Traveling to Korea

Coming from Sweden, Korea is very vibrant. I am visiting Suwon and Seoul for 3 weeks in October. I am here for my business, therefore I meet real koreans and see the everyday life.

Day 1

Wherever you go, university, airport in all women bathrooms, there are this koreans brushing their teeth. Not only adult ladies, but also small kids and men. So I asked my friend how have you learned to do it eagerly and often?

“We have a rule: 3 and 3. that means brushing teeth three times of the day for 3 minuets! ” Amazing, huh?

 

Day 2

Today is national holiday of Korean language. With some korean friends we went for hiking in Swuon area. Amazing weather in October. Apparently a season for wedding ceremonies because weather is pleasant.

 

Korean food

 

barbecue is pretty popular meal. Different types of meet or fish is served in a pot that you can control the heat and eat as you like.

 

Rice burger. Basically instead of bread the thing is wrapped in two thick slice of rice. It is very cheap and good!

 

Don’t forget checking out coffee bars in Korea. there are so many, with various types of drinks and free wifi 🙂

 

Salad of frozen yogurt. This salad was served with oven baked chickens. I should say this oven baked chicken is much better and healthier than fried chicken.

تهران خانه ویران من

بعد از دوسال دوری از وطن و خانواده با ذوق منتظر دیدن اونها بودم. حالا میتونم از دید یک آدم خارج از سیستم بهش نگاه کنم. آلودگی و ذرات در هوا بعضی وقتها نفسم را میبرد. در خیابان راه میروی. اصولا رهگذرها سر به پایین هستند و نمیخندند. کاش فقط اون بود. مردم دوست دارند سر هر موضوع کوچیکی تو خیابون دعوا کنند.

به اخبار تلویزیون نگاه میگنم تهو میگیرم. به برنامه های ماهواره نگاه میکنم بیشتر تهو میگیرم. آخه کجای دنیا ملت میشینند این برنامه های پوچ و بیمحتوا رو ببینند. فکر میکنم برای ساختن بعضی از برنامه های فارس وان دولت ایران بهشون پول داده. هرچه میتونید مزخرفتر بسازید . هر چه میتونید ذهن زنها رو به سمت بدن و صورتشون ببرید وبه مردا بفهمونید خیانت یه امر عادیه.

ماها در خارج ایران تصوری رویایی از شهرمون میسازیم… اونجا تا صبح شلوغه … اونجا حسابی گرمه …. اونجا ملت همینطور ریختن تو خیابون دارن حال  میکنند… اونجا کلی رستوران هست … ماها خیلی بهتر از عرباییم … آره بابا اونجا همه نوع آزادی هست  … ما ملت پرشین هستیم و خیلی تمیز و مودب و خوب هستیم ….

ما با تصویر و رویا شهری ساختیم برای خارجیهاـ تهرانی رویایی. اما تهران ویران است و رویا خواب است. ما در رویا میخوابیم و تهران را زیبا و آباد میبینیم.

Where is home? Where are my bonds?

Was chatting with mom and with a great excitement I was telling her I’m going to Istanbul . Mom bursts into tear.

you are coming this close but you don’t want to come and visit your family?

I was shocked. She was right, why didn’t I think about it? Had to find a cheap flight and decided to go home after Istanbul .
Living in Sweden , having a boyfriend in Germany and having the parents in Asia is not an easy task. I have my bonds different places but where is home? Make my apartment beautiful to feel like home. But since I travel a lot (either work or to Germany) I attached and deattached all the time. I learn not to bound with the objects I like. I had to get rid of my books and other stuff.

a bit of PhD crisis

Yesterday got the email from a journal that our paper is rejected. It’s like smashing in face. But that’s not all the story. My supervisor left me alone when we resubmit the paper. And of course, as an unexperienced student, you need some help to figure out the proper way of writing and arguing for the reviewers.

Don’t exactly know if leaving a PhD student by her own is a swedish style of supervision or what! For sure I am still trying to learn cultural codes but this must me more or less clear.

That brings me again to the stage of what am I, what am I going to do in future for the goods of my life and the society!