IAAF World Championships!

Self-proclaimed “Colorful Daegu” is my latest place of residence, nestled in an expansive valley in the Gyeongsanbuk-do province of South Korea. Although a good place to live, make friends and save money; Daegu in general is not “Colorful” but rather a lack-luster metropolitan city of 2.5 million people.  From August 27th through September 4^th, however the city was showcased to the world as host to the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships.

From all across the globe, the world’s fastest and strongest convened in competition to be the best of the best at the world’s biggest single week long track and field meet. Like the Olympics, competitors compete not only for themselves, but for their nations’ pride. The event far exceeded my personal expectations, and proved to be an incredible once in a life time opportunity.

Several of my friends I met in Cambodia came down from Seoul to stay with me for the weekend and we got seats with my Daeguken friends, right behind the high jump. Watching the USA receive a gold medal and singing along to the national anthem five minutes into the event was an overwhelming sense of patriotism. The women’s high jump was our primary focus but we also really got into the wheel chair races, javelin throw, hurdles and women’s 4x4 relay where USA also grabbed the gold!

Our seats happened to be behind a group of Daegu elite women including the Mayor of Daegu’s wife who introduced herself and offered us snacks. With beers flowing and excitement growing, we really got into the events. During the dance cam intermission, we tried our hardest dancing for a solid 5-10 minutes to get on the jumbo-tron. Although we failed we still got a grand ovation from the hundreds of Koreans around us.

The main event that everyone was anticipating for weeks and months was the men’s 200m; to watch the world’s fastest man; Usain Bolt. The race was over 19.40 seconds after it started with Jamaica’s Bolt taking gold, USA’s Dix for the silver, and to our surprise France’s Lemaitre for bronze. Bolt spent about 15 minutes showboating after his less than 20 seconds of running but well deserved for him being the world’s fastest man.

The USA overall took home the most medals counting 25; 12 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze. The event was overall an amazing experience that brought a sense of pride for being an American and a sense of camaraderie among nations. It truly was an amazing experience that I am glad my friends and I were able to be a part of.

It's Not About the Cause... It's About the Chaos!

On August 27; after a full day of exploring Seoul with my friend from home we were heading to the subway when we found ourselves in a most precarious situation. Upon turning a corner we found ourselves on a street lined with 1000’s of riot police for as far as the eye could see. They were armed with masks, batons and shields; standing in formation and chanting.

To our utter confusion, while caught in the middle of the ranks they were dispatched and began jogging and chanting. With nothing else to do we followed behind attempting to take photographs of this most obscure event. For half an hour we followed them to a location where they stopped. I began calling my friends around Korea to see if they knew what was going on, but no one had even heard about it. At this point we sat down and agreed that it must have been a drill.

As soon as we decided to call it a night and head home we could hear chanting and see flags approaching down the main road. Over 10,000 protesters were soon marching by and the situation became real. Not knowing what was going on we stopped at a corner store and bought a bag of beer and began marching, no longer with the police, but rather with the protesters chanting the Buffalo Bills theme song in the heart of an unknown conflict.

We continued on with the protesters several kilometers, ironically to the Peace Park where the masses congregated for a speech. The whole time the riot police followed closely behind and lined the sidewalks around us. People began to cover their faces in preparation for tear gas, which was used on the same protest in Pusan weeks before.  We did what any sane person would do and kept the cameras rolling and the beers flowing.

Eventually we went home when it proved uneventful. The following day we learned that the protest was in response to a long struggle against a shipping company firing workers to benefit share holders and CEO’s ; typical of all world economies today. The second day of protesting in Seoul resulted in the use of water cannons to disperse protesters as the conflict continues to be platform of debate today.

"The Soul of Asia!"

Being a city where the east meets the west; and history meets contemporary; Seoul is a truly explosive megacity with endless offerings.  From tranquil palaces, parks and temples; to bustling museums, art galleries, and world class shopping centers; it truly contains something for everyone. Its vibrant night life is also one to be reckoned with whether you are looking for the most happening dance clubs to the most chill basement bars.

In terms of a starting point in Seoul, the most beautiful place right in the heart of the city is Gyeoungbokgung Palace. This large expanse of open land is dotted with impressive palaces, ponds, and temples which give a glimpse into the cities grandeur of the past. Also nearby is the very informative Korean Folk Museum that explains life both past and present in Korea, as well as the War Memorial Museum that houses a wealth of information about conflict in Korea over the centuries. In addition to these nearby attractions is the primary government facilities’ of the R.O.K. including the “Blue House” where the president resides.

On this past visit I made my first trip to Seodaemun Prison History Hall, which proved to be an emotional stop amongst a chaotic trip. The prison was constructed during Japan’s rule over the Korean Peninsula over a century ago, used until the end of WWII. Its primary use was to detain freedom fighters, torture them for information, and in many cases exterminate them. The emptied cells stand a testament to the atrocities committed against the oppressed people of Korea in the not so distant past.

Of course no trip to Seoul is complete without making a trip to the top of N’Seoul Tower at night to get a 360 degree view of the expanse of flashing lights that comprise Greater Seoul. Finally a typical night in Seoul always ends in Itaewon or Hongdae for a night of fine food, friends, beers and soju shots. The plethora of bars leaves all genres untouched from the most exotic to the most relaxed.

Seoul is and will continue to be a city of immense proportions and a truly global melting pot in the East. It’s ever growing status as a financial and cultural superpower will continue to attract travelers and business people alike from around the world. The city continuously strives towards innovation and shows great promise to deliver even more in the years to come!

Pusan Summers...

Besides being South Korea’s 2nd largest city and the world’s 5^th largest port, Pusan is the most popular summer retreat among Korean and foreign residents alike. On the hot summer weekends the beach is non-existent; covered with 100,000s of blankets and bodies.  A typical foreigner’s trip starts with drinks on Haeundae beach, then a migration to the bars above the beach as the sun goes down, and finally crashing in a ‘Love Motel’ after the sun comes up before going home. This past trip for me however, was a nice change of pace.

Pusan Tower, built after the Korean War less than 40 years ago, has a façade of antiquity and has seen better days. The park in which it is set, with statues and temples however, is a pleasant place to get a great view of the port city. The nearby hillside memorials to remember those, both Korean and Allied troops, who held the city against an advancing North Korea, also remains a place of tranquility and remembrance.

No trip to one of the world’s busiest ports is complete without visiting a fish market. The Jagalchi fish market is not only the oldest in Korea but also the largest, housing fresh catches from squid to shark and giant clams to king crabs. If you can bear the overwhelming smell of fish guts and trudging through bloody water in flip flops, then one can surly find a low budget seafood meal fit for a king.

Living for so long in South Korea, like anywhere else, you take many things for granted. After being a tour guide this past week for a friend from home, I was able to see parts of Pusan for the first time myself, beyond the beaches and cold beers. It truly is a magnificent city with a plethora of things to do and even more extravagant plans for the future.

 

Pohang Fireworks Festival

Festivals in Korea always draw large crowds, and the summer 2011 Pohang Fireworks Festival was no different.  After a week of anticipation to escape Daegu for the weekend with a group of good friends we cancelled last minute due to the weather.

 Based on a second last minute decision we hopped on a bus spur of the moment Saturday afternoon and made our way to Pohang. We arrived with no plans, grabbed 2 taxis, and headed to the beach. We got stuck in traffic for an hour only to find out we were in the middle of the annual parade.

Our friendly taxi driver indicated to us that we could walk to the beach so we got out and began to walk with the parade.  It was composed of traditional Gukak musical dancers and performers, clowns, Koreans wearing traditional masks and clothing; all intermixed with military personnel (both US and Korean) as well as marching bands. After an extensive search for a cheap love motel we finally settled in and headed to the beach for drinks and dinner, of course including the traditional Korean snack Bundaegi; roasted silk worm larvae.

Hundreds of thousands of people already had every part of the beach covered with blankets like a patchwork blanket. There was no sand to even be seen down the entire stretch of Korea’s longest beach. The fireworks commenced with a display from Poland. It was a good thing Poland didn’t show up to compete because it was extremely amateur.

The main contest began, starring Portugal, China, South Korea and Australia. Each country showcased their newly designed fireworks in proper New Years Eve, Grand Finale style. The sky illuminated in an impressive hour long display over the industrious port city. The only thing lacking was the “Ooo’s” and “Ahh’s” of firework goers.

An unexpected day of chaos quickly turned into a tranquil night of fireworks and drinks on the beach with great friends!

Daegu Tower

As an individual pushes their personal limits, their sense of adventure quickly escalates to a craving to try new things. Overcoming fears are the largest strides one can take to improving their quality of life. My sense of adventure while younger was nearly nonexistent, however after constantly over coming new challenges, and pursuing ones of higher caliber, this craving has become a need for adrenaline.

On a random Sunday I woke up with the urge to acquire such adrenaline. I contacted two of my friends in the morning and said let’s go to Daegu Tower so I can jump off. Daegu Tower is the highest tower in Asia standing at 202m high and 312m in altitude in the heart of Daegu, South Korea. There they have a Sky Jump where you can jump off a platform from the top of the tower to a target on the ground.

Attached to a bungee cord and two parallel breaking cables connected to the ground, you take a leap from the outstanding view overlooking Daegu, just above Woobang Land Amusement Park. Although not nearly as exciting as bungee jumping from a bridge or jumping out of an airplane; it always gets the heart pumping being at such great heights preparing to take a leap of faith.

The initial bungee did give a good sense of free falling adrenaline down several stories of the tower. The following descent however was not quite free falling but rather decelerating to the ground, which was not as thrilling, but fun none-the-less. Regardless of this, the inexpensive price of $50USD to jump did serve its purpose of getting my heart pumping and ready for a new week of teaching!

4th of July Abroad!

A traveler can emerge themselves into any number of cultures or countries, but in the end of the day there is and always should be sense of pride for your native country.

I have had some interesting 4th of July's in the past, with my favorite being in Kampala, Uganda. After searching around all day I found the most patriotic thing I could. Eagle Beer! Sharing them with some locals at a bar and expressing myself as a United States citizen in East Africa, during President Obama’s election campaign, resulted in holiday to remember.

This year was no different, back in South Korea trying to maintain my American customs.
We had a classical rooftop barbecue rounding up any ex-patriots we could, drinking beers, smoking import cigars, and shooting off Roman candles into the rainy Korean night sky! It was by no means a glamorous 4th of July, but just as fun as home, being surrounded by other ex-patriot friends representing all corners of the United States.

The following day during the 4th of July in Western Hemisphere times, we also felt the need to celebrate in accordance with everyone else in the United States. The questionable nature of being able to purchase extremely cheap fireworks at grocery stores, gas stations and elsewhere surpassed our better judgment. 

We carelessly embarked on a second night of rooftop fireworks and beer. After a firework exploded in one friends hand as well as my face; accompanied by Koreans yelling at us in Korean from their windows; we relocated to the local park. There, we set off a makeshirt fire display of over 30 fireworks over a 15 minute period, finishing just seconds before police showed up.

We may not live in the United States but we still maintain pride in our homeland on the otherside of the world!