The Seoul-Searching Adventure of a Lifetime

Last January 15, 2013, I embarked on another life-changing exchange program, the 15^th ASEAN-Korea Youth Square.  The program, sponsored by ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and the Government of Republic of Korea, aims to gather youth delegates from the ASEAN region and Korea and form relationships and memories for 7 days that would soon promote good internal relations between the said states.

 

Representatives from the ASEAN states, Korea, and heads of organizations

From our arrival at Incheon International Airport, we were greeted with warm smiles from Korean delegates and started on the orientation and we started to get to know other delegates. It was intimidating for me, knowing that these delegates were some of the best youth in their countries. Yet it also served as my challenge and inspiration to do my best to represent my country well and to form good relations for our countries.

Since then we had a lot of activities. We went snow sledding at Gangwon-do, ate a LOT of food (who wouldn't want to miss on this?), travelled around Insadong, Namsam Tower, Hongdae, and Myeongdong, and most importantly, had our ASEAN-Korea Food Festival and Performing Arts Presentation.

This program had the theme of “Promotion of Cultural Understanding Between the Youths of ASEAN-Korea Through Performing Arts.” We had two main events, which are the ASEAN-Korea Food Festival and Performing Arts Presentation. In the food festival, each country prepares their native food and showcases it to everyone for cultural understanding (since food is an effective way to learn a country’s culture).  And in the whole duration of the program we are randomly grouped to prepare for the performing arts festival, a day where we showcase different performances from a parade of each country with their national costumes, dance, chorus to martial arts and Kpop. In the performing arts festival, I belonged to the Kpop group, so we performed EXO’s Wolf and Psy’s Gentleman. Practices were tiring, as they were pushed in all our resting times from the tiring activities. Yet in the end it was all worth it. In the end we closed the program by a formal dinner program with our national clothes on, and our pride and hopes for a stronger ASEAN in us, as we receive our certificates, take pictures for memories, and exchange contact information for future references when we become the future leaders of our respective countries.

Honestly, my main reason of joining this program was because I can grant my wish, and what every foreigner k-pop fan would ever dream of: travelling to Korea and buying all the Kpop goodies there!!! We had our free time, and we travelled in Insadong, Hongdae, and Myeongdong. Despite the very short time (programs like these should have more time to travel! You know, get to know and appreciate Korea more lol), I was able to buy some of the things I wanted to. And, being a Super Junior and EXO fan, I was so happy when I was able to buy things not sold in my country! But most of the time, it was all just eating lol.

Here are some pictures from the program:

At Seoul National Museum

Snow Sledding at West Hilli Park, Gangwon-do!

Winter Memories

Cambodia at the ASEAN-Korea Food Festival

Our Kpop team at Insadong!

With my Food buddy, World (missing you right now! orz)

Locking relationships at Namsam Tower

Legit Korean Samgyupsal!! 

Hello Kitty Cafe at Hongdae!

At our Free tour day. Went Skiing and shopping at Myeongdong!

Our famous Biko (sweetened coconut rice) for the ASEAN-Korea Food Festival

If only they were real. XD

Dinner with Kpop team!

Nature Republic's EXO standees!

Team Philippines with our appa and omma! :D

We'll miss you, Sangwoo! T.T

With the awesome Organizers!

Am I Korean now? lol

Philippines and Korea!

I'm extremely thankful for this program for a lot of things. For letting me make new friends from around the world, for fostering stronger relationships with new friends from ASEAN, and for giving me a chance to appreciate Korea more (and I got to wear Korean traditional clothes!). I want to take this time to thank everyone: the organizers for this successful event (but seriously, more time for shopping next time :D), for the whole ASEAN and the Republic of Korea for promoting youth participation in stronger relationships, and for my friends, family for the support. 

Extreme cold temperature, strict schedules, and so much little time we had. Yet it was extremely life changing for a short period of time given.  “The youth is the future of our country,” a quote from Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero. This stands true today not only in the Philippines, but for the world. Yes, we the youth are the future of the world. If we connect and hold our hands, together we can help improve our own countries for a better world for the next generations to live in.

Memories

This picture was the very first picture I took on the dawn of 2013. Being in Japan, it was tradition to be able to see the first sunrise of the world for the year, so we went to Ikebukuro's Sunshine 60, waiting for that first sunrise only a few people get to witness. And as the sun was slowly shining everyone of us, welcoming us to 2013, I promised to myself that just as how beautiful and colorful this scenery of the sunrise is, I would do my best to make my 2013 just like that.

And it was.

Looking back through the years, I believe that 2013 was definitely the best year of my life. I was able to spend half of this year in Japan as an exchange student. A lot of firsts on travels, food, and experiences. I made a lot of new friends and strengthened bonds with old friends. 

I guessed I travelled a lot this year. Mt. Fuji, Disneyland, Kansai, Kyushu, and more. A lot of first times too, like eating my first motsu (cow womb), seeing the sakura leaves dance for the first time, and more.

After I left Japan I continued with my student life back home, and from the remaining months of the year I was able to have fun despite all those works and papers. 

And now we're here again in the new year, facing 2014 with all the uncertainties life has to offer. I made a couple of small resolutions, but also thought that I shouldnt wait for a new year to start and make changes. Quoting from a January 2nd, a fic that I read:

"But resolutions were the loneliest sets of words in existence: they were looked at and kept on a high shelf briefly, only to be cast aside once their truth was realized.

When the world realized that they were too difficult to keep."

So for this year, i'd do my best to try and cherish every moment of my life, not waiting for things to come my way, rather catching up to it. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped my 2013 become the best one. Let's face 2014 together with a smile. :)