Hyojin wanting to be Leonardo DiCaprio

We were at a Lover's Lane spot in Jinju. (Relax, it was purely a site-seeing activity). It was nighttime. The air was crisp, the stars were bright, my nose was runny. Hyojin and I drove here because I had not really been site-seeing at all in Jinju. After we got out of the car he went over to, what looked like a big stone top hat. The first round level was rocky about 3 feet high. The second round level was a large smooth cylinder with stairs carved in it to get to the top. I would say it was over 5 feet. Hyojin said that you would light a fire on top to send a signal to another mountain top and then another and another until it reached Seoul. How cool is that! I saw a real-life Mulan-esque fire tower. You know in the beginning of movie when one huge beefy Hun is on the great wall and the guard lights a fire and says, "Now, all of China knows you're here." And then the huge beefy Hun says, "Perfect!" That went through my mind when I realized that this was the Korean version. I couldn't describe this to Hyojin. So, like many things I just had to replay it in my mind and smile to myself (while jumping up and down a bit).

I see a path that goes further up. I say to Hyojin, "come on let's go" and he replies, "whaaaa. I have never been up there."

>> "never been up there? How is that possible?"

> "I have lived in Jinju for 30 years and I have never been up there."

>> "What!? Are you nuts? Well, come on Hyojin, let me teach you about Korea."

> "haha. Do you really want to go?"

No answer from me as I start my ascension up the mountain.

> "Samanda! Wait I come."

How could someone live here for 30 years and not climb to the top after visiting more than once?

We reach the top and there is exercise equipment! Are you serious? But what fun! I got on an apparatus that looked like it would work my stomach standing up. I hopped on and there was one area to stand on with two bars on either side of me. I swung back and forth like a human pendulum. The bars were freezing and lets not forget, my nose was still runny. My attention span was very short when I saw a little outpost I darted over. It's for a fire ranger to chill when he has nothing to do. I peered through the window and I spotted a roll of tissue. When you get close to a bathroom if you have to pee the urge intensifies 100x. Weirdly, the same thing happened to my nose. It was so embarrassing. I tried to break in, but the door was locked. I had to settle with a few crunchy leaves...guess how that turned out.

I told Hyojin we should go back into the car. I found some real tissues and we sat listening to Korean pop. The conversation eventually led to Titanic. Hyojin related to me that he really likes the movie because he likes Leonard DiCaprio's character. I asked why even though I knew the answer. He said it is because Leonardo DiCaprio's character is so different from him. This complex of having to stay in one 'role' has been a preoccupation of mine for a while. I saw it in Hyojin at this moment. He said that Jack is brave in the movie. I told Hyojin that he is brave for learning English with a foreigner. It takes a special person to really want to learn a language when they know they will make mistakes. He shook his head and said, "I am not like Jack."

I feel like many Koreans feel like they should stick to one role. Both the education system and the language itself dictates a strong sense of hierarchy. The students are told, more or less, what to think. Questioning a teacher is not really commonplace here. The Korean language has many levels of politeness too in order to demonstate verbally what position someone is compared to you. I must say Annonishimnikka to someone older than me, Annonghaseyo to someone I don't know well, and Annong to friends. [please excuse my romanization to all those native Korean speakers]. My point is this, and Hyojin told it all through his tone of voice and expression, I feel many Korean people feel stuck; that they have only one role in life. It is a sadness that affected me deeply that day. It is the reason why movies like Titanic moved Hyojin. When you feel stuck you must find solace in something. For Hyojin, it is Jack. For me, it is Mulan and really funny, awkward moments. What do you find solace in?