I have looked forward to this since the day of my departure.
The time spent here doing research in 2017 was nothing short of magical, and it would be not an exaggeration to say it was a life-changing adventure. The experience and the people here have been warm and welcoming, wrapped into my everyday life even as I live thousands of mile away.
The Korea Foundation Field Research Fellowship is an exceptional opportunity for anyone who is an ardent researcher and wants to expand their knowledge in some area related to South Korea. I recommend it highly. I am so grateful and feel so lucky to have been selected a second time for this incredible opportunity.
The unique aspect of this trip is that it is in the middle of the pandemic, or perhaps at the beginning of the tail end (me being ever the optimist). At the 3- hour-til-arrival mark, I began to get antsy. We flew over Japan and I was able to see mountains, and looked for the beloved Korean seas that have embedded themselves firmly in my heart. The weather was cloudy and stormy, and I was not able to see the magnificence of the Yellow Sea nor the aquaculture plots that adorn coastlines. The first glimpse was Incheon airport right only seconds before the airplane wheels touched down, as the thick cloud cover masked everything upon descent.
The disembarking of the plane went as usual, the hurried passengers standing up only to wait in long lines to actually begin plane departure. The number of travelers surprised me, there were more than I expected, but not nearly the number that filled planes and the airport normally. Long lines of waiting and checking passports visas and forms, copious amounts of paperwork to be filed. Hours filled with clarifications, and many full protection “bunny suits”.
I find this a bit ironic, given the ‘uproar’ that a section of the U.S. has been continuously exhibiting. South Korea has a 85-90% vaccination rate, and a 95% mask compliance rating. Here, it’s about health and protection of community, not about individuality and political rhetoric. The tenets of how the country was established are vastly different than that of the U.S.
It was a full 180 from the last visit, and daunting, but given that this is a country that cares about the welfare and safety of their people, I can fully understand why. A small group of us were ushered into a waiting area where government quarantine workers kept watch over us. The workers clearly had dealt with their fair share of tempers flaring, because they were quick to diffuse and have expedient responses to angry outbursts. It was a total of about four hours after disembarking, so it was not a process for the faint of heart. I asked to be able to go to the store that was adjacent to the waiting area, and was accompanied by the worker who stood about 15 feet from me but watched my every move. I mentally wondered who had the energy to run after a fifteen hour flight and 3 hours of paper processing… After about 30 minutes of waiting, and one very brief 7-11 trip where I was able to buy the sacred banana milk, the bus arrived to take us all to the quarantine facility. We all got on the bus, and quickly drove off. It was dark by this time, and a full four and a half hours after getting off the plane.
We stopped to pick up another group, and then were driven straight to quarantine, which is situated in a Ramada Hotel on the outer area of Seoul. The buses in Korea are fantastic, very comfortable and spacious, and very unlike those in the U.S. Public transportation in South Korea is outstanding, and I always wish the U.S. would catch up and “get it together” so we could encourage greener options for transportation. It’s nothing heavenly to hop on public transport that is reliable and comfortable.
At the hotel we were greeted by more bunny suited staff, and sat through a presentation of what to expect, and what was and was not acceptable. It was a facility, not a hotel, meals were delivered at certain times, and leaving rooms was forbidden except to step out and grab meals or put out trash in the hall. Leaving could mean a combination of fines, jail time, and deportation. I had been misinformed about arrival details, and attempted to clarify, though the 5 hour delay at this point meant it was nearly impossible since the work day was over. I paid heftily for the room, about double what I would pay a very nice AirBnB, and entered into elevator. Fortunately my room has a nice view, and is virtually sound proof. I was able to sleep and the week has flown by amidst early morning meetings, and Korean announcements about high covid levels and waring about no smoking in the rooms.
While the meals have been ‘ok’, I long for the typical fabulous Korean cuisine which I am aware is just beyond these walls. The meals have been satisfactory, though there is no microwave in the rooms, and there are no snacks. I was accidentally marked as vegetarian for the first 3 days, and given salad and eggs for each meal, which upset my stomach horribly, so being the ever-researcher, I found a service that will deliver food. The quarantine facility does not allow restaurant food, along with no dairy, no fresh fruit or vegetables, so the choices were limited. Basically, any type of chips, cup ramen, or sweets could be delivered. I chose juice boxes and almonds and (of course) an instant coffee brand I love.
Washing clothes happens by hand in the tub/shower, and hanging them to dry wherever space is found. I am taking this in stride, knowing that research never happens as planned, and the time is short. This quarantine period while not ideal, and expensive, does give me time to finalize meetings, tie up loose ends, and grade.
I will be leaving the facility in less than 12 hours, and begin this journey setting foot in Seoul once more to analyze, find, and document.
