Column
2022 Textbook Seminar for Educators of Ecuador
My experience in South Korea
In June 2021, I received the news that I had been invited by the South Korean Embassy and the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) to represent Santillana at the Korean Culture Seminar. I would have the opportunity to travel to the Republic of Korea in October the following year; at that time, the adventure appeared to be quite far away.
As any deadline eventually expires, the long-awaited October 14, 2022 arrived. My head was filled with questions typical of such a long trip: Will I be able to sit on the plane for so long? Will I duly fill out the immigration documents and get through customs without any problems? Will the people be nice? Will I like the food? Have I packed all the necessary stuff and the like? I boarded the plane that would finally take me to experience in person those enigmatic oriental lands…
Two days later I landed on Korean soil. Researcher Hye-jung Park and translator Eun-jung Lee is welcoming and friendly hug, as if from someone who has known you forever, were all it took for all my fears and uncertainties to disappear. I felt welcome and, just like a new sponge, ready to absorb as much as I could of this millennial culture.
The activities began on Monday, October 17, at the premises of the Academy of Korean Studies. It was an intensive day of theoretical learning divided into two sections; in the morning, we attended lectures from each representative of the delegation of textbook publishers from Ecuador (which included myself). The lunch break was an opportunity to enjoy our first contact with Korean cuisine, for which I would like to say the following two words: oddly delicious! This flavor festival (many flavors that were new to me) and a short but solemn meeting with the President of the Academy were shortly followed by one of the moments that will remain in my memory—an improvised coffee-flavored and -scented moment by Director of the Center for International Affairs Yung-hee Jo that made me feel at home. The second part of the day was entirely dedicated to academic endeavors with Professors Young-chan Oh and Sung-woo Hong, who are experts in history and economics, respectively. We had the opportunity to learn about Korea, we were exposed to thousands of years of tradition and culture, we learned about the critical events marking the history of the country, and we admired the resilience of the Korean people, who were able to seize these events that resulted in the economic development that has gotten South Korea to where it is today (which many countries would like to reach).
Throughout the rest of the week, it was a completely hands-on experience. Making an in situ tour of this timeline that had only been available to me through books at times seemed like a dream. Every step I made every new site I visited triggered a myriad of emotions that ranged from total amazement to almost spiritual contemplation.
In a friendly atmosphere and with researcher Hye-jung Park and translator Eun-jung Lee is wise guidance, planning, and enthusiasm, we visited Bulguksa and Haedong Yonggunga Temples and Gyeongbokgung Palace, Daereungwon and Cheonmachong Tombs, Cheomseongdae Observatory, and Seokguram Cave: every square meter encapsulates thousands of years of history and culture; we walked through the streets of Gyeongju where houses have preserved the architectural style of the original villages, the picturesque Gamcheon Village in Busan, and the cozy and quiet streets of the surviving traditional Korean village contrasting with Seoul's modern and hectic life. I felt the freshness and the breeze coming from the East Sea, filled with the hope of better days and good omen. I learned that the language barrier is overcome by the friendly smiles of the people; I seasoned all these experiences with a wide range of gastronomic opportunities, and my retina was nuanced with the vivid palette of autumn colors accompanied by the genius of The Painters. These moments made my South Korean experience an enriching adventure in every sense of the word.
As all things begin, so, too, do they end. And so was the day of my return to Ecuador. There I was, again sitting on a plane with a couple of extra kilos in my suitcase and with my heart eternally grateful for each of the AKS members and full of unforgettable and pleasant moments. I felt fulfilled with the joy that in those eight days I had experienced and learned so much about Korea, but also sure that there was still so much more I had not yet experienced. Today, as I write this memoir, I am filled with the profound desire that one day, hopefully not too far away, life will offer me an opportunity to return.
As any deadline eventually expires, the long-awaited October 14, 2022 arrived. My head was filled with questions typical of such a long trip: Will I be able to sit on the plane for so long? Will I duly fill out the immigration documents and get through customs without any problems? Will the people be nice? Will I like the food? Have I packed all the necessary stuff and the like? I boarded the plane that would finally take me to experience in person those enigmatic oriental lands…
Two days later I landed on Korean soil. Researcher Hye-jung Park and translator Eun-jung Lee is welcoming and friendly hug, as if from someone who has known you forever, were all it took for all my fears and uncertainties to disappear. I felt welcome and, just like a new sponge, ready to absorb as much as I could of this millennial culture.
The activities began on Monday, October 17, at the premises of the Academy of Korean Studies. It was an intensive day of theoretical learning divided into two sections; in the morning, we attended lectures from each representative of the delegation of textbook publishers from Ecuador (which included myself). The lunch break was an opportunity to enjoy our first contact with Korean cuisine, for which I would like to say the following two words: oddly delicious! This flavor festival (many flavors that were new to me) and a short but solemn meeting with the President of the Academy were shortly followed by one of the moments that will remain in my memory—an improvised coffee-flavored and -scented moment by Director of the Center for International Affairs Yung-hee Jo that made me feel at home. The second part of the day was entirely dedicated to academic endeavors with Professors Young-chan Oh and Sung-woo Hong, who are experts in history and economics, respectively. We had the opportunity to learn about Korea, we were exposed to thousands of years of tradition and culture, we learned about the critical events marking the history of the country, and we admired the resilience of the Korean people, who were able to seize these events that resulted in the economic development that has gotten South Korea to where it is today (which many countries would like to reach).
Throughout the rest of the week, it was a completely hands-on experience. Making an in situ tour of this timeline that had only been available to me through books at times seemed like a dream. Every step I made every new site I visited triggered a myriad of emotions that ranged from total amazement to almost spiritual contemplation.
In a friendly atmosphere and with researcher Hye-jung Park and translator Eun-jung Lee is wise guidance, planning, and enthusiasm, we visited Bulguksa and Haedong Yonggunga Temples and Gyeongbokgung Palace, Daereungwon and Cheonmachong Tombs, Cheomseongdae Observatory, and Seokguram Cave: every square meter encapsulates thousands of years of history and culture; we walked through the streets of Gyeongju where houses have preserved the architectural style of the original villages, the picturesque Gamcheon Village in Busan, and the cozy and quiet streets of the surviving traditional Korean village contrasting with Seoul's modern and hectic life. I felt the freshness and the breeze coming from the East Sea, filled with the hope of better days and good omen. I learned that the language barrier is overcome by the friendly smiles of the people; I seasoned all these experiences with a wide range of gastronomic opportunities, and my retina was nuanced with the vivid palette of autumn colors accompanied by the genius of The Painters. These moments made my South Korean experience an enriching adventure in every sense of the word.
As all things begin, so, too, do they end. And so was the day of my return to Ecuador. There I was, again sitting on a plane with a couple of extra kilos in my suitcase and with my heart eternally grateful for each of the AKS members and full of unforgettable and pleasant moments. I felt fulfilled with the joy that in those eight days I had experienced and learned so much about Korea, but also sure that there was still so much more I had not yet experienced. Today, as I write this memoir, I am filled with the profound desire that one day, hopefully not too far away, life will offer me an opportunity to return.
