Back home growing up I think I experienced the same folklore that most people of my generation encountered. The familiar phrase 'when I was your age,' was an expression duly noted to myself on many occasions. My father for example never shied away from an opportunity to tell me as a child that when he 'was my age'(I was around twelve at the time,) he was forced to pick up rocks every Saturday for a nickel . Even to this day I am not sure how to interpret this. As I kid I would usually roll my eyes and divert my attention towards the nearest window, however these days I would probably ask him why didn't he just call in sick or something? A nickel might have been a heck of a lot more back in 'those days,' but regardless, nobody picks up rocks anymore!
I think this is similar to the grandfather's cliche of walking in the snow to school; uphill, both ways, with out shoes, or a jacket to boot! The upshot to all of this is that many people believe that our generation is much different in the fact that life has become much more convenient for us. With convenience we can take a bus to school, and do less backbreaking work than scooping up rocks with our hands. With this convenience we humans can customize our lives to suit our personalities by basically doing whatever we want. Because of modernization, we are able to go where we want and survive just about anywhere quite easily. Gone are the days of having walk to school and sustain yourself on your own plot of land.
The irony of course is that humans did survive by sustaining themselves on their own land for many more generations than we have been living in modern mechanized times today. Many of us have flown the coop and will continue to do for some time, therefore living a simple, self-sustaining life in one's hometown will be a thing of the past-or already is a thing of the past. Despite this, living in Korea offers a unique glimpse of former times. This is because there are several folk villages scattered throughout the region, and what's especially nice about these villages is that they are more than open air museums they are in some respect also working, living, surviving villages.
It was also with my good fortune that I am residing less than twenty kilometers from one a famous place called Nagan Folk Village. It's nestled in a valley between two mountains, and is an area covering approximately two or three kilometers. The village is bordered with a surrounding wall, while the inside is covered by thatched roof houses. It was formerly a fortress during the Choson Period to protect themselves from the Japanese. Within the village today many residents are actually living in many of the houses (the roofs are thatched with rice grains, which need to be replaced annually.) There is a ceramics house where the proprietor is diligently creating mugs, plates, and other wares for tourists. There is also an inn where on can sleep.
There are other museum like pieces as well; for example the many totem poles surrounding the site represent many beliefs and wishes, there is an old administrative building recreating feudal times, as well as an entrance area and a selection of souvenir shops scattering throughout the village. So it won't appear as a hundred percent authentic working village, although it is pretty impressive for these modern times. I think Koreans in general believe that home is where the heart is so it is vital for them to maintain these cultural gems. As a visitor I appreciate the fact that at least we can see a part of the past, even if it's only a glimpse.
My visit ended at a village eatery with my cheerful and amusing guide Mr. Che buying me gal guk su(noodle soup with clams,) which was accompanied with a bottle of village made rice wine to drink. After a couple glasses of the sweet, slightly starchy wine, we ventured back to the modern world called Suncehon. Back in Suncheon I found myself immediately thrust back into modern life ordering a latte to wake myself up in TomnTom's hastily forgetting how lucky I am to live in such convenient times.
I think this is similar to the grandfather's cliche of walking in the snow to school; uphill, both ways, with out shoes, or a jacket to boot! The upshot to all of this is that many people believe that our generation is much different in the fact that life has become much more convenient for us. With convenience we can take a bus to school, and do less backbreaking work than scooping up rocks with our hands. With this convenience we humans can customize our lives to suit our personalities by basically doing whatever we want. Because of modernization, we are able to go where we want and survive just about anywhere quite easily. Gone are the days of having walk to school and sustain yourself on your own plot of land.
The irony of course is that humans did survive by sustaining themselves on their own land for many more generations than we have been living in modern mechanized times today. Many of us have flown the coop and will continue to do for some time, therefore living a simple, self-sustaining life in one's hometown will be a thing of the past-or already is a thing of the past. Despite this, living in Korea offers a unique glimpse of former times. This is because there are several folk villages scattered throughout the region, and what's especially nice about these villages is that they are more than open air museums they are in some respect also working, living, surviving villages.
It was also with my good fortune that I am residing less than twenty kilometers from one a famous place called Nagan Folk Village. It's nestled in a valley between two mountains, and is an area covering approximately two or three kilometers. The village is bordered with a surrounding wall, while the inside is covered by thatched roof houses. It was formerly a fortress during the Choson Period to protect themselves from the Japanese. Within the village today many residents are actually living in many of the houses (the roofs are thatched with rice grains, which need to be replaced annually.) There is a ceramics house where the proprietor is diligently creating mugs, plates, and other wares for tourists. There is also an inn where on can sleep.
There are other museum like pieces as well; for example the many totem poles surrounding the site represent many beliefs and wishes, there is an old administrative building recreating feudal times, as well as an entrance area and a selection of souvenir shops scattering throughout the village. So it won't appear as a hundred percent authentic working village, although it is pretty impressive for these modern times. I think Koreans in general believe that home is where the heart is so it is vital for them to maintain these cultural gems. As a visitor I appreciate the fact that at least we can see a part of the past, even if it's only a glimpse.
My visit ended at a village eatery with my cheerful and amusing guide Mr. Che buying me gal guk su(noodle soup with clams,) which was accompanied with a bottle of village made rice wine to drink. After a couple glasses of the sweet, slightly starchy wine, we ventured back to the modern world called Suncehon. Back in Suncheon I found myself immediately thrust back into modern life ordering a latte to wake myself up in TomnTom's hastily forgetting how lucky I am to live in such convenient times.
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