CUK International Students tour Bucheon City

Catholic University of Korea (CUK) Office of International Affairs in cooperation with International Office of Bucheon City organized a field trip for CUK international students. The group visited various places including Korea Animation Museum, Bucheon City Hall & City Council, Bucheon Waste Disposal Facility, Bucheon Samulnori club, Yeokgok traditional market, to name a few. International students from China, Columbia, Iraq, Japan, Mexico and the Philippines joined the said activity. There were a total of thirty five international students who joined the activity which was held during the school foundation day (holiday), May 25.

International students posing with one of the animation character statue found in the Korea Animation Museum

Art exhibit in the Korea Animation Museum depicting the conspicuous consumption of some Korean females. Ladies deliberately standing up in subways to show off their luxurious timepieces.

Session going on - a glimpse of how Bucheon city government operates

International students enjoying photo moments before devouring our Bibimbap lunch meals.

The author with Backkom, the souvenir stuff toy, given by the benevolent Bucheon city government

Filipino students (Karl, Angeline, Abby, Januel & Van) posing with Dooly, the little green dinosaur

Trivia: Do you know that Bucheon (South Korea) and Valenzuela (Philippines) are sister cities

CUK International students with Bucheon city government officials during their courtesy call at the city hall

The 'infamous' jump shot by the Filipino scholars ^_^

International students enjoy learning janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum) at the Bucheon Samulnori club office

Posing with Sonsaengnim (teacher) after learning how to play the Buk (a barrel drum similar to the bass drum)

The cute stuff toy Backkom, with the frame from Bucheon Waste Disposal Facility

and other items participants received from the organizers of the trip.

Again, thank you to CUK Office of International Affairs and International Office of Bucheon City for making this trip possible. ^_^

Special thanks to Keith Capoy, Mark James Evangelista for some of the photos posted herein ^_^

By: Abigail Go, GEO Blog Editor

Filipino graduate students conferred as Honorary Publicity Ambassadors of Gangnam-Gu

A number of foreigners visited Gangnam-gu attractions last May 21, 2011 (Saturday). Participants came from different countries including Canada, China, Italy, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, United States, to name a few. They were all selected to become Honorary Publicity Ambassador of Gangnam-Gu. Filipino graduate students from Catholic University namely Abigail Go, Caroline Manzano, Glenn Pepito, Horeb Elliot Dagandan , Karina Chua, Mark James Evangelista, Stephanie ‘Hani’ Afuang were fortunate to be chosen as ambassadors of the city.

Participants receive similar set of program, nametag, gift pack and Honorary Publicity Ambassador certificate like the ones the author got from the organizers of this event.

The ambassadors were given a tour of the famous Gangnam-gu attractions including Seolleung, Kukkiwon, U-Street, Samsung D’ Light, Horim Art Center, Marco Polo (COEX), among others. They were also treated to a sumptuous galbitang meal in Samwon Garden.

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Here's to give you a glimpse and further details of the places visited that day.

Seolleung Royal Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses the burial mounds of King Seongjong (1469-1494), his wife Queen Jeonghyeon, and King Jungjong (1506-1544) of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Sculptures of sheep and tigers surround the tomb, serving as guardians of the dead King. There is also a statue of a military officer in front of the tomb.

The author posing with the military officer statue that guards the Seolleung Royal Tomb

Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, and home of the World Taekwondo Academy, is the official taekwondo governing organization established by the South Korean government. Participants are very blessed to be able to see such an astounding performance by the taekwondo masters who made amazing stints that left the audience to be struck in awe.

Taekwondo master's demonstrations include basic stances, self-defense, and board breaking to name a few.

U-Street is another great spot where tourists can experience the technology that Gangnam boasts about. It’s a high end street with medial poles where individuals can search information about best restaurants, shopping places, tourist spots, etc. People can also use this to search the internet, send messages to mobile phones, etc.

Filipino students striking a curious pose in front of U-Street's media poles.

Samsung D’ Light is another great place to be. It houses Samsung products and showcases Samsung latest technology. Surely, you will be busy trying all the gadgets that are in place.

Carol & I posing with our Koreans names in one of Samsung D' Lights interactive gadget 'playgrounds'.

Horim Art Center on the other hand showcases the rich culture of Korea. Tripitaka items were now being exhibited in the art center.

Participants are very privileged to have a view of the Gangnam district through the Marco Polo lounge located in the 52^nd floor of the Trade Center (right beside COEX). Participants were treated with a nice view of the city coupled with delicious beverages and delectable snacks.

Striking a pose.

Students enjoying each other's company while chatting and relaxing in Marco Polo.

Thereafter, the participants were invited to Gangnam City Hall for the conferring ceremony. Each participant was given their Honorary Publicity Ambassador certificate by the mayor of the Gangnam district. Afterwards, the group had their commemorative photo together at the Gangnam City Hall.

Filipino international students with their investiture certificates

conferred by the mayor of Gangnam-gu

It was indeed another day of discovery – unearthing the charms of Gangnam-gu.

Special thanks to Caroline Manzano, Mark James Evangelista for some of the photos posted herein^_^

Related Articles:

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110524000729 http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264106

http://visitseoul.net/en/article/article.do?_method=view&m=0004003002004&p=03&art_id=44960&lang=en

By: Abigail Go, GEO Blog Editor

Fun and Learning with GEO Clubs

There are many different clubs in GEO. Here are some reviews from our classmates:

Tae-il: TAs (Teacher Assistants) in the Pop Song Club introduce us to famous pop artists such as Michael Jackson or Britney Spears. Everyone has a chance to be a VJ at least once. Our club is going to perform at the Wine and Cheese Party!

TAs Gelleneand Karlof the Pop Song Club discussing the contents of the music video

Hye-min: I love my club, the Sitcom Club. Each week we watch an episode of a sitcom. Our TAs, Van and Dee, prepare games for us. Van is really good at acting and Dee is very kind.

Kyeong Eon: I like watching Gossip Girls in our Sitcom Club, although the activity “making gossips” was strange for me. Our TAs, Van and Dee, are very kind and funny and they are two reasons why I attend this club

Students listening attentively to the presentation with TAs Van and Dee of the TV Sitcom Club

Ji Hyun: The Short Story Club is interesting and fun especially because the stories are not common stories. Our TAs are well prepared and very kind.

Song hee: I love reading so that’s why I joined the Short Story Club. Although I’m not good at English, I enjoyed reading “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. We also play fun games such as the detective game. The winner got a free drink ticket, so I tried my best, but ended up first runner up.

Everyone in the Short Story Club enjoying the activity “The Box” (with TAs Elliot and EJ)

Chun-Jung: I’ve been late and missed going to the Speaking Club a couple of times to prepare for the school musical, but the TAs were nice and said, “That’s okay, but don’t be late.” Unfortunately, I don’t know much about the club, but will attend more often in the future.

TA Mario and all students’ eyes and ears on TA Raquel as she discusses tips for good public speaking

By students from GEO Class 3-6 (Professor David, TA Keith)

Black Day: Korea's version of Single Awareness Day

April 14^th is Black Day. It is Korea's version of Single Awareness Day. People who didn’t receive anything on Valentine’s Day or White Day (in other words, people who don’t a boyfriend or girlfriend) gather together and eat jajangmyeon, a noodle dish with black bean sauce. The dish was created by Chinese immigrants living in Incheon about 100 years ago.

This is Gong-hwa-choon, the building in Incheon where jajangmyeon was first made.

It is no longer open, but the building may be renovated in the future.

Some students went to a Chinese restaurant around Catholic University and ate jajangmyeon. It was delicious. Michel Food also served the dish.

This is jajangmyeon. It is served in Chinese restaurants throughout Korea.

Some people also wear black clothes or go to a café and drink black coffee. Not all people who are single celebrate Black Day, and some people think that it is just a clever sales gimmick. But some students still celebrate the day anyway because it can be fun, especially for lonely singles! If you are single next year, why not celebrate Black Day with other single friends over a bowl of jajangmyeon? It might sound depressing but it can be fun as well.

By GEO Class 2-4 (Professor David & TA Stephanie)

Korean Hanok Homestay Experience definitely a weekend to remember!

Last April 16 and 17, two graduate students from Catholic University of Korea, Abigail Go & Karina Chua, were very fortunate to be selected as part of Korea Tourism Organization’s Hanok Homestay Experience program. Several students from various prestigious universities around Korea also joined the said event. Participants include international students from Bangladesh, China, Germany, Indonesia. Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, United States, among others. Most are exchange students or graduate students pursuing higher education in premier education in Korea University, Ewha University, KAIST, Seoul National University, Ajou University, Kyungwon University, Chungnam National University, Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, Kangwon National University, etc.

Each participant was given a name tags and schedule of events during the orientation day.

Our Bukchon Village tour course

It was an eventful weekend for all the involved individuals. The affair started with a short orientation about the hanok homestay program. Afterwards, the participants proceeded to the Bukchon Hanok Village tour where they were informed of the richness of the history of the Bukchon Hanok village. The mayor of Jongno-gu and a number of other prominent personalities in charge of the Bukchon hanok village were also present during the occasion to welcome the participants. Aside from the Bukchon hanok village tour, the members of the program were also able to experience cooking prominent Korean cuisine –Tteokbokki and Kimchi. It was a very meaningful activity for foreigners - preparing and cooking their very own Korean dish. Watching a nonverbal performance, Sachoom, is also another notable experience. It made foreigners more aware of the prominence of nonverbal performances in Korea. Apart from Sachoom, other famous non-verbal performance include Nanta and Jump, Drawing Show (Hero), Fanta-stick, Miso, Battle B-Boy, Ballerina Who Loves a B-boy. A new show is also being publicized now, Return to Street, which has a discounted tickets of only 10,000 won for its April 23 to May 1 shows.

International students with their "babies" - the Kimchi they made during the visit to Chongga Kimchi World

Sachoom dance performance

Another exciting episode for the attendees is the Gwangjang market tour. The participants were given opportunity to mingle with the vendors and interact with the locals. A number of cuisine were available to suit your palate. Thanks to the benevolent organizers, the participants were also given a sum of money to try the goodies in the Gwangjang market. The Korean pancakes/pajeon were very tasty. The green bean congee, mungu bean congee, pumpkin congee were also great, especially the pumpkin congee. The chicken feet curry and the pork skin were delicious and exotic at the same time. As usual, there were the traditional and famous Korean dishes like kimbap, pork feet, sunde, tteok, kimchi and a couple of banchan (side dishes). Seeing the liveliness in the Gwanghang market is amazing. After the market tour, the group went back to the hanok village to enjoy the Korean traditional performance prepared by the homestay committee. There were various performances - playing Korean instruments and singing Arirang, among others. After listening to the marvelous presentations, the group finally met the Bukchon homestay guest house owners. They were able to experience living in the hanok houses for the first time. Everyone was so excited to finally see the interiors of the hanok. If before, foreigners only see hanok houses in Korean television series, now, these Hanok houses came into life.

Korean food - Kimbap, Tteokbukki, Chukpal (Pork feet), Sunde, among others.

Enjoying green bean congee, mungu bean congee, pumpkin congee. I like pumpkin congee best.

Group 4, "the best group" - photo taken in Gwangjang market

Karina with our host in their hanok home

The next day, the participants enjoyed breakfast in their respective hanok homestay families. Delicious breakfast was served in their home. For us, the breakfast was Mandu-guk (dumpling soup), it was very delicious. After breakfast, the group headed to the Korean traditional handicraft - some made fans, others prepared jewelry boxes, while another group was involved into tie dyeing. It was a fun and educational morning. When the art classes ended, the participants were ushered to the Korean restaurants were they enjoyed kalbitang, dulsot bibimbap, naengmyeon, manduguk, among others.

"Our work of art" - International students together with Korean elementary kids posing with the artworks

Bukchon hanok village + homestay + Sachoom +

Gwangjang market tour + Korean craft making = FUN FUN FUN

This experience is definitely a superb experience for the participants. Not only were the attendees able to experience living in a hanok, but they were also able to further understand the Korean culture in a different light. An added bonus is that they were also able to meet a lot of new friends. Because of all these, the participants are undeniably grateful to the Korean Tourism Organization for such a wonderful experience. We surely hope that more activities like these will be available to international students. It is a great opportunity to share experiences and culture among individuals of different social and cultural spheres. Indeed, this is a weekend to remember!

Special thanks to Karina Chua for photos in Gwangjang market and craft making classes ^_^

By: Abigail Go, GEO Blog Editor

Meet the world in the Global Lounge

Do you know about the Global Lounge?

GEO Global Lounge - a great place to be.
Mingling with friends and acquaintances. Reading books. Watching movies.
Playing board games. Using computer. Enjoying your OBF coffee/beverage

There is a global English cafe in the Global Lounge. The cafe's name is O.B.F.. It is ran by students from CUK. In O.B.F. , we can enjoy many kinds of drinks. They serve coffees and other beverages that will surely satisfy you.

Many people visit and stay in the Global Lounge. There's a lot of cozy seats there where you can just sit and chat with friends. You can also opt to study there in the Global Lounge. You can also use the internet in the computers. And you can also play various board games. Another option is to borrow English books and movies in the counter of Global Lounge. They have a home entertainment system in the Global Lounge where you can watch the videos you borrowed. Just look for Hye Sung and Julia (Joo Yeon) and they will be very glad to assist you.

Books, movies and board games available in the Global Lounge counter.
Just ask assistance from our very accomodating Korean staff

Students enjoy their OBF Coffee while playing board games in the Global Lounge.

Try OBF's cafe affogato, oreo shake, caramel machiatto and banana shake.

You can also play board game such as the Rummikub, Uno cards,

Scrabble, Monopoly, Blokus, among others.

Enjoy watching English movies at the Global Lounge

What's more? In Global Lounge, we can meet many people from other countries like the Philippines, China, Russia, Iraq, United States, Canada, South Africa, to name a few. I met Morris who is from Philippines. Morris came here a year ago. So, he was able to see some of the developments of the GEO program. I asked to him about GEO program. His answers to my questions were affirmative. He encouraged me to participate in the GEO program. He said that if I have the chance, I should join again and encourage other people to join GEO so I can accelerate my English speaking capabilities.

Morris with the author at the GEO Global Lounge

So friends, what are you waiting for? Why don't you go to the Global Lounge and make new friends there!

by Jeon, Chang-bae from GEO class 2-2 (Professor Stephen, Byoung Soo)

See Related article:

• http://geocuk.blogspot.com/2010/09/obf-staff-meets-english-tas.html
  
• http://geocuk.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-with-nico-and-cuks-geo-program.html