“I am here”
by Sheila de la Paz (CPI Batch 2014)
When I first arrived in Seoul in June 2014, I realized one thing: Korea is a walking and hiking nation. Every weekend I would see locals – mostly harabojis and halmonis – in their hiking wear, complete with trekking poles and visors. Everywhere I looked there would be a store selling something related to walking or hiking, even the small clothing stores in the subway station. My CPI coordinator from the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (CHF) told me that hiking is one of the usual team-building exercises that they do every year.
Since I would be staying in Seoul for five months, I thought I should learn more about Korea not through reading books or surfing the internet, but by experiencing it. I was already studying Hangeul at Kyung Hee University and learning about hansik at the CHF canteen, so I thought that the best way to get to know my “new home” was to explore the city by foot.
Our CPI coordinator took us to see Cheonggyecheon during our first week in Seoul. I was intrigued by its story, especially how it had changed the landscape of the city. After a few visits to the stream, I had this crazy idea of following it to the very end. I specifically allotted one entire Saturday for exploring. Armed with my camera, a bottle of water, and my travel companion, Totoro, I started my hike at the Cheonggyecheon Plaza on a very sunny Saturday morning.
Walking on the path that ran along the stream gave me a chance to see the city from a different perspective. I saw art and architecture, trees and flowers, animals and people. I saw families and friends walking together or enjoying the summer day by dipping their feet in the cool stream. I saw how the scenery changed as I walked along the stream.
After a few hours of walking, I realized that the anxiety and fear that I had felt at being alone in a new country had disappeared, and that they had been replaced with excitement.
When I checked the guide map to see where I was, I saw the red sign that said “You are here.” I did not reach the end of Cheonggyecheon, but that red sign made me appreciate where I was at that moment. I told myself, “I am here in Korea,” and that was all that mattered.
When I checked the guide map to see where I was, I saw the red sign that said “You are here.” I did not reach the end of Cheonggyecheon, but that red sign made me appreciate where I was at that moment. I told myself, “I am here in Korea,” and that was all that mattered.
