Well, there's quite a bit to catch up on, everything from the adrenaline high of bungee jumping to the calm relaxation of a Korean spa. I'll try to keep everything short and sweet!
Let's start with bungee jumping! There really isn't much to say about it, other than it was super fun! I went with three other friends of mine, all of us determined to scare ourselves to death. We jumped off a platform over the river equivalent to the height of a 15 story building. I still don't know how I had the courage to actually jump! But I'm so glad I did! It was definitely a fun experience, and I hope to go bungee jumping again sometime!
In sharp contrast to bungee jumping, I also visited a Korean 찜질방 (Jjimjilbang), which is like a spa/sauna. This one had really cool rooms called "fomentation rooms." Each room had places to lie down and each room had a different theme. For example, there was a charcoal room, oxygen room, jade room, etc. Each was kept at a different temperature and had different positive effects for your health and skin. It was really cool to experience all the different rooms! I especially liked the Salt Room. Instead of having a solid floor, you would lie down on a sea of smooth salt rocks! They were warm and it was even deep enough that you could bury yourself in them. The Jade Room had the same kind of rock floor, but made out of Jade instead. Overall, the rooms were very relaxing! Some people even spend the night at the Jjimjilbang since it's so comfortable. (It also presents a cheap alternative to a hotel room)
I also got to do some religious tourism while here in Korea! First, I visited the Martyr's Museum with my Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class. That was super interesting! We learned about some of the early missionaries to Korea and got to visit the graveyard where nearly 150 missionaries and their families are buried. There was also a museum which hosted early Bible transcripts, letters, etc. I also went to one of the world's largest churches, Yoido Full Gospel Church. It was a beautiful church, especially since it was decorated with lights for the Christmas season. It had an impressive worship band (which was more like an orchestra), choir, and pipe organ. I can't say that I got much out of the service, though, since it was all in Korean. Experiencing their prayer was interesting though! Not only did they do prayer in the traditional Korean style where everyone prays out loud at the same time, but they were also a Pentecostal congregation. Needless to say, energy was high, and so was the volume! Another thing I found interesting about the church was their programs! This is of special interest to me, since I worked at my local church in the states over the summer and creating the weekly program (as well as designing a new program) was a large part of my job. What struck me about their programs was that they weren't folded! It was just a large, flat piece of paper that the attendees had to pick up from a table and fold themselves. Honestly, that would be so much more convenient for the church office! Folded programs are something people take for granted, but it really is time consuming, even with a folding machine.
Lastly... On my Korean Bucket List, there was one item that was completely out of my control. I very very desperately wanted to see it snow! This Monday, I finally got my wish. I woke up to snowflakes falling outside my window! As quickly as I could, I bundled up and went for a walk. I very quickly realized how snow in Korea differs from snow in the United States. The snow was very light, but the wind was crazy! At one point, I ended up walking into the wind and I literally couldn't look straight ahead of me. The wind and snow blowing in my face wouldn't allow me to open my eyes. I had to walk with my head turned to the side if I wanted any hope of seeing anything at all. Once I was back to the dorms, I looked out my window and I saw snow, leaves, and even debris blowing straight up into the air because of the wind! And I live on the fifth floor, so they made it pretty far up. However, since this is the only snow I've seen, maybe it isn't always like that. And despite the insane winds, the snow was absolutely magical! I hope it snows again soon.
Let's start with bungee jumping! There really isn't much to say about it, other than it was super fun! I went with three other friends of mine, all of us determined to scare ourselves to death. We jumped off a platform over the river equivalent to the height of a 15 story building. I still don't know how I had the courage to actually jump! But I'm so glad I did! It was definitely a fun experience, and I hope to go bungee jumping again sometime!
In sharp contrast to bungee jumping, I also visited a Korean 찜질방 (Jjimjilbang), which is like a spa/sauna. This one had really cool rooms called "fomentation rooms." Each room had places to lie down and each room had a different theme. For example, there was a charcoal room, oxygen room, jade room, etc. Each was kept at a different temperature and had different positive effects for your health and skin. It was really cool to experience all the different rooms! I especially liked the Salt Room. Instead of having a solid floor, you would lie down on a sea of smooth salt rocks! They were warm and it was even deep enough that you could bury yourself in them. The Jade Room had the same kind of rock floor, but made out of Jade instead. Overall, the rooms were very relaxing! Some people even spend the night at the Jjimjilbang since it's so comfortable. (It also presents a cheap alternative to a hotel room)
I also got to do some religious tourism while here in Korea! First, I visited the Martyr's Museum with my Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class. That was super interesting! We learned about some of the early missionaries to Korea and got to visit the graveyard where nearly 150 missionaries and their families are buried. There was also a museum which hosted early Bible transcripts, letters, etc. I also went to one of the world's largest churches, Yoido Full Gospel Church. It was a beautiful church, especially since it was decorated with lights for the Christmas season. It had an impressive worship band (which was more like an orchestra), choir, and pipe organ. I can't say that I got much out of the service, though, since it was all in Korean. Experiencing their prayer was interesting though! Not only did they do prayer in the traditional Korean style where everyone prays out loud at the same time, but they were also a Pentecostal congregation. Needless to say, energy was high, and so was the volume! Another thing I found interesting about the church was their programs! This is of special interest to me, since I worked at my local church in the states over the summer and creating the weekly program (as well as designing a new program) was a large part of my job. What struck me about their programs was that they weren't folded! It was just a large, flat piece of paper that the attendees had to pick up from a table and fold themselves. Honestly, that would be so much more convenient for the church office! Folded programs are something people take for granted, but it really is time consuming, even with a folding machine.
Lastly... On my Korean Bucket List, there was one item that was completely out of my control. I very very desperately wanted to see it snow! This Monday, I finally got my wish. I woke up to snowflakes falling outside my window! As quickly as I could, I bundled up and went for a walk. I very quickly realized how snow in Korea differs from snow in the United States. The snow was very light, but the wind was crazy! At one point, I ended up walking into the wind and I literally couldn't look straight ahead of me. The wind and snow blowing in my face wouldn't allow me to open my eyes. I had to walk with my head turned to the side if I wanted any hope of seeing anything at all. Once I was back to the dorms, I looked out my window and I saw snow, leaves, and even debris blowing straight up into the air because of the wind! And I live on the fifth floor, so they made it pretty far up. However, since this is the only snow I've seen, maybe it isn't always like that. And despite the insane winds, the snow was absolutely magical! I hope it snows again soon.