Locality Summer School

June 30, 2018, I woke up in the morning full of excitement. It was the day I was finally going to the land of my dreams. My home country is Algeria and it is really far from South Korea. I had to take two airplanes, one from Algeria to Qatar, then from Qatar to Incheon airport. It took me 18 hours to get there. I could not sleep during all that time, so I was very tired. When I got to Doha airport, I went to the waiting room for the next flight. There was a lot of Korean people in that room, so I felt like ‘’ oh I am almost there’’. Inside the airplane, because it was too noisy for me I could not sleep, I was revising my Korean language. 

When the plane got to the ground I looked from the window and it was raining. It was the first thing that made me feel like I am in a foreign country. I got out of the plain and there was a beautiful lady smiling at me and saying ‘’ welcome to Korea’’. Then I had a quick medical check. Then I passed the immigration successfully. I went out and found my team members waiting for me. We took the subway to Seoul Station, then we had dinner. We took the bus to university. It took us two hours and I slept during the ride.

We arrived at the campus around 10 pm. It was raining and we got all wet. I was half asleep half awake. Then I had a very warm welcome by the staff that made me feel safe and comfortable. We then went to the room, it was a big, clean room with an amazing window view. The bed was really comfortable so I slept right away. The next morning I woke up full of energy. I took a shower then we went to have breakfast. It was really delicious. That day, it was raining so hard but that didn't stop us from having a campus tour. It was ( the campus) so big, clean, and fancy. On our way back to our rooms we started playing in the rain and playing with water. It was soo fun. Then we had the opening ceremony for the summer school. There I met all the students participating in the program. We made our speech, and received students ID.

The second day we had a lecture with a charismatic teacher. We studied about the history of Korea and I've noticed a lot of similarities between Algerian history and Korean history. As we both had to fight the colonization. Then, we had another campus tour, since it was not raining that day. We got to know each other more and we took many pictures.​

on the third day, we had another amazing lecture with a beautiful teacher about the Korean economy and how Korea turned from a poor country to one of the strongest economy in the world. I have learned a lot from that lecture. Later on that day, we worked on our project. We have seen many differences and similarities.

On the fourth day, we had an awesome meeting with the Hanguk University of foreign studies teachers. The three French teachers I have met were really nice and charismatic. Then in the afternoon, we took the bus all together and we went to Everland. I think it was an important day because I got the chance to get close with other students. We were moving as one groupe and we had a lot of fun. It was very beautiful and clean. People there were nice. And I loved their face expression when they try so hard to talk to me in English than I answer in Korean. I took a lot of beautiful pictures there and it was really an amazing day. It was the day I felt like I am home.

On the fifth day, me and my team members did the last presentation of our project. It was so fun discovering the similarities in the Algerian fairy tales and Korean fairy tales. But at the end of the day, we finished with a clear idea in mind. Then later that day, we had the chance to experience the traditional Korean games. It was super fun. I especially enjoyed the " TOHOU" game. Then we had a quiz game, it was really an amazing time and a fun moment.

The next day, we started our journey to Seoul. We took a 2 hours bus. Had a delicious sandwich at Subway. Then we went to Insadong and the first thing that captured me was the old men and women who are still working on the street. Selling and cleaning. Seeing them made me feel like I have no right to be lazy anymore. Then we borrowed the traditional hanbuk. I looked Korean wearing it. Then we went to the Gyeongbokgung palace. We took a lot of pictures there. What I liked about it is that the feeling of traveling in time. Even though it is situated in the middle of the city, but once you got in you will feel like you are in the josen dynasty. That is one of the strongest sides of Korea, mixing the modern life with the traditions.

After taking a lot of videos and pictures there we went and experienced something I really wanted to try. Eating ramyon in a convenient store. It was really delicious and fun. Then we went to the guest house and I really loved it. It was built on the traditional Korean houses. I really had fun with all the students at the night. We all together watched a football game while having ramyon. And I realized something... no matter how far you live or how different your culture is.. men are all the same. It was fun comparing Algeria and Korean, Some similarities and many differences.

The next day, we went to discover Islam in Korea. We went to a Moroccan restaurant in Itaewon. We had  “Tajin” which is a Magheribian dish. Then we walked to the Mosque of Seoul. I met the "imam", and I was surprised because he was Korean and he could speak Arabic. I went inside and did my prayer.

Then we went to one of the places I really really wanted to go. Tricky eye museum, it was more fun than I expected. I was like a kid there taking pictures with almost everything. It was the first time I went to the famous street of  Hongdae. I have heard a lot about it. And the street performances there are just amazing. After that, we took the bus to Han River. Once there we rented bicycles, we went on an hour riding over the hangang river. A very amazing view and a refreshing feeling I got there.

On the last day in seoul, we got up and went to the Korea folk museum. Then we went to a temple and saw people doing their prayer. Next to it was the temple stay, there we made a flower light. I really felt comfortable inside. After that, we went to Insadong and we ate “ Sulbing”, I really liked it. Then we took the bus back to university. We met with the two other Maghreb teams and all together we went to a karaoke room. It was my first time, and something I really really wanted to try. Then we came back to our dorm. Since it was our last night all together we kept on talking, than we went to our room and made the final preparation for our presentation.

The next morning, it was our last day. We successfully presented our project. than we had to deliver our last speech. I barely held my tears. Since the lake of time, the staff  were not able to give the certificates to all the students but I was the luckiest to receive it from the director. I felt really happy and proud.