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인규가 묻다

10월18일
요즘 내가 뭐하고 있느냐고 물어 보는 사람들이 점점 많아지고
있습니다. 그래서 그냥 대충 영어 공부하고 있다고 얘기하고 넘어갑니다. 그러다 보니 제 스스로도 많은 질문을 하게 되었습니다.

나는 도대체 지금 무엇을 하고 있나. 나는 현재 영어공부에 최대한 집중하며 요가 바디웨잇트레이닝을 배우고 있고 제 꿈을 찾으며 그것을 내 마음속 물에서 수면밖으로 끄집어내려고 애쓰고 있습니다. 그래서 이런 얘기들을 꼭 다른 사람들에게 얘기해야 하는지 의문이 듭니다.

예전의 저는 그냥 있는 사실 그대로 다 얘기 했습니다. 그냥 제가 실제로 하고있는 것이고 제가 아무 이유없이 시간을 낭비하거나 나태하게 살고있다고 생각하지 않았기 때문입니다. 그래서 이런 것들을 자신있게 말하는 게 더 좋다고 느껴왔고 그렇게 행동해 왔습니다. 하지만 요즘은 제가 하는 이런 것들을 다른 사람들에게 얘기하지 못하고 있으며 그 사람들이 저의 이런 고민들을 이해해줄지 못할지 고민해야 하는지도 모르겠습니다.

다른 사람들은 모르겠지만 가족에게도 선뜻 말 못하고 있습니다. 왜냐하면 내가 확실히 직업적으로 무엇인가를 결정하지 않았기 때문인 것 같습니다. 제가 지금까지 공부했던 것과 제가 하려는 것이 달라서라는 문제가 아닙니다. 제가 전공과 전혀 관계없는 요리사가 되고 싶다면 다른 사람이 이해하든 못하든 그 과정을 설명해서 이렇게 되려고 합니다. 이렇게 얘기해야 하는데 그렇게 하지 못해서 더욱 그런 것 같습니다. 저에게는 현재로써 쿨가이준비가 그 중 하나인데 이걸 얘기해서 이해를 구할 수 있을지 의문이 들기도 합니다.

싸이먼이 답하다

인규야
내가 너에게 여러번 얘기했었는데 다시 분명한 것 하나를 확실히 얘기하고 넘어가야겠다. 지금 네가 고민하고 걱정하고, 남들한테 어떻게 얘기해야 하나 이전에 왜 그렇게 했었나 앞으로 뭘 어떻게 할 것인가. 내가 무엇을 하고 싶은가 무엇을 해서 돈을 벌 것인가 . 어떻게 살아갈 것인가. 부모님한테 무엇을 어떻게 얘기할까 … 이런 모든 것들 모두 쓸데없는 고민들이다.

무슨 얘기냐고? 어떻게 그런게 쓸데없는 고민이냐고? 왜냐하면 네가 어떤 사람으로 어떻게 살고싶은지에 대한 확실한 철학이 없다면 그 어떤 고민도 의미가 없기 때문이지. 고민해봐야 어떤 답도 결론도 내릴 수 없다. 설사 이제 네 나름대로 철학 비슷한 것을 가지고 있다하더라도 그 철학을 그저 흐릿한 생각으로 ‘착하게 남 도우면서 살아야지’ ‘좋은일 해야지’ 이딴 물에 술 탄듯 술에 물 탄듯 그런 생각으로만 가지고 있다면 그 또한 없느니만 못하다.
너만의 언어로 표현한 명확한 하나의 문장으로 ‘네 삶의 철학’을 가지기 전까지는 네가 지금 하는 고민들 모두 쓸데없는 고민들이고 그런 고민들은 앞으로도 수만번 수십만번 반복하게 될 것이다. 그렇게 결국 그런 고민들에 지치고 지쳐서 너는 포기하게 될 것이고 혹여나 강한 의지력으로 포기하지 않는다면 수시로 반복되는 그런 고민들로 인해 늘 불행하고 패배자의식에 사로잡힌 삶을 살게 되겠지.

너보다 학교에서 성적도 훨씬 낮게 받고, 졸업도 몇년이나 늦게한 동기, 친구들이 직장에 들어가서 월급받고 결혼하고 애 낳고 집사고 부모님들께 용돈드리고 그 부모님들은 우리 아들 어디어디 회사에 들어갔네 하면서 자랑하고 그 얘기를 늘 들으시는 너희 부모님들께 넌 또 한마디 들으면 거기에 스트레스 받고, 짜증나고 좌절하고 화나고 … 계속 이런 패턴이 지속될거다.

믿어도 된다. 분명히 이렇게 된다 .어떻게 아냐고? 나는 이미 이 모든 것을 수없이 겪었다. 힘들거다. 미칠 것 같고 폭발할 것 같고, 소리 지르고, 욕하고, 때로는 수없이 후회되고, 다 집어치우고 싶고, 모두 다 그만두고 싶고, 정말 미칠 것 같다는 얘기는 이런 때 하는 거구나 하는 것을 수없이 깨닫게 될거다. 자살하는 사람들이 왜 스스로 목숨을 끊는지도 조금은 이해가 갈 것 같다는 생각이 드는 그런 순간도 있을거다.

왜? 이제 와서 갑자기 후회되냐?
아직 시작도 안했다. 벌써 후회할 거면 오기 부리지 말고 멈춰라. 그만둬라. 아직 안늦었다. 지금부터 조용히 차근차근 취업원서 준비하고, 공채 시즌 시작되면 닥치는대로 지원해라. 자기소개서 열심히 쓰고 회사와 직무 따지지 않고 모두 다 집어 넣는거다. 영업이면 영업, 경영지원이면 경영지원. 직무, 파트 따위는 개나 줘버려라면서 무조건 닥치는대로 집어 넣는거다. 취업이 문제지. 직무 따위가 무슨 대수냐고 스스로를 세뇌 시키자 . 발등에 붙은 불부터 꺼야하지 않겠냐고, 입이 포도청이라고 자신을 다그치자. 금융계, 대기업, 중소기업, 보험회사,은행,증권회사 ….모두. 그렇게 모두 다 지원하자.

자기소개서 잘 쓰는 법 등등 서점에 산더미처럼 쌓인 취업준비서적들도 마구마구 열심히 보고, 취업스터디도 착실하게 참가하고, 인터뷰연습도 똑 떨어지게 하고, 적성검사 준비도 당연히 완벽하게 하고, 자기소개서에는 너만의 경험을 살 붙이고 기름칠 하고 잘 요리해서 그럴듯하게 작성하자. 어떻게 하면 면접관들 눈에 띌까 그들의 입장에서 다시 한번 바라보면서 퇴고에 퇴고를 거듭해서 정성껏 작성해라. 네가 마치 헤르만 헤세의 영혼이라도 뒤집어 쓴듯, 노벨상을 노리는 작가처럼 그렇게 열심히 써라. 그리고 수백군데에 집어 넣자. 다다익선!

그리고 기다리자. 너는 지방대지만 학점은 비정상적일 정도로 높고, 수학과임에도 불구하고 상당히 높은 토익점수까지 있잖아. 단지 학과시험에만 죽도록 매달린 공부벌레가 아니라는 것을 증명하듯 대외활동도 열심히 해서 학교주최하는 각종 경연대회도 우승했잖아. 그렇게 받은 포상으로 해외활동도 많이 했으니 자기소개서만 잘다듬으면 너는 무난히 취업할 수 있을거다.

그렇게 목표를 쟁취하는 거다. 취업이라는 거대하고, 원대한 목표! 대한민국의 ‘almost 100%’의 대학생들이 눈에 쌍불을 켜고 목숨 걸고 전력질주하는 그 목표에 그 모두를 따돌리고 당당히 선착순 터치하는거다. 군대시절 유격장에서 선착순 뺑뺑이 돌 때처럼 입에 게거품 물고 달리는거다.

어느 곳에 취업하더라도 넌 생활 잘할거다. 무엇이든 열심히 하고 어떤 목표,과업이 주어졌을 때 반드시 끝장을 보는 네 성격으로 선배들에게 사랑받고 후배들도 믿고 따르는 멋진 선배가 되겠지.
나는 나에게 코칭받을 때 운동하는 태도와 모습만 보아도 그 사람의 성격과 인성을 상당부분 알 수 있다. 넌 회사생활도 잘할거야.

그리고 십년이 지나겠지. 뒤돌아보면 눈 깜짝할 사이에 지난 시간. 나름 정말 열심히 살아왔던 시간이라 자부할거다. 넌 돈을 아무 생각없이 써대는 성격도 아니니 착실히 저축하고 모아서 대출받아 너만의 소중한 보금자리인 아파트도 한채 분양받고 이미 더 큰 평수로 이사도 했겠지. 회사 취업하고 몇년 지나 소개받은 참한 여자랑 결혼해서 행복한 가정도 꾸렸을거다.
헛된 망상에 사로잡힌 돈키호테같은 싸이먼 코치를 만나 그 젊은시절 귀한 1년이란 시간을 운동하고,영어공부하고,꿈찾는다며 헛되이 날려 버렸지만, 그래도 남들보다는 일찍 취업한 편이라 나이에 비해 진급도 빨리 했겠지. 친구들,동기들,후배들의 부러움을 받는 성공케이스 선배로서 자리잡았을거다.

해피엔딩이지? 이렇게 살면 된다. 지극히 성공적인 삶이고 행복한 삶이다. 부모님께 효도하고 가족들도 행복하고, 건강하고, 경제적으로 크게 부족함 없이 이쁜 아들딸도 낳아서 잘살고 있으니 얼마나 좋냐.

그런데.

바쁜 회사생활 마치고 혼자 조용히 당직 설 때 텅빈 사무실에서 문득,
어느 가을날 밤 네 아파트 창가에서 문득 밤하늘을 봤을 때 문득,
내일 아침 출근을 위해 잠자리에 든 어느날 밤 문득,
유난히 잠이 오지 않아 뒤척이는 그날 밤.
문득 넌 생각하겠지.

그때.

만약 그때 내가 멈추지 않았다면?

만약 그때 내가 포기하지 않았다면?

그랬다면?

난 지금쯤 무엇을 하고 있을까?

자, 지금 그때 그 순간으로 타임머신을 타고 가자.
십년뒤 그 순간으로 지금 떠나서 네가 한번 생각해봐라.

십년전(지금) 네가 멈추지 않았다면
넌 지금(십년뒤) 무엇을 하고 있을지?

Coach Simon Kang
‘마중물’같은 삶을 꿈꾸는 남자
‘운동’을 통한 자기계발코치/실전영어코치/BML Reset다이어트코치
코칭,강연,출간문의는 kaizenkorea@gmail.com

‘육체를 단련하며, 마음을 수련하고, 내 삶을 리셋한다’

(photo:Inkyu at cafe/credit to Simon Kang)
인규가 묻다
10월21일
고정관념
코치님 제가 이렇게 매일매일 제가 원하는대로 산다고 하면서 취업도 하지않고 있으니 사람들이 계속 왜 그러냐고 걱정스러운 말과 표정으로 조언을 자신들 나름 대로 해주면서 결국 인생에서 취업 한번 경험 해보는 것을 매우 중요하게 여기더군요 분명 이런 고민을 가지고 있는 사람들도 많다고 생각합니다. 그리고 그런 사람들 중에서는 결국 고민끝에 취업의 길을 택하는 사람들도 있겠죠. 그래도 저는 이 길을 선택하였습니다. 이렇게 제가 제 생각을 선택하면 저한테 이러더군요 그런 고정관념을 깨뜨릴 필요가 있다고요. 저는 대부분이 졸업 후 취업을 하니 그것이 고정관념이라고 생각했었습니다. 그런데 그 말을 듣고는 대화 이후 그냥 부정만 하고 있었던 제 모습을 발견하게 되었습니다. 그 후 많은 생각을 했고 이런 질문을 제 스스로 하게 되었습니다.
코치님 고정관념을 가진 사람과 자기가 확신하여 그것을 밀어 부치는 사람은 뭐가 다른 건가요? 그래서 제가 어떤 사람인지 다시 생각해보게 되었습니다. 분명 후자를 원하지만 제가 어떤 사람인지 궁금해졌습니다.

싸이먼이 답하다

먼저 네 질문에 대답하기 전에 ‘고정관념’의 뜻에 대해 한번 짚어보도록 하자.
너에게 고정관념을 버리라고 조언해준 분들도 어떤 의미에서 ‘고정관념’이란 단어를 사용했는지 생각해볼 필요가 있겠다.

스마트폰으로 네이버 국어사전에 치니 이렇게 나온다.

‘고정관념’
1.잘 변하지 아니하는,행동을 주로 결정하는 확고한 의식이나 관념.
2.어떤 집단의 사람들에 대한 단순하고 지나치게 일반화된 생각들.

인규 너에게 조언을 해준 사람들이 위 뜻중 1번의 뜻으로 ‘고정관념’을 버리라고 했다면 거기에 대한 내 생각은 다음과 같다.

인규 네가 스스로 확고하게 결정하고 믿고 따르는 ‘잘 변하지 아니하는, 인규 너의 행동을 주로(혹은 100%) 결정하는 확고한 의식이나 관념’이 그 사람들이 말한 고정관념이라면 나는 그것을 네 인생의 철학이라고 부른다. 네가 네 인생의 철학,신념을 따르는데 다른 주위 사람들이 툭툭 내던지는 조언이나 비난에 네가 흔들려서야 되겠냐?

오해하지 마라. 고집불통,독불장군이 되라는 말이 절대 아니다. 항상 열린마음으로 귀를 열고 타인의 조언을 새겨 듣는 자세는 꼭 필요하다. 이런 열린 마음이 진정한 자기발전,성공을 위한 지름길임에 분명하다. 여기에는 의심의 여지가 없지. 하지만 내가 바로 위에서 말한 그런 의미가 ‘고정관념’이라면 난 나의 ‘고정관념’(=삶의 철학)을 목숨 걸고 지키겠다. 왜냐하면 그 고정관념이 나를 ‘나’로 만들어주는 것이기 때문이다. 내가 나만의 철학(=고정관념)이 없이 삶을 살아간다면 그것이 그저 길거리에 돌아다니는 개나 고양이와 무슨 차이가 있겠냐? 심지어 우리 심바와 맥스(내가 기르는 강아지들이름)도 하는 행동과 성격 모든 것이 다르고 자신만의 캐릭터가 있는데 하물며 인간인 네가 네 자신만의 철학없이 그저 ‘대부분의 사람들이’ 가는 곳으로만 생각없이 따라간다면 그건 좀비와도 같다고 생각한다.

내가 이제껏 너에게 고정관념이라는 단어를 사용할 때는 위 네이버 사전의 두번째 뜻 즉 ’2.어떤 집단의 사람들에 대한 단순하고 지나치게 일반화된 생각들.’을 의미했다.

대부분의 사람들이 그저 아무생각없이 자신만의 고민없이 ‘다른 사람들 대부분을’ 따르고 휩쓸려가는 그런 생각들,그런 행동들, 그런 패턴들을 말하는 것이지.

위 사전에도 정확히 나와있지 않냐? [단순하고 지나치게 일반화된 생각들]이라고.
그렇다. ‘지나치게’ 말 그대로 지.나.치.게 일반화되었다. 우리나라의 가장 큰 문화적 문제점 중의 하나가 바로 이 일반화, streotype이라고 나는 믿는다. 지나치게 일반화된 생각을 너도 그렇고 나도 그렇고 우리 부모님들도 그렇고 모두다 그렇게 교육받고 그렇게 듣고 그렇게 가르침 받고 그렇게 따라야 된다고 끊임없이 세뇌당했다. 우리들은 그렇게 초등학교, 중학교, 고등학교를 보냈다. 심지어 지성인을 배출한다는 대학교에서도 자유로운 사상과 생각,철학을 가지기는 커녕 앞뒤 가리지 않고 오로지 취업에 목을 매고 학점과 토익점수에 매달리며 살고왔고 그렇게 살고있다. 영어를 왜 해야하는지 왜 내가 영어를 잘하고 싶은지, 그 이유도 모른채 그저 남들이 다가니까 나도 외국 한번 나갔다 와야된다며 그렇게 수천만원을 뿌리며 해외로 떠나는 수많은 사람들. 거기에 어떤 자신만의 철학이 있고 자신만의 사상이 있냐? 나 또한 그렇게 살았었다. 그리고 그것을 늦게라도 깨달은 것이 얼마나 다행스러운지 모른다. 만약 내가 이것을 5년 뒤, 10년뒤 깨닫게 되었다면 얼마나 억울하고 괴로울까 생각만 해도 끔찍하다.

인규 너는 네가 어떠한 자신만의 ‘철학’='고정관념’을 가지고 살아갈 것인지 먼저 고민하기 바란다. 나도 이 문제를 끊임없이 고민해왔고 지금도 여전히 고민하고 있다. 물론 앞으로도 고민할 거다 죽을 때까지.

내가 지금껏 얘기한 철학이란 뜻의 ‘고정관념’과 stereotype이란 뜻의 ‘고정관념’을 확실하게 구분한다면 지금 너의 그 고민도 분명 해결되리라 믿는다.

Coach Simon Kang
‘마중물’같은 삶을 꿈꾸는 남자
‘운동’을 통한 자기계발코치/실전영어코치/BML Reset다이어트코치
코칭,강연,출간문의는 kaizenkorea@gmail.com

‘육체를 단련하며, 마음을 수련하고, 내 삶을 리셋한다’

BY MELISSA TAIT

So, it’s that time of year again. And by that time of the year I mean the time you feel a little guilty and sad because you’re off globetrotting while all your friends and family are celebrating Christmas in your home town. So, should you send presents home? I say yes, mainly because I enjoy shopping and finding fun, silly things for friends back home. That said, I have a low tolerance for spending money on excess postage, so I’m always on the lookout for presents that pack and send well. Here are some of my recommendations. I’d love to hear yours too!

1) Socks! They are awesome and cheap here. And most of your friends and family have feet. These are light to pack and send, and can be worn though out the year. Available from every second shop and street vendor in Korea.

2) Couple underwear sets. Do you have a friend/family member who recently became engaged or married? These romantic sets will add a slice of humour to the bedroom. These are a little more expensive and aren’t available in all sizes, but take the courage to get into an underwear shop and have a look to find the most hilarious set you can find. It will be appreciated back home.

3) Small, plastic things from Daiso. I love Daiso and the crazy small plastic things that you can get there. From carrot-shaped food clips to plastic containers for toothbrushes, everything they have amuses me. Plus, they are lightweight and can be sent home. They might not last forever but they will get a chuckle from your friends and family back home.

4) Key chains/phone accessories. These are great stocking fillers and normally go for W1,000 – W2,000. I particularly like the key chain which is a small soju bottle. Classy. These are very small and fun, and have the extra bonus of your friends are able to show them off everywhere they go. Available from all phone shops and places where small, sparkly accessories are found.

5) Stationary! I’m not sure about the availability of stationary in America or Canada, but in Australia they just don’t have the awesome notebooks and letter sets you get here. Also, they are incredibly cheap and flat to send. I recommend going into your nearest Artbox and having a look through the range of adorable notebooks and things available. You will find one to suit your writerly friends.

So, these are my recommendations. I’ve stayed away from things that are harder to send, but would love to hear your recommendations!

 The beautiful scenery at Gimryongsa Temple in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

Hello Again Everyone!!

Gimryongsa Temple was first founded in 588 A.D. by the monk, Undal-josa. The temple was completely destroyed, like much of Korea, during the Imjin War of 1592 to 1598. It was later rebuilt in 1624 by the monk, Hyechong-seonsa. And it was further renovated in 1649 by three masters: Eoryun, Mujin, and Taehyu. The entire temple complex, all except for the main hall, were burnt down, once more, in 1998.

Gimryongsa Temple has to be one of the more mysterious temples I’ve been to. It’s secluded, all but for one sign that guides you a kilometres out, to the little traveled Gimryongsa Temple.

You first get to the temple up a dusty road that’s joined by towering trees. Suddenly, you’ll come to the end of the road, which is Gimryongsa Temple. The first thing to greet you at the temple is the Iljumun Gate with a pair of ferocious paintings of Heng and Ha. Past this first gate, and another low-ceilinged bathroom, you’ll next be greeted by the Cheonwangmun Gate. Uniquely, and a first for me, the gate houses Four Heavenly Kings that are made from stone. The eyes are literally popping out of their eyes with intensity.

Just past the Cheonwangmun Gate is a small pond that has a small stone dragon the size of a snake to greet you. To the immediate left of this pond is a crude carving of the Buddha on a small stone. And to the far left is the temple’s bell pavilion. All of this is backed by a large natural wood building called the Eunghyang-gak.

It’s past these halls to the left and a large pavilion, called the Bojae-ru, to the right that you enter the temple courtyard. Straight ahead is the main hall at Gimryongsa Temple. The main hall, the Daeung-jeon, dates back to 1649. There are very few paintings that surround the exterior walls of the main hall; however, there are a pair of masterfully painted murals of dragons on either side of the flanking walls. As for the interior, and sitting on the main altar, are a triad of statues centred by Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). This statue is flanked by Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) and Yaksayore-bul (The Medicine Buddha). Backing this set of statues is a mural called the Yeongsanhoi Gwaebul-do. The painting dates back to 1703, when it was originally painted at Unbongsa Temple on Mt. Undalsan. Have a close look at this expertly rendered masterpiece. To the left of the main altar is a well populated guardian mural. The ceiling to the main hall is intricately painted both with floral designs and floating Biseon.

Just to rear of the main hall, and to the right, are three more halls that visitors can see. The first of these halls is the Geumryun-jeon shaman shrine hall. Inside this hall are housed three beautiful old paintings. The most amazing of the three is the painting of Sanshin, who sits on a throne and is joined by a cartoonish-looking purple tiger.

To the right of this hall is the Geukrak-jeon. Sitting on the main altar is a squat looking statue of Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise). And this statue is backed by a beautiful red painting of Amita-bul.

The next hall is the Eungjin-jeon, which is dedicated to the Nahan (The Historical Disciples of the Buddha). Sitting on the main altar inside this hall are a triad of statues centred by Seokgamoni-bul. This triad is backed by a vibrant mural that is well populated with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and guardians. To the right and left of the main altar are both beautiful statues and murals of the Nahan. The murals especially stand out for their artistry. On the far right wall is yet another painting of Dokseong (The Recluse). And to the far left is another guardian mural. The ceiling to this hall is littered with wooden sculptures of fish and a vibrant dragon mural just above the main altar. So look skywards when you’re in this hall. And between both the Eungjin-jeon and the Geukrak-jeon is the monks’ quarters.

The final things that you can see at Gimryongsa Temple, and just to the right of the Eungjin-jeon, are a pagoda and a statue. The first of the two is a stone pagoda that lies just a little up the mountain and overlooks the entire temple grounds. Just a little further along, and up a well kept path, is an ancient stone statue of Yaksayore-bul. There is no sign indicating just how old the statue is, but it’s obvious from looking at the statue, that it’s quite ancient. With one hand above the other, and with what looks to be a bottle in hand, Yaksayore-bul smiles out over Gimryongsa Temple.

HOW TO GET THERE: To get to Gimryongsa Temple, you’ll first need to get to the Jeomchon Train Station. From Busan, you can get to this small station from the Busan Train Station. Once you arrive at the Jeomchon Train Station, you’ll need to walk 1.1 kilometres to the Mungyeong Town Bus Terminal. The bus that goes to Gimryongsa Temple has no name; instead, look for the bus that says “점촌 – 김용사.” The bus ride will last about one hour, or 24 stops, and it’ll drop you off at the entrance to Mt. Undal. From the bus stop, you’ll need to walk for an additional 1.5 kilometres, or 20 minutes, to the temple.

크게 보기

OVERALL RATING:7.5/10. I really enjoyed visiting Gimryongsa Temple. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since there is very little out there on this temple. However, the temple delivered in spades from the main hall (and all it houses), to the three other halls and the ancient statue of Yaksayore-bul. While Gimryongsa Temple is hard to get to, I would highly recommend it to anyone that can find it.

The Iljumun Gate at Gimryongsa Temple.

The guardian Heng protecting one of the entrance gate doors.

 The rather strangely constructed, and rather old, bathroom at Gimryongsa Temple.

 A look up at the Cheonwangmun Gate at the temple.

 A look inside reveals one of the stone sculpted Heavenly Kings.

 The diminutive bell pavilion at the temple to the left of the Cheonwangmun Gate.

 The front facade of the Eunghyang-gak that welcomes you to the temple courtyard.

 And a look up at the Bojae-ru pavilion to the right just outside the temple courtyard.

 Just below the Bojae-ru is this small pond with a stone dragon that almost looks like a snake in the midst of the water.

 The set of stairs that lead you towards the temple courtyard.

 The main hall, the Daeung-jeon, at Gimryongsa Temple that dates back to 1649.

The dragon that adorns the outer wall of the main hall.

The main altar inside the main hall with the Yeongsanhoi Gwaebul-do painting that dates back to 1703.

A look up at the Geumryun-jeon.

Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) sitting on a throne and joined by a purple tiger.

The Geukrak-jeon hall at Gimryongsa Temple.

The main altar inside the Geukrak-jeon.

The beautifully situated Eungjin-jeon at the temple.

The altar inside the Eungjin-jeon with a dragon mural overhead and a triad of bronze statues down below.

One of the beautiful murals that illustrate some of the Nahan, as well as individual statues of the Historical Disciples of the Buddha.

The solitary pagoda that rests halfway up the mountain.

The path that brings you to the ancient stone statue of Yaksayore-bul.

A good look at the outdoor pavilion that houses The Medicine Buddha.

 A beautiful sky, a lush forest, and the face of serenity, make for quite the nice picture.

Since we arrived a little bit later on Saturday, we saved our hiking for Day 2! After a quick breakfast at Angel in us Coffee, we started our drive to nearby Odaesan National Park. We arrived at the southwest corner of the park in a place called Sogeumgang, or “little geumgang”, named after the famous mountain in North Korea. The drive from the city was a beautiful one that reminded me of home. The mountains in Korea look very similar to the Appalachian mountains of the Eastern US where I grew up, and the winding roads through the valley transported me back to NC for a moment. I was soon brought back to Korea once I saw the road turn into a narrow unmarked trail lined with buddhist lanterns and eager hiking groups. To say hiking is a national pastime here is an understatement–it’s a lifestyle! The hiking group leaders wore flags in their backs, and the group members all wore matching hiking gear. Drinking goes hand in hand with hiking (naturally), and we definitely saw cups over-flowing before, during, and after the hike. Once we parked we continued on the road lined with makgeolli and pajeon places, the official food and drink of hiking in Korea. Just past the camping sites we caught our first glimpse of the river our trail would follow to Guryong Falls, our destination for the day.

What else is a backpack for? Carrying soju!

One of the pajeon places near the entrance of the trail

The beginning of our hike

We had beautiful weather just as we did the previous day, and it was a fantastic day for a hike. It was the very beginning of Fall and the air was on the verge of being crisp and sharp, and the leaves had just started changing color.

The reds and greens and in-betweens of early Fall

Not too far along the trail we came to the first of many bridges. Below it were happy picnicers atop scattered boulders in the river. We went off the trail to climb on the rocks and get some photos, when I notice a man motioning for me to come over to him and his group of friends. Once I get closer I hear the man say “come eat some chicken! Please help yourself!” in Korean so I quickly hop on over to their rock. I was immediately handed chopsticks, a paper cup, and shot of soju. They were super friendly, especially once they learned I was conversational in Korean! They asked about where I was from, how long I’ve lived in Korea, what I do, etc. Soon Evan and Zack joined too and they encouraged us to eat and drink more. We later joked that we thought they just ordered WAY too much chicken and asked the first person they saw to help them eat it! HA!

The group that invited us to eat chicken with them!

Group photo! (Thanks Zack)

But honestly, Korean people are hospitable and giving in any situation, but especially when they’re hiking. There is such a comraderie felt when tackling a trail together, and it does feel like one big family every time I go hiking here, which is a huge reason I love it. It’s difficult I think for an American like myself to feel that sense of “oneness” that permeates the Korean psyche, and often when I’m hiking it feels like I’m “let in” on it, on that feeling. Strangers passing by often say “hello” to you, and getting offered food or drink is not uncommon at all.

Maybe halfway through the trail we climbed some stone steps up to a temple for a short rest. A lot of people had the same idea, and rested in the shade, some drinking from the fresh spring fountain. The temple was gorgeous, there’s something about Fall colors that makes the traditional temple colors really stand out. That and I think this particular temple was painted recently.

Mountain temple

The trail was easy going throughout, without any steep hills to speak of and plenty of beautiful places to stop and rest. It’s a very leisurely trail that anyone can do. The most memorable part of the trail by far is about a kilometer from Guryong Falls. After another bridge the trail opens up onto these giant slabs of rock that are leaning down towards the water below. As you can tell in the video, I was really impressed by the uniqueness and beauty of it. There are people everywhere having picnics on the rock, some daring more than other to sit close to the edge by the water. Some took naps in crevasses of the rock, and some acted like this was their final destination and continued drinking!

Being brave! (photo by Zack)

Awesome photo in front of the waterfall, by Zack

Guryong Falls

Check out Zack’s website and subscribe to his youtube channel!

See all of our photos from our weekend in Gangneung on our Flicker!
Until next time!

The post Follow Us Around: Gangneung Day 2 appeared first on Evan and Rachel.

Following some good experiences on Spain’s cheap and comfortable intercity buses we decided to take an overnight bus from Granada to Valencia. It would prove to be a reasonably long journey but I managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep and compared to previous overnight bus trips in Vietnam it was luxurious. We arrived quite early in Valencia and rather than stay in the slightly decaying bus station we waited for MacDonald’s to open outside a department store. We couldn’t check in until around 1p.m. so we spent the morning slowly eating breakfast and taking tiny sips from cups of tea and coffee. Checking in at the hostel we had to wait a little longer for our beds to be made before we could head for some much needed sleep.

The first day was a pretty lazy one and I was beginning to feel the strain of being on the road for so long. I had gradually grown tired of moving from place-to-place and I definitely needed some time out for myself and to ease off on the desperate need to go to places, see things and do things.

Over three days in Valencia I spread out my desires equally with time to sleep, read and generally relax. Elle was busy making new friends and testing out some Valencian beaches, so we just hung out a little whenever we were both around the hostel. On the first full day I got up late and went on an a lovely 10k run through the Jardin del Turia. This expansive park lies along the dry river bed of the river Turia that used to flow through the city of Valencia. After a devastating flood in 1957 the river was diverted and the river bed redeveloped into a park that now holds football pitches, grassy gardens, sculpture, a disused waterpark and the City of Arts and Sciences.

Later in the afternoon I took some time to walk around the old centre of Valencia. getting my camera out to get some photos. It wasn’t as peaceful as Sevilla or Granada but certain areas like the Barri del Carmi had a unique charm.

The view of the bell tower at Valencia’s cathedral from the Plaza del la Virgen. You can see a view of the jumbled old quarter streets another photo above.

Looking down on the central hub of Plaza del la Reina. I had a really crappy lunch there!

The view from the climb up the Micalet tower at the Cathedral.

Inside the Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados, definitely worth a visit for the impressive fresco that adorns the dome.

Two of the more unique buildings I encountered on my walk around town.

The next day I went on another long walk. I went back to the Barri del Carmi and walked around the neighbourhood checking out some street art, independent shops and enjoying what appeared to be a very tight knit community where local people ate late breakfasts together, helped each other move house or drink in the small cafes.

After my time in old Valencia I headed for the ultra modern. Walking back to the riverbed park I followed the park trails towards the sea (I had run in the other direction the previous day) and towards the space-age City of Arts and Sciences. Set amongst sky blue pools of water dramatic buildings take over the widening river bed. Comparable to extra-terrestial sci-fi spaceships the buildings of L’Hemispheric, L’Oceanographic, L’Agora, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, L’Umbracle and El Museu de les Ciences Principe Felipe shimmer in the sun and pierce the crystal clear skies. I didn’t go inside the museum but just enjoyed the bold architecture with some ice-cream.

On the walk to the City of Arts and Sciences I passed Parc Gulliver. It seemed to be abandoned, if not only closed, but the sight of a monstrous giant playground set into the riverbed was treat enough.

I walked back on the far side of the dried river and tried to buy some tickets for a football game later that evening but some touts said the ticket offices were closed and it was sold out. Calling their bluff I decided to come back later. On the way back I saw this lonesome brick chimney, now resigned to being a resting place for bored pigeons.

Some of the street art in Barri del Carmi was quite unique.

During my final evening in Valencia I abandoned Elle again in favour of a pre-season tournament match between Valencia and Inter Milan. Pre-season tournaments come and go in various different guises and this one, the Guinness International Champions Cup will likely follow suit. However, this turned out to be a surprisingly competitive and thrilling match. The Mestalla, Valencia’s aging aging concrete behemoth was the arena for this match-up of Mediterranean titans. I arrived early and collected a face-value ticket from the ticket office (in your face ticket touts!) and took my choice of seat amongst the home support. The stadium is a precarious construction, soaring, steep stands lean on an unimpressive support of bare breeze-blocks and concrete that are mostly open to the elements from the outside and were certainly not planned with any sense of architectural flamboyance. The stadium was merely half-filled at kick-off, but that still managed to rouse an excellent atmosphere once a silent and  poignant tribute to the recent Spanish rail crash had concluded.

The match itself was a fiesty affair full of controversy, cards, splendid goals, a saved penalty and shots thumping against the woodwork. I will spare you an in-depth analysis and if you wish you can read a match report here. The main point was that I thoroughly enjoyed it, the stadium, old and shambolic turned out to be an inspirational venue for an exciting match, one that would be worthy of gracing the Premier or Champions League.

The Valencian ultras showing support for those involved in the national high speed rail tragedy from a few days before.

Dusk descended on the Mestalla as the floodlights went on and so did my time in the city. i probably could have made more of my time in Valencia, and definitely been more sociable, but it was equally enjoyable to relax and take some time out in the unique urban environment that is Valencia.

I wrote a quick piece for Newsweek Korea this week on Vladimir Putin’s trip to South Korea. Find the Korean web version here. Below is the translation.

In brief, I argue that a relationship with Russia is good for South Korea. Because SK is both relatively small and encircled, its foreign policy is dominated by just a few states. The problem is that SK can’t/won’t reach out to NK or Japan, so it is basically stuck between the US and China. So pulling in the Russians is a nice way to get SK some room to maneuver in its tight neighborhood. That is sure to annoy the Americans, but if you’re a S Korean, it’s a wise choice. That is the real value of the trip for SK, while for Russia, it bolsters its fading Asian relevance. Also, while I think President Park has really blown it over Japan, this was a smart over against the Chinese and the Americans – maybe the best thing she’s done on foreign policy yet.

If it seems like I’m emphasizing geopolitics over economics, that’s because I don’t but this ‘New Silk Road’ bit for one minute. Does anyone really believe NK will respect transit rights, giving up lucrative shake-down opportunities on the movement of fuel, goods, tourists, and so on? No way. NK is a such a black hole for international norms, that SK and Russia might as well connect by a ‘chunnel’ before relying on NK transit rights.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Seoul this week is an excellent opportunity for South Korea to widen its diplomatic range of partners and carve out greater geopolitical options in the tight northeast Asian neighborhood. South Korea is a middle power surrounded by three great powers plus the world’s most frightening dictatorship. This very tough geopolitical position has often resulted in mistreatment by its neighbors. The age-old problem of Korean grand strategy is to vouchsafe its sovereignty against its larger neighbors and prevent domination. So improved relations with one of those neighbors, Russia, helps Seoul pushback on others, to create space for itself. This is President Park Geun-Hye’s most clever, underappreciated diplomatic move so far.

South Korea’s current strategy to insure national autonomy is the US alliance. The American superpower clearly strengthens Korea’s local independence. But of course, the US alliance comes with certain expectations that Koreans occasionally resent, such as participation in George Bush’s war on terror or the Obama administration’s pivot to Asia, or US pressure on Korea for a rapprochement with Japan. The media debate of the last month clearly demonstrates that Korea does not wish to be ‘chain-ganged’ into American-Japanese containment of China. Nor do Koreans want to compromise with Japan, despite heavy US pressure in that direction. Unfortunately, a very tight Korean association with the US raises Seoul’s vulnerability to these American pressures. Korean soldiers went to Iraq, for example, despite the enormous unpopularity of that war, because the Blue House knew how dependent Korean security is on the US. Hence if Korea can open its range of major diplomatic partners beyond the United States, it may gain some leverage against the US and blunt American pressure regarding Japan and China.

Here Russia is very useful, because Korea’s regional choices are very limited. Korea has poor relations with Japan and North Korea; indeed much of Korean diplomacy aims at isolating these two states, not conciliating them. That leaves China, the US, and Russia. Today, Korea is arguably over-dependent on the US, as suggested by periodic outbursts of Korean anti-Americanism. Certainly many US allies have found America overbearing and politically intrusive. So simultaneously dealing with China, America, and Russia serves Korea sovereignty by balancing all three against each other. Call it the Korean version of ‘triangular diplomacy’ (a term from the Richard Nixon presidency to describe the awkward US semi-alliance with China against the USSR).

An irony of this balancing strategy is that its greatest Korean practitioner to date was Kim Il Sung. Despite the extraordinary totalitarian cruelty of his rule, Kim brilliantly played Korea’s tough neighborhood to achieve surprising autonomy for the small, economically backward DPRK. Perhaps most famously, Kim managed to steer both China and the USSR into supporting his unification war. Kim cleverly played Stalin and Mao against each other, telling each if they did not support him, he would then go to the other. Stalin and Mao, anxious to pull North Korea into their separate camps, both then supported the war, even though actually neither wished to. This was probably the greatest feat of diplomacy in North Korean history. And throughout the Cold War, Kim managed to avoid tilting too much toward China or the USSR, constantly playing them against each other, both to maintain the DPRK’s sovereignty and extract concessions.

South Korea, by contrast, did not choose to duck-and-weave like this. Instead, it threw in its lot with the Americans, resulting in repeated claims over the years that Seoul is too subservient to Washington. This was likely still a wise choice: the US has been the wealthiest and most powerful state on the planet since WWII, and it helped midwife South Korea’s spectacular growth. Nevertheless, in my experience, most Koreans would like a little more distance from the Americans, and outreach to the Russians is great way to get that.

There are of course limits. Outreach to Russia – and China – both suffer from the constraints of clashing political values. In other words, South Korea is a liberal democracy; Russia and China are not. That makes it hard for South Korea to engage too deeply. South Korean younger voters particularly are strongly wedded to liberal and democratic political values, as evidenced by their large vote against Park Geun-Hye as the ‘dictator’s daughter’ last year. As these youth age and fill Korea’s political institutions, it will become harder and harder for South Korea to work easily with authoritarian states. Domestic South Korean resistance will grow, much as already we see Western democratic states cooperating well with each other, but in frequent tension with non-democracies in the Middle East for example.

So it is highly unlikely that South Korea would ever ally with Russia or China. Democracies are just too distrustful of authoritarian regimes. They may work with them – as South Korea works with China on limiting North Korean misbehavior – but genuinely deep, friendly relations between democracies and non-democracies are rare. It is indicative that the big breakthrough of the Park-Putin summit was simply a 60-day visa-free travel permit. Most democracies have 90-day visa-free deals with each other as a matter of course.

In short, outreach to Russia is a smart, if limited, move. It helps South Korea maneuver in tight regional space. It tells the Americans that Korea has non-American options – not great options, but at least something. It tells the Chinese that Korea will not roll over for Chinese domination of the region (likely a Russian goal as well). It pressures Japan on the island dispute issue (Russia has a similar quarrel with Japan). And it continues to isolate North Korea. That’s pretty great diplomacy.”

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Robert E Kelly Assistant Professor Department of Political Science & Diplomacy Pusan National University robertkelly260@hotmail.com

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The beautiful Naewon Valley in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do.

 Hello Again Everyone!!

With hundreds of successful temple adventures, there have been a handful of times that I haven’t succeeded for one reason or another. Other than the famed failure atBuljosa Temple in Gimhae, because of a crazed monk, my other failure came at Anjeokam Hermitage and Jogyeam Hermitage in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do.

It had been my intention, when setting out for Anjeokam Hermitage and Jogyeam Hermitage, to enjoy a crisp fall morning hike in the Naewon valley. I knew that the trek up to the two hermitages would not only be long (9 kilometres) and arduous (up and down mountains and valleys), but that they might also be a bit hard to find. I knew the area well, having traveled the valley numerous times both in groups and by myself. I knew once I passed Nojeonam Hermitage, which is a couple kilometers into the valley, that I would have to keep my eyes peeled for the sign marker pointing me north towards Anjeokam Hermitage and Jogyeam Hermitage.

I’m pretty good at reading maps, but when I came to the map on the trail, I completely misread it. I blew past the trail head that would have led me to the two remote hermitages. This mistake would take me halfway up Mt. Cheonseongsan, in the wrong direction, and four kilometers out of the way. Backtracking, and after asking a couple Korean nuns, I finally found the trail head that I was initially looking for. When I finally did arrive at Anjeokam Hermitage, the first of the two nestled beside the other, I had already traveled 8.5 kilometres (with another four and a half to get back to my car), up and around mountains and valleys.

The not so nice monk at Anjeokam Hermitage, who is highlighted by the arrow.

However, the story doesn’t end there. There were a couple times when I was going to give up along the way, so as you can imagine, I was pretty happy to finally arrive at Anjeokam Hermitage. I started to explore the smaller sized hermitage grounds, having a look inside the rather atypical main hall and the stately Iljumun Gate. I had noticed, what I believed to be, the head monk at the hermitage talking to an older Korean man. When I came out from the main hall, the head monk was no longer joined by the Korean man. Perhaps this is when he noticed me for the first time, as I made my way towards the Samseong-gak. I thought it was pretty harmless, in my near delirious state, to explore the shaman shrine hall. Well…I couldn’t have been more wrong. He told me no, in Korean, and pointed me towards the exit. As I said, being nearly delirious with exhaustion, I simply said good-bye to the hermitage and made my way towards the neighbouring Jogyeam Hermitage. With another hermitage to see, which turned out to be stunning, and another four and half kilometers to hike, it wasn’t until a couple days later that I realized that I had been shooed from a hermitage.

The much nicer, and more beautiful, Jogyeam Hermitage.

This would be my first, of just two, temples that I’ve been asked to leave or simply barred from entering. Fortunately, in the over three hundred temples and hermitages that I’ve visited in Korea since 2003, it’s been nothing more than an isolated incident. More often than not, Buddhist temples and hermitages are among the friendliest places you’ll visit in Korea. So don’t be deterred, I haven’t been.

For more information on Anjeokam Hermitage.

For more information on Jogyeam Hermitage.

A beautiful water cascade in the Naewon Valley.

Considering that fact that Korean is often regarded as one of the most difficult languages for native English speakers to learn, those that move to Korea might be intimidated to begin the arduous and often frustrating journey of learning the local language.  But, there can be many benefits to learning Korean.  Getting a grasp on the basics makes expat life far more comfortable and allows one to better understand the culture and feel more integrated with society.  Then there are the added bonuses of more job opportunities and bragging rights.  Because, let's face it... how many non-Koreans can actually say that they speak Korean?

Committing oneself to studying is the first and often most difficult step to learning Korean.  So what about after that?

For those of us who grew up in a country where there is little to no priority on learning a second language, it's difficult to know which study methods and programs work best to memorize vocabulary words, comprehend unfamiliar sentence structures, and perfect one's pronunciation.  And because everyone learns differently, it might take a bit of trial and error to figure out which approach is best for you.

Although I am still very much a beginner, I have attempted a number of techniques and attended a variety of classes to find what works for me.  Below are my personal experiences, including the pros and cons of each.
Self-Study

Self-study might be the most obvious choice for learning Korean, especially for those living outside of Korea or for those with a busy schedule, as the student is able to create his or her own study schedule and move at his or her own pace.

Fortunately for students that are learning Korean on their own, there are a number of resources that are extremely beneficial in improving one's language ability.  A good language book is essential in establishing a curriculum for oneself and there are plenty to chose from.  Many language schools use the Sogang Korean language book series.  It's well-organized, easy to understand, and practical.  The Korean Made Easy series is also good for beginners.

But, let's be honest.  Sometimes learning from a book can just get... well, boring.  So, when you need to break up the monotony, there's the internet.  TalkToMeInKorean.com is a fantastic language site that uses short audio and video clips to teach conversational phrases, vocab, and grammar in a way that is sure to keep your attention.    Professor Oh and Friends (aka SweetAndTastyTV.com) is another fun site where you can learn Korean through hilarious language instruction videos produced by a Korean speaker who plays various characters.

Finally, let your smartphone be your teacher.  Download Memrise to enhance your Korean vocabulary and Dongsa, a great app to use when you can't quite remember all those irregular verb conjugations (which, for me, is most of the time).
 

Language Exchange

Participating in a language exchange with a native Korean speaker can be a great way to get some free one-on-one speaking practice.

These meetings, which usually involve two or more people, occur in cafes or restaurants and involve an allotted amount of time for each party to practice his or her target language in exchange for helping the other party.  There are a number of websites and message boards online such as HanLingo.com and weekly meetups like Language Exchange Cafe that function as platforms to match language exchange partners.

Although language exchanges are quite common in Korea, many often use them as an excuse to meet potential girlfriends/boyfriends/hook up buddies.  This is all fine and dandy but if you are legitimately interested in meeting someone to help you improve your language ability, consider arranging an exchange with someone of the same sex, or be sure to make your intentions clear before meeting.

Language exchanges can also be tricky, as most Koreans are far more advanced in English than English speakers are in Korean.  Therefore, these meetings often tend to involve a lot more English than Korean. Set specific time frames for speaking either language from the beginning and attempt to make meeting a weekly habit to get the most out of this type of studying.

University Language Program

For those with a more flexible schedule (i.e. the unemployed), enrolling in a university language program is one of the best ways to pick up Korean in a short amount of time.

I took a semester at Sogang University here in Seoul with the intent of completing the first half of the six levels.  The university, which is reputed as one of the best for learning how to speak Korean, gave me a great foundation for learning the language.  For four hours a day, five times a week, I was attending writing, speaking, and reading classes and was completely immersed in Korean.

Because it was an intensive program, however, it was very difficult for me to keep up.  I studied tirelessly to learn new vocabulary words, grammar points, and phrases.  So much so that I was dreaming about studying Korean at night and often woke myself up mumbling the day's vocab.  I kid you not.  Despite my efforts, I found that it didn't take long for me to forget everything that I had worked so hard to learn because the pace was faster than what I could handle.  I often wondered if I was wasting my hard-earned cash (about $1,300/semester) because of this.

In the end, I decided that I personally needed to learn at a slower pace, but I can confidently say that attending Sogang was the perfect way to kick-start my learning.  For those that are more experienced in studying foreign languages and have a lot of time on their hands, this would be the program to consider.

Korean Hagwon

When the university program didn't quite work out how I intended to, I registered for classes at Omija Korean, a new language hagwon (private academy) located in Itaewon.  Although I cut my class time from four hours down to two in doing so, I was glad that I made the change.  I'm learning at a slower pace, but I feel that I am having more time to process the information I'm learning naturally rather than by rote memorization.

Because Omija Korean is new, the class sizes are very small (less than 5 students) which allows for more speaking practice.  My teacher puts a great deal of effort into teaching at the students' levels, but at the same time makes the classes interesting and fun.  We learn to converse in a natural way, which isn't always the case in textbooks or university classes.  The curriculum is structured but not so much so that the teacher doesn't leave room for issues or conversation topics that are brought up by the students.

I don't have much experience with Korean hagwons, and I'm certain that they're all different, but I'm finding that the flexible schedule, more lenient curriculum, and laid back atmosphere of this hagwon works for me. It doesn't hurt that it is located within a close proximity to my home, but for those living outside of Seoul, or even Korea, Omija also offers Skype lessons.

When considering enrolling at a hagwon, it is important to do your research.  Stick with reputable institutions like YBM or ask around for advice on expat message boards.

Free Classes

Fortunately for foreign residents in Seoul, there are a number of organizations that offer free Korean classes that are structured similarly to hagwons.

In addition to attending Omija, I have also been taking classes twice a week at the Itaewon Global Village Center, a branch of the Seoul Global Center.  I'm learning a lot and my teacher is a doll, but the pace is very slow considering the class is only three hours a week.  The class size is large, as well, which limits speaking practice.  However, for those with a hectic schedule or who are on a budget, this is a great way to get exposed to the language and is a good supplement to self-study.



Again, everyone learns a foreign language differently and finding the right study method (or combination of methods) takes time. But don't get frustrated when you hit a roadblock or feel like giving up.  Be realistic with your learning goals, always keep in mind what motivates you to study, and don't forget to reward yourself when you've tried your hardest.  With some a lot of patience and some trial and error, you'll be well on your way to mastering the Korean language.  행운을 빌어요!! (Good luck!)

Which methods do you use to learn Korean?  What helps your learning process?  What hinders it? Leave your thoughts in the comments box below.


Words by Mimsie Ladner of Seoul Searching.  Content may not be produced unless authorized.

 

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Seoul Searching
www.MySeoulSearching.com

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