My journeys to KoreaMy journeys to Korea
My first trip to Korea was in September 1991. I got the opportunity to go to Korea without to pay any expenses. The Korean government paid for airline ticket, board and lodging. I was one of twelve Koreans from Sweden who went to participated at The World Korean Ethnic Sports Festival in Seoul .I didn't had time to prepare mentally for the journey, because everything happened so fast before we departed. My expectation weren't high, because I didn�t know what to expect. I knew that it wasn�t a ordinary holiday trip I went to. I was going back to my birth country for the fist time since I left Korea as a baby.
When we arrived at Kimpo and came out from the airport a hot breeze of humid air stroke my face. The airport was crowded with people and finally we found our guide . Besides the guide there where several journalists and reporters who were waiting for us, as soon as they saw us they started to torture us Mille, Karin and me with their questions about to be an adoptee. At the time we where in Korea a movie called "Susanne Brink's Arirang" had recently premiere. It was a very sad movie about a girl who was adopted to a Swedish couple, but her parents didn't treat her well. So when the reporters and journalists found out that there were 3 adopted Koreans from Sweden they started to follow us.
My feelings were mixed. I felt both like I was home, and it was wonderful that everybody looked like me, but on the other hand I felt like a stranger. And it was a big handicap to not be able to speak Korean.
As a part of the program we went to sightseeing to Korean Folk Village, Samsung Eletronics, The National Museum and "The Blue House" President Palace there we met the former President Roh Tae-woo. We also saw music and dance performances and also participated in some sport activities. Everything was to happen so fast. "Palli Palli...". We were herded like sheep on to the tourist buses. No time to rest and no time to let all impression sink in. It was a very intensive program, and the event was two weeks long.
My second trip to Korea was in June 1993 to August. At that time I joined YWCA Summer school together with 10 other adoptees from Sweden. We were about 37 adpotees from Europe who participated at the YWCAs Summer School that year. The majority of the participants came from The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark there were also people from Belgium, France and Norway. The Summer School was held in Seoul, and we were staying at Seoul Royal Hotel, which was located in Myungdong. We had lessons in YWCAs building just a few minutes from the hotel.
We learned the Korean alphabet, Korean history, traditions and culture. We visited the Social Welfare Society , the adoption agency and there we met Mr Kim Myung-woo, the president for SWS and a social worker Miss Lee Mi-sun. We also visited some museums, Royal palaces and Korean Folk Village and the DMZ. The last week we went to a field trip to the Eastcoast down to Kyongju the old capital of Korea. There we went to Pulguksa and we also visited the Royal Tombs and Sokuram cave, then we continued to Pohang and Soraksan. The Summer school lasted for three weeks.
After the Summer School Program two friends and I took the train and went to Pusan, Koreas second biggest city. There we met a man who was working at SWS (Social Welfare Society) in Pusan. He had rented a car over the weekend to guide us. He showed us Chagalchi fishmarket, Haeundae beach , Pomosa temple and the War Memorable Cemetery. When we were in Pusan we also took the opportunity to visit another friend of me Mi-Kyung Kim.
After our visit to Pusan we took the train to Taegu, Koreas third biggest city. There we visited a friend of mine. When we where in Taegu we also went to see Haeinsa Temple. We only stayed in Taegu for a couple of days, and we took the bus to Taejon for visit my friend Eung-Chul Kim. In Taejon we stayed at my friends house. He showed Taedunsan, his University and the Expo cite for us. For a couple of days we stayed in Taejon and then we went back to Seoul. I stayed in Seoul and visited some other friends, and after that I went to Chun-Chon and visited Yoon Ji-young, a friend who had been studying Swedish in Stockholm. I met her family. After I had been to Chun-Chon I returned to Taejon again to visit my friend. My friend introduced me for his friends and also to some nice girls named Eun-sun Lee and Bo-gyung Song. We went to the mountains and had a picnic, drank beer, soju and eat dried squid. I got a lot of new friends in Taejon. I had a great time in Taejon. Then I had to go back to Seoul again to prepare my return to Sweden.
The third time I went to Korea was in June 1994 to August. I went to Korea together with some adopted Korean friends from Sweden who were participating YWCA Summer school, the same I was participated the year before. I visited a lot of friends. My friends are living all over Korea, so I went to Pusan , Taejon , Chun chon, and Taegu. I was really busy that time, but I had a lot of fun. After my friends finish the Summer School we decided to go to Pusan and took the Train to Pusan and stayed there for a couple of days. There we met some friend of mine. After our visit to Pusan, we continued the trip to Chejudo . We took the plane from Kimhae airport which is located outside Pusan.
After we arrived to Chejudo airport we went to a yogwan(like a very simple hotel)near Cheju city. We rented a mini bus for a couple of days, and the driver took us wherever we wanted. We went to Hamdok beach to bath and fish. Other days we visited Manjang cave, Sangumburi crater, Songsan sunrise peak, Cheju Folk Village and of course Mt Hallasan, South Koreas highest mountain. After been to Chejudo we took the plane to Taegu. There we stayed just for one night. Then I continued my journey to Taejon to visit my friends Eung-chul, Eun-sun and Bo-gyung. I stayed at my friend Eung-chul's place. We had a lot of fun and met nice people.
My fourth trip to Korea was in September 1995 to may 1996. After I had been studying the Korean language at Stockholm University for one year I decided to go to Korea to learn it better. I had applied to Seoul National University . So I went to Korea in September 1995. When I had arrived to Korea I had to find a place to stay. I found a nice boarding-house in Shillim 9 dong near the Seoul National University. My room cost me 300000 won/month and breakfast and dinner were included in the price. There were four other male students living there, all Koreans.
My room was very small, so after a month I moved to another boarding-house not far from my first place. The new place was much better. The price was the same. The room was bigger and there were also female students living there. It took me less than 10 minutes to walk to school. When I did the placement test at school I found out that I had to start in level 1 the beginner's class, despite I had been studying Korean language in Sweden. The reason was that my vocabulary was poor. But level 1 was too easy for me. I didn't study at all. All together were about 20 students in my class. They were from all over the world. We had two different teachers. Class started at 9.00 AM and finished at 13 PM. I got a lot of new friends at school. I spent some times together with my classmates. After had finished level 1 I started at level 2, but it was also quite easy for me. Finally I started at level 3, that level was more difficult and I had to study.
To improve my vocabulary and listening comprehension I bought a TV. I found out that to watch TV was a very good way for me to improve my language skills. I also spent a lot of time with my korean friends to practise korean. In order to make money I worked as a English and Swedish teacher for some students and I did some work for KBS (Korea Broadcasting System). I had a rich social life in when I was in Korea, and dated a lot, drank a lot of beer and soju and had a lot of fun.
When level 3 was over in May I went to the Philippnies for two weeks on vacation. First went to Manila . When I arrived the weather was so hot and humid. The city was very dirty and the people looked poor. I stayed in Manila only for five days then I went to Angeles City which is located little north of Manila. There I stayed at a nice cheep hotel. I met a lot of nice people and got some new friends. I also met some Korean students, who were studying English there.
The fifth and latest time I was in Korea was from June 1998 to March 1999. I was studying at Korea University thanks to a scholarship offer from Korea Foundation. They paid the tuition fee and I received 800 000 won/month. I started at level 4. We were 9 students all together in my class, and almost all of them where from Japan, so I had to speak Korean to my classmates, because their English was not so good. Level 4 was difficult so I had to study hard.
I rented a room at a boarding house for 300 000 won/month, breakfast and dinner were included. We were about 8 students living there, all Koreans. Among them there were some nice girls too. The boarding house "ajoma" was very friendly. She cooked delicious food and treated me very well. The boarding house was located in Anam-dong, only 5 minutes walk from school and 200 meters from Pomusa temple . So every morning at five a clock the temple bell was ringing.
Between level 4 and 5 all the scholars who received scholarship from Korea Foundation went to Kyogju to participate in "International Youth Camp of 98 Kyongju World Culture Expo". We 54 participators from 15 different countries, and we stayed at Hilton Hotel. The Camp was four days long. After been at the Youth Camp the next semester started and I was in level 5. That was a really hard level. I had to study every day to pass the final test. In December when the last semester was over I went to Fukuoka in Japan to extend my visa.
More to come...
About me
Interests
Facts about Korea
Study in Korea
Korea gallery
Photo gallery
Travel gallery
Favorite links
Return to first page.
