It has been quite a while since I’ve updated a blog post. But since it happened that I am going on a work-trip to Seoul (not a research trip but finally my very first ‘business trip’)……. Thus, I thought I will use this chance to finally make an update on my all so forgotten blog. Actually, as covid started I didn’t thought that I would even update this blog again but one of my 2023 year resolutions was to savor more of the memories I live through. So, in other words write them down.

(From the last time I updated around 3 years have passed and quite a lot has happened. A short conclusion: I graduated Korean studies MA at FU moved back to Lithuania started teaching courses at VMU and also started my PhD in ethnology.)

Currently I am at the Chopin airport in Warsaw where I am waiting for my connecting flight to Seoul (Yes, you have guessed right I am taking LOT). I am sitting here super tired hoping that the third cup of coffee today that I am sipping currently on will bring me through the rest of the journey. Nevertheless, I am very excited to finally go back to Korea. Actually, it is not my first post-covid visit to Korea! I was two times in 2022.

By the way: the prices had risen so much it is crazy I remember my very first trip to Korea (which is like a decade ago..) I paid a bit over 300 euro for the flight while now the flight cost range for an economy flight is 800-1400 euro.

I have woken up at 3:30 and them my journey started from Kaunas by train to Vilnius airport.

I am only going for 5 workdays, and it is a little bit sad as I will have not much time to meet friends but as I am going to work it is nothing to whine around. Still, I am very excited to visit HUFS and to discuss, evolve and collect inspiration to be able to upgrade the current classes I teach. And currently I teach most classes which have a Korea-focus. First and second level of Korean as a second language, Korean history, Korean civil society, Korean art and Korean pop culture. Also, we are preparing new classes and curriculums with my colleagues at the moment to upgrade the study program and create more diversity.

So after getting my connection flight to Seoul (finally after the flight got delayed) I had a very long-felt flight in front of me. I could not sleep at all so I kept myself busy with watching Avatar and eating… haha

(Now it’s the 23^rd March and it has almost been 2 weeks as I’m back in Lithuania. I planned on updating the text while enjoying a cup of coffee in a aesthetic café somewhere in Seoul but I actually had almost no time to go near a café at all. It surely was a work trip.)

Nevertheless, let me share couple of impressions of the trip.

The day I arrived (Sunday) was pretty hectic… First of all since my flight got delayed the schedule got a bit massed up but in the end I was able to catch the next bus to my hotel and successfully checked in. Even though the airport is usually referred to as Seoul airport it is actually in a nearby city called Incheon and depending on where you’re going and what transportation you choose you need around 50-90 minutes from the airport to Seoul. Since I had a meeting right after arrival, I ignored my jetlag and just quickly got ready and headed out right away.

The meeting was over and on the way the way back to my hotel I saw the street full of something like Korea fortune tellers. It is called Saju [사주 (四柱)] Well.. of course, I got very curious and decided to take this hance to experience a bit of Korean culture. The fortune tellers usually use the birthdate and time as well as the name to look up the Chinese characters which have been somehow decided a long time ago and have to do a lot with numerology and the five elements [오행 (五行) translated as: Wu Xing, Five Elements, Five Phases, Five Agents, Five Movements, Five Processes, Five Steps/Stages, Five Planets)]. This tradition goas way back to the movement of Saturn and the division of the year into 12 animal zodiacs (also known to as the Chinese horoscope). Well so I got lucky and got a spot after randomly going in into one of the many houses (there where about 12 on this one street all with the sign up for Saju). And for my surprise the elderly men who was ‘reading’ my Saju was blind. After hearing out what my future holds (haha) I got another surprise… The price definitely knocked me off my feet as he asked for 100000 (around 77 euros) for the 20-minute talk. Well, I did not want to fight and paid and left for the sake of freedom thinking that I paid for the cultural experience, nevertheless I heard from my friend that most they paid for around 40 minutes was half the price I did.

In the evening I had another cultural experience planned (well I use this excuse calling it cultural experience) – I got my hair done near my hotel. I was planning on visiting a hairdresser in Korea already last year when I went there for my best friend’s sister’s wedding but somehow the time never matched. And finally I visited:

And after the happy experience I was finally able to get some dinner. I was reunited with my best friend and we talked for hours! This place near my hotel was offering lamb grill and that was absolutely delicious. Especially the fried eggplant!

Also!!! I was reunited with my best friend who I wasn’t able to meet from last September.

Afterwards – dessert was a must! Frozen milk shaved into snow like texture called Bingsoo (빙수) and some cake.

The next morning the true work week started. The plan was to do one class observation and then a meeting and discussion with the professor per day and then there was couple of more meetings for example with a language teacher or the Lithuanian embassy. And everything sounded more than doable until I experienced how exhausting moving between the Seoul campus and the global campus was. Do not get me wrong I am not complaining or anything, just sharing my experience of at least 4 hours on public transportation per day. Depending on the traffic from the moment I left my hotel until I arrived in the needed building in the Global Campus of HUFS (in the city of Yongin) was from 120 to 160 minutes.

Nevertheless, I had such rich experiences which not only inspired me for new approaches and ideals but also kind of opened a new viewpoint in academics in general. I am very thankful for this week. As well as to Professor Cho Younghan who warmheartedly agreed to play the role of my ‘supervisor’ while being in HUFS for this short 5-day visit!

Now let me share couple of things I was able to enjoy.

Even though I had almost no time to enjoy quality café time while doing nothing I still managed to walk around Seoul a bit (mostly while changing from one to another bus).

Also, as on Saturday I had the morning free until my check out and packing for departure, so I took the chance to eat and grab coffee in my favorite area of Seoul called Seongsu (성수동).

As well as to visit Monet’s installation exhibition (Monet is my favorite artist). I was so thankful as my boyfriend booked tickets as a surprise. So sweet.

But then it was time already to go back… The journey back felt somehow shorter nevertheless, being actually longer in time. I had dinner and then surprisingly slept (usually I never can fall asleep neither on planes nor in trains, cars, buses etc.) through out most part of the flight.

And it was snowing… While in Korea it was 20 degrees and spring fever already.

By the way I am totally obsessed with Sogumbbang (소금빵) which is a kind of a croissant like looking but butter toast like tasting very cute bread topped with salt on it. I probably had a ton of them and even brought some back with me.

I must admit week was one of the most fun nevertheless, at the same time one of the most exhausting ones I have experienced so far. Haha… Especially as the time difference is 7 hours and I was not able to fall asleep until 4-5 in the morning but had to wake up at 6 already… So basically, throughout the whole week I was sleeping not more than 20 hours.

And for now…

…stay tuned

Au revoir

– M