WEEK FIVE

From Fargo to Korea to Paris:

"It has been one month since I arrived in Lille and nearly two months since I left the States and looking back, I can say that my travels that brought me here to Lille have been the best part of my journey so far. Many of my classmates flew from Fargo to Paris or Brussels on their way to our new home here in France. I, however, decided to take advantage of some downtime at the start of the semester and do a bit of solo travel before arriving in Lille. I chose South Korea, a country not to remote, not to dangerous, but still far enough off the beaten track to warrant a look. I spent 2.5 weeks traveling there alone and I met great people, and had amazing experiences that I hope I’ll never forget. While in Korea I spent my time in two wonderful cities: Seoul (the capital) and Busan (South Korea’s Second largest city).

Thirty-three hours after take-off from Fargo I landed in Seoul, South Korea. Tired, dirty, and smelly I wanted nothing more than to sleep but first I had to make my way to the home of Josh and Mellissa (the strangers I was staying with). The train into town was easy enough to find and the directions Josh had given me to his house were very helpful. It was times like this that I really appreciate speaking English because every street sign and train time table is in English (thank god!).

Seoul is the Capital of South Korea and the largest metropolitan area in Korea, with 25 million people, so naturally there is never a shortage of things to do and see. The city is filled with ancient temples and palaces, museums of all kinds, and shopping that is second to none. The different neighborhoods of the city are large enough and interesting enough to spend a whole day exploring. My favorite area of the city was Myeongdong. It is here that I had some of the best street cart food ever (pictured below). Seoul is also home to some of the best hiking trails this North Dakota farm boy has ever seen. Near and around the city lie 6 mountains each with dozens of trails and always packed with Korean hikers decked out in full hiking gear; walking stick and canteen included.

After a week in Seoul I arrived in Busan, a quiet seaside town of around 4million people.  The feeling in Busan was very different from that of Seoul. The people were nicer, more laid back, and the overall attitude was more pleasant. The city offers a lot to a foreign traveller. It has world-class architecture, a strong connection to nature, and some of the most active night districts I’ve seen anywhere outside Tokyo. The city is growing with sky scrapers and new “shiny” buildings being built all over the city in hopes of hosting the 2020 Olympic Games. The most enjoyable thing I did in Busan was not something that was new and modern but something that is rooted in tradition and Korean culture.  A jjimjilbong, or bath house was the perfect way to relax. There were 4 pools, each one hotter than the next, and you move between these pools in whatever order you want and for however long you want. After that you move to the Sauna and sweat it out. I had to “bare it all” but I am glad I did because for just $4 there is no better way to relax after a long hike.   

My time in Korea was coming to an end quickly. I traveled back to Seoul a few days before I was scheduled to leave and spent a few days in Hongdae (a university area with a lot of art students and bars, very similar to the feel of downtown Fargo, but much larger). I met some great people at the hostel I was staying at and enjoyed the night life that Seoul had to offer. I also had my last Korean meal which consisted of a seafood pancake, with octopus, shrimp, shelled creatures, and peppers and a delicious spicy chicken stew.

With one week until classes began in Lille I boarded my plane and headed to Paris. My first impressions of Paris was how dirty and worn out everything was in comparison to Korea. The streets were littered with dog poop and the subways looked as though you might catch a disease just by sitting down. It also didn’t take me long to realize that the Euro is worth a lot more than the Won… In France I spent 3 or 4 times what I would have spent in Korea. It took me the whole week to adjust to France and I cannot say that I am completely used to it yet. That being said I did have some excellent times in Paris. My first meal was amazingly good (chicken stuffed with froi gras and figs) I visited Versailles (a life goal) and I met up with my friends whom I had not seen since before leaving for Korea.

Although I did not take to France as quickly as I thought I would have, it is beginning to grow on me."   - Elliott Klinger 

A Dam Good Trip

"A city filled with miles of canals and crooked, brick, row houses Amsterdam was unexpectedly filled with countless gems hidden around every corner. Whether it was the ornate details garnishing a random hotel on the corner, or the scenic view down one of the many canals, or the interesting modern structures clashing with the rest of the city yet somehow feeling as though it belonged, the city held plenty of little surprises to continuously impress. Before arriving I was under the impression Amsterdam was a city known for it’s wild side and nothing more, however upon arriving I was thoroughly impressed by how calm the majority of the city felt. This is not to say the nightlife was not spectacular with the clubs, seemingly endless crowds of people, and an interesting array of shops, but there was much more to the city beyond the hours of the night. Once a group of us walked through part of the city to find our hostel I was struck by how quaint the city was in comparison to my expectations. Parts of the city seemed as though they were almost stuck in the past with the many old shops, bikers traveling to and fro, and the endless rows of weathered boats lining every canal. I am interested to see how the city continues to develop with it’s current turn towards a more modern feeling of architecture in comparison to the feeling of the past with the many row houses. In visiting Amsterdam I was pleasantly surprised by the overall unique feeling of the city. 

On a separate note, this last Thursday five of us joined the French students in Vincent’s studio class. The method in which they were approaching their current project was very interesting in comparison to how we normally go about our projects being that it is more focused how the project would be constructed and less on the finished project itself. The five of us are really excited to collaborate with the French students and see how we can use different aspects and methods from their studio and apply them to our current project in our own studio class."  - Josh Litwiller