Gwangju International Center

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1YPk__0b3M Knowing Gwangju through the May 18 Uprising   Speaker: Mathew Jacob and Mary Rose D. Sarturio Writer: William Urbanski Date: December 20th, 2014     While it is safe to say that the vast majority of Gwangju's citizens and long-term residents are familiar with the events surrounding the May 18 Uprising, what is not so well-understood are the ongoing efforts to increase awareness of May 18 as well as to place it in a greater international context.  In this 20th year since the establishment of the May 18 Foundation, interns Mary Sarturio and Mathew Jacob detailed their responsibilities and accomplishments during their past year in Gwangju.    Through presentations at local schools, regular segments on GFN radio, working with volunteer solidarity teams and conferences with NGOs, Philippine native Mary Sarturio has used her position to promote the idea of international solidarity with the democratization movement.   To Mary, the events surrounding May 18 can be viewed as part of a larger international problem of state violence and her  portion of the talk focused largely on the influence of state violence and the ways to resolve it.   Since coming to Gwangju, Mathew Jacab has continued his work and research into strengthening  human rights - a movement in which he was heavily involved in India.  Mathew has spent the last year interviewing Gwangju citizens who were directly involved in the May 18 in order to better understand Gwangju through its people.   The results of these interviews are going to be compiled this coming June in a book of which Mathew shared a preview.   While outlining methods essential to social and political change, this GIC talk served as a reminder that May 18's role in transitioning South Korea to democracy is one of the country's defining moments and continues to be an international inspiration.   Photo: http://goo.gl/obHdeG Video: http://goo.gl/rrWcUF  

The Vietnam War   Speaker: Dinh Nu Ha My Writers: Teahoon Park Co-Writer: Calen Alexandra Cygan Date: December 13th, 2014      On Saturday, December 6, Dinh Nu Ha My, who is from Vietnam, led the GIC Talk with her  topic entitled “the Vietnam – U.S. War”. She told the audience why the Vietnam War broke out and what happened during those 15 years. Dinh said that since the location of Vietnam is geologically important, many great powers have gone into Vietnam and caused  war to break out for years. She also explained the horror of the Vietnam War. During war time, U.S. army used Phosphorous & Napalm Bombs to defeat the Viet-con. Even today, many Vietnam people have suffered from the side effects of the war in many different ways. Last she told us how Vietnam won the war.    Through this GIC Talk, the audience can know not only about the Vietnam War, but also about the history and culture within Vietnam. And it was quite interesting that the history of Vietnam has similarities with Korea’s history. You will find the answers about the reunification of Korea in this GIC Talk   Photo: http://goo.gl/eT84k8 Video: http://goo.gl/4NbL9Q  

ACCT - A New Space for the International Contemporary Performing Arts in Gwangju   Speaker: Max-Philip Aschenbrenner Writers: Lee Jueun Co-Writer: Helen Ngo Date: December 6th, 2014      Have you ever witnessed an art performance in Gwang-ju? In Gwang-ju, there are several art festivals and galleries; however, the best is yet to come – The National Asia Culture Complex.     Today, Max-Philip Aschenbrenner introduced the Asian Culture Complex Theater (ACCT). First, he mentioned one of the major problems artists face is the lack of opportunities to present their art. The ACCT provides an arena for artists to freely explore their creativity without financial, spatial and conception concerns. As Max-Philip stated, “We do the work for the artist, without them this project would not exist”.    Asian art today is not just one discipline, it is continuously evolving. I am proud that Gwangju city is taking part in this experience. Nine more months until the birth of the Asian Culture Complex Theater, I cannot wait!   Photo: http://goo.gl/J9jGIk Video: http://goo.gl/o4tHs2  

  Cultivating Reverence: Hwasun Culture Tour   By Laura Becker   Many expats in Korea want opportunities to travel, but are unsure where to go or what to see.  Certainly, this is my experience as someone who has only been living in Gwangju for a few months.  GIC Tour opens my eyes to the wonders that are around me in Korea and introduces me to people and places that I would never discover on my own.  Bypassing the typical tourist destinations, GIC Tour takes participants on an intimate journey into history and culture with tour guide Warren’s excellent teaching.  Instead of rushing to have experiences, gobbling up people and places with no thought for how our tourism affects them, Warren crafts tours that feel respectful and reverent towards Korea and its people.  By knowing more about the history, we can begin to see things instead of just looking at them.   The November GIC Culture Tour to Hwasun was a welcome respite from my normal routine.  The GIC staff and interns put a lot of work into planning the annual two-day, one-night tour, and their efforts paid off.  We had a medium-sized group of both expats and local Koreans; I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people through GIC Tour.   The tour started with a makgeolli making experience.  Our host, a middle-aged man with three beautiful children, quit farming to pursue his passion.  He taught us about the process of making makgeolli and let us plunge our hands into massive bowls of rice, water, and nuruk, a kind of yeast used in the fermentation process.  After mixing the ingredients, we sampled some makgeolli and handmade red bean cakes made with the nuruk, which results in an exceptionally soft and healthy bread.  I like the fact that GIC Tour staff carefully selects local artisans to support, which is beneficial for them and certainly for us.   Next, we ate a delicious lunch of smoked duck and visited Mulyeomjung to see the lovely scenery of red cliffs.  The beauty of the land inspired many poets, including Kim Sat-gat, the “Rainhat Poet.”  We had some time to relax at Mulyeomjung and enjoy our surroundings.     The main focus of the tour was our temple stay program at Ssangbong Temple.  When we arrived at the small temple, which seems to have been dropped suddenly in the middle of a rice field, one of the monks gave us loose pants and vests to wear and showed us to our rooms, which were clean and spacious.  We attended a Buddhist service and learned about the significance of things like ringing the giant bell thirty-three times.  The head monk also hosted us for a tea time after dinner.  This was one of my favorite parts about the tour.  We sipped lotus tea from white porcelain cups and learned from the monk as he told us about some tenets of Buddhism and aspects of life at the temple.  To me, meditating for days and bowing 3,000 times sounds like torture, so I admire the devotion of the monks.  The head monk, who has been practicing for twenty-five years, is an unforgettable person who radiates happiness and peace.  His face is the picture of serenity and kindness, and being able to ask him questions and visit with him was a special experience.     We went to sleep early and were awoken at 4:00 a.m. by one of the monks ringing a gong outside our doors.  Long before the sun rose, we did 108 bows and meditation.  The monks showed us some of the temple’s national treasures as we walked around the temple grounds in the cool of the morning.  After breakfast, we were able to try our hands at dancheong, the style of painting seen on the eaves of temples.  Painting was very relaxing and it was nice to do something hands-on and receive a tangible reminder of our experience at the temple—we each kept the small pieces of wood that we painted.  In addition, the monks showered us with other gifts like pens and pocket notebooks.  I felt welcomed because of their warmth and hospitality.   After we left the temple, we visited UNESCO Dolmen Park.  We were able to stretch our legs as we trekked and learned about the Neolithic stone tombs created thousands of years ago as memorials for the dead.    The last part of our tour was an invigorating lunch of black goat stew, a spicy concoction that stirred our blood, brought sweat to our faces, and gave us energy for our re-entrance into our normal lives.          Temple Stay Experience: 22, 23 November 2014   By Ashlyn Winter   The temple stay tour with the GIC and their amazing volunteers was a great cultural experience! The GIC cultural tours are unique as they offer small group cultural experiences with an amazing tour guide who not only speaks Hangul extremely well, but also knows and appreciates Korea’s history and culture. If you are looking for adventure, culture, history, archaeology, interaction with local people and a good time, then these are the tours you want to go on.    We started out on Saturday morning with the drive to Hwasan and we experienced being part of the process of making makgeolli. I loved seeing how this alcoholic drink was made from such simple ingredients. I didn’t like the taste of this type of makgeolli and enjoy store brought makgeolli better I but enjoyed the experience thoroughly. We walked around the country side village after makgeolli making and saw beautiful, old trees and took photos of all the fall leaves. For lunch we had the most delicious smoked duck with rice and the usual Korean side dishes. This was by far my favorite meal of the weekend! The owner doesn’t open his restaurant during the week as he smokes duck during the week and only opens on weekends for customers.    After walking around Mulyeomjung, a beautiful mountainous area with red cliffs, we headed for Ssangbong Temple. Upon arrival we were shown our rooms and explored around the temple area a little, although we were pressured for time as dinner was at 5pm. Only vegetarian food is served at the temple and it was delicious! I was not looking forward to vegetarian food but was surprised by how delicious the meals at the temple were. After relaxing and eating dinner together, we watched a monk do a demonstration of bowing and we practiced meditating together. We then had lotus tea and rice cakes and got to talk with the monks. We could ask them questions about Buddhism, their lives as monks and anything that was on our minds. It was an interesting, informative, and informal session. We then headed off for bed as we had an early start the next morning.    On Sunday we were woken by a monk hitting a gong at 0345. We started our morning by doing 108 bows and making a prayer bead necklace. It took us over 45 minutes to do 108 bows as each time we bowed, we added one bead to the necklace. It was such a serene and calming experience; we were surrounded by stillness and mountains, no cars or buses and busy city life. We also meditated for 20 minutes before heading off for breakfast at 7am. After breakfast we were shown National Treasures at the temple which are guarded by CCTV and motion sensors as they are of very high historical value. Next, we painted a piece of wood with traditional paints. This was my favorite part of the tour. I love being creative but I am not very good at art. The coaster had a template of the lotus flower already painted on, so we just had to paint in the lines and a beautiful flower was created! It was fun to sit around a big table and chat with people. We packed up our stuff and then hopped on the bus.   Before heading to lunch we had a walk around Dolmen Park. This is a beautiful mountainous area and we walked from one side to the other. I love walking so I enjoyed this but I took it slowly and walked at my own pace not wanting to rush it. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the outdoors! The bus picked us up at the other side and we headed off for lunch: black goat stew. It was not my favorite meal as the meat had a lot of fat on it and the broth was quite spicy (for me, not Koreans though!). I am glad that I tried it and would definitely take other foreigners there as it is a unique experience. After the meal we got on the bus to go back to Gwangju. I was sad to leave everyone and wished the temple stay experience could have been longer, but it was good to be home!        

An Introvert’s Journey with the Gwangju Book Club   Speaker: Kristy Dolson Reviewer: Taehoon Park Co-Writer: Adriano Salamone Date: November 29th, 2014     Today we had a Canadian speaker from Toronto, Kristy Dolson, speak to us at the GIC Talk. She spoke to us about the Gwang-ju book club and how it has helped her connect with people. The book club has helped her get more involved with other organizations and clubs as well.   Kristy would consider herself to be an introvert when she came to Korea four years ago. She didn’t like the atmosphere of smoky, loud clubs, and was looking for other avenues to meet new friends with similar interests.   The book club allowed her to meet those friends in a comfortable, relaxed setting. The friends that she has met in the book club have provided lasting and fulfilling friendships inside and outside of Korea. Kristy eventually became the leader of the book club, which has required her to explore her extrovert side and become more involved in the community.   Photo: http://goo.gl/KvPFlA Video: http://goo.gl/UPEom1

 The Role of Pediatric Physiotherapy in Disability and Rehabilitation   Speaker: Jayanthi Vijaysankar Reviewer: Kim Jineui Co-Writer: Helen Ngo Date: November 22nd, 2014      Today Dr Jayanthi Vijaysankar gave a talk on the Role of Pediatric Physiotherapy in Disability and Rehabilitation. Essentially pediatric physiotherapy pertains to the treatment for children who suffer from limitations to ensure normal physical movements. In her talk she spoke about various conditions, causes and treatments.    Prior to the talk I did not know a lot about the topic or how to approach children that are differently abled. Dr Jantha changed my perspective. Now I see them the same as every other child in that they possess great strengths such as being creative, hardworking and energetic.    Dr Jayanthi Vijaysankar’s passion is very inspiring. She is very devoted to her work, as she says, “Nothing is impossible’.   Photo: http://goo.gl/nv4jBI Video: http://youtu.be/nHSjbrdtokI

Russia As It Is   Speaker: Kostayntyn Kostin and Natalia Kostina Reviewer: Eunbit Ko Co-Writer: Richard Taylor Date: November 15th, 2014     Did you know that there is a country which is the coldest on Earth but has a place warmer than Jeju? Can you guess which country? Russia, I thought it was completely covered in snow but Kostayntyn and Natalia showed me that I was wrong. To Russia’s advantage she is surrounded by 16 countries providing her with ease of access for transport and culture.  Russia celebrate three major annual holidays such as Woman’s Day, March 8th, Great Victory Day and of course New Year’s Day. My favorite is Woman’s Day.    Being the largest country in the world she has 319 cities. The speaker took us on a tour of the most famous of these cities including Moscow, Sochi and Saint Petersburg to name just a few. I myself would enjoy seeing these cities for their amazing architecture and the mix of religions under one roof.    The clothes that they wore were fascinating and distinctive. I wish I had one of those outfits. The speakers came with a Matryoshka which is the famous Russian doll that you can open to see a smaller doll, which then again you can open. I enjoyed today’s talk and learned a lot about Russian culture and the many misconception we hold about the country. If you are seeking discovery then, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a visit to Russia.   Photo: http://goo.gl/QesGfC Video: http://goo.gl/MfaelE        

Urban Design and the Future of Gwangju   Speaker: Matthew Furlane Reviewer: Jueun Lee Proofreader: Bradley Weiss Date: November 8th, 2014     Speaker Matt Furlane gave a talk about the importance of urban design for the physical and mental health, as well as economic stability, of inhabitants of cities. He started with a brief overview of city development, using the United States as an example, specifically how it is currently undergoing a shift away from designing cities around accessibility by automobile, reversing a century-long trend.    The speaker emphasized the importance of utilizing environmentally friendly measures in city development. The first example he provided for designing a better future for Gwangju along these lines was through increasing the number of people using bicycles and more bike paths. He illustrated the success of such methods with a short video about Copenhagen, Denmark, and other European cities in which bicycles are a primary form of transportation. The second suggestion he had for the future of Gwangju was making dedicated bus and taxi lines, with another video showing how successful such a system can be with the bus rapid transit system in Bogota, Columbia. The speaker’s last suggestion for Gwangju was to replace the grid apartment block system with radial apartments, which are more conducive to growing a healthy community.    The speaker utilized a smooth delivery that was not too technical for a potentially complicated topic, which allowed the audience to really understand and embrace his message. The heart of which was that “people make a city,” and that idea should be central to all urban design.    Photo:http://goo.gl/5ZnsZH Video: http://goo.gl/CGZkGb  

Planets and Us   Speaker: Deepika Pathak Reviewer: Teahoon Park Proofreader: Calen Alexandra Cygan Date: November 1st, 2014     Deepika Pathak shares her ideas about astrology in this Talk titled Planets and Us. She explains how the location of planets can effect human's lives, by talking about the four components of astrology: Planets, Zodiac signs, Houses, and Nakshatras. She said that the ideas of astrology have been preserved for 10,000~20,000 years, Knowing astrology can predict not only someone's destiny but also possible events throughout the universe.    It was interesting how she introduces Indian astrology, which has a slightly different perspective than the Chinese zodiac. Lastly, she uses an example of a baby born on the day of this GIC Talk to help the audience to better understand applications of Astrology more easily.   Photo: http://goo.gl/iuNPMr Video: http://goo.gl/wM0Fil  

GIC Library always welcomes new donations for our book collection. For more info, please contact: library@gic.or.kr