Studying in a foreign land, we have lots of opportunities to be unofficial ambassadors for our home country. My schoolmates participate in these kind of programs all the time. So some time in October last year, I volunteered for my first camp :)

The International Youth Exchange Association in Korea organized what they called the “Let’s Global Camp!” inviting middle and high school students from all over Korea to the Seoul Olympic Parktel. Apart from the Korean students and volunteers, we also met the other volunteers from Cambodia, Germany, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India.

There were 3 of us from the Philippines - it was Kuya Carlo, Lia and me - and since Kuya was the most prepared, Lia and I just helped him with his presentation. One of the things he shared was the different ways Muslim Filipinos wear the malong (tube skirt). I didn’t know there were so many ways to do it! And it all depended on the person’s place in society, gender, and also whether he/she is looking for a mate.

Here is a photo of Kuya Carlo educating me using a stunning malong from Mindanao.

After that, Lia and I went around the beautiful Seoul Olympic Park! One of the things that I find amazing about Korea is that though Korea is relatively a small country, they have looots of parks! And they really take care of it, too. Wouldn’t it be fun to have something like this in the middle of Manila?

All in all, it was an awesome October day. It was reeeeally great meeting people curious about where you came from and also learning about other parts of the world from a local’s perspective :) 

Thank you, Lia for the photos :) Here is a photo of Lia and I with our Korean roommate.

For the past 4 hours, I’ve been looking at materials in the internet - trying to decide on what topic to write for my research paper in Korean Culture and Society class. It’s due on Tuesday and with 5 pending requirements ahead, I should have already started on this. I wish writing came more naturally to me.

Anyway, I’ve read through several interesting blogs, mostly from foreigners sharing their ideas about Korean culture and I’m sparing some time for one blog which I found easy to read and extreeemely interesting - The Grand Narrative

Like the tagline says, The Grand Narrative is about discussing Korean sociology through gender, advertising and popular culture… Ironically, this focus was not my original intention, but with Korea having such dubious honors as: the lowest birthrate in the world; the largest wage gap between men and women in the OECD; the lowest percentage of working women in the OECD; and actresses being sued by companies they endorse for coming public about being beaten by their husbands, then what soon emerges as the virtual gender apartheid that exists here renders those topics essential to understanding Korean society.

It sounds a bit technical but it’s really a good read. Especially these days, so many people are crazy about Korean pop culture, how about learning more about Korea other than just K-pop?