me the most was how quickly the time seemed to pass by. Today is our very last day in Korea and they say we have been here for a month, but I swear we just arrived yesterday. Each day was filled to the brim with either educational or cultural activities. Even our 'days off' were jammed packed because there was so much to see and do! What I have learned from this though is that every minute you are abroad counts for something. There is always something to be taken from each moment you have."
 – Janae

"I think what surprised me the most was how innovative Korean agriculture is. I was not expecting to see the intensive use of the acreage that we saw while traveling through the Korean countryside. They have extremely intensive production and seem to have a keen awareness of the need for sustainable practices in their country. I was also very impressed at the level of technology and depth of industry education available to high school students!"
– Sarah

The journey has just begun...

Four days left...

This trip has been an amazing opportunity, and unfortunately while our time here in Korea is quickly coming to an end, our journey has just begun. On this trip we've made lots of memories - traveling to different schools, visiting museums, and eating lots of food - but the biggest impact this trip has made on me already has been meeting and getting to know people, especially with the other 19 people in our travel group. 

While all of us got to know each other a little bit over the course of our spring course, there is only so much you can learn about a person during a two-hour, once a week, online course and even within the first few hours of this trip, over three weeks ago, we were learning new things about each other. I have always been told that you don't truly know someone until you spend all your time around them, and spending a month together in a foreign country can certainly speed along that process.

One of my last sunsets in Seoul enjoyed with friends

"The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them" - Amelia E. Barr

The above quote reminds me of just how important who you travel with can be just as important as where you are traveling to. For me, this experience would not have been as influential if not for my travel companions, our partners at the universities, and even the random people who came up to me on the street, whether they wanted to talk to me in English or just wanted to help if I was lost. 

If you had asked me a week ago where I wanted to look for teaching jobs post-graduation I would have said somewhere in the Northeast, not necessarily only in Pennsylvania but in that region. But now that I've had several serious conversations with our mentor teachers on this trip, learning all about their programs and the surrounding programs, this is the first time I've considered moving states away to teach. While I think I've always been open to moving for a teaching job, the distance I would go is much greater now than it was before. While I don't think I'm ready yet to consider moving across the ocean to teach, I am looking forward to visiting Florida and other states, learning about their agricultural education programs, expanding my net of possibilities. 

This experience has been eye-opening for me, not only in learning about the Korean culture, but also about our own, and how we look at and treat the people and world around us. Every encounter I've made while here has been a positive experience, and I think that all of us would agree that no matter whether it was the students we were micro-teaching, the university students we worked with, or the random strangers we met while wandering Insadong, we have learned more from each person we've met than I think we even know right now. 

The great group of people I've shared this experience with.

Creating friendships across the world has been amazing, and thanks to wonderful technology like Facebook and Twitter, we can stay updated on each other's lives very easily, but I am also looking forward to when we meet in person again. The other Penn State students and I will be around each other a lot even after we get off the plane, but I am looking forward to meeting up with all the teachers again come National FFA Convention in October, and maybe even a trip to Florida sometime soon. And maybe one day we'll even meet up in another foreign country, whether planned or chance. 

Going home at the end of this week will be great, but I know that I am already missing the wonderful friends I have made on this trip and the positive difference this experience has made on me is largely due to the people I've traveled with. While this Korean experience is coming to an end, our journey together spreading the message and importance of agricultural education has just begun.

Should I stay or should I go??

Wow! Today is our 22nd day in Korea with only five days left! The time has flown by so fast! We have had so many great adventures here. I was just thinking today about all of the different things that we have done and they all feel like they just happened yesterday.

This month has literally been the best month of my life! I have experienced so many things that I would have never thought in a million years that I'd get to do. From the Seoul Tower and museums to the nights dancing in Itaewon, this trip has been absolutely amazing.  I have learned so much about the culture here and those impacts on their agricultural industry.

View of Seoul from Seoul Tower

After spending a month in Korea and visiting several schools, I have been contemplating the possibility of moving to Korea in the future to teach agriculture; or at least work within the agricultural industry. It is obviously a very big decision to make, so I do not have a clear answer as of now, but I really think it is a possibility. I have witnessed so many techniques in agriculture here that I would really love to learn and try! I love the fact that the agricultural teachers teach a specific specialization within their programs. I know that I would be great at teaching landscape design here and I would really like the challenge.

Korea has proven itself to be very hospitable and all of the Koreans I have met love Americans. The relationship that Koreans and Americans have, or at least from what I have experienced, have been truly like family. I cannot tell you how many times I have been stopped in the streets and offered help or have been asked to take a picture with someone.

Agriculture in South Korea - Rice Patties

The only thing that was a problem from me at the beginning of the trip was the food. So much of it is seafood and the stuff that is not seafood tastes like it (I hate seafood!). However, after spending only a few free days out on the town I have come to realize that there are so many places and choices to eat that do not taste like seafood!  Considering that food was the only thing holding me back, (and that's a big thing for me) this makes it even easier for me to choose to answer my question of staying or going!

Downtown Seoul

Overall, this trip has proven to be very inspirational and educational to me. I've learned so much about culture and how different, yet similar, another culture is to the US and I have really come to respect those differences. The agriculture here also has so many similarities and differences. Though everything here has been so great, the big question still remains: Should I stay or should I go? Is Korea worth the time? Worth the experience? Worth the education? I can honestly answer yes to all of these things, so the real question I should ask myself is "when?" I might as well while I am young! Experiences like this don't just happen and I really think I should take advantage of it...

These are just my thoughts for the past few days! Your comments and feedback would be appreciated.

Only Human...

During this trip we have gotten to do a lot of really cool things to learn about not only Korean Agriculture Education, but also Korea's cultural heritage.  We have traveled to cities and countryside, by trains, planes, and buses.  We have met students of all ages; elementary, high school, and college.  We have toured government agencies, cultural landmarks, schools, villages, cities, forests, and farms.  It has been a completely AWESOME experience!

Throughout this trip, we have focused a lot on learning how Korea does the business of agriculture education.  I think in my own mind, I have come to this learning experience from the vantage point that I was going to be seeing things that were very different from what we know at home, not only with Ag Ed, but culturally as well.  It is very easy to focus on all the things that are different from our own experiences.  There's a few things that are different here than home, that I've found it a little challenging to adjust to:

-Napkins that are the size of what we would call "cocktail napkins" as your only napkin during a meal, if any.  I am used to having one that folds out and is placed in my lap, so eating without getting food on myself has been a real challenge!

-Very small cups of water with a meal, but usually only consumed at the end of a meal.  I like to drink water throughout a meal, especially when the meal is spicy, but this is considered "bad for digestion" in Korea.

-Minimal trash cans.  There are hardly any of these in this country!  The streets are usually very clean, so I am not quite sure where people throw away their trash, but there isn't a lot to be seen.  Just tonight, we had ice cream in a Baskin Robbins (yes like the chain from the US), and when we went to throw away our cups, there were absolutely no trash cans in sight...turns out the staff behind the counter will gladly take them off your hands.

There are tons of other things we could go on to list that are different between Korea and the United States, but what I've come to see increasingly clearly, are the things that are the same between our two cultures.

Both Korean and American college students preparing to be teachers share similar reasons for why they wanted to be a teacher:

-"I've known since I was 6 years old that I wanted to be a teacher.  This is my dream!"

-"I had a great homeroom teacher in 6th grade that was my favorite teacher of all time.  I want to be a teacher because of him.  I hope I can be that kind of teacher too."

-"I had a wonderful experience through my agriculture education program in high school, and I wanted to provide the same opportunity for other students."

-"I had the opportunity to help teach a class, and I loved it!  That inspired me to become a teacher."

Looking at the responses above, I'll be you couldn't identify which statements were from Korean students and which are from American students!

Korean Ag Education Graduate Students. The student closest to me wants to be a landscaping teacher!

It's not only the outlook on education, but who we are as people.  Walking around the streets of Seoul, you will see A LOT of people.  You become very aware that you don't look like most of these people if you are not of Asian descent.  But as you peer a little closer, you start to notice the similarities:

-Old and young couples hand in hand, many times wearing coordinating outfits.

-Young children squealing in delight over playing in the water fountain.

-Parents scurrying after their child who just escaped their grasp.

-Groups of old women cackling together.

-Friendly Samaritans, who stop to help us find our way in the subway system.

-Giggling adolescent girls, just getting their first taste of independence and "fashionable" clothing, makeup, and perfume.  

-Happy, content children, eager to see their teachers or principals.

-The high school cliques: jocks, nerds, quiet kids, popular girls..the list goes on.

 

Families walking along the street in Insa-Dong

I could keep listing these things but this blog post would keep on going!

Today I had the opportunity to share a delicious meal with Robin, one of the teachers we met at Suwon, and Kelli.  Robin brought her 2 year old daughter along with her, and the four of us had a lovely lunch together.  We come from very different parts of the globe, but ultimately we all came together and spent time together, not necessarily to learn more about the other's culture, but to share each other's company as people.  

Kelli, Me, Robin, and her adorable daughter!

Because really, despite the differences in culture, history, food, location on the globe, we really are all people.  We are all connected as members of the human race, and even though we are halfway around the world from each other, we really aren't all that far away.  We all share this Earth together and want to see our families and friends learn, grow, and love.  

There are lots of barriers to international relations between countries.  I think the first step in getting over our differences is to realize that we are all in this together.  As humans.  On this one place we call home, Earth.  

The Lean, Mean, Korean Cuisine

The first difference I noticed in Korea, and the first one I was looking out for, was the food.

 I came over expecting to be eating rice and noodles at almost every meal and I expected the food to be spicy.  I wasn't exactly wrong but I also wasn't exactly right either.

We have had many meals here that have been traditional Korean meals with tons of rice, chicken, and plenty of spice.

The first meal I had that really stuck out to me was the octopus, I have eaten calamari before but never something that I could physically see the tentacles.   The seafood and mushrooms here are much more prevalent that I thought they would be, to the point where they are in almost every dish I've ordered.

Also the food hasn't quite met my expectations for being super spicy, almost every dish contains some sort of spice component to it, but the maximum limit for heat hasn't really hit my expectation. 

I was also surprised at the good degree of American food over here and the Korean versions of the American food.  For example, Subway, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Baskin' Robin are super prevalent over here, each containing a very similar menu to what one would see back home.

However, some things still surprise me; Lottaria, which is basically a Korean version of McDonalds, serves a similar menu to many fast food restaurants except with a Korean twist.  Lottaria, instead of serving straight beef burgers, will often serve shrimp or some other kind of seafood burgers.  These small twists are very common and even appear in pizza, which is served with sweet potatoes as its most common topping. 

Overall, I've been extremely happy with the food while we've been here.  Nothing has been to different that I have been unwilling to try it (even though a few things were quite close) and everything has tasted rather good. Also, there has never been a long period of time in which I haven't had some sort of "American" food which would cause me to miss back home.  If anyone ever has the chance I would suggest going all in on Korean cuisine. 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Happy Independence Day to the United States of America! Thank you to all who have given of themselves to serve our nation and those who continue to serve as part of our armed forces to allow the United States to be the beautiful land of the free and home of the brave. We honor you!

While today marks our 238th birthday as an independent nation, we obviously weren't able to celebrate the traditional way at home with parades, barbecues, fireworks, and other family festivities. Good thing we had each other!

We all spent our fourth of July evening with a traditional American past and present time activity....watching baseball! It was a lot of fun, and made us feel a bit like home. We attended a Korean professional baseball league game where we witnessed the Doosan Bears beat the Samsung Lions, 5-4.


While the stadium wasn't quite as big, and there was no announcer, I have to say, it was very interesting. Korean fans are quite coordinated and persistent about chanting out a variety of cheers for their team. Cheerleaders get the crowd going for each team, as well as a male "team spirit leader" and two drummers. Many chants had tunes that sounded familiar to our own tunes, so we even got into it and cheered on the game! It was a neat experience. It was neat to be in one of the sports complex facilities that was utilized for the Summer Olympics in 1988.

Another difference in the professional baseball atmosphere were the food choices. While there were no hotdogs or french fries or popcorn or other traditional ball game foods we have in the United States, we had to settle for Burger King, KFC, or dried squid!

All in all, this was an awesome experience. As a sports fan, I am glad we got to part-take in the game, especially on our nation's special day of celebration.

Happy July 4th Everyone!

More Tea, Please

Tea Plantation

This wonderful drink we refer to as tea is so much more, it is not just the cultivation of a plant but is the cultivation of a culture.

Today we traveled to Boseong province to learn more about the production of tea in Korea.  In this beautiful mountainous province we visited Da Hyang High School.  This school is a small rural high school which contains two programs the auto mechanics with approximately 115 students and the tea school which is comprised of 75 students.  

This school was originally an agriculture high school until enrollment fell to low.  When they decided to specialize in auto mechanics and tea production and processing enrollment went back up.  The students in the tea school are responsible for the production and processing of the tea. They had an expansive mechanized tea processing facility however they demonstrated the technique of hand made tea, very tedious. 

Their finished product is sold to the local community, sounds a lot like back home.  When we have student based agricultural experiences that create a product it is sold to financially support the program.  This school just took it to another level.  They were providing for their community by developing future employees for the local tea industry.

The local tea industry includes the largest tea plantation in Korea.  This plantation contained 1650 hectares of cultivated tea.  The plantation employees 1200 people and is the largest of the 200 tea plantations in the area. The tea produced is classified organic by Europe, Japan and the USA.  The highest quality tea is picked in the spring by hand and is classified green tea.  This plantation's mark of excellence is known throughout the country for its, safety, taste and overall quality thus it receives a higher price than other plantation's tea.  Tea, just like our quality agriculture education programs we make our mark with our students and they in turn become beacons of excellence, something everyone  can recognize.  

The finished product is great tea.  The tea plant is a member of the Camilla family and all tea is green tea, the other types such as red and black are just processed in a different manner.  The Korean  tea ceremony honors all of the hard work conducted to get the final product to the pot.  The tea is to be savored and enjoyed so the five flavor scan be enjoyed, bitterness, sweetness, sourness, astringency and saltiness.  Just as many times educators find ourselves enjoying the hard work and devotion of our profession throughout the various senses.  We know that students need to learn through various techniques to become their own.  And finally the tea is to evoke a special time of reflection.  Time when as an agriculture teacher I know that my students were impacted by the lesson, that their person was cultivated and that they as a student were made better, just like the tea.

Exploring Insadong!

Wow, we are about 2 weeks into our trip already with so much more to see and do! It's amazing it's about halfway through and we have already accomplished so much. From educational museum visits to teaching in Suwon high school, we are doing it all!

Today was a day set aside to accomplish some free time, shopping, and cultural activities. Most of our group got to experience Insadong. Insadong is an area in Seoul known for their shopping stands containing Korean souvenirs, most of which are handmade.

Decorative Fan and Card

Probably my favorite purchased item is the decorative card. Insadong has tons of cute little shops along the way and one sold decorative items. I paid a small price and then they personalized it with my name in Korean for free! This is especially exciting for me; with a name like Stacia I never get to find souvenirs with my name on them! There were plenty of other knick-knacks to purchase in the souvenir shops such as decorative boxes, traditional chopsticks, and of course keychains that say "Korea" as the typical souvenir to take home.

I have also seen quite a few shops in Insadong that sell a pair of ducks. I asked someone about it since I kept seeing it in almost every shop. I thought it was a cute story, I love all the Korean traditions we get the chance to learn! The wooden Mandarin ducks symbolize a happy couple and are called wedding ducks. Traditionally Koreans would give them to a newly married couple to wish a long happy life together, like the ducks. They are sometimes beautifully carved and they come in a range of sizes, the smallest I saw were only a few inches long. Also, some ducks have strings tied around the beaks. I was told if one duck has it, it's the female to show that a wife should be quiet and honor her husband (traditionally, anyway!). If both ducks have the string it is meant to show that silence is a virtue. I just thought it was an interesting story to share, learning is never-ending and I personally adore hearing about the little traditions that make the Korean culture so interesting!

Korean Wedding Ducks

Visiting the Seoul Zoo!

The Seoul Zoo opened its doors in 1984

Today I had the awesome privilege of visiting the Seoul Zoo and it was absolutely extraordinary! The Seoul Zoo was unlike any other zoo that I had visited before. Seoul Zoo is surrounded by beautiful breathtaking mountainous views and is spread out amongst many acres of trails and views of animals, gardens and waterfronts. The zoo houses over 3400 hundred animals from all over the world, including many endangered animals. I must say that out of the many zoos that I have visited throughout my lifetime, this has been my most favorite.

Asiatic Crocodile

When we first arrived at the Seoul Zoo today we quickly realized that the place was huge. Not only does Seoul Zoo provide a wonderful habitat for animals, but it is also home to a huge botanical garden, a theme park and a water park. Thankfully, the water and theme park were separated to keep the zoo and botanical gardens reserved. The zoo is spread out in a way that you basically have to hike the mountain to see the different zoo exhibits.

The zoo consisted of  four main trails that each took about two hours to complete. Each trail had its own set of animals and gardens. Unfortunately, we did not get to do all of the trails due to time restraints, but the cost of the zoo was only $3, so it would not cost much to go back to finish the trails.

Another great thing that the zoo had was a sky lift. The sky lift was very useful to us, especially whenever we got all the way to the back off the park. We took the sky lift down the mountain and got to see more animals that we did not get to see off of the trail that we took. The sky lift also provided us  with a 360 degree view of beautiful mountain ranges and waterfronts.

Sky lift at the Seoul Zoo

Overall, our experience at the Seoul Zoo was awesome! The amount of wildlife and land there make the trip definitely worth taking! I honestly did not know what to expect, but I'm really glad I went because I realized immediately upon my arrival that this place was much more than a zoo, but a place full of educational opportunities and great pictures!

David, Kelli, and myself at the Seoul Zoo

The Korean High School From A Teacher's Perspective

Koreans Think Teachers Should Be Old

 

Korean Classroom Dynamics

Korean Cafeteria Food

Spicy Squid with Rice, Soup, Salad and Pickled Parsnips

I was very much looking forward to my first meal in a Korean high school cafeteria.  It's much the same as in the United States with industrial utensils, trays, serving stations, and tables/chairs.  But of course, the food is traditionally served with a metal spoon and chopsticks, with no cup or napkins.  I was excited to see what appeared to be many of the faculty and staff members eating together in the cafeteria during the students' recess.  Overall, the quality of the food was higher than some of what I have eaten here in Korea and we were even served ice cream for dessert!

Ecorium

Teaching in the Environmental Resources STEM Academy at Tomlin Middle School, you can bet I was stoked to visit the National Ecological Institute in Korea.  This place was not on the original agenda, having just opened on December 27, 2013, so a big shout out goes to Howard Poole for finding this ecological park.  

Within this Ecoplex lies the Ecorium, which is composed of various greenhouses and controlled environments in order to reproduce the global ecosystem of five different climatic zones ranging from topical to polar regions.  This was a project by the government to educate the public and become a hub for ecological research on ecosystems and create a home for many plant and wildlife species. 

Each ecosystem is carefully created with educational signs and interactive learning zones throughout the complex.  Don't speak Korean.  No worries!!!  There is a headset to wear and you can select your language so that you don't miss all the educational information given about the plant and animal species living in the different zones.   

This Ecoplex is located three hours southwest of Seoul, which gave us the opportunity to take a scenic drive through the mountainous country to see all of the agriculture fields, greenhouses and farms sprinkled throughout the valleys and along side the mountains on both sides of the road.  

As we walked through the first greenhouse we saw beautiful tropical plants native to rain forests.  Many of these plants were recognizable from living in the sub-tropical climate in Florida.  We also experienced the feel of being in a desert ecosystem which simulated those found in Africa and the U.S.  This was one of my favorite climatic zones since I have never been to a desert.  We saw lots of aquariums with fish and reptiles native to each of the ecosystems.  There was wildlife from the arctic regions and tundras, my favorite was watching the prairie dogs play and learning about the polar bears.  

I can't wait to share this experience in my classroom when I teach about environmental science and the importance of our ecosystems and how we interact with them to become great Stewards of the land.         

A smile goes a long way

Navigation is a great skill to have, for those of us that don't have this skill well we travel with people that do. Today was our first entirely free day and my travel buddy and I were pumped, we had a plan and we were going to shop till we dropped, then we got to the sub way.

We started out strong, we bought or ticket and proceeded towards our side of the station, as we boarded the metro we began to doubt our navigating abilities and got off at the very next stop. Upon getting off and gathering our bearings we realized we were indeed going the entirely wrong direction. We stood there grasping our metro maps deciding how to get to the correct side, we eventually found our way but, not before several people asked if we needed help.

Finally we made it to one of the many shopping districts and we were off, on a search for the best souvenirs  our won could buy. The first vendor we stopped at had the traditional items but we were in search of more. The next vender we came across was the best, it was a tiny treasure filled space. We began by trying to select I love Korea t-shirts,  but we could not figure out the sizing. The lady running the stand was extremely helpful, she sorted through the piles for us and soon came out with the shirts we had selected.

Next we ventured to pick out souvenir plates from the same vendor. These plates were tucked up on a shelf, right by the vendors seat, we were leery of going into her space to look at these items, but she quickly jumped from her seat and ushered us in to look. We selected our items, and began to pay, I had several other bags in my hands at this time, the vendor took note of this and offered me a larger sized bag than needed so I could combine everything into one.

Next we ventured on our way and continued to interact with the people in the various shopping areas. From this I noticed that the people were happy and friendly, even when the steady rain turned to a downpour, people still greeted us with a smile and a welcoming hello. People asked if we needed anything, they were great about helping us find our way, and they were always willing to lend a helping hand.

We approached the city with an open mind and a smile and it responded in the same way. I would not have thought that Seoul, Korea's largest city, would be so welcoming, but this really is a country geared towards hospitality. I can honestly say that even through all of the confusion of the subway and navigating around the city that I did not have any bad moments because I knew I would be able to approach anyone with a smile and they would try to help me.

This one day of city shopping and exploring has really shown a new light on the culture here in Korea.

Rain Rain Go Away

 Wet conditions of the streets of Seoul

As I prepared for this amazing journey and grand adventure I set Seoul South Korea as one of the cities on my Weather channel app. It alerted me that "Seoul is cooler and rains a lot less than Williston".

Well, today the weather was just like that from Florida, rainy!  I felt right at home.  This rain did not dampen the spirits of this small band of agriculture teachers, we carried on.

This was our first "free" day so we decided to spend it exploring further some of the beautiful museums and shops that we had been exposed to over the last two days. Well, we found that many of these museums are closed on Monday but we still found an amazing city which to dive into.

Seoul Station - metro, train and bus.

Mass transit at its best!  Seoul knows how to do it. The Seoul train station is just one example of this country's ability to move people. Something I look forward to riding in the next few weeks. The other is its intricate system of the metro and bus lines.  All moving people to and fro with the greatest of ease and all on the same public transportation payment card.

While on these transit options every Korean is connected to an electronic device.  Cell phones are in everyone's hand, plugged into the world.  It crosses all ages and genders.  Everyone is "wired" up and connected.

There is a bar code on the back of each card and is read at every stop and the correct "won" is deducted to ride from station to station.  Very efficient! All Koreans seem to be able to navigate these transportation options, swipe their payment card, which they keep in a very handsome wallet.  Everyone stays connected through transportation. 

I make this simple observation to say that we all need to stay connected.  In our everyday lives many times we don't stay connected, and I am guilty of this.  Our profession as agriculture teachers only gets strong when we stay connected.  I know this, understand this however I need to practice it a little more.  Being connected to these wonderful professional on this trip will only strengthen my will to grow and become a better teacher.  This international agriculture education experience has opened my eyes to the ability of us to stay connected where borders do not matter.  Just like the t-shirt reads: Teach Ag Beyond Borders!  

This is for you Dad, KTX

Since my time in Korea I have tweeted, blogged and posted on Facebook more than I have in my entire life, and it keeps me connected.  I've learned to upload pictures to Flicker, post multiple pictures to my Facebook status at one time  and even how to Tweet at someone, AWESOME!  Every morning I awake to see who has read or liked my pictures I posted the day before, reminding me of the love and passion I have for agriculture education and that there are so many people who share this same feeling!  So even though the rain has driven us inside, Seoul you know how to keep me connected, very powerful!

A Humbling Experience

As I sit back and reflect today, I find myself humbled by our visit to the Korean War Memorial and Museum. The first thing we saw upon arrival was the black marble slabs built into the pillars, these pillars contained the names of the Korean and UN forces that died in the Korean War. It was not just one or two of these pillars, but many rows and pathways of them around the entire museum site. It was an amazing experience to be able to see this and it made me appreciate the reality that freedom is not always free.

 As we continued into the building, we saw paintings, pictures and pieces that were from the Korean War. We watched a video describing the horrors of the war, how many cities were evacuated multiple times, as both sides would gain ground and then lose ground again. We learned of the families that were seperated, destroyed or left homeless because of this tragedy. As we continued through with our journey of the Museum, I couldn't help but to keep thinking back to video, and the sheer horror that the people must of felt, and how 60 years later, the war still has left the Korean people with pain and sadness.

In the United States, the last war that took place on a significant amount of American soil, is the Civil War. We, as Americans, have forgotten the pain of war fought in our backyard; Our veterans that have fought in these wars are long gone, yet here in Korea, many still remain. Many still remember the bloodshed and loss that happened all those years ago.

Humbled.

Humbled by the realization that we cannot conceive the pain they felt.

Blessed.

Blessed knowing that others have sacrificed themselves to let me be free.

And finally....Inspired.

Inspired by a country that has rebuilt itself from the ashes to become one of the strongest economies in the world. Inspired by the city of Seoul, that houses 10 million people, and refuses to quit growing. And Inspired by a people, that are determined to continue changing the world for the better.

It makes for quite the Humbling Experience. 

 

Music in the Kitchen

Transforming everyday kitchen utensils into musical instruments:
that's how Korean's put on a show! 

Wow what a week so far! There are so many exciting things to do and see and four weeks is certainly not enough. I have learned so much about myself as well as those on the trip with me. I know this experience is more than touring historic sites, planning lessons, and taking a language course - it’s about growing as an individual and becoming a better agricultural educator. My experiences here will not only shape my own learning capabilities but they will tie into my teaching methods and the ideas and lessons I will present to my future classroom.

We visited so many places today and experienced a lot of Korean culture. Hands down though my favorite part of our day of being the American tourists was the NANTA show; who would have ever guessed we would have the chance to view a show in a different country and be able to understand it?

Using kitchen objects to make music? Say what? Check out this link to see a glimpse of what we got to experience. Some of us got a little more of an experience than others; I wish I could show you Dr. Barrick and Cassidy got on stage and got to race against two other audience members in a "cake" making contest.  Sadly, they couldn’t pull off the win. 

With only 5 characters onstage they really pull the crowd in. Giving us a one of a kind experience, with food flying and knives chopping a beat was found in every move. With only an hour to create a wedding banquet we even felt the pressure put on the three cooks. With the help of the manager’s nephew chaos erupted in the kitchen as they rushed against time. With some dance numbers and intense music the group managed to pull of the dinner in the end with the help of the nephew.

In the end the show had a few lessons to take away that I believe we all need to take a step back and think about.

1) We all have our time to shine.  The manager’s nephew struggled to keep up with the cooks in the beginning. He started off by following the actions of those around him. But when the time came for him to shine, boy did he shine. The nephew saved the day by making the cake for the wedding. 

2)  Sometimes we need to rely on others.  Not one of the cooks would have been able to create the meal on such a short notice however by working together as a team they were able to pull through.

Life lessons can be learned anywhere and sometimes we just need to soak in what we have just witnessed.

This experience is passing by so quickly and I hope I am able to pick up on all the lessons in front of me every day. These next few weeks are going to fly by and I cannot believe how much I have already learned in the past week.

Week 1 = Complete!

안녕하세요!!! (Hello!!!)

Our first week here in Korea has been eye-opening in so many ways, from the food to our micro-teaching lesson planning, to our struggles with the language. So far we have just skimmed the surface of our #AgEd2Korea experience, but already I know we have a much greater appreciation for other cultures and especially the struggles that English as a Second Language students face in our US classrooms.

David bowing to receive his Korean certificate

Today has been an exciting culmination to our first week. First we started our day off with graduation from our Language School. I'm not sure who was more excited for the break for our brains - us who have been and will continue (to varying degrees) to struggle with reading, writing and speaking Hangul or our amazing SNU teachers who have had wonderful amounts of patience for all our questions and fumbles with the language. While I'm sure we were not their best language class hopefully we were their most entertaining.

As a sort of celebration of our basic grasp of the language, today was the beginning of a sightseeing weekend! We spent our day having a guided tour of some of Seoul's most beautiful and historically important monuments and museums. Led by our trusty guide Ramona, in her bright pink blazer so we wouldn't lose her, we began by having photos in front of a large beautiful fountain and in front of the Blue House, their White House.

Sarah at the Presidential Desk

We then went to our first museum of the day, the Cheongwadae Sarangchae Museum, and specifically their exhibit on the wild flowers of Korea which were absolutely beautiful. There were many beautiful pieces of artwork but the most impressive to me was the paintings that also incorporated pressed flowers, bark and branches. Besides all the beautiful flowers we all had a great time taking photos in their presidential exhibit, enjoying our fifteen seconds of fame  as we sat at the presidential desk replica.

The highlight of the day was where we went after the museum, the Gyeongbokgong Palace, one of three restored traditional palaces in downtown Seoul. The palace was amazing, capturing a collective "wow" from our group as we crossed through the gate into the palace grounds. The buildings' interiors and exteriors were beautifully painted and constructed, showing off the importance of a harmony and connection with nature in the Korean culture, with its highlighting of animal deities and its construction mirroring the surrounding mountains.

The Group at Gyeongbokgong Palace

The architecture of the palace buildings was beautiful but the rich history of the palace, and the Korean culture itself, is what made our first "tourist" day special to me and the group because it's amazing to experience and learn about a culture and country that is so much older than ours. I can't even look far enough into the future to imagine what a museum or monument would highlight about our country and our culture when it has reached an age close to where Korea stands now.

I can't wait to see what new piece of culture we experience next, and I hope everyone at home is enjoying following along with us!

안낼히가세요 (Goodbye!)

아만다 (Amanda)

We are so different, but yet the same

Touring today in Seoul, we had the opportunity to start capturing the Korean culture and understanding the rich history that has built this beautiful country.

During the first several days of the trip, I could walk into a room or in the city and smell a wide array of new smells.  I could walk down the street and have no idea where I was.  Hear and see the magpies everywhere on SNU campus and be reminded of the grey squirrels on Penn State campus.  Now that it has been a few days, I am starting to see that we might not be that different at all.

Our Seoul City tour started off today with the getting the chance to take photos of Cheongwadea, the presidential home.  In the United States we have the White House and in Korea they simply call the home of the president the Blue House.   The house was guarded by many civilian and army guards.  On the way to Cheongwadea we passed many small canopies lined up on the street.  It was yard sales were people were selling mostly clothing.  During this time of year, many yard sales are happening back home and I was surprised to see it here.

 Then we went to the Cheongwadae Sarangchae Museum where we learned about the accomplishments of the former Korean presidents and to understand Korean traditional culture.  Here our guide spoke about the recent ferry incident that occurred in April.   Even though it has been several months since the accident, the country is still hoping for the return of the people who are missing from this tragic accident.   Yellow ribbons line a section of the town for the return of those that are missing.  It is very similar to ribbons that I remember making as a child with my mother during the Gulf War in the early 1990’s.

 After the museum we headed to the remarkable Gyeongbokgung Palace where we had the chance to watch the changing of the guard and experience life as it was for the royals.   The door ways to the palace quarters where made to be very low so you have to bend over to enter.  Bowing is a sign of respect in the Korean culture.

Then it was a short trip to the National Korean Museum.  Here we had the opportunity to look at priceless artifacts of the country.  Many said it was comparable to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

As I continue my time here in Korea, I start to appreciate the differences, but yet realize that we are not that different at all. 

Food of Korea

Bulk Fish at a Supermarket

It has been a phenomenal time in Korea so far! Seoul is much larger than I thought it would be and the people here are absolutely amazing and so hospitable. All of us have learned so much and already have an abundant amount of new knowledge; though honestly, we haven't even scratched the surface.

Octopus and Vegetables

One of the greatest things that we have experienced so far is the numerous food dishes that we have tried here in Korea. Personally, I can be a very picky eater. Though I am from and live in Florida, which like Korea is a peninsula, I hate seafood! Blah!!! Just the thought of it makes me cringe! I have had to become quite accustomed to the many dishes served with either seafood or seafood products.

Though I'm not a fan of seafood, the food that I have tried has been quite good! We were all served a very delicious beef bowl one night this week that was like a stir fry served in a steaming hot cast iron bowl with a medley of freshly seared vegetables. It was amazing!

This pizza had a great margarita taste!

On another occasion we were served pizza, fried chicken, and hot wings. I have to admit, even coming from the south, I have never had fried chicken as great as what we've tried here! The chicken was fried without the skin and battered with a slight sweetness. The chicken tasted like a margarita drink. Both the chicken and pizza was heavenly.

One thing that I have been have been trying to deal with is stepping out of my comfort zone to try new food and drinks here in Korea. In the US, we are so used to being in a safe situation when it comes to our food. We know that our food has been graded and inspected to keep the citizens completely safe from food born illnesses or any other dangers. In Korea, I don't really know how that system works or if there even is a system.

Seafood anyone???

Just a couple of days ago, several of us were walking in one of the downtown districts and found several carts with raw seafood laying on the table in the sun and not on ice or refrigerated. As agriculturalists, we learn the many hazards of leaving meat out in temperatures above 40 degrees which causes it to be at risk of contamination with bacteria. Though the thought of eating this seafood might make many of you sick, as it did myself at first, there comes a point where you have to understand that this is their livelihood and this is what they eat on a daily basis. They have become accustomed to these foods and the way they are handled. With that being said, it is that very thought that encourages me to take that leap of faith and try these new foods. As I said though, I am SLOWLY coming out of my comfort zone, one dish at a time. :)

Seafood Selection at a Restaurant

Bread made from Squid Ink

One of the neat things that we got to see downtown is a restaurant that allowed you to choose a live sea creature and have them cook it right in front of you. It was pretty neat seeing the oysters, squid, octopus, sea urchins and many others for their selection...and we thought it was cool to select a lobster at Red Lobster!

To wrap this blog up, I would have to say that the Korean food is what has really taught me an appreciation for other cultures. It has truly taken a lot to get me to come as far as I have from my comfort zone to trying new things. Not only does it make you appreciative for what you have, but it also introduces one to limitless opportunities and new world wonders! I mean, honestly, squid ink being used as a food coloring for bread!?!

I guess it's true...The way to a man's heart is through food!