Annyong haseyo!

Hello! I’m still missing Korea… Trying to get back to work (pff, do I have to?) while listening to Korean song by Naul and other singers from Joon's compilation CD.

Before we go, it was very hectic. I and Gita only knew that we were approved to go to Korea one week before departure – and there are 2 national holidays during those days. All so exhausting… preparations, tickets, visa, documents, gifts, tasks to delegate at the office, correspondences, faxes. I had to cancel my one day leave. We only got our visas four hours before our flight departure. We wondered… with all these overwhelming things, how would our ‘mission’ later can be?

Yeah, it turn out to be the most exciting mission ever :) Really fun! (no wonder my friend Sita, last year participants, wants to come back, hehe..)

Seoul
It was a long trip; we started in the morning since we leave from office. Can’t take rest properly. We arrived at Incheon very early in the morning. Brrr, so cold! But the smiles and welcoming cheers make us warm.

Seoul is a nice big urban area. Neat, clean air, good public transportation. They say almost half of the populations in Korea stay in Seoul. It’s more like Los Angeles than European cities, with wide road and big malls. But the subway similar with the one in Paris, and the bus looks the same with in the Netherlands.

We stayed at the Olympic Parktel , close enough to Chamsil Olympic Stadium Seoul (1988). This Olympic Stadium also looks similar with the one in L.A (1984) than the Olympico Roma (1960?).



Nature & Heritage
The theme for this year is Nature and Heritage of Asia. So the activities were related to this theme. I really enjoy watching the shows, get to know the culture, the trips to nice places… We visited Hyundai Factory, watch Korean traditional cultural art performances at the Chongdong Theater, try the traditional clothes (Hanbok), learn the tea ceremony, learn to write our name in Korean character (supposed to be caligraphy :)).



We also went to Insa-dong - the exclusive shopping area - for window shopping, bargain some souvenirs at Namdaemun Market, hang-out at COEX Mall - the coolest hang-out places for youth in Seoul, and visited the old Gyeong-bok Palace.



Learned to have lunch with the monks (it takes 1,5 hours! :)) at Woeljong Temple - Odae-San National Park; learn skiing (sorry Instructor Joon – I’m a poor student :)) at the Hyundai Sungwoo Resort backyard - it's hard but fun, feel like Bridget Jones :) ; admiring ice sculpture carving, sleigh riding, enjoying view from gondola...




The Korean
They are fun, active, hard workers, very nice and sincere (at least that I knew >_+) - gaul dan asik. My non-Korean guy friends said that the Korean girls are pretty, and I do think so. Cute, with cool hairstyle and good complexion. The guys..hmm.. we previously didn’t think that they’re particular (well, I didn’t watch Korean movies a lot so I don’t really know how are the guys), but then actually they are cool - , Jal Saeng Gyot Da - (cakep gitu lho..), and some of them are Huan Chil La Da -:)

Youth, Development, Spirit
The young people I met here are selected people, smart, open minded, cheerful, and very nice persons. Maybe that’s why when they discuss about development issues, - such as government – NGO relations, urban & industrial planning, development gap, policy issues – it’s interesting coz still optimistic. The Youth Summit is good practice; many of them speak out their minds, to the point, and respect each other. Different than a non-youth meeting :)



Thumbs-up for the guy behind the scenarios for discussion and summit. And I really impressed with the organizing secretariat – there are only 12 staff and 2 assistant manager, coordinating all these 10 days and about 180 participants by themselves! Really hard works. Pak Hur sampai pusing :) Kamsahamnida!

Farewell, remarks
3 years ago, it was really hard when to say goodbye to my classmates and to my Bazarlaan Concensus Family roommates at Schipol Airport. We don’t know when, where, and how we will meet each other again… Now when it’s time to say goodbye again, although it’s only 10 days, it doesn’t feel good. I want to meet them again. I don’t want to let go the memory and sharing.

It was really good being with all of them, enjoying all activities. I forget dates and days, everyday is holiday!. Being away from the office, gathering with the youth, learn and see many things… really inspiring and refresh my mind. We love the chats, jokes, laughs, songs, cheers, pictures taken, falling down, dance (finally dance party again after such a long time >_+) … just feel like before.

Real experience about diversity between us and how we feel united, it’s more than just a concept paper. Remind me when I was in Den Haag, with friends from all over the world. Being with youth here makes me feel something different… something that I had before, but overloaded by all routines and obligations. Gita then feels that these inspired her to be humble with your roblems. I can feel the different between meeting with the bureucratic 'adult' people and chatting with the youth participants.

The spirit. The dreams.

Well, I guess I’m not that youth anymore compare to those students.. :), but I know I still have that sense.

I have my dreams… They might be unrealistic now and difficult to achieve. But I’ll make it. I will reach them. For better me, for better world.

Don’t let the job, the traffic jam, liabilities, households, bureaucracy, meetings, errands, social obligations and roles be barrier to our dreams. After all, there is always someone out there in the world who shares the same spirit and dreams. I’ll see you again, pals…. Sa Lang Hae Yo :)