Gwangju International Center

  July 4/Knowing Safety  Speaker: Kang Hyun Title: Safety Culture in our Lives and Workplaces   Korea has faced many disasters, even last in 2014. Every year, 1,800 people are killed and thousands of people are injured while working.   The Speaker will share how to avoid accidents with the ways of how to practice and benefit from a “Safety Culture.”   July 11/Knowing Education Speaker: Ana Traynin Topic: Alternative Education in Korea   Hanbitt High School in Damyang County offers something different than typical Korean high school curriculums. The Speaker will showcase where she teaches, show the benefits her students experience, and an inside perspective into the alternative school movement.   July 18/Knowing Alleycon Speakers: J.J. Billett and Jordan VanHartingsveldt Title: Alleycon: A Waygeek Event   The 3rd Alleycon will be held on Sept. 19 to 20 at the Gwangju Design Center in Cheomdan. And, this “cosplay” opportunity is for all in Gwangju to enjoy.   The Speakers will share about the event’s history, what the contributions have been to society, and what makes this year’s events so special and worth attending.   July 25/Knowing Music Speaker: Eden Jones Title: Music Without Notes   The Suzuki method is a technique for how to play any instrument. By internalizing the music after hearing it repeatedly, someone is able to play the music.   The Speaker will not just explain how she learned to play the violin, but also share her talents, with her favorite and familiar tunes for all to enjoy.        

      May 23 GIC Trek Review by Solène Heurtaux      Like every third Saturday of the month since February this year, the GIC organized a beautiful GIC Trek to Mudeung Mountain, on May 23.    This special GIC Trek led us to the Second Basin and the Yongchu Falls. A part of the course has been closed for more than 30 years in order to protect the water, natural resources of the area, and has just reopened this year. This made me feel very glad and lucky to have taken Trek there.    After meeting up at the GIC on Saturday morning, all participants and staff members took the bus together. Because of the particularity of the hiking site and the small number of people going there, the bus we needed to take only comes every hour and a half. Thankfully, Warren Parsons, our American guide, and Jeongmin Lee, the GIC Trek organizer, planned well, and we were ready to get on the bus on time, as well as come back without having to wait.      As soon as we got off from the last bus stop on the line, the silence and peaceful environment surrounded me. After explaining briefly the schedule of our day, Warren started to lead the hike.     Thanks to the river flowing next to us, the air was cool and humid, despite the hot and sunny weather we had in Downtown Gwangju an hour earlier.        I was glad to meet again one of the participants from the first GIC Trek I participated in. Originally from the Philippines, she has attended every GIC Trek since February.  Having the opportunity to hike with people from all around the world and to learn about the area thanks to the GIC’s highly knowledgeable American guide are the reasons why she keeps signing up for GIC Treks. The Treks always lead the participants to new areas of Mudeung Mountain and it is more fun to hike with other people!      The quiet beauty of the Second Basin of Gwangju that we discovered in the morning pleased everyone with its shimmering colors and cool atmosphere.          The Yongchu Falls that we had the opportunity to see a few kilometers later, reminded me of the hikes I used to take when I was living and studying in North Carolina. This unique waterfall starts from a very thin stream and ends up being more impressive a few meters down, where we took a break. At this spot, we could all relax after the quite steep hike and ate a few snacks before hiking more before lunch.      In order to reach the goat farm we were eating at, we needed to hike a few more kilometers. All hungry, we as participants were excited about eating the farm raised goat stew that was planned. For the ones bringing their own meal, a large garden could host them, with kittens playing around.        The goat stew came with a variety of side dishes and sesame powder that everyone ate deliciously. We needed energy to recover from the morning hike and to be ready for the hardest part of the trail in the afternoon.    We were all glad to have experienced this dish, as none of us would have thought about stopping at this restaurant if hiking in there. On the way back to the bus stop, we passed the goat farm, where we could pet the goats, walking freely around us. After this break, we were off again, but partly in the sun this time.  The hike went to some steep places, quite tiring for some of the participants. Until we reached the bus stop, we were all hot and tired from the day.    During our day spent in the mountain and close to the river, we all agreed about how good it felt to be there, being far away from the cars and the noises of the city. Exercising felt good and sweating made us realize the efforts that we made during the day.    On the way back to Gwangju and to the GIC, most of us were tired but ready to sign up for the next Trek, which will be even more difficult and challenging.        From foreigners newly arrived in Gwangju to Korean Gwangju citizens, none of us had ever been hiking to this part of the city. This GIC Trek was renovator, both for our bodies and our minds. I am so glad I attended this GIC Trek and I am looking forward to meeting the participants again! Because this program is organized by volunteers, we can all participate to support the GIC and lead a hike that we like for the next GIC Treks to come!        

  SPEAKER: Lars Danielsson WRITER: Eunho Kim CO-WRITER: William Urbanski DATE: May 30, 2015   On May 30th, Swedish Ambassador to Korea, Lars Danielsson, came to GIC and gave his talk entitled “Human Rights and Welfare Society.” Before this GIC Talk, we did not think much about this topic. Of course human rights and welfare are so important to our lives, but we both thought that they are government problems and not our problems.    First of all, Ambassador Danielsson said that the most important thing in the Welfare Society is trust. If citizens do not trust the government, then the background of welfare cannot be made. The Ambassador emphasized this question: “How we trust?” He said that transparency is key and that government transparency is high in Sweden.    Another important element in a Welfare Society is a simple and effective tax system. When citizens understand the tax law, then the tax collection rates will be high. Surprisingly, the Ambassador mentioned that the majority of Swedish people do not resent paying taxes as everyone receives a benefit from the welfare society.    With regard to continuing growth in Korea, the Ambassador made several insightful suggestions. First, Korea could more effectively utilize the intellectual capacity of its women. Second, if the responsibility of taking care elders and children were moved from the individual to the welfare system, it would help Korea grow stronger. Third, cities and regions could be more balanced with each other by granting more autonomy to their local governments.   In the Q&A Section of GIC Talk, the Ambassador said it was important for each country to develop its own culture. Regarding immigrants he said they were very necessary so that there are more workers. With his final comments, the Ambassador advised Korea to not copy Sweden’s system. Every country has their own history and environment so they have to find their own options for solving problems.     Photo: https://goo.gl/rpOA55 Video: https://goo.gl/VU8OYg  

The Bookseller of Kabul Review by Elizabeth Atallah Author: Asne Seierstad Genre: BIO (Biography)   The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad, caught my eye in the biography area of the GIC Library and it did not disappoint. The book follows the daily lives of an Afghani family- a middle class bookseller and his relatives who live in the same household. What makes this book stand out is the author’s perspective. While in Kabul in 2001, Asne met the bookseller, found him interesting, and moved in with his family for 3 months, to try to understand their lives. She gathered stories from the bookseller’s family, and as a Western woman was allowed privy to the lives of both the men and women in the family.   The stories in the book are often frustrating. Contradictions abound. The bookseller would spout liberal views, but his treatment of the woman of his family was very conservative. He was not very likeable to me, but throughout the book, there was a lot of explaining of how he came to be the way he was. I found the stories of the woman to be the most interesting. They covered a range of ages and situations - marriage, work, school, and clothing, among other topics. They were very personal and honest. While the book is mainly about the details of the family’s lives, the changing politics of Afghanistan is always in the background.    Some details of the book, such as burqa wearing, were expected, but many more were often surprising, which I believe come from the author’s unique position. The Bookseller of Kabul is a fascinating and intimidate peek into a world that outsiders rarely see.

  SPEAKER: Amy Badenhorst WRITER: Onyou Kim CO-WRITER: Joey Nunez DATE: May 23, 2015   Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) exists to help North Korean refugees achieve safety, receive education and help with their resettling into life either in the United States of America or in South Korea. Amy Badenhorst, the GIC Talk Speaker, gave her thoughts and insights about what the program has provided, through videos, statistics and personal stories. Amy explained that LiNK is a non-political, non-government organization which desires to help all North Koreans. According to one of the LiNK videos played, 24 million North Koreans are trying to simply survive in current prison-like conditions similar to Nazi Concentration Camps. As for good news, at least 10,000 refugees have fled North Korea, because that number have sent over 10 million dollars for their family members, who are still living in North Korea, to make a better living for themselves. Shin Dong-hyuk, a refugee who wrote the book: Escape from Camp 14, was the person who impressed Amy and led her to know about LiNK. “I have also learned about North Koreans through learning about LiNK. Why? I love South Korea so much,” Amy added. Shin’s book is available at the GIC Library. During the final portion of the Q&A Session, Amy encouraged the audience to look up LiNK, as we as GIC Talk Writers recommend too. By sharing the following links about this organization, we all can help North Koreans escape safely and receive all the human rights he/she deserves to live successfully. LiNK Website: http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/ LiNK Gwangju Chapter: https://www.facebook.com/gwangju.rescueteam?fref=ts   Photo: https://goo.gl/0ZJJgD Video:   

  Speaker: Stephen Redeker Writer: Juyeon Lee Co-Writer: Ashlyn Winter Date: May 9, 2015   “Helping Yourself: Words of Wisdom, Inspiration and Motivation”  Today’s speaker, Stephen Redeker, shared with us many self-help ideas for how to be a better person, to grow, and to live our lives to their fullest potential. It was his second talk here at the GIC and he feels that relationships, responsibilities, attitudes, and motivations are very important to having a successful life.  The first part of Stephen’s talk focused on what self-help is, what the self-help industry does, and why it is important to practice self-help techniques. Throughout the talk, Stephen mentioned that many inspirational authors and the many books he has read have not only developed his knowledge but also he has been able to implement various practical ideas and examples of how daily he practices self-help in his own life.  Steven strongly believes that through helping others, we, in turn, help ourselves to be better people. Through sharing our gifts and talents with other people, we are all helping each other be better people and are helping other people along the way. Steven really enjoys reading in his free time and he shared with us many quotes that have been inspirational to him. One of the quotes was: “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” Focus now on the present moment, instead of worrying about the past and what you have done, and instead of the future and what is to come. At the end of his talk, Stephen gave us 10 ideas to help us improve our day and therefore improve our lives, but he also reminded us that if we ever feel we have reached all of our goals in life, remembering that life is a journey, and the fact that there is always a next level and a new goal to achieve, should all help us move positively forward.   Photo: https://goo.gl/nBHjR0 Video: https://goo.gl/tw7MNE  

  * GIC Tour to Muan Review by Kaitlyn     On Saturday April 25, 2015 I went on my very first Gwangju International Center (GIC) Tour. The Tour led us to Muan, which for me was quite funny because I had been living there for three months and had yet to discover what GIC was going to introduce. The day was filled with amazing artifacts, knowledge, and the opportunity to watch and work with one of Korea’s few pottery masters.   The day started off bright and early at 9 a.m. when we hopped onto the bus for a journey to one of Muan’s historical sites; the birthplace of Zen Master Choeui. The bus ride from the GIC building to Muan was quite a distance, but it was filled with tons of information given to us by the GIC Tour guide Warren Parsons, who has been living in South Korea for, I believe, 10 years. With his Korean language skills being, in my opinion, near perfect and his knowledge about both destinations, Warren was the perfect guide. He told us a lot about the art of tea drinking as it was related to Zen Master Choeui’s life, along with the history of tea drinking in Korea.     Once we reached the birthplace of Zen Master Choeui, the hiking started. We saw a small patch of fresh tea leaves, which we all had to try. The leaves had a bitter refreshing taste, but of course I had to grab just a few more. We learned how much of the site was restored and a few added buildings that showed where Master Choeui lived during his life that were built in memory of him.      We also saw monuments describing who he was as a man and what people truly thought of him. It was truly inspiring.     Next, we entered a museum of artifacts that belonged to Master Choeui and then a history of tea in Korea, where we walked through displays of pottery signifying its beginning to now. It was truly remarkable to see how a simple act of drinking tea grew in to such a fascinating culture.     After that it was time for a workout. We climbed up the side of the mountain hat overlooks the site to see a breathtaking view of Muan.  It was an old military lookout post, but the sight was incredible. You look out and you can see all the nearby islands, the small patches of population, even the small rivers that wind their way through the land. The site was gorgeous and well worth the hike. We even had a small GIC stretching lesson that was led by Warren.     After the hike, we were all quite hungry and it was off for some fire-roasted pork. The food was incredible. The taste of the pork, lettuce, garlic, and special crab sauce really brought the meal together. The flavors meshed amazingly.   Once our appetite was sated it was off to our pottery lesson with Pottery Master Ok-soo Kim. Seeing all the masterpieces he has created was quite inspiring. He talked to us about the history of pottery in Korea and more specifically Muan. He also talked about why he uses old wood-burning kilns and showed us some different pieces of pottery.     It was then time for our pottery lesson. We were shown how to make the basic shape of a cup by creating lengths of clay and laying them one on top of the other.     Master Kim, walked around helping us shaped the cups, but generally just left us to work. As people started to finish the first part, it was amazing to see where imaginations had taken them. The cups came in all shapes and sizes. Master Kim then placed each piece on his pottery wheel and it was like magic watching him smooth out the models. All the pieces made from the same instructions turn out so differently, there were cups and bowls, and some even were made into vases.       After everyone’s piece was finished, Master Kim showed us one more incredible thing.  He turned a lump of clay into a beautiful miniature vase in mere minutes.      It was like watching a speed up section on some art show. The clay just molded to his will.     We finished our day relaxing at Sikyeong Pavilion, not far from the kiln. It was the perfect way to end our trip to Muan before loading the bus and heading back to Gwangju.     The whole experience was very memorable and I would not give it up for the world. I’m very thankful to GIC for organizing this incredible tour.       Pictures and translated by Jeongmin Lee Review by Kaitlyn

SPEAKER: J.J. Billett WRITER: Eunho Kim CO-WRITER: Joey Nunez DATE: May 2, 2015   “Your passions can change the world.” J.J. Billett said during his GIC Talk, which was entitled: “P2PRPG: Faith + Hobbies + Leverage = Good.” This GIC Talk was the first of four focused on the GIC Talk Monthly Theme of “Let Freedom Ring,” giving GIC Talks that help bring freedom to the audience and to others. P2PRPG represents “Pay-to-Play Role Playing Games,” and J.J. further mentioned that through these games, he created a story with others. J.J. explained that a DM (Dungeon Master) and GM (Game Master) with PCs (Playable Characters) play these games together. J.J. considers his charity, with the name of P2PRPG, to be one of his main hobbies, with one of his passions being to help others. “I want the world to be a better place, and I want orphans to feel special,” J.J. stated during his GIC Talk. Through his charity, J.J. has so far raised won for the Adopt-A-Child for Christmas program in Gwangju. In order to raise awareness and support for Adopt-A-Child, J.J. also encourages others by providing appealing prizes and rewards, so that PCs enjoy the games while also raising financial support for this and other charities. Last year, J.J. asked Gwangju residents to create four fund-raising items: art character portraits, painting mini-models (also discussed during Paul Starr’s GIC Talk on April 4), dice bags, and game-board terrain. When J.J. first started playing these games with unfamiliar people, he got to know others and thus created lasting friendships. J.J. also joked by saying, “You can get to know the people who you are playing with, or you can keep the relationship weird,” with his encouragement to have people play and enjoy each other’s company around the game board and in life.  J.J. plans to reach out to Daegu orphanages later this year through his charity’s events, in addition to raising more funds. “I want to raise 4 million U.S. Dollars.” J.J. will bring P2PRPG to this year’s Alleycon, on September 19 and 20. Event information is now available by visiting: http://alleycon.com/   Photo: https://goo.gl/T03IEQ Video: https://goo.gl/riTHxI  

As the undisputed king of misinterpreting social cues and body language, I found The Definitive Book of Body Language extremely worthwhile. I, like most people, have heard that most communication is non-verbal and I am even aware of what certain gestures imply, but I used to lack the ability to further interpret them. For example, while I knew that a person with his arms crossed has a negative or withdrawn attitude, I would not really have looked at the said gesture in context. What if the person had his feet crossed as well? What if the person was smoking a cigarette and blowing the smoke upward?    This book gives you the tools to closely analyze other people's body language, while becoming aware of your own so that you can improve the outcome of your social encounters. A notable lesson from this book was that body language gestures never occur in isolation. Instead, in the same way that words come together to form a sentence, gestures occur at the same time to form "clusters." Understanding these clusters is the key to controlling your own body language and interpreting others’ actions.   If this all sounds like a bunch of hocus-pocus, The Definitive Book of Body Language offers a number of techniques that you can try out immediately. In this sense, the book is really a "how-to" guide and is quite thorough, covering hand and arm gestures, evaluation signals, deceit signals along with personal spacing rituals, and many others. One of the coolest sections was the chapter on seating arrangements and effective public speaking. You would not really think of it, but where a presenter stands in relation to the audience has a profound effect on whether the audience finds him funny, serious, or even likeable.   All of the chapters are written in a humorous, but clear style, and the book is chock full of pictures, illustrations, and self-check tests. The book is written so you can use the content for reference.     There is also a detailed section of the gestures that men and women make to show their interest in a potential partner. Many people could benefit from this section, if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassing themselves in public. And to quote the authors, "Some people may feel that learning body language skills is manipulative or insincere, but learning to be proficient at reading them is no different to wearing certain types of clothes, using certain language, or telling stories that put you in the best light."   Reading this book has the potential to have an immediate, positive effect on your dealings with others. Who knew that such things as standing at a 45% angle while talking to someone and keeping your arms uncrossed at all times could stop you from completely blundering a first impression? If you are interested in learning more, The Definitive Book of Body Language is the book for you.

  SPEAKER: Solène Heurtaux WRITER: Onyou Kim CO-WRITER: Joey Nunez DATE: April 25, 2015   France and Korea have multiple differences and similarities, and still, the two countries celebrate their 130th year of working together as one this year. Solène Heurtaux, the GIC Talk Speaker, gave her GIC Talk entitled: “France in Korea: Similarities and Differences,” addressing these topics in both a sensitive and informative matter. In terms of similarities and differences, Korean and French food are eaten at similar times later in the evenings, but in France, there are appetizers that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Solène mentioned that plastic surgery is less common in France than it is in Korea. Solène also mentioned that Koreans focus on their skin to be both healthy and pretty. “In France, beauty is viewed as a unique item, so we also use fragrances.” There were other interesting facts that Solène mentioned about France. Usually in Korea, early morning to late nights shifts occur. But in France, most shops are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays to Saturdays. Also, in France, if someone is invited to a party, great gifts to consider bringing are flowers, chocolates, or wine for the hosts. During this GIC’s Talk Q&A Session, Solène stated her main cultural shock of coming to Korea was the weather. “It is hot in France during the summertime too, but it is so humid here.” Solène also shared her enjoyment about her time here at the GIC. “I wanted to discover Korea and how everyone in this country works.”  During her final remarks, Solène advised both Korean and International travelers to be careful of Paris pickpocketing. Solène also recommended listeners to travel around Paris and throughout France. “There are so many different people, landscapes and food. But, if you can only go to Paris, I would recommend that you visit the museums and cathedrals, as I know so many will enjoy the cultural aspects there in my country.”   Photo : http://goo.gl/4S3L4p Video : http://goo.gl/ggnwXn