Changwon
Changwon is a beautiful, planned city along across the bag from Masan. A young city model built 30 years ago after Melbourne in Australia, it boast clearly defined residential areas, shopping, and industry. The main streets were build to land airplanes on and seem unique in Korea due to their size.
We each are enjoying individual homestays for the first time allowing us to navigate language and our needs without the help of each other. I am staying with Dr. Park, the former 3720 District Governor in 2005-2006. He is a dentist, loves golf (is off today doing that favorite activity), and enjoys being a Rotarian. Mrs, Kim is a professor of art, an artist herself with beautiful work in carving, acrylics, and printing.
My first day in Changwon was the prelude to what I knew would be a great time. First, the pace was less hectic, giving us a chance to not only see new sites but to enjoy them and conversation as well. We choose to walk a bit, enjoy some tea in a beautiful home and see pictures of the former GSE Team from India. On the bus ride we enjoyed singing and especially the talents of our hosts as they sang and dance – giving us laughter.
That night several of woman’s rotary group, Changweon-Chowon took Don and I to the (jingiban) bath house, where we enjoyed hours of sauna, ice rooms, oxygen room, massage chairs, and the rock room. With the help of our translator, Kevin (son of one of the members of Changweon-Chowon), we managed lots of laughs and relaxation as we sweat out the toxins. I do enjoy the jingiban and know it helps me manage the hard beds and sitting on the floor!
Communicating with someone is always a challenge when there in not a common verbal language. We can manage food, bathing, cleaning clothing, time to go, or time to return. It is much hard to communicate when ill or about topics of meaning. I have had the opportunity to practice both with Mrs. Kim. She had to care for me the past days as the fatigue, motion sickness, cold – all packed together to put me in bed for the day. Letting go was easy with her and I appreciated her nurturing.
Today we conversed in a combination of English and Korean with phrase books and dictionaries about religion, faith and our families. Even though I know I did not understand all that was said, I found deep connection in what I understood and in the openness of the effort. Cultural exchanges are about these connections, learning and listening to others in deep and meaningful ways. I do believe we are generally given the opportunity to connect in our daily lives but often we must be in uncomfortable or new situations, where our standard behavior does not work, in order to fully engage ourselves in these opportunities. I do feel engaged here in Korea!
April 12, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I’m so glad you finally have home-stays. That adds so much to the experience of being in Korea. Sorry to hear you were sick. If my count is correct, that means everyone has been sick at least once. One-on-one communication is the key. Go Team Korea. Go jingiban.