On 11th May 2019, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the traditional Korean atmosphere in Gyeongju, a coastal city in the North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea. The whole experience was a treat to its finest, bringing such a pleasant feeling and a new perspective of modern Korea for me as a study abroad students.

As soon as we left the sight of Daejeon behind, I immediately felt the change in the environment as a result of the picturesque views through the bus windows. The mountains run through the city borders; the greenery and blue sky all blended well with each other giving us a rare sight, a remarkable gift of nature. I have of late developed a habit of self-reflection about my life and family. The view of the mountains brought back the soothing thoughts of my family and friends.

We arrived at our first destination, the renowned Bulguksa Temple after the 3-hour bus ride. The main temple encompasses seven national treasures of South Korea and is classified as No.1 historic and scenic site by the South Korean government. We had to take a walk uphill to get there. Along the way, I couldn’t help but run up the hill as fast as I could taking in all the refreshing air. The mountain, the trees, and the landscape all seemed so surreal with the colorful lamps along the way; I thought I was daydreaming.

My first impression of the temple was somewhat nostalgic. It has an antique and ancient feel to it the kind that openly appears in Chinese movies.  “ Well, it certainly lives up to its name,” I thought. Amazed by the old but stunning architectural design of the temple, I let curiosity guide me throughout the site. I first came across a tower made of stone, and later discovered that everything within the temple has a moral and historical story behind it and would require for more time to learn all the stories behind each item.

We then visited the main worship room, where people of all ages were praying to the golden, glowing Buddist statues along with harmoniously performing some form of rituals. Wishing health and good luck to their families. This moment brought back childhood memories of when my parents took me to the temple.

After the temple, we went to our final destination, Dae-leung Won park where we had lunch with friends and later took a stroll. The atmosphere at the park was relaxing; the long vast field lined with trees provides a beautiful spot to have a picnic with family and friends. Koreans frequent this place for multiple purposes including taking pictures, flying kites, playing sports or just having company with nature. Deep down, I felt happy, in all the hustles of ordinary life, It’s tough to find such tranquillity and beauty. The day came to an end so quickly that I still wanted to spend more time with nature. I am genuinely thankful to SolBridge and SolBridge Student Council for giving us such opportunities. It is a shade to add in my life picture, vivid memory and a story to tell.