There are two sides to every coin.

I really agree with this idiomatic expression. Every situation and event have two sides as if coin has sides of head and tail. In my life, this expression was applied a lot. In particular, when I faced trouble that seemed not to be solved, thinking of various possibilities was helpful for me. Sometimes these thinking habit helps me find unexpected results. In other word, If I loose somthing, I can get something. However, in trouble situation, it was hard for me to think of this. When I was elementary student, my father was injured in car accident. At that time my father had to be in hospital for 6months. I was so scared because I thought that my father might die. I prayed for my father with all my heart and studied hard at that time because those were all that I could. Even though my father's car accident was bad news and sad event in my life, I could realize that not only existence of my father was very precious for me but also I loved my father so much. In my adolescent period, I could be mature through this event. I don't believe that terrible situation always have bad side and all situation and people cannot change.

my dream

When I was a child who didn't know letters, I wanted to become a miliary woman. The reason was that their uniform seemed pretty. After growing up, when I recalled my childhood's dream, I cannot help smiling. At that time, except military woman I had a lot of dreams like many other children. However, after being an adult, I don't think about those dreams. Rather than being somebody in future, usually I think about something to do for the future. Studying English is one of the very preparations. I want to express my thoughts and mind in English without pause and understand even their meaning behind speaking. Being able to communication with other people who speak English can make my life wider than now. If another language is popular, I would choose to learn the language. Now if I say about my dream, it is to be ready for a person who communicates with others well. After improving English skill, I would like to travel to other countries. Even though I don't have good skill of language, I can go to another country which I want to travel. However, I think I can not only learn their cultures and thoughts more but also understand them more if my speech is fluent. Now, this is my hope but I expect to be reality.

my favorate holiday in my country

-> This is Songpyon

There are some big holiday in Korea. Among them, I love thanksgiving day, which is usually called Chuseok in Korae, the most. The first reason that I like Chuseok is a longer vacation than other holiday. When I was working for the hospital, I used to travel other country during vacation. If I use the day off, I could have almost 10 days for vacation. And also I could see all my family in Chuseok and talked with my parents and brother with eating delitious Korean food when I didn't have plan to trip. I was living in Seoul and my parents was living in Wonju and my brother was living in Deajon so we couldn't often meet. In Chuseok, most Korean people make rice cake called "Songpyon" and share with their neighbors. An important thing of reasons why I love Chuseok is special foods such like Japchae, Buchimgae and Songpyon. I really like traditional Korean foods but I can't often eat them because it takes long time to make them. I am missing the mood of Chuseok as I am writing about it now.

Particular place

This place is near Melose and Molmontrack. Whenever I go to church or Fairway, I pass this place. I took photos in the last weekend becasue the color of trees was so beautiful. This place makes me think of romantic movie in which a couple are walking on the road under the trees. And also it looks really foreign park. Since I didn't feel foreign in Iowa City, this place was special to me. Maybe Iowa City gave me comfortable, so I didn't recognize here was not my country but abother country. I named this area "central park" and I like this place near my house. Also, in front of this place, in the center line, there are some trees changed red. I like seeing these trees. When I saw this red tree firstly, I thought of the bush in Exodus in the bible. I imagined the scene that God called to Mose within the bush. So I named this tree "bush". Seeing these trees is pleasant to me. Somtimes when I pass by the place, I intentionally drive slowly to see the trees.

In fall

I prefer fall to other seasons becasue fall is beautiful. These days leaves' color is changing day by day. Whenever I go out home, I look at the leaves of tree in front of my house. Yesterday they were yellow color, but today they are closer to red color. Changing of color makes me think about life. As leaves change according to the season, people change according to the time. Also, as leaves have beautiful color by enduring the cold and warm weather, people have good characters by being trained in life. So fall gaives me lession.

Fall in Iowa is very beautiful. Especially, clean sky and a lot of trees make our eyes pleasant. Fall in my home town is also wonderful. However, my homtown, Wonju has a high mountain. When I was living there, I used to climb the mountain in fall. On the top of the mountain, I could see colorful mountain as like a carpet wholly. Sometimes fall leads my feeling to be sentimental so I would like to watch romantic movies or listen to soft music.

stress in Iowa

I have been dificulty in speaking English as most foreigners did. As soon as I arrived here, I hoped I might understand and speak English in 3 months. Now I realiz it was very selfish and foolish thoughts. My accent and intonation different from native speaker, and lack of vocabulary block communication with American people.

And differnt food style is also stressful to me. Whenever I go to mart for buying some foods, I always buy the same kind of vegetable and meat because I don't know well. Somtimes eating meat so much becomes stress because I have to be careful to gain weight. Different language and food culture are the most stressful to me even though I came here to study English. Besides, a lot of homework to do is one of stressors.

I think that the most important method to adapting in this situation is to admit myself. Before trying to change many things, accepting the fact that having difficulty can be reasonable is the first. And then, it is helpful to compare me in 1 month ago with myself in the present. Sometimes recollecting the past helps us have the thankful heart. Actually, I used to recollect my past and compare to the present. Stress caused by English needs time. I like cooking and baking. Cooking special menu or baking sweat bread make me refreshing. I forget the stress during cooking. Especially, spicy Korean food makes me pleasant. If you have some trouble or stress, I would like to recommend cooking or eating delicous food. After eating, light exercising or walking will prevent you from gaining weights.

My favorite movie

I like most movie genre except a horror. Among them, especially I love a drama genre because it gives me impression and catharsis. According to Mark Baily, a drama genre is defined as "[it]should contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters portrayed to effect a serious narrative throughout the title." Through movies, I can think about my life and relationship. I can remember how my feeling and thinking were when I watched the movie about 9 years ago, "Life is Beautiful" directed by Roberto Benigni. While I was watching the movie, my eyes were filled with tears and my lips were kept smiling. The story of the movie was never funny but I smiled because of the main hero's character. Also, the scenes were not sad but I could not help weeping because of the Guido's love. In the last scene, the love which Guido represented his son, Giosue, made me think about the love, especially parents' love. During watching the movie, I felt that my spirit and mind seemed clean. Sometimes weeping helps my mind purified. I can remember the last scene until now even though long time passed. I love the movie that I can remember for long time and meditate something due to the message. That is the reason why I love a drama movie.

In Chicago

Chicago! I expected the trip greatly and had many plans because this was my first trip in Chicago. One thing of many plans was to eat Pizza in Chicago. I searched for Pizza restaurant near the Art Institute in Google, I chose the one restaurant called Excheque. As soon as we arrived at Chicago, every member wanted to go to eat Pizza. We walked in the street following the direction of the map and finally we found the restaurant. We ordered cheese crispy pizza and ate it without any small piece. It was really delicious. I can show a photo of Pizza later.
Next, I went to the Art Institute. Even though I don't know painting well, I was interested in masterpieces of Vincent Van Gogh because I liked his touch and yellow color that he usually used. I watched his works as like bedroom and his own portrait but I didn't see sunflowers which is my favorate painting.
And another interesing thing was seeing the miniatures which is very elaborate and delicate. Among them, a European house painted green, including pretty chairs and splendid lighting on the ceiling was so impressve to me.
Eating Pizza and watching paintings gave me interesting, but I was happier because I was with my friends, Leejung, Linda, Kelly, Xangki and Ayesha. Through this trip, I could talked with them more than before.

Understand differences.....

with my companions, in Sokcho which is famous for beautiful mountain and sea.

I think that places where people live together have similar factors. However, we need to adapt to the new environment because of different habits and foods.

When I arrived in Iowa City and lived for 2weeks, I could find the similarities between Iowa City and Seoul in my country. Those are characteristics of city which most cities already have: most people move by driving their car and like to go to big markets like Wal Mart and Hy-vee. Also, most people like a kind person. I think that a person of kind character is lovely anywhere. I saw not only very kind men and women but also rude and disgraceful man. I think character depends on individual not on the country.

In Iowa City, the most distingushed thing from Seoul is a large land. Houses are far from others and I cannot see apartment here. I lived on the 15th floor of the apartment when I was in Seoul and many people also live in apartment because my country has the lack of space.

And I usually used chopstics and spoon in eating meals while American use forks and knives. One thing that I was confused in Iowa is that people depend on the rule of walking on the right side. Besides, most Amerian eat hamburger including meat or chicken and steak as a main dish while rice is a main food in Korea. In addition to these, there are many differences.

Now I am looking for unlikeness between American and Korean and knowing a new culture makes me excited.

I don't like Hamburger....

When I arrived at America, I could not go in my house becasue the house needed to clean and paint. My roommate, my mother and I had to stay at hotel in Iowa during two days. So we could not help buying every meal to eat. We did not know where the restaurant is and which food is good. Only thing that we knew was hamburger. Whenever we went to eat a meal, we ordered hamburger. One day, we decided to choose another menu because we had enough of hamburger. We looked at menu and then we were bewildered by long name of menu containing some ingredients. After thingking hard, we chose a beef sandwich and a chicken sandwich instead of hamburger. As we moved to our house, we did not ear hamburger for some time. Almost 1 month later, we seem to eat hamburger. Now, I know a few restaurants in Coral mall and in downtown.

Israel trip

I went to Jerusalem in Israel as a volunteer two years ago. I was there not only to participate in march for peace between Israel and Palestine but also to hold the event of Korean culture. Over 2,000 people came from Korea participated in the peace march and young people including me prepared for the festival of Korean culture. Many jews came there and enjyed the festival with us. Especially, Taekwondo which is a kind of sport was the most popular among them. Male as well as female loved to learn Taekwondo. I heard that it is mandatory to go into army even though female. At that time, our team had the booth for selling traditional Korean tea. We could enjoy with many Israelite because the purpose of the event was to inform Korean cultre.
After finishing the event during three days, we marched from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in Parestine. The trip of Israel was very intersting to me because that was the first trip in the middle east. I could remember the smile of a child in Palestine and ghetto blocking between Jerusalem and Palestine. I could learn the history of Israel and I could get good friends through the trip.

my family

My family consists of parents, a brother and his wife. They are very important and special to me. My father and mother had run a shop for a long time but now they didn't work. My brother married a pretty woman who is teacher 2 years ago. They will be parents in the next Febrary. When my brother and I were child, my brother was a good helper for playing. We always played game togather and also often fought. But these became memories as I grew up. I had lived alone since university graduation. So I almost met them once per a year. Whenever I walk on the green street, I think of them. Now, I really miss my family.

In des moines

in front of des moines' capital

Let me introduce myself

As you know, my name is Eunyoung and American name is Mary. I prefer to be called Eunyoung. I am here to study English in Univrtsity of Iowa and I came from Korea. I worked in hospital as an audiologist before comming here.
My parents are living in Wonju which is small city in Korea and my younger brother, his wife and their baby in her womb are living in Daejon. Maybe I can see lovely nephew/niece on Febrary. I really want to see hm/her.
Now, I am living in a house near by football stadium with my friend called Leejung who is also studying English in the same class as you know. Leejung and I met when we were in graduated school and Leejung is my best friend. I love traveling, walking and driving a car. In korea, whenever I have time, I used to go outside the city by car and I liked to travel to the other country. I don't know what I will do after finishing IIEP. I am just praying for the next future.