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![mathematicians had dismissed as
hopelessly anomalous and
unquantifiable, to study roughness and
irregularity through geometry and apply
the results to sciences and social studies,
ranging from biology and physics to
finance. One of the, for me, most striking
statements in the memoir is his
explanation of why he decided to pursue
his idiosyncratic (“maverick,” to use his
word) way in the field of mathematics.
He writes: “I realized that mathematics
cut off from the mysteries of the real
world was not for me, so I took a
different path,” he writes. He cites the
claim of George Cantor (1845-1918) that
“the essence of mathematics is in its
freedom,” and says that he pursued that
freedom in order to identify tools “that
might handle a host of often ancient
concrete problems - ‘questions once
reserved for poets and children.’”
I love this explicit connection that he
makes between the real, best purpose of
the pursuit of mathematics (and by
extension, all science) and the real, best
purpose of the pursuit of poetry. And
writing from the poetry end of the
connection, I believe he’s right and that
writing poetry is very of a kind with
the work of fractal geometry. If you
get beyond the more jejune notions
of what poetry is, you can see this
fairly readily. Poetry is not, as it is
too often caricatured, the art of
“expressing one’s self or one’s
emotions” or some act of cheaper
psychotherapy. [Advice to young
poets: If you want to express your
emotions, skip the keyboard and go
make love to your girlfriend or
boyfriend or some beautiful
stranger. It’s much more to the point
and usually much more satisfying.]
To be sure poetry can be these things - it
does express emotion (and induces it, as
well) and the writing of it can have
transformative effects on the poet. But
they are more adventitious than intrinsic,
more by products of the forming of
poetry’s raw materials in the apparent
world than the raison d’être of that
forming. The great 19th - century
American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo
Emerson once wrote that “Poetry is the
perpetual endeavor to express the spirit
of the thing, to pass the brute body, and
search the life and reason which causes
[sic] it to exist........” If we translate
Emerson’s transcendentalist diction -
“spirit,” into that of mathematics,
“shapes,” we can see that the Emersonian
poet’s endeavor is really the same as that
of the Mandelbrotian fractalist.
Poetry, like mathematics, is the art of
measuring and making forms, and
making forms for the purpose of
illuminating or uncovering the elusive or
otherwise inscrutable forms (one thinks
here, to a degree, of Platonic forms) that
comprise the material of our world. And
in doing as much, it gives to those forms,
as Shakespeare put it, “a local habitation
and a name.” The English word
“poem”comes from the Greek, poieîn, to
make, and - ma a suffix denoting result;
hence, a poem is literally the result of
making. It creates forms, whether the
repeated ones of so-called formal verse,
or the idiosyncratic one of free verse; it
finds these forms in observed materials
and uses them to take the measure of the
unseen forms that will let us best see
what we have observed. Poetry cannot be
made without the measuring of meter or
line (or anti-line in the case of the prose
poem) or rhythm. Poetry sees in its
forms, the way fractal geometry sees: its
sees patterns that display “self-similarity”
whose structures “appear the same or
nearly the same no matter how deeply
into or far away from [them] you zoom.”
And what Hemingway saw in
Cézannne (to return, always happily,
to Paris) was, perhaps, a fractalist at
work, the painter making forms that
would let us see forms, quantifying
and measuring those forms, leading us
through mystery to understanding. The
evidence in the poetry of
Hemingway’s best prose suggests that
he did indeed learn much in early
afternoons in the Musée du
Luxembourg.
Richard Matthews
He is the author of The Mill Is Burning (Grove Press), which was awarded the
Joyce Osterweil Prize in Poetry by PEN America, and the play “The Bronze
Staircase" (Presses de l'universite d'Angers). His poems and prose have
appeared in journals and newspapers in the United States, France, and Korea.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Fractalist; Memoir of a Scientific Maverick
The Pioneer MARCH 2013 31](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/a93f869d-b4f1-47df-9164-581b90899059-150502194704-conversion-gate02/85/The_Pioneer_161-31-320.jpg)
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The_Pioneer_161
The document discusses issues with the current lecture evaluation system (ESL) at Gyeongsang National University, with a survey finding that many students are dissatisfied with ESL and do not think it adequately communicates their feedback. Interviews revealed that students are concerned their evaluations could affect their grades and that the standardized questions do not suit all classes. Improving communication between students and professors and revising the ESL system were proposed as potential solutions.
The_Pioneer_161
- 2. Welcome to ThePioneer. I’m Jeong Ju-jee, recently elected as the new editor-in-chief. 2013 has begun, and I guess you have made new plans for this year: getting licenses, losing weight, getting a high TOIEC score, to name a few example. Maybe you consider these things as shortcomings, or things you need to catch up on. The word “shortcoming” has negative connotations, and it may be that you are ashamed of them. But if you look at it the other way round, they can help you understand how to improve yourself. In other words, they help you advance. Don’t be ashamed of your shortcomings. Have you ever seen the sunset on the horizon? If you see it at the beach, you can see that the horizon looks purple. Beyond that line, I think, are my goals that I have always dreamed of achieving. So, I am sailing in order to try to reach that point. In the course of the voyage, I am going to go through hardships. Maybe I’ll want to give up many times. But I keep on sailing to my dream. In this issue’s cover story, The Pioneer discusses the library. You may think it is just a place for studying or reading books. However, after you read The Pioneer, I hope your way of thinking will change. The library is not just a place of studying, but a place for culture. Campus Life has three interesting stories. In Campaign, The Pioneer writes about relations between roommates. It will be a helpful piece not only for freshmen students living with strangers for the had difficulty adjusting to dormitories. In Campus World we talk about Skyline which is the GNU paragliding club. Our reporters talk vividly about their experiences. In Focus, The Pioneer covers lecture evaluation and supplementary lessons. Lecture evaluation is an important tool for students and professors a like because it’s a benchmark in which professors and students can re-evaluate, readjust the way materials are taught in class. (So, is it good for the index of lecture development?) In the People section we discuss how art is not a difficult thing, but a something very familiar and close to our daily lives. Are you interested in working during the holidays? In Social Explorer section, The Pioneer introduces you to working holidays. If you have already been preparing for it, you’ll find the information useful. If you don’t know what it is, it could be a new challenge for you to while you are able. On top of this, The Pioneer informs you about the truth and falsity; several points you should know about before undertaking a working holiday. The Pioneer has a dream for this year: we want to try harder to be a great read, and we hope you readers are going to enjoy the beginning of this new semester. We are waiting for your ideas, so please let us know. The Pioneer will strive to be better and to contribute positively to your campus life. EDITORIAL Be Appreciative of Your Shortcomings Jeong Ju-hee Editor-in-Chief THE PIONEER DECEMBER 20122
- 3. CONTENTS 01 EDITORIAL Be Appreciativeof Your Shortcomings 04 CAMPAIGN Are You a Good Roommate? 06 FOCUS Evaluation and Judgment 08 CAMPUS WORLD Take Life Higher 10 PEOPLE Art Isn’t Far Away from Us 12 SOCIAL EXPLORER Joy, Language, and Money - EVERYTHING ABOUT WORKING HOLIDAY 18 COVER STORY Let’s Take a Stroll in the Forest of Bookshelves 26 ZOOM IN KTX Route Opens in Jinju 28 VOICE Gratefulness in Inconvenience Science and Poetry: Fractals and Poetic Form Adjusting and Exposing Myself to New Zealand Culture 34 CULTURE Why We Love Dr.Jekyll&Hyde? 35 READERS’ PAGE 2013.03. No.161 President and Publisher Kwon Sun-ki Executive Editor Cho Kyu-woan Faculty Advisor Jeon Jeong-hawn English Advisor Rian McGuinness Editor-in-Chief Jeong Ju-Hee Senior Editor Kim Jun-Min, Rebbecca Thien Tze Yean Reporter Moon Jae-hyun, Jang Hye-Ju, Son Seong-eun Nam Min-Jeong, Kang Su-Jin, Maeng Ju-Baek The Pioneer was first published July 10, 1979. The magazine is published during the spring and fall semesters and is distributed free of charge. 5F, Student Union Building, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Telephone (055)772-0795 Website http://pioneer.gnu.ac.kr 06060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606060606 08080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808 14141414141414141414141414141414141414141414141414141414141414141414 2626262626262626262626262626262626262626262626262626262626262626262620202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020
- 4. The Pioneer DECEMBER20124 CAMPUS LIFE CAMPAIGN Are You a Good Roommate? By Moon Jae-hyun reporter Imagine: at seven o’clock every morning you wake up to a horrible racket because your roommate sings loudly while taking a shower. Your roommate gets drunk and his shouting wakes you up from your sleep. As soon as he gets up in the morning, he throws up next to your bed. Your room smells like rotten food and it’s you who has to clean up the disgusting mess. When you come back to your room after class, your roommate is having a party without your approval. On top of that, you also discover that they sit on your bed and your things are all over the place. You don’t know what to say because they don’t care at all. They just take things for granted, as always. If any of these situations are familiar to you, you are not alone. If not, consider yourself the lucky one. These days, many students are lacking in basic consideration for others. Such tendencies affect the basic decencies which should be kept between roommates, and there are many other complications that may arise when two people are sharing a small living space. What experiences do GNU students have regarding these issues? A male student who wished to remain anonymous (Sophomore, College of Engineering) said the important thing is to not to cross the line. For example, his roommate was kind and took care of his feelings, but sometimes these good points would change into excessive intrusions. Additionally, he mentioned that one of his friends moved out of his room before the end of the term. Whenever bedtime came, his roommate would bring along some friends and they would talk non- stop. He said, “There are so many people who don’t understand basic human decency, and consistently behaving this way can end up being really rude. I think that basic etiquette is essential for people who spend a semester sharing a living space.” A female student (Junior, College of Social Science) expressed another opinion. She said, “I liked the fact that I had very different habits to my roommate. I prefer to stay alone in my room rather than going out, but my roommate was the opposite. So, I felt really comfortable because I could spend a lot of time alone. For this reason, we maintained amicable relations. Outwardly, this might seem selfish, but it’s much better than being on bad terms.” Another female student (Junior, College of Engineering) told us about the worst roommate that she lived with during her time in the dormitory. Her roommate left garbage on the desk for such a long time that it turned green with mold. Even her roommate’s underwear was scattered around the room. She said that these days she can’t understand how she survived that semester. Many people probably think problems like these are limited to students living in the dormitory. However, the issue is also present for those living in rented houses or boarding houses. Here is a case in point. A female student (Sophomore, College of Humanities) talked about the roommate she shared a boarding house with. She said, “My roommate was decent overall, but there were still a few problems. People who have lived in a boarding house or rented house will understand this better. One day my roommate forgot to turn off the boiler, so the bill was really high that month. I thought that was a little unfair because I didn’t use that much gas. Sometimes, my roommate brought her friends round after midnight, because boarding houses generally don’t have curfews like the dormitory. She also
- 5. The Pioneer SEPTEMBER2012 5 appeared to bring her boyfriend round when I wasn’t there!” From the interview of several GNU students, it’s hard to over emphasize the importance of basic etiquettes and manners. This seems easy, but is actually quite difficult to keep to regularly. As mentioned in the interviews, maintaining a moderate relationship is also of great importance. When in doubt, always remember, ‘too much is as bad as too little’. Additionally, students who share accommodation shouldn’t be forced to live one way or the other. No one should be required to completely change their lifestyle for other. Instead, both parties should try find a middle ground. People should be especially careful about the little things - however trivial you may think they are - whether you live in a dormitory, a boarding house or a rented house. The Pioneer interviewed Prof. Yang Nan-Mee (Ph.D/Counselor, Assistant Professor of Psychology). Prof. Yang was responsible for GNU’s dormitory orientation, which is held in order to give dormitory-related information. One of the topics she covered was ‘How can we live happily in a dormitory?’ She said people often make the mistake of automatically assuming that other people are wrong. For example, some people empty a wastebasket when it is overflowing, while others do it when it isn’t yet full. If such thing happens, you have no right to criticize the other person just because they do things differently. She also said, “Always remember the fact that we are different to other people when it comes to perspective and behaviour, so the way you do things isn’t necessarily the right way to do it.” She also gave us some great advice. In the setting of a boarding house, or rented house, the type of relationship between roommates differs greatly to a dormitory setting. Dormitory roommates have usually never met before, but people sharing in a boarding house or rented house are often close friends beforehand. However, after living together, they sometimes end up being quite disappointed with each other. They also feel very ambiguous about who has what responsibility. Mentioning this problem is never something to be ashamed of, but people don’t always feel this way. So, in that case, they should compromise by making things clear from the outset. During our time at the university, we meet a wide range of people by sharing accommodation, whether they be good or bad roommates. Maintaining good etiquette with roommates is very important in campus life - as we all want to live without concern - and the place where we sleep and relax should be comfortable both physically and mentally. At night, especially, most students are in their rooms and so end up spending a lot of time with their roommate. As mentioned above, the experience of an entire semester can depend on who your roommate is. It seems, these days, that the younger generation is lacking in understanding of basic human decency. You should always remember that being a roommate means sharing.
- 6. The Pioneer MARCH20136 CAMPUS LIFE FOCUS Evaluation and Judgment A lecture is communication between professors and students. But in a typical lecture, professors pass on the information and students take a passive role. One chance students have to express their mind is through the Evaluating System for Lectures (ESL) at the end of the semester. ESL works as a straight communication tool that gives the students a voice and a chance to evaluate the lecture and the professor alike. It means that professors can constantly monitor the quality of their lectures, and that students make it clear what they want from the class. At least, this is the intended purpose. In order to reduce the burdens of the professors, the entire process has been automatized, simplified and condensed into several multiple-choice questions. Also, making ESL a mandatory step before checking the grades means that most students answer the questions without giving them much consideration, as they are in a hurry to check their grades. Instead of being a tool for communication, ESL has become a minor nuisance. GNU has conducted a survey last December of 238 professors and 753 students on the satisfaction of ESL. The survey results were not available at the time of my coverage. To get more inside information, The Pioneer interviewed Lee Eun-ju who works at Office of Academics Affairs at GNU. According to her, the result from the survey was not satisfying. She said “Many students replied that they are not pleased with ESL. A weird thing we discovered is that a lot of students are worried that if their evaluating results are poor, it will affect their score, but this certainly isn’t true.” By Nam Min-jeong reporter
- 7. The Pioneer MARCH2013 7 ESL is an efficient system, so long as it functions well. Rating lectures is a good way to improve the lecture quality and is helpful for professor’s self-improvement. However, it hasn’t always been without issues. It should be modified to keep up with the rapid changes in the education environment. Also, having the same questions for different classes cannot fulfill the students’ demands. For example, the evaluation of sport or practical lessons requires asking more specific questions, which would differ from other more “academic” classes. Furthermore, the opinion of The Pioneer is that the period of evaluation should be delayed until after students have got their grades. Sending feedback on every classes on a weekly or monthly basis could be an alternative plan. Students would be content with the advanced quality of lectures. Moreover, communication between students and professors should take place often and as actively and freely as possible. <An Interview with Lee Eun-ju, works at Office of Academics Affairs> Can you explain the ESL system at GNU? The GNU ESL system was implemented in 2000. In 2010, the Next Generation Information System was developed in order to make sure that students and professors were able to check scores and overall data online. But there are some problems with this system. Due to technological problems, we weren t able to perfect the system: a separation between the way of rating lectures and that of checking scores wasn t established. Students cannot enter and check this system at the same time, but should enter with a different ID to a different website. Actually, when registering for courses, students can check every professor s lecture score for the last semester. However, because of the separation issue, students don t take advantage of it, and in some cases they don t even know about it. So, we re considering the renewal of ESL as soon as possible. According to this survey, many students answered they aren’t content with ESL. What is the reason for this and is there any solution? Since 2000 the system has, in general, been successful, and the average rating for every semester has always been higher than 4.00. In contrast, the result of the survey shows that students calls for a renewal are increasing. We were surprised that there is so much misunderstanding about the system among students. The time they usually carry out the evaluation is right before checking their score, and this leads them to worry that the professor could see their results, which in turn means that their score is affected. It s our responsibility to debunk this myth. Also, students pointed out that even though they do evaluate lectures, the professors didn t appear to give any feedback; in general, students assumed that ESL doesn t work. Do professors actively use it? Actually, we have no way of knowing that. The results of this survey were mostly positive when it came to professors. Young professors answered that the availability of the system is gratifying; but some old professors are having trouble with using it and so I didn t see the results in some cases. If a lecture’s score is lower than average, do professors react to it? Yes, they do. For example, if they got under 3.00 for two years in a row, the results would be reflected in the allocating the of number of years for professors system; if a part-time lecturer got under 3.00 for two years consecutively, they cannot continue that lecture. Also, we have a clause that students who got D or F for their grades can t participate in evaluating. Questions for the survey are divided into six parts according to the number of students and the characteristics of the lecture. Professors scoring lower than 3.00 face restrictions, as I mentioned above. However, this will soon change to 3.50. At present, professors can t find out the results of evaluations done by specific students; however, we do have a plan to change the system. By receiving standard deviation scores, professors will be able to learn their rankings among other professors. We ll also let each dean allow the part-time lecturers, as well as professors, to check the results.
- 8. 8 The PioneerMARCH 2013 CAMPUS LIFE CAMPUS WORLD The Pioneer Spirit Titled as Full of Confidence There are many people who aren’t afraid of trying something new and challenging. Many of them go on to break new ground in other areas, and become international figures and even world leaders. GNU, one of the strongholds of higher education in the province, defines its ideals of education as being “The Pioneer spirit” and this attitude towards life is what the 21st century demands on the youth of today. A perfect example of people who like to push the limits is Skyline; a group of paragliders here at GNU. The first impression of the club is that they beam confidence; their voices are full of energy and passion. And, after trying paragliding for ourselves, The Pioneer can confirm that it does indeed leave one with a feeling of being confident enough to try almost anything we want. Paragliding must surely be one of the most thrilling sports that humanity has ever undertaken. On top of the fact that you are actually flying, you really feel the breeze as you glide alongside the mountaintops, and it gives a sensation of having conquered the world, the latter being the main reason why people take up paragliding in the first place. Stuck on the ground, we feel the same as everyone else; we do the same things and share same earthly thoughts. However, up in the sky we encounter indescribable feelings that open up a whole new world of creativity. This is one of the many reasons why Skyline began as a group. We interviewed the head of Skyline and experienced paragliding personally, through a tandem-flight; meaning that we flew together with a professional. Choosing to experience paragliding firsthand wasn’t an easy decision; it does seem like quite a dangerous and difficult sport. Parents and professors questioned our obstinacy in wanting to try it. (Funnily enough though, they also expect us to be the next global leaders or Nobel Prize winners. It seems, therefore, a little shameful that they should be the ones who interfere when we want to experience something as marvelous as paragliding!) Paragliding is quite expensive for students, and even people earning a salary; a tandem flight costs a hundred thousand won, for example. However, by making a few sacrifices on drinking, eating out and buying clothes, we could pretty easily raise the cash to get off the ground and leave the ordinary behind. In the Cover Story of this issue, I didn’t want to urge you to read books; reading is such an everyday thing that we can all do it easily. In contrast, however, I do urge you to do this exciting sport before your thirties. Passion Makes Me Sexy These days, people seem to get stressed and feel lonely so easily; sometimes it even turns into depression. Most people, even university students say things like, “I don’t have time to enjoy life. I just go with it”. I’m often told, “you have so much to do, just loosen up”, or “enjoy your life”; this talk usually comes from those who don’t know about The Pioneer. The keyword of last year was “healing”, but we at The Pioneer, feel sorry that the keyword wasn’t “challenging”. Also, it is quite probable that those people who are so eager to find a “mentor”, and frequently claim that “modern society is unfair” hardly ever challenge themselves in their lives. What’s worse, they very often think that drinking or eating is the perfect solution for getting rid of stress. A shot might make you feel better and help you forget about life’s hardships, but it’s not the real answer to your difficulties. If this gambado seems a little bit harsh, it’s probably because you are thinking “I already have passion in my life and I’m doing well”. But here’s the point: by doing things outside of the norm, you’ll never end up in the trap of normality. One of these things could be paragliding. You might have heard the phrase “passion makes me sexy”. Well, the ex-president of Skyline does look sexy; even if he’s also a typical engineering student. So does the leader of Jinju Para School, even if he is middle-aged. Spring, the season of new life is here. What better way to start off your year than to feel the sunshine and touch the sky! Take my word for it. Paragliding will be one of your most unforgettable memories. Paragliding and let’s head out A week later, we got a chance of our first flight, thanks to Jinju Para School, which also helps Skyline to enjoy paragliding. During our first attempt, we had bad weather and got stuck in the snow. However, the second time we were able to taste the pleasure of paragliding in good weather. The most important factor in paragliding is “the speed and the direction of the wind”. It seemed that somebody up there likes us; the speed and direction of the wind was impeccable. The place we enjoyed paragliding was at Mount. Geyryong in Take Life Higher By Chang Hye-ju Son Seong-eun reporters
- 9. The Pioneer MARCH2013 9 Geojedo. On the top of the mountain it was great to have such a grand view of the seashore. It was a tandem flight and there was no need to have a training session; we just had to put on flying clothes and a harness. The professional pilot who flew with us is Hong Pil- pyo; number one in the field of paragliding. To introduce him briefly, he has flown over Mount Backdudaegan, the Himalayas, and many other wild places. Even though we’d been on an airplane many times, the moment just before lift off left us frozen. However, right after our feet were floating in the air; we were overwhelmed with bravery and excitement. All the worries and stresses blew away. The scenery we saw from the air was the most tremendous view we’ve ever seen. Everything back on the ground became smaller and smaller; the whole universe seemed to come closer and closer. There were no thoughts of risk or danger; what we saw and felt stuck in our mind. Furthermore, when the professional pilot showed us the piquant flight technique, we almost felt weightless and “got high” of endorphins. However, this part made us feel dizzy. Even if this seems that it was due to us being in a coastal area, there are other numerous sites to try paragliding: Mount Daeam in Hapcheon-gun, Mount Hanwoo in Uiryeong-gun, Teuk-ri in Sancheong-gun, Mount Mangun in Namhae-gun, and Mount Wora in Jinju-si. As mentioned below in the interview, the most important part of paragliding is landing and take-off. When landing, it’s important to stretch your legs. However, in the tandem flight, we just sat at the front and enjoyed the flight. The one thing the passenger has to do is change their center of mass as the experienced pilot changes the direction of flight. Moreover, it’s almost like riding an amusement park roller coaster; it is easy to feel motion sickness. If you are prone to such symptoms, we strongly recommend taking a medicine for nausea. Is there any specificity that other clubs don’t have in Skyline? Yes. We have come together as a team with monthly meetings. For example, we accommodate in our club room during training week in every vacation. During this period, we go paragliding every day and file the daily flight report at night. Seniors teach freshmen skills of flight during the week. Dose it cost a lot of money to enjoy club activity? No. The bona fide reason why Skyline was made is enjoying paragliding cheaply. We try not to spend much money in paragliding. Freshmen don t need to pay more than ten thousand won every month. There are co-airframes, if you are not going to have your own airframe, you don’t have to pay much. Can female students join the club? Yes. There are six girls of twenty members. You might think that strength is the most important thing when you paraglide. However, through honing your skills, you can overcome the lack of strength. So unless you are underweight, girls can thoroughly enjoy paragliding. Many accidents of paragliding are reported and it seems that paragliding is a dangerous sport, isn’t it? No. It is not dangerous. Most accidents happen when landing or take-off. If you are well trained, you can avoid accidents. Also, carelessness is another reason: going paragliding on nasty weather, using unsuitable airframe. According to a report, 90% of accidents are caused by personal faults. If you exercise caution everytime, paragliding can be a safe sport. Do you have any advice for GNU students? These days, freshmen do what they need to get a job, not what they want. There are countless things that you can only do in your twenties. That’s what we call, challenge. I heartily recommend freshmen and sophomore to challenge yourself. Don’t do things what others do. But do what you want to do! Most people may have once dreamed to fly in the sky. It's true that there is a variety of aerial sports, but one of the most accessible one is paragliding. There are factors that influence the growth in paragliding market. Geographical features of Korea which consists of 70% mountain and frequent broadcasting - the reality show “Qualification of the Men”, the documentary “Dream of Icarus” and so on - about paragliding. Skyline, which is a noticeable club in GNU, was founded in 1996. We, The Pioneer, talked - with the ex-president of Skyline, Jung Yeon-tae (Senior, the Dept. of Ceramic Technology). <An Interview with Skyline>
- 10. 10 The PioneerMARCH 2013 PEOPLE By Kang Su-jin reporter Art Isn’t Far Away from Us Cafés like Cafe Bene, Starbucks, Tom N Toms, Twosome Place are everywhere these days. Some people even call Cafe Bene the ‘cockroach Bene’ because its number are increasing like cockroaches. One afternoon, I was walking down the street when I was captured by an aroma of coffee beans. I followed the smell- not knowing where it was taking me - like Alice going down a rabbit hole and reached a strange looking door. When I stepped inside, I felt like I was in a different world like Nine and three-quarters platform in Harry Potter books. People wore strange clothes, some played guitar, and stared at the pictures hanging on the wall. Regardless, I ordered coffee like I would do in any other coffee shops. A few minutes later, the owner of the café brought the coffee and then I understood why this particular shop was so different from others. The café is owned by an artist couple Park Tae-sik and Hyeok-chun. They are members of Korea Art association. Park Tae-sik is also the chairman of Korea Watercolor Painting, Jin-ju Sketching association. He is an instructor of School of Continuing Education, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology and Culture center in Galleria. Gwon Hyeok-chun is a member of Exhibition of Beautiful journey. The couple also teaches students and adults in art institute which is next to the café. I had the chance to talk to the couple and learn a few things about art, artists and how they are trying to reach out to the majority. Some people say that true artists are always hungry. That's partly true. Most artists don’t make a lot of money. They know this truth but still they don’t want to do commercial art because they think that is selling their pride. The owners of this café also agree with this opinion but they have to earn money for a living. Therefore, they decided to open a gallery café, Painter’s Garden. Through this, they can do what they love -art and exhibitions- and make money without losing their pride. Before opening this café, the owners didn’t have many chances to meet other people except for fellow artists. They
- 11. 11The Pioneer MARCH2013 wanted to know what young people and others thought of art. Now, they can meet with various people. During the daytime, they can talk to students, young people and at night, they can meet adults. “Most university students think that art is difficult and far away from us but that is not true. If you take a look around, you can see art everywhere. A stone and even can be art. Take a look around and talk more interest in art.” said Mr. park. One of the big reasons aside from obvious monetary gain is to show the public that art is neither difficult nor distant but very close to our daily lives. In this café, you can enjoy pictures, performances, beautiful plants while drinking coffee, tea and wine. You can also eat delicious food too. Café should have delicious coffee and food but there is one more important thing, decoration. At first, guests who visit café are attracted by decoration of the café. This café is filled with beautiful pictures and plants. So they named the shop ‘Painter’s Garden’. The couple decorated the café themselves using what they know and love, arts and plants. The couple and their daughter drew pictures and they hung them on the wall. Most ornaments are hand crafted by the owner, their children and pupils. The couple also have plans to hang pictures on the wall that are drawn by other artists and guests. They will have exhibitions of their paintings in the café and guest can enjoy them for free. Also, guests can ask about art pamphlets which are situated in bookshelf. If you want to perform, you can play instruments here too. Café opened on the 11th of January and many fellow artists visited the café to celebrate. They had a small performance by guitarist Lee Jae-yoon. “I want Jinju citizens to enjoy music and culture anytime and anywhere. So I planned this performance instead of giving flowers for present.” he said. Mr. Lee is a member of Village performers. Every Saturday, members of Village performers gather together for a free street performance. They draw free portrait, play the guitar with other instruments, sing songs and act plays. In, this café, you can enjoy art whenever you want. Mr. Park and Mrs.Gwon want the café to become multipurpose cultural space and they are still waiting for you to share your art world. Please don’t estrange from art. Art is close from us.
- 12. 12 The PioneerMARCH 2013 SOCIAL EXPLORER Joy, Language, and Money EVERYTHING ABOUT WORKING HOLIDAY By Moon Jae-hyeon, Kang Su-jin reporters People going abroad to study are a common sight these days. For students, a working holiday is probably the easiest way for them to go abroad because there is the benefit of making money as well as learning the language. The working holiday scheme is an agreement between the two countries, which allows young people to study and undertake employment in the other country. It all started in 1995 when Korea signed an agreement with Australia. Now we have signed with more countries around the world, including: Canada, New Zealand and other English and Non English speaking countries. Working holiday, as the name suggests gives you an opportunity to travel to another country and get employment- and subsequently get paid- as well as a chance to learn English. Living in a country where the people are so invested in learning English, getting paid while learning English is a deal you can’t pass on for most Koreans. That’s why working holidays have continued to gain popularity. These days however, working holidays have been criticized for being a space filler for job applications. The job market is so saturated with students who have studied abroad and student essays talking about their experiences in a foreign country that studying abroad has become a necessity for most competitive job applicants. Despite the negative publicity the program has been receiving lately, working holidays are still very popular among college students because of the many attractions. So, The Pioneer surveyed 200 GNU students about working holiday programs. According to the survey, 63% of students replied that they knew what a working holiday was and wanted to try it. When asked why they wanted to go, 27% of students replied because it would look good on their resume’. But the majority of students just wanted to live in a differently country for a change. From the people who wanted to go on a working holiday, 52% students replied that they weren’t sure exactly what to do or where to ask for help. So we, The Pioneer, interviewed two GNU students who have been on a working holiday, and two GNU students who are still abroad to tell you everything you need to know to plan your working holiday, from housing to finding jobs
- 13. The Pioneer MARCH2013 13 and tell you about some of the pitfalls you need to avoid in order to have a successful journey. According to the official statistics by MOFAT WORKING HOLIDAY INFO CENTER, you can see that a lot of people have gone abroad through a working holiday program though its figures have dropped slightly since 2010. Among these Woholers (people with a working holiday visa), Australian Woholers account for about 70~80% of the total applicants. Do You Want to Go on a Working Holiday? Why Do You Want to Go on a Working Holiday? The Number of Participants in Working Holidays Australia has been the country of choice for Koreans due to its high minimum wage, great tourist attractions, similar time zone to Korea, and especially no quota restrictions for students. Getting an Australian Working Holiday Visa is easier than any other country and they accept applicants all year round. Canada is also a very attractive choice for students for several reasons. Canada has the advantage of learning both English and French. Although most regions of Canada use English, Quebec in eastern Canada is called ‘A Little France in Canada’. So, you will be able to experience two cultures in the same country. Canada also has great scenery and shares a border with the United States, which is another great country to visit. Canada receives working holiday applications twice a year, with two thousand people each time. Many students also want to go on a working Holiday to the UK. Surprisingly, YMS (Youth Mobility Scheme) which is a British working holiday program was only recently signed with Korea, and took effect last July. YMS is not that different from other working holidays, but there are slight differences. In YMS, you can stay in the country for up to two years (for most countries, it’s limited to 1 year). In addition to that, YMS has little restriction on the type of jobs you can have. But because YMS has only been around for a year, it’s hard to find information about the program, or reviews online. Nonetheless, with little restriction in terms of job hunting, there is great risk and reward to be had in the UK. If you are bold enough to tread the road less traveled, YMS might be the program for you. Other Woholers who are looking for other European countries such as Italy might want to hold off for the official report from the government webpage since the details of the Working Holiday Agreement is still in progress. For more in depth coverage of the working holiday, The Pioneer interviewed four GNU students who are participating or who have previously participated in the Working Holiday program. We decided to find out which country GNU students preferred the most. From the survey, 32% students wanted to go to Australia, 28% students Canada, 17% students the UK and 23% of students chose other countries such as Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and New Zealand. As you can see in the survey, the majority of students preferred to go to countries where English is their native language, such as Australia, Canada, and the UK. 63% 26% 11%
- 14. 14 The PioneerMARCH 2013 Don’t BBe aa BBig FFish iin aa LLittle PPond We were able to set up an e-mail interview with Yeom Cheol-jin (Sophomore, Department of Bio- Technology and Chemical-Engineering) who was half way through his program in Canada. He left Korea in May of 2012 and is scheduled to return to Korea in April, 2013. He said the reason why he decided to go. He started with a simple notion of experiencing something new. What was first a vague and directionless goal, gradually turned in to a concrete plan and later he wanted to push himself even more by going abroad without any help. A working holiday visa was the easiest way to go abroad, so, he looked into the Working Holiday Program. He said there was no particular reason for choosing Canada, but it just spoke to him. It may have been due to the fact that Canada is geographically close to the U.S. or Latin American countries, which are very hard to reach from Korea. He also explained concretely how to prepare for a working holiday, related to finding jobs and housing. There are several methods to find a job. Firstly, you can always try ‘the old school way of going door to door with your resume’. It is probably the toughest way, but it could also be most rewarding. Another way is by posting a resume on a Canadian website and hoping that someone might give you an interview. You can also try finding a job in a Korea town. For Mr. Yeom, he first used the Canadian website’s job board, and was hired through a telephone interview and another interview in person. He was first hired as a cashier in a gas station but now he works as a supervisor in a small store in a Korea town. There are couple ways to find housing as a Woholer. The easiest way would be to use a homestay-finder webpage (www.homestayfinder.com) which introduces available rooms in different countries with a working holiday program. If you have trouble reading the English on the first webpage, you can always consult with the Korean agency for studying abroad. The drawback of the Korean agencies is that they will charge you a hefty fee for the services. You can also try to find a roommate to live with and these can be found on various Korean or Canadian websites. When asked his final thoughts on the working holiday, he said, “There is no regret for coming to Canada and I would urge my fellow GNU students to follow suit and hit the road (or the plane). Whereas in Korea where everything is a competition, in Canada, everyone is relaxed and easy going. It’s something I’ve never felt before in Korea as long as I can remember, and it’s a great feeling. The population density is also much less than in Korea so everything is less crowded and there are a lot of opportunities even for foreign students like myself. Studying abroad made me see things differently and opened my eyes to see the bigger picture.”
- 15. The Pioneer MARCH2013 15 Another student we interviewed is GNU student Jeong Han-Su (Junior, Department of Industrial Engineering), who went to Australia. He has dreamed of a trip around the world, so he needed a lot of money and language skills quick. He chose Australia because ‘3D Jobs’ pay really well and he wasn’t afraid of hard labor. He found a job in an alligator farm, as soon as he got off the plane, thanks to some of the people living in the same building. Getting a visa wasn’t very difficult either. Anyone under 30 can apply for it all year round, unless you have a contagious disease or a criminal record. He said you don’t necessarily have to rely on travel or professional agencies to go on a working holiday in Australia. A lot of information is readily available online and if you just try a little bit, you can do it yourself. Mr. Jeong had a firm goal, made concrete plans to earn money and take a trip around the world. He wanted to make a lot of money in the first six months and go on a trip around the world for another six months. The job at the alligator farm was really tough and demanding, but he made a lot of money. After six months, finally, he left the farm and became a globetrotting tourist! Australia. A lot of information is readily available online and if you just try a little bit, you can do it yourself. Mr. Jeong had a firm goal, made concrete plans to earn money and take a trip around the world. He wanted to make a lot of money in the first six months and go on a trip around the world for another six months. The job at the alligator farm was really tough and demanding, but he made a lot of money. After six months, finally, he left the farm and became a globetrotting tourist! A CChallenge tto RReach tthe WWorld Don’t WWorry, BBe BBrave The Pioneer interviewed Park Mi- gyeong (Senior, Department of Accounting). She worked in Canada last year for 9 months. There were 15 countries to choose from but she decided to go to Canada because of its magnificent nature, and she has many friends who had been to Canada as a Woholer (Working Holidayer) and recommended it to her. Unlike a foreign language study program, a working holiday gives you the chance to improve your English, earn a good sum, make new friends and experience social life through working. Ms. Park was born and raised in Jinju so she wanted to go to another country and live by herself for a change. There is a club in GNU that helps people preparing for working holidays. But Mi- gyeong didn’t join the group and she prepared everything herself. This was her first time living abroad, so she was very worried. However, she managed to find a place to live before she arrived in Canada. She worked at a café called Tim Horton’s in Calgary, Alberta. She didn’t find this job through the Internet. She visited all the stores near her house in person. “If you want to get a job in other countries, you must be audacious. Never speak hesitantly. Be confident like anything is possible.” she said. Before she arrived in Canada, she was worried about racial discrimination, but she said she hasn’t experienced any of it in Canada where she lived. Most people treat foreigners kindly and some employers even prefer Koreans because of their ‘hurry, hurry’ mind set. But not everything is rainbows and butterflies. The language barrier is always a problem for first timers and this could lead to problems in the work place or within friendships. Some employers might try to take advantage of your lack of English ability and exploit you, or even worse. And if you’ve lived with your family for your entire life, being away from them for an entire year can be a challenge too. Many Woholers suffer from homesickness and become depressed. Korean food is scarce and expensive in Canada. The most common concern for Woholers is the fear of falling behind because while most of your colleagues might be graduating or finding jobs, you are waiting tables. Another big concern is “what if my English is not as good as I hoped it to be after a year?” or “Is all this going to pay off?” My advice to all prospective Woholers is, don’t worry. There are a lot more things to be gained if you just focus on the present. The worst thing that can happen is being one year behind. But that is nothing compared to the entire life laid out in front of you. Ms. Park has not once regretted going to Canada and in fact, she is dying to go back again.
- 16. 16 The PioneerMARCH 2013 1. D.I.Y. (Do it yourself) When preparing for a Working Holiday, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be sorted out before leaving, such as jobs, housing, English and so on. You might be tempted to just leave all the planning to a Korean travel agency. But half the fun is planning your own adventure, and leaving everything up to a travel agency can be pricy, as well as unsatisfying. Travel or consulting agencies will often recommend expensive housing or schools when there are much more economical options available. Use the internet or school community sites and you will be able to find plenty of information about housing, schools and jobs in other countries. 2. Language acuistion is not given, but needs to be earned Most prospective Woholers have a notion that going abroad will make you automatically good at English. Tha’s a big mistake. Some returnees will tell you that ‘it’s better to just study English at a language institute in Korea than go on a working holiday. That is because when you are alone in a different country, you will be tempted to make Korean friends there or work in a job where there is little to no human contact. Korean friends can be useful sometimes, but too much dependency on them can destroy the chance for you to learn English. Even if you are stuck flipping burgers in the kitchen every day, make an effort to go out after work and explore, talk, and party with strangers. Unless you put in a constant effort to use your English, you will be no better than people studying at hagwons (private language institutes) in Korea. 3. Fortune comes to those who are prepared If you are dreaming of going to Canada or Australia with nothing but your plane ticket and being rich and fluent in English, you need to wake up. If you have neither the money nor the English skills, you are most likely to end up getting a job in Korean-owned shops, in which case you will be speaking Korean all day and getting paid the minimum wage. Let me make this clear. You need to be prepared - financially and linguistically. 4. Don’t get tied up with mone One of a working holiday’s biggest shouldn’t be your only goal. Find between money and enjoying you the only human interaction you ‘good night’ at the end of the day Living in another country, you shou 5. Be active If you think that you will turn into return from a working holiday, yo person, you will always be reserve friends or find jobs if you are sh countries will prefer extroverted f Money and friends don’t just fall fr Act like you can do everything and 6. Know thyself Making new friends in a strange w you will be distant from you becau that to your advantage. Be able to to others and they will be intereste to tell others a few interesting facts 7. Have a definite goal Always remind yourself of why you decided to go on a working holida go there, my life will be better th which ones you want to focus experience. And do your best! So there you go. You know eve successful working holiday. Now it spend your year.
- 17. The Pioneer MARCH2013 17 y attractions is making money; but that a job where you can have a balance r life. Some jobs might pay well, but if get for the day is saying ‘hello’ and y, you might want to look elsewhere. uld experience a different culture. o a totally different person when you ou are wrong. If you are a reserved d wherever you go. It’s hard to make hy. Most people in English speaking riends or employees than introverts. om the trees, you need to earn them. you will be able to do anything. world can be difficult. People around use you are different from them. Use o talk about yourself and your country ed in you. You should at least be able s about you or Korea in English. u are there. It’s naüve to think ‘Yeah! I ay because everyone else is going. If I han here!’ You should clearly decide s on among: money, English and rything you need to plan and spend a t’s up to you to decide how you will
- 18. COVER STORY BySon Seong-eun, Maeng Ju-baek, Nam Min-jeong reporters 18 The Pioneer MARCH 2013 Let’s Take a Stroll in the What Services Do Libraries offer “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” Jorge Luis Borges. Most Koreans don’t read books. According to a survey conducted by the NOP World Culture Score, Koreans devote only 3.1 hours a week to reading - far below the global average of 6.5 hours a week. This phenomenon could be attributed to recent Korean history. Unlike the Chosun period where the upper class (Sunbi) devoted most of their time reading books, for the past several decades, Koreans have been focusing on building a democratic nation through economic growth; they kept working in the field of industry and only focusing on learning techniques to help them survive. However, this is no excuse for not reading books; India - a developing country - is a nation of bookworms, who spend 10.7 hours a week for reading. Marx Anthony, the president of New York Public Library, has said, “you cannot have a functioning democracy if the citizenry isn’t able to inform itself”. To achieve a functioning economy, we have to invest in opportunities for public enlightenment, especially public libraries. Furthermore, the era of the e-book means that the very existence of libraries is being threatened. According to an article in Time magazine entitled “Is a Bookless Library Still a Library?” Kansas State University’s Engineering Library was built bookless, and in 2010, Stanford University removed all but 10,000 printed volumes from its Engineering Library. Is this phenomenon a disaster or a blessing for the public libraries? Can a library without any books inspire people like it used to? The answer to these questions remains to be seen, but the wide availability of computers creates inventive public services like the internet. And in a struggling economy where even applications for dishwashing jobs must be filled out online, educating the public - the young and the elderly (who for most of their lives barricaded themselves away from the technological revolution of the late 20th century) on how to use the internet, is vital. We, The Pioneer, investigated repositories of humanities, particularly focusing on three libraries: The National Library of Korea (NLK), Gyeongsang National University Library, and Jinju Municipal Library. Our intent here is not to lecture you about the necessity, importance and effects of reading but to get you interested in reading by introducing the various services and benefits provided by the public libraries.
- 19. The Pioneer MARCH2013 19 Forest of Bookshelves to Promote Reading? The National Library of Korea Built after the Japanese colonial era, the National Library of Korea, with about 8.9 billion books, has served as a pivotal institution for the international exchange of national literature and information. One of the major roles of the library is the General Library Development Program. This includes collecting and managing national data, compiling the national bibliography, establishing the National Literature and Information System, providing support for domestic libraries, exchanging data with foreign libraries, and creating library policy. The facilities of the library have been expanded and improved, such as the digital library (known as “Dibrary”), a librarian training institute, a deposit building, an information center on North Korea, Northeast Asian collections, disabled access, and an information service for people with disabilities. “Dibrary” in particular, which was founded in 1998 as a comprehensive development plan for library information networks, including the need for digital library, provides the services that integrate digital and analogue information. Also, the Information Center on North Korea was established in 1989 for the purpose of vitalizing discussion on the unification of North and South. This center provides North Korean data for the general public as well as for those researching North Korean issues. The General Services for the public Let’s look into the general services of the NLK. First is “Ask a Librarian”. The NLK provides an online Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) system, which is a library resource exchange service system linking libraries across the country. This aims to guarantee the right to be informed and to allow easy access of information for citizens. This reference service is performed through using the library collections and online information resources. Moreover, it enables the public to inquire about and acquire academic information without visiting the libraries. The service is also present in other developed countries: as the People’s Network in Great Britain, Biblioteksbar in Norway, Biblioteksvagten in Denmark and Ask a Librarian in Finland. Second is the service for the disabled. This service was made possible through the establishment of the National Library Support Center for the Disabled. This center has set a new benchmark for modern libraries: defining standards and guidelines for library services for the disabled, operating library service systems and introducing relevant laws, producing and publishing useful materials, exchanging and collaborating with partner institutions, and offering training to librarians and fostering experts on the services. Chaek-narae, operating in Jinju Municipal Library, is the direct result of these services. Distinctive Services as Korea Master Library The Collection Development Policy (CDP) is based on the idea that we have a duty to conserve national literature through the development and collection of library data for future generations. Furthermore, in 2008 Preservation & Conservation Korea Center, one of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), was established to cooperate with the international community to preserve cultural heritage and enlighten the public. Also, this program strengthens the mutual cooperation for developing foreign data throughout the international community, in exchanging data, common utilization, and collecting literature and information. This cooperation network consists of the National Library of Korea, the Library of Congress, the British Library, Bibliotheque Nationale, Library and Archives Canada, the National Library of Australia, the National Diet Library, and others. Aside from its work with the CDP, the NLK also promotes cooperation with other libraries nationwide and worldwide. First of all, domestic cooperation has primarily focused on sharing resources and services in order to mutually benefit library users and participating libraries. Furthermore, since 2010 the NLK has set up collaborative projects for the disabled, senior citizens, and those working in the agricultural, forestry, and fishery sectors. Among many international exchange programs, the Cultural Partnership Initiative Program (CPI Program) is worthy of note. The program offers job training in library management technique to librarians from universities and national and public libraries in Asia, Africa, and South America. This program supports international librarians in an effort to boost the national brand power of the Republic of Korea. 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- 20. 20 The PioneerDECEMBER 2012 The Pioneer interviewed the Head of Collection Management & Service Division. She provided us with constructive suggestions for the future of public libraries. What is the biggest role of the NLK? It is quite clear that we, the NLK, collect all the published data in our country and make it available. This way not only the present generation, but also the future generation and people around the world can access the data. On the Internet, it says that the NLK was established in 1945, right after the independence of Korea, but I think there is more history behind the NLK. The truth is that the real year of establishment was 1923, not 1945. Also, like many other organizations of Korea, the NLK was founded as the Japanese Government-General Library. It was part of Cultural Governance right after the 1919 Independence Movement. But the beginning of libraries in Korea actually came before the Japanese annexation of Korea; in the late Chosun period, the country was harrassed by the trespassing of foreign powers, the inflow of Western civilization, and the introduction of Christianity. The leaders of that time founded several national and public libraries in order to promote public awareness and to defend the country against these cultural invasions. But this movement of establishing libraries was abolished during the Japanese annexation of Korea. What s worse, the number of librarians in the Japanese Government-General Library decreased from 26 to 10 - most of them were conscripted. After independence, Park Bong-seok, who had worked in the Japanese Government-General Library, took the collection of books over from the Japanese Government-General, obtained permission from the library department of the US Military Government in Korea, and founded the National Library. What roles does NLK have in integrating and promoting corporation among the public libraries? The public libraries are administered by municipal governments or local education offices, while the NLK is controlled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. This prevents the NLK from controlling the public libraries administratively. Nevertheless, the NLK, which is a nationally representative library, has numerous services that encourage cooperation. First is KORMARC (Korean Machine Readable Cataloging), which was developed to provide specification for the exchange of records among library systems. Second is about assistance for the management of public libraries. Offering the list of recommended books is very helpful for the public libraries to collect or select books. Third is KOLAS (Korean Library Automation System), conducted in connection with KOLASYS (Korean Library Automation System Small), this service is in the same vein with the KORMARC in that it assists library management. Fourth is Ask a Librarian, which is a Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) that helps library users to access information of interest. The last is the education of librarians. Librarians need to be continuously educated in order to adapt to rapidly changing trends and technology. This is because professionalism is required for librarians to provide a high-quality service. The program An Interview with the Head of Collection Management & Service Division in the NLK
- 21. The Pioneer MARCH2013 21 consists of 61 courses, 69 times a year on average. Do the public libraries consult the NLK about library operations? If they have difficulties in compiling a bibliography using standard systems, in implementing user services, or in discarding data, they can seek advice on how to deal with it. What’s the background of Dibrary? Is there any facility like this in other country? The need for a digital library has increased since the internet server was first constructed in the 1990s. There were even predictions that physical libraries would no longer be required and would all be transformed into cyber libraries. In the U.S., the Library of Congress leads digitization of data without copyrights in public libraries. In Korea, the NLK has started to digitize significant data and formulated Korean Cataloging Rules for digital literature and information. So, why do we have a physical digital library? It s mainly due to copyright, which restricts said data from being used outside the library. What discourages the municipal libraries from launching new services? Specifically, the services of Jinju Municipal Libraries mostly target children, not university students or the elderly. The NLK has set up a library usage education program for the elderly after studying the utilization rate of Dibrary for each age group; the utilization rate for those in their 20s or 30s decreased over the years, whereas it increased for those in their 50s and 60s. The main reasons why most public libraries lack the service are staff shortages and budget issues. In spite of these scarcities, the NLK has still publicized excellent services for public libraries to follow. Are there any museums in the NLK? There aren t. But we do exhibit an historical collection of books stored in the underground library. For example, last year we displayed a collection of books showing gwageo, the state examination during the Goryeo and Chosun dynasties. Also, we held an exhibition of books on the Korean War. These displays appealed to researchers and those involved in related studies. Can you give any advice to our readers? I d like to tell them to read books and simply lead your life . A lot of reading helps you to dream and to design the future. Even ten minutes of reading will fertilize your mind.
- 22. 22 The PioneerMARCH 2013 The campuses of GNU (Gajwa Main Campus, Chiram Medical Campus, Tongyeong Marine Science Campus) have a total of five libraries between them. Gajwa Main Campus has GNU’s central library, Jurisprudence Library, and Muncheongak. Chi-ram Campus has the Medical Campus Library. Finally, Tongyeong Campus has the Marine Science Library. These libraries have 41 librarians and over 1,500,000 books ranging from philosophy, religion, art and history, to old historical documents. In addition, more than 30,000 journals and variety of electronic media - such as an overseas online media databases - are available. These libraries provide us not only with books and data but also with many other different services. The Pioneer wanted to know how students use these services, so we met with the staff of each library. GNU libraries have a variety of knowledge and cultural services. However, despite the great services and resources provided by the school, most students seem to be oblivious to them. It would be a shame to let all that time and money go to waste, so The Pioneer met with Park Mi-suk, who is a GNU librarian, to learn about these services in depth in order that we spread the word. Interlibrary loan services (ILL) ILL is composed of two services, a book lending service where it helps the reader to borrow books that they can t get in their local library, and a treatise copy service, which allows students to copy academic papers or dissertations. The book lending service allows you to borrow books in the libraries of other university at no extra charge. GNU students can borrow two books per person. The Treatise Copy service allows you to copy dissertations which are listed at other national universities, KERIS (Korea Education and Research Information Service) or NDSL (National Discovery for Science Leaders), among others. All GNU students can use this service for a small fee. Film Screening GNU central library has image seminar rooms where GNU students can watch movies three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 2 pm. Movies that are screened here are mostly around a year old, such as My Way, The A-Team, Face in a Crowd, An Introduction to Architecture and so on. To see the movie, you should enter the image seminar room at least twenty minutes before the movie starts; the number of seats is limited to only 20 students per viewing, and it s usually packed. Ask your librarian Librarians have diverse knowledge of books. If you have any questions regarding books, you can ask any librarian at GNU. The question can be a simple one, or more academic, and the librarians will do their best to answer your query. Services for the disabled If you are registered as a disabled student at GNU, you can use this service. The librarian, Bak Mi- suk, told us, If you need, GNU librarians will help you search for the book, and will also provide a book delivery service within GNU. The library will also deliver the books by mail. GNU cyber learning space GNU library provides a cyber learning space for students who need to use a computer to study. These video lectures are related to certification such as civil- service level 7 and 9, and that of police officers, computer technicians, auto CAD users, architectural technicians, construction safety technicians, and so on. GNU students can use this learning service for free. E-Book service This service was implemented a year ago. GNU library has 600 kinds of E-Books, including literature, philosophy, religion, art and history. These E-Books are gaining popularity among GNU students. In 2013, GNU plans to add a greater variety and quantity of E-Books to this growing list. Other activities GNU library also has a group study room which four students can rent for 2 hours at a time. To promote reading, the school library also holds a Golden Bell Book Contest each year. Also, the first floor of GNU central library is open for student-held exhibitions. The Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU LibraryThe Evolution of the GNU Library
- 23. The Pioneer MARCH2013 23 To see ancient books or prints of old documents, we often think we have no choice but to visit a museum; Haein Temple in Hapcheon, or Gyujanggak in SNU (Seoul National University), for example. But actually, you can also see them right here in GNU’s Muncheongak. The Pioneer visited Muncheongak. Muncheongak is located at the Nam-Myeonghakkwan. It is divided into two rooms. One of the rooms, the Muniment Room is where copies of old documents are kept. The other room contains original texts and wooden prints that are kept in special storage. Muncheongak holds around 56,000 historic documents, including 20,000 wooden prints and 25,000 old documents. As well as this, it has 22 pieces which are cultural property of Gyeongsangnam-do, such as Yeogyangjip Chaekpan, an old document of Cheongjuhanssi Byeongsagongpa. Such things help us to better understand Gyeongsangnam-do local history and local culture. Lee Jeong-hee, librarian of Muncheongak, said “These historical treasures were donated or entrusted by the book depositary of Korea. These documents are stored in a permanent bookcase after they go through a scanning and filming process. Since the original documents are priceless, we store these differently to the other books on campus. First, these old documents are kept lying on a flat surface to keep the original form. Second, in order to prevent the growth of microorganisms and fungi, the documents and prints must be kept in a cool temperature. Third, the original documents and books in this library are for viewing purposes only, for obvious reasons. Lastly, the bookshelves in Muncheongak are named after the people who donated the books.” The Pioneer asked what the role of this library was. Mr. Lee said, “First, Muncheongak helps to figure out the history of Gyeongsangnam-do. Under the Joseon era, Jinju was the capital of Gyeongsangwo- do which was located west of Gyeongsang- do. Seoul National University (SNU) has Gyujanggak, which keeps Korean history books and ancient Korean royal books. Just like SNU, Muncheongak keeps ancient local Korean and national research books. Through this data, we can study the history of Joseon and research the Joseon dynasty. Second, Muncheongak has been collecting and securing old documents. It is estimated that Individuals or groups in Gyeongsangnam-do have nearly 200,000 old documents that are spread out across the area. These old documents are highly susceptible to theft and damage, so Muncheongak has been trying to collect them. About 50,000 of them were recovered but I want to collect all of the remaining old documents for study. So, GNU is planning to organize genealogy, local history, and data-collection in Gyeongsangnam-do.” said Mr. Lee. Deemed important by the Korean government, Muncheongak will be going under a huge renovation to accommodate the increasing number of artifacts. The new building will have 6 floors including the basement, and it will be built near the main gate where the tennis court currently is. The new building will include state-of-the-art preservation equipment for storing documents and prints, and will also offer education centers and exhibition rooms for GNU students and the public. We hope that the new Muncheongak will not only be the first library of its kind in Gyeongsangnam-do, but also a place of culture and a landmark for the region. Muncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical DocumentsMuncheongak: GNU’s Vault of Historical Documents
- 24. 24 The PioneerMARCH 2013 Libraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in JinjuLibraries in Jinju Evening Circulation Service This creative service lets people borrow books even after the libraries close. This service is for those who are too busy to visit the library during the daytime. People can reserve their books via phone or internet from 9 am to 5 pm and pick them up later that night. This is an effective service for students who have classes until late at night, or even workers who work until the evening. Note that reservation and checkout needs be processed on the same day and reservation is not available on Saturday, Sunday or holidays. Mobile Library For most hard working citizens and students, 24 hours a day doesn t seem like enough; people hardly seem have the time to go to libraries anymore. That is why the library comes to you! This convenient service, called the Mobile Library, is provided by Jinju M u n i c i p a l Libraries and brings a bus full of books to 22 a p a r t m e n t complexes in Jinju every week. The bus contains more than 3000 books ready to be borrowed, and the selection is renewed regularly. The bus operates every day except Mondays, holidays and during extreme weather. Anyone with a Jinju library card can borrow three books for two weeks. The Mobile Library is a perfect service for the disabled or elderly who have mobility issues, or for anyone who is too busy or too lazy to go to the libraries themself. When I was little, I was fond of reading books and my parents used to read to me all the time. But with all the subjects that I had to study to enter university and the things that I had to deal with in university, it meant that I couldn’t read as many books. Technological advancement has made reading books even more accessible through digital libraries, e- book readers, smartphones, and tablet PCs, but the kids of this generation seem to be further away from books than ever before. Among all the OECD nations, Korea ranked the lowest in number of hours spent on reading per year. Reading books is considered one of the greatest habits to have, and many great people recommend reading books to grow physically and to become a mature human being. That’s why we, The Pioneer, would like to offer you information about Jinju Municipal Libraries. Jinju has five public libraries, three of which are specialized for children. They are the Children’s Library, Bi-bong Library and Do-dong Library. After the success of The Children’s Library, which opened in Pyeong-geodong, the other two libraries, Do-dong Library and Bi-bong Library were built to increase literacy levels and to promote education in Ha-daedong and Ok-bong dong area. These libraries offer various services and programs for elementary school students and children of a younger age. In this article, we’d like to introduce two other public libraries, Jinju Western Municipal Library and Jinju Yeon-am Municipal Library. Jinju Yeon-am Municipal Library was founded and donated for public usage in 1968 by Gu In-heo, who was the first president of the LG corporation. More than 1.9 million items are stocked in the library, including books, e-books, CDs, DVDs, and other electronic media. The library is located on a hillside; the view it affords is quite splendid. You will be able to enjoy reading books here and see the fine panorama of Jinju-si. For the disabled, the old and the infirm, Yeon-am library has book enlargers and large print books. Despite this grand view and facilities for disabled, the location does hinder the disabled and elderly from using the library easily. Jinju public library, founded in 1998, has more than 1.5 million books and other useful items such as CDs, DVDs and electronic media. Like the Jinju Yeon-am Municipal Library, Jinju public library is located on a hill and offers a great view. But it also suffers from the same problem as Jinju Yeon-am Municipal library in that it is hard for the elderly and the disabled to access. Fortunately, the library offers a great deal of services for disabled people, such as Braille information instruments, disabled parking and an elevator reserved for use by the disabled.
- 25. The Pioneer MARCH2013 25 Have you ever seen the movie, Rain Man? Ray, (played by Dustin Hoffman) has a special type of autism where he can memorize everything he reads. I’m sure every student in Korea would like to have a photographic memory like Ray’s, but for most of us that’s practically impossible. But thanks to libraries, this isn’t necessary. Libraries hold an uncountable of literature and information that can move our hearts or stimulate our curiosity. Furthermore, libraries don’t just keep texts; they store items of cultural heritage, historical secrets, and they document that which civilizations have accomplished. They are a footprint of our entire civilization, and even if you can’t have them all in your brain, the books will always be there for you to read at any time. The Pioneer investigated the three most accessible libraries and their services to our students. These services are designed to promote reading among all age groups. However, it is mind boggling to see some of the data below on library usage. In South Korea, there are no less than eight hundred public libraries. Also, there is almost 7 million items of literature and information. The good news is that there will be almost 900 libraries by the end of the year. The bad news is we are still very far behind many other countries. The number of libraries in Korea is too small to show on this chart. Moreover, the average number of citizens per library* is almost double that of USA. Furthermore, not just the number of libraries that is an issue; facilities, faculties, and funding are also well below our OECD nations. The Pioneer looked into these shortcomings. At GNU, the libraries lack facilities for the disabled. For Jinju Municipal Libraries, they don’t have any programs or services for university students or adults. I believe that these can be solved through constant attention and honest feedback from the people. Although the libraries might not be as attractive as theaters, amusement parks, or Starbucks, you will be surprised at the joy that libraries can give you. You might be thinking that libraries don’t have any spectacles or delicious coffee, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Have you ever read Lord of The Rings or The Grapes of Wrath? Reading these novels, you will be surprised to taste the incredible imagination of the writers. Another classical novel, L’Etranger will make you think you are sipping a flavored espresso. Cultural events held in the libraries provide you the chance to understand the past, present and the future, and what you are presently going through. The answers to all your life’s questions will be laid out right in front of you. It’s neither difficult nor expensive. All you need to do is just open a book. Libraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need UsLibraries Need Us
- 26. The Korea TrainExpress (KTX) is just arriving at the new Jinju station. The KTX route which connects Jinju with Masan opened last December. You can catch the train at the new Jinju station in Gajwa-dong. The station is a recreation of the old Jinju station, keeping the traditional Korean look and feel. The KTX stops by the station 6 times a day and takes 3 and half hours to Seoul. 26 The Pioneer MARCH 2013 ZOOM IN By Jang Hye-ju reporter KTX Route Opens in Jinju
- 27. The Pioneer MARCH2013 27
- 28. 28 The PioneerMARCH 2013 VOICE Staying abroad for a period of time can bring upon different emotions but one sensation sure to hit hard is the feeling of loneliness. Loneliness in the sense of after settling down here and miss the company of family and friends as well as the hometown local foods. I miss all of that. Of course there’s “Skype”, “Tango”, “Viber” and all sorts of application for video calling and free-calls but how can it be the same? You can see them and listen to their voices but not hold or hug them. Missing the company of loved ones has always been the main challenge of staying abroad. No matter how strong a person can be, deep down inside, there will always be something that they will miss. Parents, siblings, friends, soul mates, pets, foods or even things like cars, bedroom, sofa, video games and television. I miss being with the people I love and eating the local foods such as “nasi lemak”, “roti canai”, “asam laksa”, “ABC” and tropical fruits such as “rambutan”, “durian” and “cempedak”. It taste just as good as how it looks. Trust me! Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I smell “asam laksa” which I know is impossible to get it here in Jinju. For your information, “Asam laksa” is similar to Korean jjambong. If there’s an Malaysia restaurant in Jinju that serves something from my country, even if it is a bit pricey, I’ll gladly pay. Latest exchange currency rate for Korean won to Malaysia ringgit. The table above clearly shows that cost of living in South Korea is high. It is approximately double or triples the price in Malaysia. I am not from a wealthy family, so it was quite tough to suit in to the high living cost. I prepare a monthly budget on how my money should be used, so I can survive till the end of the month. I attended Korean Language course for a year before I started my undergraduate studies. Even so, it is not enough for me to understand my lectures fully. Certain professors and lecturers not only speak fast but use the Gyeongsang dialect, so it is very hard for me to understand. Furthermore, most of the textbooks are in Korean with no English translated version. This surely ramps up the challenge. In order to understand the subject better, I had to study extra by reading the Korean textbook while having my dictionary beside me and get some extra English notes online. I do understand that I am studying now in South Korea, so the lectures are in Korean will be something that is unavoidable. However, having English translated version books of course will help the international students so that although they can’t understand the lecture fully, at least they can refer to the textbook. Malaysia is a one season country which means summer all year round. The average temperature in my hometown is around 27.5℃. It can go as high as 33℃ and as low as 22℃. Korea with All 4 seasons in South is something new to me. Cherry blossom during the spring, maple leafs during the autumn, snow during the winter are really delightful. However, winter is the season which I do not enjoy. Why? It’s cold and chilly of course. Even the lecture rooms are cold. Heaters are Gratefulness in Inconvenience 1000 KRW = RM2.85869 (currency rate changes from time to time) *Prices based on my experience and past memory. There are not the exact price but it’s more a less. news.chosun.com
- 29. The Pioneer MARCH2013 29 Rebbecca Thien Tze Yean not always available because of energy and electricity saving around the university. Furthermore, during winter, I have to wear many layers of clothes which are very uncomfortable. It makes me looks like a walking penguin. Not only that, there is not much you can do outside because of the cold weather. Everybody would rather stay warm at home. Even walking to class during the winter needs extra motivation because it is cold. Some voices from my international friends regarding my topic for this edition. Elvira Fidelia Tanjung & Merisha Icha Hastarina, Indonesian, Postgraduate, majoring in mechanical design and production. We lived in South Korea for almost 4 years and a half. Language is one of the main inconveniences. Not everyone speaks English and we only understand basic Korean, so communicating can be very tough. Not only that, the way people staring at foreigners, sometimes can be very disturbing and uncomfortable too. We do get that a lot especially in subways or bus. Furthermore, getting “halal” product is also hard. Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. It is harder when we moved to Jinju from Seoul. Jinju doesn’t have any “halal” restaurant so we have no choice but to purchase some “halal” meat from the store and cook it at home. As for us, postgraduate students, most of the time we stays in the laboratory, busy with assignments and thesis-writing but still we have no choice but to cook because eating outside will be quite tough for us. Certain types of cosmetics, ice- creams, ramen, marshmallows and even shoes too are not “halal” because it contains gelatin, a solid substance that is derived from collagen obtained from various animals such as pig, cattles, horses and chickens. So, before purchasing any product, checking the product ingredient is a must. Although there are few complains. I am still grateful in getting a chance to study here in Korea. There’s no matter that doesn’t have a solution. Instead of complaining and making a fuss out of it, it is better to be grateful for what you have now. “A grateful thought a day, keeps the inconveniences away” Sophomore, the Dept. of Aerospace Systems Engineering nasi lemak asam laksa cempedakdurian rambutan roti canai
- 30. 30 The PioneerMARCH 2013 VOICE It may not be the greatest of his works - though it does have much of greatness about it - but the Hemingway book I find myself most often revisiting, rereading in toto nearly every year, is his posthumously published recollection of his years a young man and apprentice writer in Paris, A Moveable Feast. I admit that part of what I love about the book is that it feeds my own blatantly romantic longing for Paris in the 1920s (I sometimes like to call it nostalgia - from the Greek, nóst(os), meaning “a return home,” since I vividly remember the strange feeling of being home that struck me the first time I visited Paris and retraced Hemingway’s and others’ meanderings in the Left Bank.) It is of the same species of romanticism that informs Woody Allen’s recent gem of a movie, Midnight in Paris. But more than that, I relish the portrait of Hemingway as a young writer, the struggles to find the “how” of the first stories he was working on, to manage without much money, to define a position for himself in and to learn from the community of writers and artists around him. A particularly favorite vignette from the book is of Hemingway on his walks from his rented room in which he did his writing, after a morning’s work, to the apartment of Gertrude Stein, and of his stopping en route at the Musée du Luxembourg. He writes: I went there nearly every day for the Cézannes and to see the Manets and Monets and the other Impressionists that I had first come to know about in the Art Institute at Chicago. I was learning something from the paintings of Cézannne that made writing simple true sentences far from enough to make the stories have the dimensions that I was trying to put in them. I was learning very much from him but I was not articulate enough to explain it to anyone. Besides it was a secret. Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies... That secret interests me enormously. I think I have an idea of what it is; I see it many parts of his work, say, in the composition of the landscape in the opening chapter of A Farewell to Arms or in the architectonics of the dialogue in “Hills Like White Elephants.” And more and more these days, I feel that if I had to put a word to it, the word would be “fractals.” I’ve been thinking a lot about fractals since spending time late last year with another posthumously published memoir, The Fractalist: Memoir of a Scientific Maverick by Benoit B. Mandelbrot. Mandelbrot, who died in 2010, was one of the most extraordinary and influential mathematicians of the 20th century, the man who coined the term “fractal” - “one of a class of mathematical shapes whose uneven contours could mimic the irregularities found in nature” and author of the seminal The Fractal Geometry of Nature,” his apologia for the use of fractal geometry to rigorously quantify complex shapes - the outlines of clouds and coastlines, for example - that other Science and Poetry: Fractals and Poetic Form Ernest Hemingway Benoit B. Mandelbrot
- 31. mathematicians had dismissedas hopelessly anomalous and unquantifiable, to study roughness and irregularity through geometry and apply the results to sciences and social studies, ranging from biology and physics to finance. One of the, for me, most striking statements in the memoir is his explanation of why he decided to pursue his idiosyncratic (“maverick,” to use his word) way in the field of mathematics. He writes: “I realized that mathematics cut off from the mysteries of the real world was not for me, so I took a different path,” he writes. He cites the claim of George Cantor (1845-1918) that “the essence of mathematics is in its freedom,” and says that he pursued that freedom in order to identify tools “that might handle a host of often ancient concrete problems - ‘questions once reserved for poets and children.’” I love this explicit connection that he makes between the real, best purpose of the pursuit of mathematics (and by extension, all science) and the real, best purpose of the pursuit of poetry. And writing from the poetry end of the connection, I believe he’s right and that writing poetry is very of a kind with the work of fractal geometry. If you get beyond the more jejune notions of what poetry is, you can see this fairly readily. Poetry is not, as it is too often caricatured, the art of “expressing one’s self or one’s emotions” or some act of cheaper psychotherapy. [Advice to young poets: If you want to express your emotions, skip the keyboard and go make love to your girlfriend or boyfriend or some beautiful stranger. It’s much more to the point and usually much more satisfying.] To be sure poetry can be these things - it does express emotion (and induces it, as well) and the writing of it can have transformative effects on the poet. But they are more adventitious than intrinsic, more by products of the forming of poetry’s raw materials in the apparent world than the raison d’être of that forming. The great 19th - century American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that “Poetry is the perpetual endeavor to express the spirit of the thing, to pass the brute body, and search the life and reason which causes [sic] it to exist........” If we translate Emerson’s transcendentalist diction - “spirit,” into that of mathematics, “shapes,” we can see that the Emersonian poet’s endeavor is really the same as that of the Mandelbrotian fractalist. Poetry, like mathematics, is the art of measuring and making forms, and making forms for the purpose of illuminating or uncovering the elusive or otherwise inscrutable forms (one thinks here, to a degree, of Platonic forms) that comprise the material of our world. And in doing as much, it gives to those forms, as Shakespeare put it, “a local habitation and a name.” The English word “poem”comes from the Greek, poieîn, to make, and - ma a suffix denoting result; hence, a poem is literally the result of making. It creates forms, whether the repeated ones of so-called formal verse, or the idiosyncratic one of free verse; it finds these forms in observed materials and uses them to take the measure of the unseen forms that will let us best see what we have observed. Poetry cannot be made without the measuring of meter or line (or anti-line in the case of the prose poem) or rhythm. Poetry sees in its forms, the way fractal geometry sees: its sees patterns that display “self-similarity” whose structures “appear the same or nearly the same no matter how deeply into or far away from [them] you zoom.” And what Hemingway saw in Cézannne (to return, always happily, to Paris) was, perhaps, a fractalist at work, the painter making forms that would let us see forms, quantifying and measuring those forms, leading us through mystery to understanding. The evidence in the poetry of Hemingway’s best prose suggests that he did indeed learn much in early afternoons in the Musée du Luxembourg. Richard Matthews He is the author of The Mill Is Burning (Grove Press), which was awarded the Joyce Osterweil Prize in Poetry by PEN America, and the play “The Bronze Staircase" (Presses de l'universite d'Angers). His poems and prose have appeared in journals and newspapers in the United States, France, and Korea. Ralph Waldo Emerson The Fractalist; Memoir of a Scientific Maverick The Pioneer MARCH 2013 31
- 32. 32 The PioneerMARCH 2013 VOICE Most students are eager to plan something big when they enter a university. For me, GNU exchange program was the golden opportunity to achieve my bucket list: going abroad. I studied hard from the very first semester to the last. TOEFL, Student journalist, etc. I eagerly participate activities which I thought would help me for the exchange student program. It looked like all my effort was being rewarded. However, I should not have deluded myself. Brighten up, will you! I will help you “There is nothing worse than this.” I cried and cried in the toilet. Regardless of my emotions, all of my friends congratulated me for having been selected as a scholarship student on Facebook. Against their expectation, my life in New Zealand was getting harder and I felt that I was in the middle of terribly destructive hurricanes. I often sat in the central library toilet and wiped my runny nose and tears. I was dreading the different style of lecture. In N.Z, many of the lecturers require students to participate in interactive communication in the class. ‘Do not be a chicken, you can do anything.’ I chewed over and over my own magic spell helping me to refresh my mind. “Attention please, this is the International Business 312 class. My name is Cheryl Rivers. I am the lecturer in this class. I will start with a question. What is a value? What is culture? Anybody want to answer? In a slide, I will give you five minutes to read texts and discuss your opinion about value difference between Sr Garcia and the Danes.” She pointed to me and asked me to explain my opinion about the topic. I felt everyone’s eyes watching me. I listened but I did not fully understand her question. I answered but it was not clear. Cheryl asked me where I was from0 “Korea....” I murmured. “North Korean culture is high context culture, am I right?” One student said, “Cheryl, do you confuse North and South Korea?” Everybody laughed except me. I could not put my face up because I was burning with shame. I was way behind. Nevertheless, I took this advice. “Avoid expatriates ghettos and be adventurous.” I asked Cheryl after the class. “Sorry, I can’t follow your class because my English is not that good....” I explained my situation and I asked her to give me her lecture guideline. “Oh, I am sorry Moon. I got used to speaking fast, I understand you.” She gave me lecture slide files before every lecture so I could prepare for her lessons. Moreover, Sabrina and Lu who are doing very well helped me scraping through in reviewing lecture. Heaven helps those who help themselves. I learned this first hand. After then, I always sit at the very front now and ask questions if I should polish up the most important areas even though my question is not perfect. Fortunately, most of tutors and lecturers let me catch up kindly and they allow me to pass the test. I got better mark than native speakers in Business Writing Class. Jumping at the chance of a new challenge My grades were getting better but I had a hard time with getting to know people. On my way to the city, I met Ben. I do not know his full name yet. He was outgoing so he said “hello” to me first. I got the blues but I really wanted to make friends to get out of my moodiness Adjusting and Exposing Myself to
- 33. The Pioneer MARCH2013 33 Moon Hyun-jinNew Zealand Culture so I talked with him for a long time. He endured a long wait before I talked to him and he listened carefully. “Do you like drinking coffee? You can visit my home if you want.” What a good chance! I was so happy so I said, “yes”. After one week, I went to his house. He lived in the same village so it took only five minutes by foot. Unlike my expectation, Ben had a messy and stinky room. “Hey, Moon. Welcome to my home!” He was still bright. My facial expression was out of my control. Despite my tenderness, he showed me his photo albums and his favorite music videos.”Want some coffee?” “yeah... please give me some.” The cup was chipped and not that clean but I finished the cup of coffee. The house was dirty and smelly but I felt comfortable. Then, his other friends came to his place and asked me to drink vodka. “Hold up a glass, lady. I will give you some good drinks.” Except Ben, they were all scary to me. I told them that I should go to university and I fled from his place. In retrospect, He seems a bit slow. When I tell this story, all my friends are surprised and they would tell me that it is too dangerous. Even though it is true, I swear that Ben is the only person who listened carefully to me. After that, I noticed that I became familiar with my immediate surroundings and I can make a lot of friends. New Zealand and my friends “Shoot, someone has stolen my snack. Oh! My precious Tim tam.” My friend, Asuka Miyauchi laughed and laughed again. “We are supposed to change to another room.” There was only one week left that I could spend time with her in New Zealand (N.Z.). We went to the South Island and reminisced over our memories. We smiled but we were in a sad mood because we would be going back to our own country in one week. I was always struck with poverty in New Zealand. At that time, prices were going through the roof in N.Z. I used to keep praying to get money in church. ‘Heavenly father, please give me 40 dollars... I should top up my snapper card and phone card. I can’t get connected with my friends if you ignore this prayer.” I was amazed at my devout prayers. My mother always urges me to pray but I did not do it in South Korea. The difficult situation made me have stronger belief. After a service at the church, Asuka came to me and she asked me to go to a picnic. I could not go there because I should finish my writing assignment and I did not have money. “Sorry, Asuka. Could you go there with Rabi if you really want to go? I should finish my assignment at the university.” “Then, I will follow you. I should do my work and I want to help you, Moon” “Thanks but I can deal with it by myself. Could you text him that we will not go to the picnic? I should charge my phone but I did not.” Then, she wanted me to stop by a dairy shop and showed me one receipt. That was the receipt that I could use to charge my phone. In N.Z, people pay a certain amount of money to top up their credit in a dairy shop. People can use their phone when they text to a mobile phone company. “I know the reason why you will not go to the picnic and I really want to get the burden off of your chest, even if it’s a small burden.” She smiled and handed over the paper. I started crying. I was touched by the fact that I have a friend who knows my mind so well. We have very different personalities but we get along well with each other. Every Friday, university provides free bread to students to encourage students who cannot afford to buy food. We made the most of the opportunities to get free food and drinks. At the very first time, we went to get free ice cream and cotton candy during club orientation days. If one of us got free food information, we always texted each other and went together. Nowadays, I miss the sausage sizzle, not only for the smell and flavor, but the spent time with Asuka. I miss the time spent with Asuka and other friends in New Zealand. It was difficult to adjust and expose myself to a new culture and environment fot the first time. But when I look back, those hardships made me who I am, strong, independent, and fearless in the face of challenge. You know what they say “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Senior, the Dept. of International Trade
- 34. CULTURE By JangHye-Ju reporter 34 The Pioneer MARCH 2013 Why We Love Dr.Jekyll&Hyde? The musical Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde visited Jinju on December 2nd, 2012. It’ been a huge hit in Korea, setting a new record by being sold out every performance since its premiere in 2004. Bringing famous songs such as This Is The Moment and Broadway standard performances, I can personally say that the show lives up to its hype. So, what are the success factors of this musical? Other Korean musicals have unfamiliar actors as understudies, but Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde has famous actors. Jo seung-woo, Hong kwang-hyeon and Ryu jeong-hyeon (who play the role of Dr. Jekyll) are all popular and established actors in Korea. Each actor gives different feelings to the audience and leaves them wanting to watch the show more than once. Frank Wildhorn, famous for his roles in Monte-Cristo and Carmen, wrote the songs This Is The Moment and Once Upon A Dream, which are two of the most popular musical songs in Korea. Even people who aren't interested in musicals recognize these songs because so many participants who appear in reality TV shows sing them. The lyrics of the songs that appeal emotionally are also the reason why these songs are popular among Koreans. For example, Bring On The Man, in its Korean edition, especially expresses - through covering the relationship between women and men - the duality of human nature in such a way that it is considered better than Broadway version. Jekyll & Hyde wasn’t doing too well in Broadway. But it has been a commercial success in Korea through the dramatization by the show’s director. He kept the original script and the music (except for some songs that change their lyrics) but changed other aspects such as stage, costume, choreography and direction to meet the Korean audiences' tastes. According to an expert, the songs composed by Frank Wildhorn are familiar because the jazz-inspired beautiful minor-key lyrical ballads are similar to K-pop. A few days ago, I heard a news which showed that Shin chun-su, the producer of the Korean edition of Jekyll & Hyde will also direct the American edition Jekyll & Hyde. He said that an American production company realized that the musical had been very successful in Korea, and suggested a joint production to reflect the Korean version. There are many foreign-licensed musicals in Korea. However the Korean edition of Jekyll & Hyde has changed things from the original version. The success of Jekyll & Hyde in Korea is not just due to luck. It is the fruit of great effort. Taking this apporyunity, I hope we start another new trend “K-musical”.
- 35. READERS’ PAGE 이번 호잡지에 실린 사진입니다. 위 쪽을 기준으로 아래 쪽에서 틀린 곳(4개)을 찾아 보세요. 정답을 모두 찾은 분은 아래 독자 의견도 작성해, 내용이 잘 보이도록 찍어서 메일 (moon60496@gmail.com) 또는 카카오톡(ID_moon604)으로 보내주세요. 마감은 2013년 3월 29일(금)까지 입니다. 정답과 독자 의견을 적어 보낸 사람 중 3명을 추첨해 카카오톡 기프티 콘을 드립니다. 161호 틀린 그림 찾기 1. 이번 호에서 인상적이었던 기사와 그 이유를 적어 주세요. 2. The Pioneer에서 다루었으면 하는 주제나 소재, 그외 영어잡지사에 전 하고 싶은 말을 적어 주세요. 한지현 불어불문학과 2(2012010157) 박규상 물리교육과 4(2010013103) 이세원 수의예과 1(2007011035) 이상 3명은 카카오톡(ID_moon604)으로 당첨 사실을 알려 주면 확인 후 기프티콘(CGV 주중 예매권)을 보내드립니 다. 축하합니다. 161호를 읽고 지난 호 틀린 그림 찾기 정답