Posts published in “Uncategorized”

By Kim Nan Kyeong, University of Ulsan

At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Korea displayed a spectacular drone show. The drone show impressed not only Koreans but also people all over the world. In simple terms, a drone is basically an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicle controlled by using a remote control. In other words, it is an airplane or a helicopter-shaped figure which flies without human beings on board, guided by radio waves. Then, how could and would we be able to use drones in future?

Drones can be used to deliver food, medical supplies, and make home deliveries. Google X, a secret research organization at Google, has conducted various studies and has already started developing a new method of transportation called Wing. The Wing essentially consists of drones which are designed to make deliveries. They can fly up to 400 feet above the ground and make use of preplanned routes on demand using sensors and software to detect and avoid others in real time and safely deliver fragile packages to a spot the size of a doorstep. In military terms, one of the articles from BBC Future says that in theory, small drones in swarms can defeat any existing weapon, and can deliver enough precision firepower to cause destruction on a massive scale. Their impact could rival the development of the machine-gun: anyone without their own drone swarm could face rapid defeat on the battlefield in the future.

Technology in many fields is being developed today, but among them, drones have captured the world’s attention. If a well-developed drone is commercialized in the future, it could of great help to humans. I hope the day of commercializing drones will come soon

Dinh Bao Tran University of Ulsan

Not too long ago, I had the most amazing time in Tapei – the incredibly fantastic capital city of Taiwan. Although I went there on the weekend, I was extremely surprised to see the streets were not as noisy or crowded like others in big cities which I have been to before. But despite this, I still managed to see and experience the modernity of a capital city.

My first day began with a special kind of dumpling named Xiaolongbao. It is said to have been a famous Chinese king’s favorite food in the past. Then, I visited Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall which was built by a light ancient instruction with a blue decisive color. After that, I went on a tour to Shifen Waterfall, Shifen Old Street, and Jiufen Village. I totally enjoyed the breathtaking scenes of Shifen Waterfall. At Shifen Old Street, I also bought a decorative four-colored lantern. It is said the red, yellow, blue, and pink colors are symbols for health, wealth, promotion, and happiness; and when you write wishes on the lantern’s surface and send it to the sky, your wishes will come true. Jiufen is an old village decorated with wonderful lights from predominantly red lanterns like those I usually see in old movies. Finally, I went to Ximending Night Market and was really excited to try the rather pungent Tofu. It does not have an attractive smell but it tastes unbelievably delicious.

The next day, I went to Tamsui which is famous for its old station. People sold lots of street food and milk tea at the village nearby. From Tamsui, I got on a ferry to go to Bali Left Bank. The next destination was the 101 Building, and I also visited Longshan Temple too. It is considered to be the most naturally powerful temple in Taipei, so many people were there to pray or make wishes for themselves. Finally, I stopped at Longshan Night Market. It is a perfect heaven for a food lover like me. I tried many special foods and bought some souvenirs.

I had only three days in Taipei but I could not deny I had fallen in love with its sights, food, and the lifestyle of Taiwanese people. It was the best trip for me and I will definitely visit Taipei again.

Park Geun Yeong
University of Ulsa

There are many things that I have come to love while traveling abroad, but there are three specific things that stand out. First, I usually fall in love with the scents of the country I am visiting. When you arrive at the airport by plane, you can smell it. Air temperatures are also different so you can feel and remember them better. For example, when I arrived in Indonesia, I smelled the stuffy, moist air with a touch of sweet and sour scent of flowers.

In Indonesia, I found out that the flower Franzipani is similar to the fragrance of the flower. Second, I liked the taste of tropical fruits and was fascinated by them. The tropical fruits I refer to here are not pineapples or bananas that can easily be found in Korea, but mango, mangosteen, and durian. The first time I became interested in tropical fruits was when a friend from the Philippines gave me dried mango as a gift. Since then, I remember eating ice cream with my friend mainly because it tasted like mango. It was when I went to Cambodia that I actually ate other raw fruits. I went there with a friend who had been eating mango ice cream with us, and even before we went, we promised to eat mango until we were sick of it. But we have, ironically, fallen in love with the juicy, sweet taste of mangosteen. This is still my favorite fruit. We ate durian, and it was really hard for me then, but now I really think it is delicious.

The last thing I enjoy about traveling, which I think may also be the driving force behind this article, are the fond healing memories I make. When I think about the things I love before going to bed, I can feel a little bit of happiness. I love songs that I heard often when I was traveling, or scenes that I experienced, and feel extremely fortunate to have made so many good memories while traveling. In order to make more memories such as these, I will travel and keep a record of them on future trips.

Kim-Yu-Jin, University of Ulsan

Imagine a bright warm sunshine day, a cool breeze blowing through your hair, a wide open sea with leaping whales welcoming you, and breathtaking traditions everywhere. You might think that there could never be a place like this, but this place does exist, and it is the very city in which I live. Yes, apart from mountains, beaches, and a thriving industrial sector, Ulsan has much more to offer, and is a great city that you should come visit for at least two additional reasons.

First, it is such a great place to learn more about whales. Whales only show up in places where there is an abundance of krill for them to eat, and where the ocean temperature is around 5℃-10℃, making Ulsan the perfect spot for these marine mammals. Since ancient times, people were helped by whales and now Ulsan is working together as a city to protect whales from becoming extinct. In the summer, the city hosts its annual Whale Festival to promote their protection, and offers dolphin watching cruise tours. There is a whale museum for people who would like to know more about them and you can even buy some cute dolphin shaped breads over there. So, if you want to see them with your own eyes, you should definitely come to Ulsan.

Secondly, should you decide to visit Ulsan, you will get to know more about Korea’s special pot, called an Onggi. Onggi is a special kind of pottery which ancient people used to store food, and is uniquely Korean. What is special about Onggi is that they have tiny holes that help with ventilation and keeping food fresh. Ulsan is famous for them because about 50% of Onggi that we use today were made in Ulsan. If you visit Ulsan, you will be able to see the world’s biggest Onggi, and the Onggi museum and potters who continue to make Onggi pots to this day.

As you can see, Ulsan has a lot to offer visitors, particularly with regards to marine mammals and ancient Onggi pots. Besides these two reasons, there are lots of other gems and reasons why you should visit my hometown someday. Should you choose to do so, I guarantee that you that you will not be disappointed.

Tran Thi van Chinh
University of Ulsan

I recently had the chance to attend a co-worker’s wedding in Incheon, Korea. Wanting to make the most of my very first solo trip abroad, I decided to spend one night at a reasonably-priced Korean Bathhouse called a jjimjilbang. Not only was I able to sleep over and have a luxurious bath in a very interesting and new way, but it turned out to be one of the most fascinating experiences of my life.
This lovely little jjimjilbang named “Chinjeong Sup Sauna” was located near Hongdae in Seoul. After paying a small entrance fee and locking my shoes into an unoccupied drawer, I received a bathrobe, two bath towels, and a key for my wardrobe from a woman and from that moment, things became really interesting. Because the wardrobes were opposite the door of the bath area and we were not allowed to wear clothes whilst having a shower, it was my very first time seeing so many people in their birthday suits. It was so awkward for me at first that I did not dare to raise my head. It is still funny looking back now how hard I tried to not see others and how I just tried to focus on finding my wardrobe.
After putting my belongings into the wardrobe, I could not wait to get inside the hot-steamy area. The bath area was not enormous but big enough for us to truly relax. Basically, there were four parts inside: an oil massage area, a shower area, hot water pools, and a sauna room. After taking a shower, I spent around fifteen minutes in the sauna room. It was steaming hot inside but once I left and soaked myself in the hot water pool, I felt extremely refreshed. The sauna was such an awesome thing for me personally, because my face became silky smooth and glowed for days afterwards.
All these things, from taking a hot water shower and spending time in the sauna to soaking in the heated pool and then having a big bottle of cool sikhye, a Korean rice-punch drink, made me feel on top of the world. I must say it was heaven to me. Staying overnight in a jjimjilbang was undoubtedly one of the best experiences I have ever had and I highly recommend it should you ever find yourself in Korea.

An Ju Hui, University of Ulsan

The phrase Ca-gong-jok is a newly-termed word that is an abbreviation of Korean words meaning “study tribe in a café”, and refers to those people who study for long periods of time in one café setting. In Korea, the number of Ca-gong-jok is increasing steadily and this phenomenon makes for endless debates.

The affirmative side states that the cost of the beverage fee includes the right to enjoy the relaxed ambience of the cafe. In fact, according to some research, white noise improves work efficiency. Sounds such as background music or humming or the sound of friendly conversation helps one to concentrate more deeply. Therefore, the positive opinion of Ca-gong-jok is somewhat based on scientific grounds. Moreover, when people have to work in groups, it is convenient to gather in a cafe for a meeting, since people cannot talk one another in a library. Other research results show that studying through discussion with others is more effective than just studying by oneself, and that a cafe where people can study with other people in a cozy atmosphere may just be the best place to learn.

In contrast, most of the opponents are owners of café’s. The more Ca-gong-jok who study in their cafes, the fewer customers they are able to serve. Once a Ca-gong-jok sit at a table, they usually spend at least 2-3 hours studying. Although they purchase a cup of coffee, it could not exceed the sales to other customers. Furthermore, they use electricity, Wi-Fi, water resources and so forth. Even if it seems small, the total costs could place a heavy burden on owners. In addition, some Ca-gong-jok occasionally glare at other customers in order to make them keep quite. So even if the one of the purposes of going to cafe was to talk or chat with friends, these kinds of stares would put an end to it, and could lead to a decline of customers. It is no wonder why so many owners are feeling apprehensive.

All in all, Ca-gong-jok deserve to be treated the same as any other customers. In my opinion, the atmosphere of café spaces let people feel unconventional and refreshed and that perhaps leads to increased concentration. Provided that these new tribes comprehend the difficulties faced by owners and moderate their behavior, they might just become a new culture of the cafe industry globally.

Glenda Souza da Silva

Centro Universitário de Jaguariúna

In recent years, the planet has been affected by rising temperatures that have generated major concerns throughout the country. This is due to a phenomenon known as global warming, which is caused by burning fossil fuels such as gasoline, coal, diesel oil. It has also been caused by industries and non-renewable energy production, pollution and forest deforestation.

Brazil, because it is located near the equator and because it is a region that receives the sun’s rays with greater intensity, will feel the effects of the temperature changes affecting the country directly. In addition, because it has large coastal areas, it becomes vulnerable, as global warming intensifies the melting in Antarctica, which consequently increases sea level.

Another concern here is the impact of deforestation on animals. Animals, such as jaguars, blue macaws, maned wolves, among many others, are on the list of endangered animals in Brazil. The country is considered the richest in biodiversity in the world, but the loss of biodiversity is a worrying factor when talking about nature. It is estimated that the deforestation will cause the loss of the natural habitat of animals, causing these species to stop living. Scholars have reported that if the forest reaches between 20% and 25% of its area, it will be considered a climatic abyss.

To try to reverse this situation in the Amazon, actions such as reforestation have already been carried out. The fight for the preservation of species has increased, and with animals that are in serious danger of extinction, projects such as artificial insemination have already been carried out.

There must be a global awareness of how such factors are detrimental to life, not only to animal and plant life, but also to the quality of life of people.

Measures such as expanding the generation of energy through clean and renewable sources must be implemented by the country. Only then can we hope for a better future for both society as a whole and our beautiful natural biodiversity

Kosaku Hasayama

I participated in the study abroad program of the University of Shimane and studied at Langara College in Vancouver, Canada, in August 2018. I was simply interested in visiting a foreign country, but my experiences in Canada changed the meaning of studying English. I feel strongly I want to improve English and my desire to share ideas with many people around the world increased.

My life in Canada was all immersed in English for 24/7. I went to school every day to study English all day. All the classes at Langara College were conducted in English. It was very exhausting. At home I talked to my host family in English because it was homestay. I realized that my talking ability of English was low because I often could not express well what I wanted to say. But even so in Canada, I needed to express my ideas. For example, if I do something at home in my way and it is not right in Canada, my action will cause trouble to the host family. So I needed to ask questions and make my requests. I strongly wanted to be able to speak more with host family.

Using gestures was very helpful for my communication. I learned how to use gestures at school. I tried to use gestures to express my opinion in English, and I gradually was able to convey what I meant to others. After coming home, I always tried to put what I learned at school immediately to my conversation to the host mother. My host mother was a bit surprised at my improvement, and she praised me. It seemed that she understood well what I meant. I was happy to tell what I meant and I was touched by the fact that it was easy to convey the things I would like to convey by engaging gestures even in my poor English.

In Canada, I could make new friends, but I could not make friends other than Japanese. Why? It is because I don’t have strong English ability. I thought I had to improve my English ability. If I have more English ability, I could talk more with others. I think that I did not have the courage to talk to foreign people from myself, because I was worried that my English would not be understood. I strongly wanted to learn more English in order to be confident about my English ability.

In the end, I went to Canada and had a wonderful experience. I felt that I had to improve my English ability and I want to talk a lot with foreign people. The study abroad program gave me a new goal to me.