We woke up early and had breakfast on the floor in front of the TV showing a bunch of crazy Koreans. Mike, a former CN and Namseoul Univeristy student, meet us at Heather’s apartment building to pick up our stuff. We were to meet him later in the day because he was going to drive us to Namseoul. We walked over the popular tourist trap, Insadong market. They had plenty of shops selling traditional Korean stuff; every shop, though, basically sold the same things. Every shopkeeper, though, was very anxious to receive your business. It was at this point were I started feeling very overcome with emotions. Everything was just so overwhelming. I was finally in the midst of daily Korean life with nothing but Korean people, the Korean language, and the Korean culture completely surrounding ... read more

We woke up early and had breakfast on the floor in front of the TV showing a bunch of crazy Koreans. Mike, a former CN and Namseoul Univeristy student, meet us at Heather’s apartment building to pick up our stuff. We were to meet him later in the day because he was going to drive us to Namseoul. We walked over the popular tourist trap, Insadong market. They had plenty of shops selling traditional Korean stuff; every shop, though, basically sold the same things. Every shopkeeper, though, was very anxious to receive your business. It was at this point were I started feeling very overcome with emotions. Everything was just so overwhelming. I was finally in the midst of daily Korean life with nothing but Korean people, the Korean language, and the Korean culture completely ... read more

The day finally came to depart from our friends and family for a little place called Korea. The morning started out fine enough. I got up at the right time, and we left the house at a good time. I got my last American breakfast for a while (which was from Pal’s...that made it even better), and we got to the airport on time. The skies were perfectly clear, and the weather appeared to be very cooperative. That is until we got to Detroit. Our flight was only supposed to take little over an hour. We noticed, though, that the flight was about 30 minutes behind, and it felt as though we were going in circles in the sky. That’s when we got the announcement that weather problems in Detroit was preventing any flights from landing ... read more

Church Hill to Seoul Shawn The day finally came to depart from our friends and family for a little place called Korea. The morning started out fine enough. I got up at the right time, and we left the house at a good time. I got my last American breakfast for a while (which was from Pal’s...that made it even better), and we got to the airport on time. The skies were perfectly clear, and the weather appeared to be very cooperative. That is until we got to Detroit. Our flight was only supposed to take little over an hour. We noticed, though, that the flight was about 30 minutes behind, and it felt as though we were going in circles in the sky. That’s when we got the announcement that weather problems in Detroit ... read more

Well, it seemed as though this day would never come, but I turned around and here it is! Today I depart for the "land of the morning calm" - Korea. I really don't know what to encounter. I have built many expectations in my mind, I have read many books & articles about the country & people, I have talked to people that have been there before, and I have definitely spent many hours planning and getting ready. I have a feeling, though, that things will probably turn out much differently than I expect. Except that is probably one of the greatest things about life - discovering and embracing the unknown. You might be asking yourself: what is Shawn doing in such a foreign land? Since I'm not in the military that can only mean one ... read more

Well, it seemed as though this day would never come, but I turned around and here it is! Today I depart for the "land of the morning calm" - Korea. I really don't know what to encounter. I have built many expectations in my mind, I have read many books & articles about the country & people, I have talked to people that have been there before, and I have definitely spent many hours planning and getting ready. I have a feeling, though, that things will probably turn out much differently than I expect. Except that is probably one of the greatest things about life - discovering and embracing the unknown. You might be asking yourself: what is Shawn doing in such a foreign land? Since I'm not in the military that can only mean one ... read more