You may all be thinking that this girl just can't wrap up an adventure like this in just 5 or 6 journal entries, and you're right. However, because of the public nature of this site, I feel that I should not delve into every particular detail of Korea. But rest assured, much was learned, much was gained, much was lost and I am not the same person as I was when I left.

 

We all had our adventures together and alone, I think that that was most the important part of our great adventure.

 

Summing up, I would also like to thank my dear friends, for who that I we my trip to. You made it the best. Marlous, Chris, Delphine, Anne, Morgane, Cathi, Bianca, Becky, Annabelle, Julien M, Julien V, Simon, Josh, Daniel, Eric, Debora, Alex, Diego, Andre, Ing Lin, and Amy. You all rock my socks.

 

So I bid all of you farewell, for now, for we will meet again....Cancun!!

 

And to my Koo, you think I forgot about you. I love you. (For all the rest of you, Koo is visiting me in Aberdeen on August 2nd-29th. I am looking forward to introducing him to my friends and family here.

 

I will be typing my complete journal soon, if any want me to post it, say so.

 

Take care. Dae Han Min Guk!

 

Emily Herdina

I have been keeping an active journal of everything that has happened in Korea each week. Drama, clubs, classes, everything. However, considering the whole world can reazd this, I'm not going to indulge you all with the various details of my life. However, what I will do is tell youthat I am very sad that this adventure is coming to a close and maybe when I get home, and have regular internet connection, I can put the abridged version online. But until then, I'm not going to waste my last days in the place that I have called home for nearly 5 months and the best friends and family a girl could ask for.

 

I'll be back in the states in 18 days..I hope these days are the best.

 

 

There are so many things about this life that I want to capture in a photograph. I want to remember the times spent drinking, laughing and talking on patios and the campus green. I've tried to take photos but look and them later and just remember. It's impossible to take all the photos of all the Korean youths doing stupid things, the girlfriend carrying her drunk passed out boyfriend out of the bar, people actually dancing and cheering in the streets, Karaoke, and everything in between. I will sincerely miss this and will never have this time in Korea again.

 

I am so young, very lucky to have this time to see things, travel, meet people, and grow as a person without the wonder of a career, family or other committments. In 5 short weeks, I will go to Manila for a holiday. I have plans to visit close friends in Amsterdam. I am very lucky to be free and to have grand adventures. I am also gracious for the courage needed to travel, learn, and live.

 

I have this sign hanging in my room from a bar Marlous and I went to. It's really perfect about my views. It says:

 

"Youth is too Short ! Dream, Learn, Meet People, See the World and Catch your Dream !"

 

Truer words were never spoken.

There are only a few things to be said about China. Hong Kong was fabulous. I saw many temples, the New Territory, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. I went to Cheung Chau and saw traditional life. I also went to Macau to get a rather Portugese side of Chinese lifestyle. Shanghai was another story. There were many beggars, people seemed to have no morals or values, they were dirty, lived in cramped rooms and seemed to not really care about anything. They had no opportunity and were destined to live a life like their parents. But aside from all that, the city was beautiful, at night on the 87th floor of the Hyatt, but not when you got onto the streets. I took the public transportation only once as opposed to Hong Kong where I took it everywhere. I am very lucky the cabs were cheap because I would have been broke from taking them everywhere. But the food was scumptious and the sights were fabulous. Too bad the entire country was starving and living a poor life. Their country was not caring for them. It was rather depressing but something to see and I will never forget it.

 

Check out my pictures while listening to "somewhere over the rainbow". It was my song of choice the entire trip. That and Don't look back by Boston. It's nice to have traveling theme songs.

Someone said that you get a never personality every seven years. Mine came today. It's funny that by seeing it in another light, a person can really shed the skin of past life. I am have never cried as hard as I did that night.

 

April 23rd, the day of rebirth.

 

 

A quick note about the photos. I went with a friend, Diana from Kazakstan. The day was cold and windy (explanation for my hair). North Korea can be seen in photos, you can tell it because the guide told us that the trees are all gone on the mountains because the northerns have to use it for firewood.

 

Enjoy!