Sunday, June 10, 2007
Living Abroad in Busan, South Korea
There is something to be said about not just traveling to a foreign country but actually living and being immersed in the culture and customs. Living the every day life as almost a true Korean begins to feel eerily natural after residing here for a short two months. My second month into living and working in Busan, I ventured to my very first tourist attraction. Beomeo-sa Temple, the beautifully constructed Buddhist temple of Busan. It was by far the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. Beomeo-sa Temple is one of the largest temples in South Korea with sculptures and statues dating back to the 9th century. It is unknown as to when the main gates were built however it has been recorded that they were reconstructed around 1619. The intricately detailed carvings on each temple and gate, colorful flowers adorning the trails, and the remains of Buddhist sermons and doctrines were a rare sight to be seen. The site casts such a powerful and serene vibe with Buddhist monks chanting prayers in the temples, gongs echoing in the distance, and the unbelievable view at the top of the Beomeo-sa Mountain in the centre of the temple. The hike to the top of the mountain was unforgettable and truly an epic experience. To put it as eloquently as possible Busan looked glorious from up above filled with vast greenery, traditional Korean architecture, and wrapped in a sheet of clouds. It was so fitting to be present at the temple as Buddhist’s birthday is quickly approaching. In celebration, all the streets are draped with colorful paper lanterns to welcome the celebratory day. The beauty of Busan, even tourist attractions that can be mundane seem to never get tiresome here. It is far too beautiful to not appreciate the sites and sounds of this city. The beaches are filling up with vengeance. I find myself lying on Haeundae beach, the most popular beach in the country with already 28-degree weather in May, surrounded by heaps of locals and foreigners from all over the world. The exotic sailboats and small islands off in a distance are incredible over a dark blue glistening backdrop of the ocean. This and so much more I have to look forward to over the next four months of South Korea’s scorching hot summer.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Haeundae Beach: The Land of Sea and Clouds
I will never forget the first day I was introduced to beautiful Haeundae Beach, South Korea’s most popular beach. The first time I ever set foot on the sand and I saw the view of Busan at night in all its glory. The beach lit up from the city lights shining down. The reflection in the water was beautiful and, not only was the sight breathtaking, but it was so serene, peaceful, and quiet.
Now fast-forward two months and my initial impression of Haeundae Beach has changed a slight bit. It is just mid May and Haeundae beach, haeun meaning sea and clouds, is jam packed with people from the wee hours of the morning on the weekends through to the evening. The beach itself is almost like a city within a city as it is so packed with people from all over.
It has been quite the cultural experience spending the few afternoons that I have at Haeundae beach. People flock from all over South Korea; you have your foreigners working as English teachers looking for some down time from teaching the Korean rugrats, backpackers and travel connoisseurs, and then you have locals in search of soaking up some rays…or rather some shade under monstrous umbrellas.
The one thing I first noticed to be drastically different from western culture’s idea of a day at the beach was the bathing or beach attire. As a Canadian growing up spending each warm day at the beach in a bathing suit with the option of waterskiing and swimming, I found it different to notice many Koreans fully clothed on the beach huddled under large umbrellas. The so-called relaxing strolls or lounge on the beach that I look forward to in Canada during the summer months is not so common here. There are heaps of people from the west craving to meet fellow foreigners and natives of the English language to share their travel stories and daily lives as English teachers.
There are also people from various other areas of the world such as Australia and Europe who are teaching, on business, or permanently residing in Busan. There has not been a day on the beach on which I have not struck up a conversation with at least a handful of people living in the area. Though Busan may not be the most diverse city in the world, the beach is definitely a multi-cultural venue. The coastline remains gorgeous with islets in the distance peaking through in the daytime. The vast variety of food and snacks available on the beach is out of this world. However, if you miss and crave home fries out of the chip wagon parked near the beach like back in the western world, you will be sadly disappointed.
The typical snacks served at the vendors on the boardwalk include everything from marinated critters called bundaegi to seaweed-dipped cookies and a smorgasbord of different coffees and teas. The experience of spending a day at Haeundae Beach is nothing short of unique. The overall experience of both vacationing and living in South Korea truly is not complete until you make a trip to Haeundae Beach.
Now fast-forward two months and my initial impression of Haeundae Beach has changed a slight bit. It is just mid May and Haeundae beach, haeun meaning sea and clouds, is jam packed with people from the wee hours of the morning on the weekends through to the evening. The beach itself is almost like a city within a city as it is so packed with people from all over.
It has been quite the cultural experience spending the few afternoons that I have at Haeundae beach. People flock from all over South Korea; you have your foreigners working as English teachers looking for some down time from teaching the Korean rugrats, backpackers and travel connoisseurs, and then you have locals in search of soaking up some rays…or rather some shade under monstrous umbrellas.
The one thing I first noticed to be drastically different from western culture’s idea of a day at the beach was the bathing or beach attire. As a Canadian growing up spending each warm day at the beach in a bathing suit with the option of waterskiing and swimming, I found it different to notice many Koreans fully clothed on the beach huddled under large umbrellas. The so-called relaxing strolls or lounge on the beach that I look forward to in Canada during the summer months is not so common here. There are heaps of people from the west craving to meet fellow foreigners and natives of the English language to share their travel stories and daily lives as English teachers.
There are also people from various other areas of the world such as Australia and Europe who are teaching, on business, or permanently residing in Busan. There has not been a day on the beach on which I have not struck up a conversation with at least a handful of people living in the area. Though Busan may not be the most diverse city in the world, the beach is definitely a multi-cultural venue. The coastline remains gorgeous with islets in the distance peaking through in the daytime. The vast variety of food and snacks available on the beach is out of this world. However, if you miss and crave home fries out of the chip wagon parked near the beach like back in the western world, you will be sadly disappointed.
The typical snacks served at the vendors on the boardwalk include everything from marinated critters called bundaegi to seaweed-dipped cookies and a smorgasbord of different coffees and teas. The experience of spending a day at Haeundae Beach is nothing short of unique. The overall experience of both vacationing and living in South Korea truly is not complete until you make a trip to Haeundae Beach.
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